EXERCISE FOR BRAIN II

Structure and implementation of the model

We briefly explain the structure and the development of the application of the EXERCISE FOR BRAIN model and we reflect about the Enriched Exercise concept and who it is for recomended.

• STRUCTURE OF THE EXERCISE FOR BRAIN PROPOSAL
• WHAT IS ENRICHED PHYSICAL EXERCISE?
• WHO IS IT FOR?

It is only a few years ago that has started to be experienced a strong interest in exercise as the main preventive strategy against the risk of cognitive impairment and neurodegenerative diseases. A large body of work has highlighted the protective role of regular exercise. Most of these studies linking brain development and exercise focus on aerobic exercise as the activity that produces an improvement in both brain structure and function. However, studies have also subsequently emerged suggesting that strength training also improves brain structure.

Some research links the two and suggests that their combination appears to be particularly beneficial. The combination provides the greatest benefits for cognitive function because they reduce frontal, parietal and temporal lobe volume loss and significantly more grey and white mass is observed compared to activities that are not combined.

STRUCTURE OF THE EXERCISE FOR BRAIN PROPOSAL

Based on scientific literature we know that each type of physical activity has a certain effect on the structure of the brain. In order to get the benefits of all activities, the EXERCISE FOR BRAIN programme combines 3 different types of physical work:

1. Aerobic activities, such as walking, running, swimming, cycling or dancing . They stimulate neurogenesis, the release of neutrophic factors and myokines and the release of neurohormones that have a positive influence on brain function. With this type of work we will also be stimulating angiogenesis, the level of metabolisation, capillary and mitochondrial density and the improvement of cardiopulmonary capacity.
2. Strength training, such as resistance bands, lifting weights, functional training, body-weight training, suspension training, circuit training or HIIT. Their development is mainly a neuronal process. They stimulate neuroplasticity, synaptogenesis, the amount of white mass, the volume of frontal, parietal and temporal lobes and white muscle mass. It improves the capacity and control of movements, postural correction and body balance. Strength work coupled with cognitive training improves cognitive abilities, synaptic coordination and increased connectivity of different brain areas. Strength activities combined with aerobic activities have been found to produce greater benefits.
3. In addition to the first two types of activities, which are the best known, there is High Intensity Neurostimulatory Training (HINT), such as motor coordination, proprioception work, body consciousness, capoeira, meditation or embodied cognnition. This type of activity, which can be related to coordination and sensorial skills, brings together highly complex movements, perceptual-sensory activities and body awareness work. This type of activity allows us to increase the level of neuronal stimulation. The difficulty in carrying out complex or very unusual movements offers experiences that produce a stimulus on a mental level that promotes neuroplasticity, synaptogenesis, allows a greater availability of neurotransmitters, stimulates the connection of different brain areas and between the two hemispheres, increases cognitive reserve and the amount of grey mass. This type of activity improves the ability to move, develops perceptual-sensory and cognitive abilities, facilitates self-expression and self-awareness, as well as stress management.

Each session is focused in a type of activity and the weekly distribution is as follows:

• 3 aerobic sessions separated by a day in between.
• 2 strength sessions separated at least by a day in between.
• 1 high intensity neurostimulatory training session.

The differential factor of this proposal is that both Aerobic and Strength Activities must be enriched, incorporating factors that increase the level of brain stimulation, complementing the effects of high intensity neurostimulatory training.

WHAT IS ENRICHED EXERCISE?

The principle of all training, whether physical or cognitive, is to regulate the characteristics of the experience in order to produce certain adaptations that allow for evolution. This idea is taken from the concept of ENRICHED ENVIRONMENT developed by Marian Diamond and previously studied by the famous Santiago Ramon y Cajal and Donald Hebb. Neuroscience currently indicates that an enriched environment, whether cognitive, physical or social, together with a diversity of stimulation (novelty), of whatever type, stimulates neuronal plasticity.

Each physical activity involves a series of physiological adaptations that help brain development. There are studies that show that combining aerobic and strength exercise with cognitive stimulation can have a greater impact on cognitive function and increase brain metabolism in older people. ENRICHED EXERCISE incorporates to this physical stimulus, an increase in neuronal stimulation to enhance neurogenesis, neuronal plasticity, enrichment of synaptic connections and brain connectivity.

In order to achieve an ENRICHED EXERCISE, the main focus is on 5 factors:

1. NOVELTY and VARIABILITY. Novelty and variability are aspects that biologically stimulate the brain because it avoids the automations that allows anticipation. This enriches the experience by providing a greater intensity of stimulation that promotes neuroplasticity and increases cognitive effort.
2. The degree of DIFFICULTY which is related to the level of ATTENTION. Repeating the same movement pattern reduces the neural impact and therefore the adaptive response, which is known as adaptive resistance. Each movement must contemplate variants that progressively increase its complexity and produce an increase in stimulation. This progressive increase in difficulty can be created with instabilities, twists, rotations, flexions, desynchronisations or changes in execution planes. The level of difficulty and its variation is more stimulating than the hours of practice. Activities with constructive difficulties push the limits of skill and encourage the overcoming of achievable challenges. Overcoming these challenges requires a degree of attention that is often an indicator of the level of complexity of the activity.
3. REPETITION, which allows for the CONSOLIDATION of learning. Exercise must ensure sufficient repetition to consolidate learning by increasing the coordination of neural networks. Repetition of familiar or similar actions leads to the strengthening of neural networks and makes them more effective and efficient. It develops Long Term Potentiation and cognitive reserve which are fundamental for brain development, as well as producing a moment of neural rest. Repeated practice of an action directly affects the white mass, increasing the myelination of neuronal circuits. This increases the effectiveness and efficiency of the nerve impulse.
4. The development of the SUPPORTING PHYSICAL STRUCTURE to the cerebral function. Planning the different physical adaptations that each activity produces in relation to its support for brain function. In this sense, the function of the cardiovascular system must be taken into account because every mental function has an energetic expenditure.
5. MENTAL REQUIREMENT. A mental and cognitive aspect should be introduced into every activity to further enhance brain activity. Promoting perception, thinking and learning is brain development and brain health. The requirement of specific cognitive capacities, such as memory, creativity, concentration, information analysis, decision making, etc., while moving, increases the stimulating function of the experience.

We have the opportunity to exert a positive influence on the brain through Enriched Exercise. Promoting changes that at first may seem irrelevant and insignificant but which, when maintained over time and interrelated with others, can become decisive.

WHO IS IT FOR?

Anyone can benefit from this programme because it is a complete exercise programme that works on both aerobic capacity and Strength. But it relates more to:

• TREATMENT and PREVENTION of neurodegenerative diseases.
• DEVELOPMENT of brain function.

Although these three orientations seem to be independent, they are actually complementary because by improving cognitive abilities we increase brain function and this is the best way to prevent or delay the onset or slow down the development of neurodegenerative diseases. Learning is healthy.

• The first and most urgent application of this type of programme, due to the dose of drama involved, is the TREATMENT of the neurodegenerative process. The aim is to slow down the progression of the disease, which mainly occurs in the elderly.
• As we know that neurodegenerative diseases have a long evolution and that their clinical manifestation occurs at a very advanced stage, it is essential to implement a PREVENTION approach in apparently healthy people from the age of 40 onwards.
• This type of programme is also recommended for people of all ages, without neurological problems but who want to DEVELOP their cognitive capacities, to apply them both in the personal and professional sphere.
• And finally, a population group that can benefit from this type of programme are children and young people. For their DEVELOPMENT, both motor and mental, motor stimulation is very important in the different stages of growth.

EXERCISE FOR BRAIN is a theoretical and dynamic proposal open to permanent revision and readjustment. This indicates the dynamism of this field of study in which the limitation of knowledge is widely recognised and where new and old discoveries are regularly appearing or being discussed. But it is necessary for this type of Neuroexercise proposal to appear in order to build a base that allows us to improve the characteristics according to the new discoveries that neuroscience provides us with.