Keeping your brain healthy

When a brain cell (neuron) is active:

• It generates a better blood supply, more oxygen and nutrients equals a happier and healthier cell
• It sprouts more branches [dendrites] to other brain cells, making it the hub of an interconnected network of cells
• It gets more stimulation and generates more activity because of its increased number of connections
• It is increasingly active and so the blood supply is healthier, and so on

But, when a brain cell is inactive:

• It receives less oxygen and nutrients
• It does not sprout new branches
• It is less often stimulated
• It is a prime target for cell death since it is an idle cell with no major impact on brain functioning

Hence the expression "Use it, or lose it"

This expression is quite apt, it’s not very different from physical fitness – unused muscles lose their tone – unchallenged brains lose their sharpness.

To make the point a little more vivid, the heightened activity of a brain cell enhances its production of Nerve Growth Factor [NGF], which helps maintain cell health.

Furthermore, each single cell can sprout up to 30,000 branches, making it a well-connected member of a huge network of cells.

And finally, research shows that mental effort can also stimulate generation of new brain cells. It is now known that the brain can produce new brain stem cells that migrate to the areas where cells are needed, and “learn” from the surrounding cells to perform the required function. This is the mechanism responsible for recovery following brain injury or stroke.

The moral of all this is that the best time to start flexing your brain power is now, and it’s never too late to start.

So start training your brain today!