Final Flashcards
use it or lose it
cognitive exercise, education, mental acuity, associate with delayed loss of cognition in normal aging and decreased risk of dementia.
Exercise
is any bodily activity that maintains or improves physical fitness health and wellness.
rates
59% Canadian adults are overweight.
15% manage 2.5 hours of activity per week.
26% youth are fat.
cost
- 1 billion for direct health care
6. 5 billion if include loss of productivity.
evidence
math and reading are positively correlated with aerobic fitness.
specific regions, math and reading…
Math: PFC
reading: PFC and posterior cingulate cortex.
Aerobic exercise: network connecting the frontal lobe and parietal lobe is activated.
exercise
it activates the same networks required for math and reading.
criticisms of research
historical and indirect reporting.
meta-analysis
bias; use of a school district with historically poor or high test scores.
exercise; no improvement in;
language fluency, spatial manipulation, object recognition
exercise– improvement
executive function (attention, distinguish relevance, organize, plan) Working memory
what does aerobic exercise do to the brain?
Decreased activation of anterior cingulate cortex (emotional response)
Increased activation of the PFC and parietal cortex (executive function).
*Exercise increased top down control by the PFC.
Mood
running naturally releases endorphins which are associated with improved mood.
Effect
exercise is equal to cognitive therapy, positive effect on depressive symptoms.
Fatigue
associated with neurobiological changes, metabolic disruption affecting the levels of neurotransmitters.
depressed athlete conundrum
constant achievement created stress.
fatigue
**high levels of exercise chronically activate the HPA axis, which is critical in neuropsychiatric disorders.
why is it good
- blood to brain
- neurotransmission; increase concentration, promote communication/
- enhanced neuroplasticity; neurogenesis.
positive effects
due to increases in metabolism, oxygenation and blood flow in the brain.
*Increases neurotransmitter production, particularly serotonin, dopamine, but also GABA, glutamate and norepinephrine.
Memory
exercise increases the volume of the hippocampus.
- Rodents: rich environment leads to increased dendritic complexity.
- For humans increase grey matter volume in frontal and temporal lobes.
Growth factors
- vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF)
2. Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF); promotes neurogenesis and axonal growth.
neurogenesis
The new cells are critical for learning and memory.
- reduce anxiety and depression, mice forced swim test, and also mice who exercise are more likely to explore.
- Also resistance to stress, better coping.
mood disorders
psychological disorders characterized by pathological extremes of mood. Bipolar, would be an example of a high and low cycle.
*10% of people.
bipolar
Mania is elevated mood to the point of euphoria or delirium such that it impairs daily functioning.
1-2% population, both sexes equal.
Difference sadness and depression
Sadness is an emotional pain, and a natural consequence of difficult situations which we cannot run away from.
*It becomes pathological depression when we loose sight of its time limited nature, learned helplessness. Untreated it could last 9 months.
MDD
sustained down mood, guilt, worthlessness, anhedonia (loss of interest/enjoyment in everyday activities.)
Effects:
- thought: poor concentration, difficulty making decisions.
- Sleep: insomnia, fatigue
- appetite: increase or decrease
- Libido; decrease
*80-90% experience second episode within 2 years.
depression
most common, but most treatable. 1 in 5 ppl affected. 15% suicide.
CBT
psychotherapy taught to recognize and change thought processes that cause or contribute to deepening symptoms. Positive feedback goes along way to helping.
Cognitive changes from coping. BUT coping is permanent, it is a protective factor.
Monoamine hypothesis
Biological basis is decreased availability of noradrenaline and serotonin.
monoamine hypothesis evidence
- symptoms improved by treatments that increase the synaptic concentration of monoamines.
- Serotonergic and noradrenergic systems regulate emotion, mood, attention, reward processing, cognition, appetite, which are implicated by depression.