Exercise increases levels of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) which encourages neurogenesis and strengthens synaptic connections in the brain. This improves cognitive functions like learning, focus, and memory formation. Studies show exercise may be as effective as antidepressants in treating depression and other mood disorders by optimizing neurotransmitter and neurohormone levels. Regular physical activity engages the entire brain and is crucial for its health and development across the lifespan.

2. Notes from the book Spark
By John J. Ratey, MD

3. Why do we feel good when we
exercise?
 Your ideas?
 It makes our brain function
at its best. This is the most
important benefit of
exercise, the benefit to
muscles, heart, and lungs
are just healthy side-effects
of exercise.
 Why is exercise so good for
the brain?

4. In a Duke University study it was shown that
exercise was better than Zoloft (sertraline) at
treating depression and other subsequent
studies have shown that exercise may be one of
the best treatments for most psychiatric
problems. WHY?

6. Only mobile creatures need a
brain.
 Sea Squirt Larva have
brain, it is consumed
once it becomes
sessile.

7. “That which we call thinking is the evolutionary
internalization of movement.” Neurophysiologist
Rodolfo Llinas
 As we evolved, our physical skills
developed into abstract abilities to
predict, sequence, estimate, plan,
rehearse, observe, judge, correct
mistakes, shift tactics, and remember
everything we did in order to survive.

8. Evolution of brain and body together
over millions of years.
 The relationship between the ability to obtain food, shelter,
comfort, and the physical ability to obtain them through
learning that has been hardwired into the brain’s circuitry.
 In order to survive we had to use our brains to find and store
food. We needed fuel to learn and learning to find a source of
fuel. We needed to move! On average 11 km per day!
 Today, not so much 

9. Modern people don’t move as much
creating a problem for us as
individuals and a society.
 65% adults in our nation are
overweight.
 10% have type 2 diabetes.
 1/3 of the U.S. population by 2050.
 Preventable health issues due to
lack of exercise are becoming
increasing more frequent in children.

10. Our lack of movement is reflected in
what we value in education.
 Nationally we are cutting back on P.E.
 Illinois only state requiring P.E. on a daily basis.
 In school 5.5 hours of screen time per day per
student.
 No or reduced recess for elementary education.

12. Naperville School District
Case Study:
 School district one of the fittest in the nation.
 3% overweight vs. 30% (national average)
 TIMSS (trends in Math and Science Study) tested
out 6th in Math and 1st in Science.
 Why?

13. P.E. Revolution
 Fitness vs. Sports P. E.
 Only 3% of students go on to be active in sports after
high school.
 Jr. High Teacher Phil Larson revolutionizes P.E. with
fitness vs. Sports Program. Emphasizes personal
best and assesses effort.
 Small scale sports ex. 3 on 3 basket ball, 4 on 4
soccer with the goal of movement.
 Graded on how much time student spent in target
heart rate zone.

14. Heart rate monitors in class.

15. Zero hour P.E. at Naperville
Central High School
 Like early bird P.E. (called learning readiness P.E.)
 incoming freshman assigned to reading
comprehension literacy class.
 17% improvement in reading comprehension vs.
10.7%

17. Other data:
 California Dept. of Ed. Students with the highest fitness
scores had the highest test scores
 2001 study fit kids scored 2x’s as well on academic tests
as their unfit peers.
 Titusville, Pennsylvania, since adopting fitness P.E. the
students improve at 17% higher in reading and 18%
higher in math than state average. (Low median income)
 No fist fights in 550 jr. high kids since 2000.
 Kansas City Mo. P.E. went from once a week to once a
day and violent incidences went from 228 in one year to
95. in another inner city school discipline problems
dropped 67%

20. In order to learn the brain must
change.
 Plasticity: The brain is
designed so that it can
change!
 The environment creates
the impetus for change.
 What is your
environment? What are
your experiences
 When we learn we
change our brains.
 The neuron allows us to
do this.

21. Review of neuron function:
 Neurons by themselves are not very powerful.
 Neural networks- many neurons create
communication lines between them in order to create
perceptions and learn new things as we “experience”
life
 Communication between neurons requires the
molecules that move between them, what are they?
 Neurotransmitters.

22. The Neuron:

23. Neural Networks:

24. Neurotransmitter Cascade
 80% of the signals in the brain rely on two main
neurotransmitters:
 Glutamate, which stirs up the activity and begins the
cascade
 GABA, which locks the brain activity down.
 These two neurotransmitters begin the chemical
sequence of brain activity that regulates all of our
behavior. In many cases they stimulate the release
of many other neurotransmitters.

25. The other neurotransmitters:
 Regulatory
neurotransmitters such as
serotonin, norepinephrine,
and dopamine.
 Only 1% of the neurons
produce these n.t.
 They instruct other
neurons to make more
glutamate, alter the
sensitivity of neuron
dendrites, and signal
other neurons to fire.
 fine tune the balance of
the brain’s chemicals.

26. Serotonin:
 Considered the
policeman of the brain
 It influences mood,
impulsivity, anger, and
aggression.
 Many drugs used for
anxiety and depression
stimulate the levels of
serotonin in the brain.

27. Norepinephrine:
 Amplifies attention and
perception as well as
motivation.
 This is one of the
hormones in adrenaline
that is released during
the fast part of the
stress response.
(fight/flight)

28. Dopamine:
 The key neurotransmitter involved in reward
(satisfaction) attention and movement.

29. But raising or lowering their levels doesn’t elicit
a one to one result as the system is so complex.
Consider the side effects of many of the
neurotransmitter influencing drugs such as
selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (ssri)

30. Other Brain Chemicals:
 These are called
“Factors”
 Most commonly called
brain derived neurotrophic
factors (BDNF.)
 They are a class of
proteins.
 Build and maintain cell
circuitry infrastructure.
 The best way to think of
them is as fertilizer for
the brain.

31. Brain Derived neurotrophic
factors (BDNF)
 In the 1990’s ~ one dozen or so scientific studies
done on them.
 Explosion of neuroscience research after 2000.
 5400 papers/studies done as of 2007.
 Why?
 Turns out there pretty darn important to the brain, its
overall health and learning.

32. Learning requires strengthening the
relationship (affinity) between neurons
through a dynamic mechanism called long
term potentiation. (building strong synapses
between the neurons makes it easier for
signaling/firing between them.)

33. Learning pathway explained
 Glutamate (a neurotransmitter) is sent from
one neuron across the synapse to the
dendrites of another. If there are repeated
firings, the genes inside the receiving
neuron are turned on to produce building
materials for the synapse to allow it to
become permanently more receptive.
The memory sticks!

34. Learning and forgetting
 If you learn a new word each day and never practice
it the attraction between synapses diminishes and
you forget it.
 Repeated activation/stimulation comes with practice.
 This causes the synapse to swell actually growing
more brain.
 So where does exercise come in?

35. Because so many parts of the brain
are involved in movement, all of the
brain is benefitted by movement.

36. Movement and exercise is where
BDNF comes in to play.
 If you sprinkle BDNF on neurons in a petri-dish, the
cells automatically sprouted new branches
(synapses.) Like Miracle-Grow for the brain .
Here’s how:
 1) BDNF binds receptors at the synapse
 2) activates genes that call for more BDNF,
serotonin, and proteins that build synapse
 3) BDNF builds & strengthens the neuron protecting
against cell death

37. Exercise and Rats
 U of Cal Irvine: Carl
Cotman director for brain
aging used rats on a
running wheel. (They
were not forced to
participate!)control vs. 2,
4, and 7 nights of running
a week.
 Their BDNF went up
relative to the amt.
exercised.
 Their hippocampus lit up
w/BDNF.

38. Exercises effect on the
brain is immediate.
 2007 German researchers found humans learned
20% faster following exercise
 Slowly psychiatry grudgingly accepts the idea that
exercise can improve state of mind in all areas of
treatment.

39. Understanding the context of
Brain Derived Neurotrophic
Factors
 BDNF are great but not just by themselves
 Need something to respond to.
 Challenge yourself and learn something after
exercise.
 Environmental enrichment study on rats, by Dr.
William Greenough from U. of I. (video)

40. The birth of new neurons throughout our life is a
relatively new idea in neuroscience.

41. Exercise stimulates neurogenesis
 Pharmaceutical companies dream of finding the
chemical pathway to induce neurogenesis.
 They want to put exercise into a bottle.
 Consider the implications?
 Not just BDNF but a host of other hormones and
chemicals that stimulate both neuron growth and
development but also glial cell growth.

42. So what’s the best exercise
 You can’t actually learn very well while
exercising at a high intensity. (blood is move
away from the prefrontal cortex.)
 But blood flow returns immediately after
exercise.
 Find exercise that you like to do where heart rate
is increased significantly. (30+minutes.) Running,
swimming, biking.
 Mix in exercise that involves coordination:
tennis, racquetball, balance drills, yoga, dance,
skating, karate.

44. Summary of Exercise
Benefits to the Brain:
 Increases alertness, attention, and motivation
 Prepares and encourages nerve cells to bind
to one another-allowing logging of new
information.
 Spawns the development of new nerve cells
form stem cells in the hippocampus.
 Protects the cells from aging prematurely and
death.

45. Other Brain Benefits from
Exercise:
 Reduction of the effects of stress and anxiety
 Relief from depression.
 Improved concentration and performance
from people diagnosed with ADHD.
 Addiction
 Hormonal changes
 Aging