Everywhere we turn, we hear information about the benefits of exercise. From building stronger bones and muscles to reducing the risk of diseases such as diabetes and heart disease, the effects of physical exercise on general health are certainly far-ranging. In fact, a growing body of research is demonstrating that physical exercise is good for your body as well as your brain. Recent examinations of the link between physical exercise and the central nervous system have shown positive effects on a wide range of brain health markers. So, in addition to the obvious reasons to exercise – such as maintaining a trim physique and a healthy heart - there is also the added benefit of keeping your brain healthy, which can lead to increases in cognition and memory. On a broad level, exercise is essential for maintaining good blood flow to the brain and increasing the brain’s consumption of oxygen and glucose. On a more specific level, exercise appears to have profound effects on specific molecular systems involved in the regulation of neuroplasticity. Together, these effects result in a well-preserved brain that is more adaptive to change.
The purpose of this chapter is to provide information about the benefits of physical exercise and to explore how this life practice may affect the way that individuals respond to HD. Exercise, especially for people with HD who experience significant brain loss as well as a variety of health-debilitating symptoms, is an excellent life practice because it proactively addresses health on a variety of fronts.
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Last Modified: 05/22/2009
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