<p>You all are aware of the plethora of health benefits that regular exercise brings. Now add enhanced intelligence to that list.<br /><br /></p>.<p>According to a new study, fitness has a long-term effect on a wide range of cognitive abilities like reasoning, remembering, understanding and problem solving.<br /><br />For John Ratey, a neuropsychiatrist at Harvard Medical School, regular physical activity may also play a vital role in enhancing brainpower as we reach an advanced age. <br /><br />"It's a really amazing effect," added David Raichlen, a biological anthropologist at the University of Arizona in Tucson, in a report that appeared in the Washington Post.<br /><br />Raichlen is currently investigating whether our ancestors' athleticism may have accelerated the evolution of their intelligence millions of years ago.<br /><br />Another study, which followed a group of nearly 1,500 people for 20 years, showed that those who exercised at least twice a week during middle age were much less likely to develop dementia by the time they reached their 60s and 70s.<br /><br />"People really enjoy that euphoric aspect of a runner's high and the clarity of mind you get from a routine workout," Brian Christie, a neuroscientist at the University of Victoria in British Columbia, was quoted as saying.<br /><br />Although there are fewer studies done on younger people, the available evidence suggests that physical activity enhances brain health at every stage of life, says the report.<br /><br />What kind of exercise is ideal? An aerobic workout is essential, but it doesn't have to be too strenuous. Even gentle activities, such as taking a walk a few times a week, worked wonders for the elderly, concluded the report.</p>
<p>You all are aware of the plethora of health benefits that regular exercise brings. Now add enhanced intelligence to that list.<br /><br /></p>.<p>According to a new study, fitness has a long-term effect on a wide range of cognitive abilities like reasoning, remembering, understanding and problem solving.<br /><br />For John Ratey, a neuropsychiatrist at Harvard Medical School, regular physical activity may also play a vital role in enhancing brainpower as we reach an advanced age. <br /><br />"It's a really amazing effect," added David Raichlen, a biological anthropologist at the University of Arizona in Tucson, in a report that appeared in the Washington Post.<br /><br />Raichlen is currently investigating whether our ancestors' athleticism may have accelerated the evolution of their intelligence millions of years ago.<br /><br />Another study, which followed a group of nearly 1,500 people for 20 years, showed that those who exercised at least twice a week during middle age were much less likely to develop dementia by the time they reached their 60s and 70s.<br /><br />"People really enjoy that euphoric aspect of a runner's high and the clarity of mind you get from a routine workout," Brian Christie, a neuroscientist at the University of Victoria in British Columbia, was quoted as saying.<br /><br />Although there are fewer studies done on younger people, the available evidence suggests that physical activity enhances brain health at every stage of life, says the report.<br /><br />What kind of exercise is ideal? An aerobic workout is essential, but it doesn't have to be too strenuous. Even gentle activities, such as taking a walk a few times a week, worked wonders for the elderly, concluded the report.</p>