How to Promote Adult Neurogenesis

Can Exercise Promote Adult Hippocampal Neurogenesis

Adult Neurogenesis is a newly discovered phenomenon of the creation of new neurons in a grown adult. Prior to this discovery, scientists believed that the nervous system was set and that one could not make any new neurons and the ones you were born with were the only ones you could get in your life. This discovery revolutionized the way scientists view the way the nervous system works. Recent research indicates that one can actually increase the rate of neurogenesis, enabling someone to very literally increase his or her brainpower easily.

One way of increasing adult hippocampal neurogenesis is to exercise. Exercise is the most tested way of increasing neurogenesis. Hundreds of tests have been conducted, specifically on mice, to test the relationship between the development of new brain neurons and exercise. In nearly every case, Mice that exercised had significantly increased neural activity in the hippocampus. This represents the very clear hippocampal neurogenesis occurring there.

However, the one thing that we really are trying to understand is the reason why exercise does this. To an extent, we don’t fully understand the mechanism that triggers hippocampal neurogenesis. However, during the recent study of mice with depleted serotonin levels compared to those who had sufficient serotonin levels researchers noted “Surprisingly, Tph2(serotonin)-deficient mice exhibit normal baseline hippocampal neurogenesis but impaired activity-induced proliferation. Our data demonstrate that the proproliferative effect of running requires the release of central serotonin in young-adult and aged mice.” This means that in order for one to truly make use of hippocampal neurogenesis, exercise is highly recommended.

Although only a recently discovered activity, adult hippocampal neurogenesis is a break through in modern science and opens any number of doors that we can further explore. We are only just making our...