It is universal. Everyone wants to slow cognitive decline and stay sharp as they age. It used to be taught that the brain could not generate new neurons, we are stuck with the brain cells we were born with and they would atrophy over time. This turns out not to be true. Animal models have shown that new neurons are produced throughout life. In addition to the ability to make new cells, the brain is constantly making new connections among its existing neurons. Brain connectivity helps with learning and memory. Here are three novel ideas on how to promote the generation of new brain cells, increase creativity and improve connectivity in the brain.
What do these famous folks have in common? Aristotle, Alexander Hamilton, Henry David Thoreau, Ludwig Van Beethoven, Friedrich Nietzsche, Immanuel Kant, Virginia Woolf, Steve Jobs, Charles Darwin. All of these luminaries were known for their great creativity, their great thinking and all were obsessive walkers. Charles Dickens mentally composed most of A Christmas Carol while on his nighttime walks. The poet William Wordsworth felt that walking “was indivisible from the act of writing”. How does walking promote the thought process? Does exercise increase brain connectivity? We know that walking and exercise have many beneficial effects, including improving memory and protecting against cognitive decline. Add to the list generating new brain cells and promoting creativity. Neuroscientists agree that only one activity can trigger the birth of new brain cells, vigorous exercise. Many studies have shown that exercising followed by sitting down to work increases creativity versus just sitting and trying to think and write. For example, a classic experiment asks students to come up with creative ideas for common objects (such as a hat, a plate, or a shovel). The students who thought while walking on a treadmill had higher creativity scores than students who sat at a desk. It may be the mind freeing effect of exercise, rather than the exercise itself, which promotes this deep thinking. When exercising, a rhythm, a cadence, is produced. Once in that rhythm, the body works, it is on autopilot, but the mind is free to wander and ponder. It is a quiet time for reflection. Walking, running or biking can produce this cadence. This kind of thinking likely can’t occur while playing team sports, or tennis, or pickleball as the brain is otherwise occupied by the chess match of competition. However, there is a physiologic basis for why exercise improves thinking. Neuroscientists have shown that exercise promotes new connections between different parts of the brain and stimulates the growth of new brain cells. These two processes help to stem the atrophy that occurs with age. Where the connections are made is also interesting. One area is the hippocampus, the area of the brain associated with learning and memory. The other is the frontal cortex, where executive function is located. After vigorous exercise, studies have shown that exercise increased blood flow to these regions, resulting in new neurons and new connections. One study looked at sedentary people aged 55 to 80. Half started walking 40 minutes three times per week. A magnetic resonance image (MRI) was done before and after the study period on each participant. The MRIs showed improved connectivity in the walker’s brains, but not the people who remained sedentary. How else can brain function be improved?
Which is better for the brain: handwriting or typewriting? An intriguing study showed that handwriting and typing used different brain networks. Handwriting improved brain connectivity, as well as memory and learning, while none of these things were true for typing. Handwriting requires the fine motor skills of the hand, so one must pay greater attention when writing. Typing is more mechanical and repetitive. More of the brain is used, stimulated and connections made, when handwriting. The authors concluded that handwriting is beneficial when taking lecture notes (to increase understanding) or when writing longer pieces (such as an essay or a novel).
Which is better for the brain: speaking one language or being multilingual? Studies have shown that speaking two or more languages confers multiple benefits. For example, multilingual people experience a later onset of dementia than those who speak one tongue. In addition to more years of healthy aging, multilingual people live longer. Lastly, studies show that learning a second language, especially at a younger age, increases the brain’s neuroplasticity (more connections) and increases the grey matter in the brain (more brain cells). Grey matter is located in the cerebral cortex and is responsible for processing information, storing memories and making decisions.
If you want to increase brain connectivity, slow cognitive decline and live longer, go for a long walk and craft a novel. Then go home and hand write the plot. After it is done, translate your work into another language. Not interested in writing a novel? This information can still be useful. If you are stuck on a particularly vexing problem, or have to make a big decision, go for a walk or a bike ride. Clear your head and think through the issues.
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