How does the brain make new neurons? Exercise helps (and a few other things...).
Just remember the old ontological vs. empirical distinction. Effects of exercise (and substances) are easier to study in rats most esp. relative to human learning-related changes. We're doing the neuroimaging work of complex learning (think circuit diagrams), but it doesn't get us to the neuronal level.
Revolutionary bottom line of the last five years: You're producing new neurons every day (and exercise seems to help produce more). But whether and how they're used is up to you.
"We've always known that our brains control our behavior," Gage says, "but not that our behavior could control and change the structure of our brains."
At least in the academic environment a lot of people are aware that, by exercising, they can then concentrate at a task for longer (hours instead of half-hour) and tackle harder problems.
That biological research could not figure out and test such simple truth until now does not mean it was not a widely adopted working hypothesis for a very long time.
What I would like to see is how are mental abilities affected by sporting conditions, for example a dull TV-ruled noisy gym with threadmills versus a soccer game in a sports field outdoors, and mindless, reflect-oriented sports such as Squash versus brainy, strategy-oriented sports such as team-sports or golf.
The difference is growing new neurons. Adult neurogenesis was always thought to be very limited (e.g., the myth about "killing" brain cells). Now we know it's much more common than ever thought.
Just remember the old ontological vs. empirical distinction. Effects of exercise (and substances) are easier to study in rats most esp. relative to human learning-related changes. We're doing the neuroimaging work of complex learning (think circuit diagrams), but it doesn't get us to the neuronal level.
Revolutionary bottom line of the last five years: You're producing new neurons every day (and exercise seems to help produce more). But whether and how they're used is up to you.
"We've always known that our brains control our behavior," Gage says, "but not that our behavior could control and change the structure of our brains."