For the experiment, the running group of rats jogged in their cages on wheels, while the weight lifters climbed walls with weights attached to their tails. The high intensity training group were put on treadmills and sprinted at varying intervals. The result? Wheel-bound rats demonstrated the highest levels of neurogenesis, while their high-intensity training counterparts showed minimal changes and the weight trainers showed none. The study authors suggest that “in order to promote [adult hippocampal neurogenesis] maximally, exercise should be aerobic and sustained.” Keeping the brain healthy and happy has benefits for the body, too. A recent study from David Creswell at Carnegie Mellon University showed how practicing mindfulness meditation can actually reduce inflammation in the body.
