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VOLUME XLI | MAY 2020
Exercise boosts motor skill learning via changes in brain’s transmitters
Comparing the brains of mice that exercised with those that did not, researchers found that specific neurotransmitters switched following sustained exercise, leading to improved learning for motor-skill acquisition. Underscoring the critical benefits of exercise, even in a time of a global pandemic, the researchers found that mice that exercised acquired several demanding motor skills such as staying on a rotating rod or crossing a balance beam more rapidly than a non-exercised group.
Marc Harper
Marc is a Canadian exercise physiologist in St. John’s, linking fitness to sharper thinking. He writes about real-world ways to stay strong and sharp, inspired by Newfoundland’s tough, no-frills lifestyle.