By Simon J. Evans, PhD

For far too long, neuroscientists have considered the brain as somehow separate from the body. As a neuroscientist, I have been guilty of that myself. The brain is, after all an incredibly complex organ that really defines who you are. But it is still an organ that plays by physical rules of the body.

Your brain does have special treatment not enjoyed by other organs. It has a blood-brain barrier that keeps many unwanted toxins out and necessary nutrients in, giving it first dibs on much of the good stuff. But your brain still requires a healthy blood supply to deliver energy, in the form of oxygen and nutrients, and to remove metabolic waste products, even if this process is under tighter control than it is for other organs.

We’ve been touting the message for some time now that eating better and exercising more helps your brain fitness. But how exactly does that work? The answer to that question is currently a hot topic of investigation, but a couple of new reports shed some light – in my opinion, a fairly bright light related to your brain’s blood supply.

The first study, published in the December 2008 issue of Neuron, reported that brain cells that don’t get enough energy tend to increase markers of Alzheimer’s disease. Brain cells have the potential to produce a protein that accumulates during Alzheimer’s disease, called amyloid-beta. In the new study, researchers discovered a process that leads to production of this protein when the neurons don’t get enough glucose (blood sugar).

What can lead to a lack of blood sugar delivery? Answer: A poor brain blood supply, which can be a result of poor cardiovascular health. What can improve cardiovascular health, and improve energy delivery to the brain? Answer: A good diet and exercise.

But there is another side of the coin. It’s not enough to deliver blood sugar to the brain efficiently, you have to get your brain cells to take it as well. If you have become insulin resistant then your brain cells may not be able to take up the glucose that’s delivered. Current estimates are that about 42% of American adults have at least early stages of insulin resistance, which if it gets bad enough can lead to type II diabetes.

A second report, published in the December 2008 issue of Annals of Neurology, bolsters that argument. In this study, researchers evaluated blood volume in the brains of diabetics. What they found was that specific parts of the brain in diabetic patients had less blood volume, which likely means less energy delivery. Based on the above study, this means a potential for production of more the Alzheimer’s related protein, amyloid-beta.

Furthermore, the part of the brain where researchers found less blood volume was a region of the hippocampus known to play a role in learning and memory and known to be one of the regions most affected by Alzheimer’s disease.

How do you improve insulin sensitivity? Answer: Eat better and exercise.

These were very cool studies because they can potentially lead to better treatments for people with early stages of Alzheimer’s or other types of cognitive decline. But in a way they are also proving the obvious. If we give our brain and body what we know we should give it, namely good food and exercise, we go a long way toward supplying ourselves with the tools we need to stay brainfit.

When you eat nutritious foods, like fruits, vegetables and whole grains you arm your brain with the tools to defend itself. When you exercise regularly you ensure those tools get where they need to go. It’s not rocket science. Do it for your brain.

References:
Neuron (2008) 60, 988-1009
Annals of Neurology (2008) 64, 698-706

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