![]() There are drug-free methods to help boost BDNF and therefore the growth of new brain cells, including resistance exercise and intermittent fasting. One of the ways they do this is by stimulating the release of a chemical called BDNF, which acts like fertiliser for the brain. ![]() This could also help explain how some antidepressants work, as we know they can trigger cell growth in the hippocampus and other brain areas. The best form of resistance exercise for boosting BDNF seems to be press-ups and squats, because they lead to big surges in blood to the brain, which in turn encourages more BDNF. This not only spells trouble for things such as memory, it’s thought it could also be a trigger for depression and anxiety (though exactly how is unclear). So we do go on creating new brain cells, even into old age, in a process known as neurogenesis.īut more recently, brain scans have shown that chronic stress alters this delicate balance, accelerating the death of existing brains cells, while slowing the growth of new ones. ![]() ![]() When I was at medical school we were told that adults don’t grow new brain cells, so we should look after the ones we have (I thought at the time that this was a subtle dig at the culture of medical students drinking and destroying their brain cells).īut during the 1990s, when researchers started doing post-mortem human brain studies they found signs of new cell growth in brain areas such as the hippocampus, which helps regulate mood and memory. DR MICHAEL MOSLEY: The trouble is, although mental health problems such as depression and anxiety are on the rise (and have been for years), the treatments haven’t really changed ![]()
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