What is neurogenesis?
Ask the doctor
- Reviewed by Rudolph Tanzi, PhD, Contributor
What is neurogenesis, and how might it help me become a super-ager?One of the strongest ways to promote neurogenesis is something most of us can do: exercise regularly. When you walk briskly, cycle, or swim, for example, you stimulate brain cells called astrocytes to generate new neurons in the hippocampus, the brain structure that's active in memory retention. Exercise also enhances this effect by spurring astrocytes to remove amyloid - an abnormal protein that's implicated in Alzheimer's disease - from the brain.
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About the Author
Maureen Salamon, Executive Editor, Harvard Women's Health Watch
About the Reviewer
Rudolph Tanzi, PhD, Contributor
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