Fend Off Dementia with Sex, Crosswords and a Run
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James Joyner | Thursday, April 7, 2005 |
Hot on the heels of news that marijuana is good for the arteries comes word that sex is good for the brain.
Fend Off Dementia with Sex, Crosswords and a Run (Reuters)
Sex, cryptic crosswords and a good run could help ward off dementia and other degenerative conditions by stimulating new brain cells, an Australian researcher said on Thursday. Perry Bartlett, a professor at the University of Queensland’s Brain Institute, said mental and physical exercise helped create and nurture new nerve cells in the brain, keeping it functional and warding off diseases such as Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s.
“Perhaps one should run a long distance and do the cryptic crossword, ” Bartlett told Australian radio. He said a chemical called prolactin appeared to promote new cells in the brain and could be found in high levels in pregnant women. “Prolactin levels also go up during sex as well. So one could think of a number of more entertaining activities than running in order to regulate the production of nerve cells,” Bartlett said.
I’m waiting for a report that eating Krispy Kreme doughnuts is key to an effective weight management regime.
About the Author: James Joyner is the publisher of Outside the Beltway and the managing editor of the Atlantic Council. He's a former Army officer, Desert Storm vet, and college professor with a PhD in political science from The University of Alabama. He lives just outside the Beltway in Alexandria, Virginia with his wife and infant daughter.
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I'm waiting for a report that eating Krispy Kreme doughnuts is key to an effective weight management regime.
Further research is obviously warranted. Fortunately, fresh research material is delivered to my local gas station every morning.
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