Most of us exercise because it makes us look and feel better and helps us deal with stress. But research is now showing that the benefits of exercise are much more widespread. Researchers at the Beckman Institute for Advanced Science and Technology at the University of Illinois, for example, have reported how regular workouts can improve cognition and intelligence, especially in children and older adults.
Professor Arthur Kramer, who led the study, conducted a series of trials looking at the effects of aerobic exercise — such as walking, running and swimming — on the brain. He discovered that the activity had a positive effect on those parts that are involved in memory and problem-solving. In older people who exercised regularly there were indications, Kramer found,