Weekly Health Tips

DANCING IS GREAT FOR THE BRAIN

Exercise has been shown to fight age-related brain decline, but it's not clear if one kind of exercise is better than another. Volunteers, average age 68, were assigned to an 18-month weekly exercise program of either learning dance routines or endurance and flexibility training. Afterward, both groups showed an increase in the hippocampus region of the brain, which is associated with memory, learning and balance. Whilst both groups improved, only the dancers showed a change in behavior in terms of improved balance. The difference may be due to the challenge of learning new dance routines every two weeks and recalling them without cues.