Who doesn’t appreciate a free lunch now and then?
While exercise is an incredible way to nourish your brain
with BDNF, heat stress (from post-workout sauna use, for
example) may push BDNF beyond what is achieved by
exercise alone.^12
To explore the synergy between exercise and ambient
temperature, University of Houston scientists studied the
neural effect that occurred when mice ran in cold or hot
temperatures (either 40°F or 99.5°F).^13 In both settings,
mice generated a greater number of neurons in the
hippocampus, despite running much shorter distances than
those in the control group that ran at room temperature.
What this suggests is that performing brief periods of
exercise in either cold or hot ambient temperature may
accelerate the brain benefits of exercise—a potential win for
both the efficiency junkies and those with limited mobility.
(Just check with your doctor before doing this, especially if
you have a medical condition.)
Are You ’Mirin’ My Myelin?
Prolactin is a hormone with a wide array of roles that’s
present in both men and women, but it is perhaps best
known for its role in initiating lactation in soon-to-be
mothers. It also may have a very interesting influence on the
brain: prolactin has been shown to rebuild myelin, the
protective sheath that insulates neurons and makes your
brain work faster.^14 Women who are pregnant experience a
surge in prolactin, and those with MS, an autoimmune
disease where myelin is attacked, commonly go into