Neurogenesis

Neurogenesis means the building of new brain.

It is neurobiological changes we can measure, and something deeply enchanting. Each and every one of us has the potential to build new brain; all of our lives, no matter our age!

And the hippocampus is one of the few places this happens.

Here are the 5 best things you can do to build new brain.

1 Move

Exercise generates a whole host of things - like improving executive function, attention, reaction times, mood and alleviating depression.

Exercise releases a wonderful cocktail of chemicals including dopamine and endorphins that make you feel good, and BDNF, a chemical that enables neurogenesis. So walk or run, hop on a bike, roll out your yoga mat, or dance with someone - the best choice of all is combining all brain building activities with music which lights your brain up all over!

Exercise your body and know you're exercising your brain as well. 

2 Sleep

When we sleep our brain is very busy. Early on, the first cycles of sleep are mainly devoted to maintenance, lowering heart rate and cleaning sticky plaque in the brain associated with many types of dementia. Then onto filing information from the day, and later cycles increasingly target memory consolidation and storage (learning), and plasticity and neurogenesis. This the reason we wake up with new ideas, or problems solved; so sleep on it. It really works. Even napping refreshes your brain and body, clears out your inbox, provides down time for your visual cortex, lifts your mood, increases physical dexterity, etc. a host of benefits. 

Nana had it right, have a good lie down.

3 Novelty

Our brains have ‘novelty detectors’ which give us a shot of dopamine when we learn something new. The brain uses both plasticity t re-wire and re-task what it already has, and neurogenesis, the building of new 'real estate', new brain to house the novel information Brain building apps or games don’t always work in the long term because once learnt, they don’t offer the delight of genuine novelty.  So take up an entirely new hobby, something to test you, require your attention, concentration, new ways of thinking and looking at the world. Learn a new language. Take up a new sport or activity, do something you don't know how to do. 

Do new things. Release the dopamine.

4 Diet

Your gut is your second brain, a network of neurons, neurotransmitters and proteins that zap messages between neurons and support cells just like those in the brain. 

Your gut is the major contributor to your neurotransmitters, producing building blocks for the chemicals your brain needs. It makes most of your calming serotonin. It affects everything from your mood and happiness, to inflammation and arthritis levels. It directly impacts metabolism and bodyweight, heart disease, stroke, diabetes, behaviour and levels of depression and dementia. Fibre, crunch, fermented food and lean protein are some of what gives the second brain what it needs to do all of the wonderful regulatory things it is designed to do.

We really are what we eat.

5 Connection

Direct connection with others releases a cascade of lovely chemicals such as oxytocin, dopamine, serotonin and endorphins. 

Face to face interaction and touch creates interbrain synchronisation, and sharing space lets us share our chemosphere of over 2000 chemicals. Electrochemical magic increases empathic response, creating feelings of belonging (the opposite of isolation) and alleviating depression. Empathy changes our priorities and how we judge problems, switching us to think of long term consequences from our actions; a sure way to build a better world. 

When we connect and touch, we help each other, we bond and build trust, we make each other healthier.

So…

The healthiest, happiest and longest lived peoples in our world do some or all of these things.  They exercise, they walk and garden, they nap. They enjoy community and connection - dance together, and prepare food together. They touch. They engage with life and each other, and each day is a novelty to be welcomed. 

Building new brain isn’t a mystery, but it is enchanting. Move, eat thoughtfully, try new things, connect with others and touch, and at the end of the day, sleep well. 

Be a wonderful work in progress.

Dr Fiona Kerr
Founder and CEO
The Neurotech Institute