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Here’s Why Exercise Improves Your Memory
The case for breaking a sweat
Brain-derived neurotrophic factor, or BDNF (since the expanded name is quite a mouthful), is a protein in the brain that you should become familiar with, at least if you want to improve your memory.
The protein BDNF plays an important role in the growth, maturation, and maintenance of brain cells, which are called neurons. As you can probably imagine, abundant and healthy brain cells are vital for the functioning of your brain, and by virtue of that, your mind.
Here’s where things get more interesting. BDNF is also located at the sites between different neurons. These sites are called synapses. You can think of a synapse as being a junction where communication is possible.
Communication in the brain is imperative for such a complex machine to function properly. It becomes clear then, that synapses are incredibly important.
By virtue of synapses, neurons are able to communicate.
Studies have shown that the BDNF protein promotes something called “synaptic plasticity.”
