‘Your brain needs exercise – two kinds.”
Memory Foundation talks with Dr Jian Guan about her research into exercise and how – and why – it helps to slow brain ageing.
Brain ageing has four main causes and here Dr Jian Guan talks about one of them – exercise – and the impact it has on the way the brain ages. Find out what kinds of exercise you need to do to keep your brain young, alert and growing, no matter what your age is.
You might be surprised by how much (or how little?) physical exercise you need!
Dr Jian Guan, from the Centre for Brain Research at the University of Auckland, is an expert in nutrition, brain ageing and its causes.
Read more about Dr Jian Guan MD, PhD
https://unidirectory.auckland.ac.nz/profile/j-guan During the last 18 years, Jian’s research has been largely focused on understanding the biological function of insulin-like growth factors following brain injury and in chronic neurological conditions in neonatal, infant, young adult and aging brains. More recently she has been investigating the effects of nutrition on brain development, premature aging and cognitive function. She has extensive experience in designing animal based experiments and models, behavioral testing, neuronal anatomy, neurobiology and pharmacology. Her research has resulted in 170 publications with high reference index (H-index 21), indicating the novelty of her research field. Collaborations: Dr J-Y Wen, School of Pharmacy, The University of Auckland, on peptide formulation Dr J Perry, Liggins Institute, on the role of neuropeptides in angiogenesis Professor R Faull, Centre for Brain Research, The University of Auckland, on white matter degeneration in Huntington’s Disease Professor C Vorhees, Cincinnati Children’s Hospital, on developmental neuroscience
Hi there
I am really interested in knowing if there are any helpful foods to stimulate the brain for someone who has been diagnosed with motor neuron disease. I wold appreciate if Dr Jian Guan, an expert in nutrition, could help me with this question. Many thanks.
Hello!
I contacted Dr Jian Guan who told me that better nutrition is a strategy for preventing disease, rather than for treating a condition. Your doctor will be the best person to advise you here as he or she knows you and your situation best. In general, healthy guidelines for eating apply to all of us and you’ll find some useful recipes in this article: https://www.brainfit.world/2015/06/23/quick-tasty-brain-food-meals/. And there are a lot more on specific aspects of healthy eating on our website, also. With every best wish, Gillian