The brain does many things. It is the most complex machine known to us. Its billions of cells are the control center for thought, memory and body movement. It helps regulate breathing, heart rate and temperature.
And yet, it still retains mystery. How does this clump of matter between our ears create consciousness? If you come up with an answer, you’ll soon have an appointment with the Nobel Prize board.
Oh, one other thing: It sways.
A recent study by Penn State scientists used mice and brain simulations to demonstrate that the organ moves within the skull during exercise. Your first reaction might be understandable — namely, that such a delicate instrument moving can’t be a good thing.
Researchers, however, say this sway is beneficial.
The study notes the brain is more mechanically connected to the rest of the body than previous generations of scientists realized. Investigators now believe that during exercise, abdominal contractions compress blood vessels supplying the spinal cord and brain.
It’s like a hydraulic system. This applies pressure that creates movement. Pretty simple.
This, in turn, causes the brain’s cerebrospinal fluid to slosh around, though perhaps not as notably as water in a bathtub when you bathe your dog. But the movement helps the clear fluid to wash over the brain.
That helps the fluid remove waste, which in turn reduces the risk of neurodegenerative disorders. The study’s authors suggest this is an important reason why exercise benefits cognitive function.
Scientists say it’s a gentle movement. Less of an energetic Charleston than a crawling waltz.
These findings, ultimately, are brought to you by, yes, the human brain.