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#066 Dr. Mark Mattson on the Benefits of Stress, Metabolic Switching, Fasting, and Hormesis
FoundMyFitness
Nurture Brain Health through Activation
Engaging in intermittent fasting, exercise, and intellectual activities stimulates the production of nerve cell growth factors, particularly brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF). BDNF is critical for learning and memory; without it, organisms cannot survive. Even a modest reduction in BDNF levels can impair cognitive function and lead to increased anxiety. Therefore, activating nerve circuits through various modalities is essential for maintaining optimal brain health.
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your nerve cell circuits to function. Anyway, so the intermittent fasting is similar to intermittent exercise. You get this activation neural networks. One of the main effects that I haven't even talked about yet in the brain of exercise, intermittent fasting, and intellectual engagement is to increase the production of proteins that are called nerve cell growth factors or neurotrophic factors. One of those proteins that's produced in response to activity in neural networks and in response to the metabolic stresses of exercise and fasting is called, that neurotrophic factor is called BDNF, brain-derived neurotrophic factor. It is the most heavily studied such nerve cell growth factor in the brain. And it is essential for learning and memory. You can't knock out the BDNF gene in mice, they'll die. You can reduce levels genetically, and then that will impair learning and memory. Actually, interestingly, if you reduce levels of BDNF by about 50%, the animals will overeat and become obese. So
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