Exercise can help prevent brain damage

Aerobic exercises can help former heavy drinkers to reverse the damage alcohol has done to the brain, researchers say.

Aerobic exercises can help former heavy drinkers to reverse the damage alcohol has done to the brain, researchers say.

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The results of the study conducted by the University of Colorado Boulder indicate that regular aerobic exercise like walking, running or bicycling is associated with less damage to the brain’s “white matter” among heavy alcohol users.

White matter, along with gray matter, are the organ’s two major physical components. White matter is composed of bundles of nerve cells that act as transmission lines to facilitate communication between various parts of the brain, said lead study author Hollis Karoly, a doctoral student in CU-Boulder’s psychology and neuroscience department.

“We found that for people who drink a lot and exercise a lot, there was not a strong relationship between alcohol and white matter,” said Karoly. “But for people who drink a lot and don’t exercise, our study showed the integrity of white matter is compromised in several areas of the brain.”