Neurogenesis - “The birth of new neurons in the brain; also referred to as the process in which neurons are created.”The growth of new brain cells occurs in the region of the brain called the “hippocampus.” The ‘hippocampus’ is an area involved with memory, learning, and other cognitive functions. In order to live and become part of our brain, new neurons formed in the hippocampus-region need support from surrounding nutrients from blood and glial cells.

Most importantly, they need support from other surrounding neurons - otherwise these new brain cells will die. Though thousands of new brain cells are formed and produced via the hippocampus each and every day, many die quickly after birth. When we can keep them alive for this crucial period after birth, we are able to effectively boost the power of the human brain by adding new brain cells to the bank of existing cells.

Though neurogenesis is most active during prenatal development, there is growing evidence that certain activities also induce the growth of new brain cells [neurons] in the brain. Provided below are 7 researched and proven ways to grow new brain cells and provide a safe haven for effective neurogenesis.

1. An Exercise Regimen

Everybody knows that exercise is good for your overall health and heart, but in recent findings, powerful evidence has proven that exercise is great for your brain. Scientific experiments have discovered that mice consistently using running wheels had around 2x the amount of hippocampal neurons (brain cells) as the mice that didn’t exercise.

Another study at Colombia University found that humans who had a exercise training program were able to grow and maintain new brain cells and nerve cells in the hippocampus region of the brain. The specific area called the “dentate gyrus” is responsible for helping produce neurogeneis. Even more studies have discovered that those who exercised had 2 - 3x increases in the birth-rate of new neurons!

2. Eating Blueberries

Eating blueberries can trigger the growth of new brain cells? That’s right! 19-month-old rats that were put on a blueberry enriched diet [equal to about 1 cup per day for humans] were more skilled at navigating through mazes than rats who weren’t fed blueberries. Scientists know for a fact that blueberries promote the growth of new neurons. In order to track the growth of neurons, researchers injected dye into rats.

They saw that in the hippocampus region, new brain cells were generated. Scientists figure that “anthocyanin dye” - the dark bluish-dye found in blueberries caused the neurogenesis. The anthocyanin-dye contains chemicals that can cross the blood-brain barrier and produce the growth of neurons. There is growing evidence that the “anthocyanin dye” has the same effect on the brains of humans!

Related: For more information on brain foods, read the article Brain Foods: 50 Good Brain Foods.

3. Taking Time for Meditation

Meditation has always thought to have been beneficial for the brain. Recent compelling evidence from scientific researchers at Yale, Harvard, and Massachusetts Institute of Technology revealed that meditation can allow us to “grow bigger brains.” Though this isn’t the same thing as neurogenesis, meditation could very well be an activity that boosts the birth rate of neurons.

Researchers also discovered that meditators literally had an altered-physical brain structure compared to non-meditators. Brain scanning technology [i.e. MRIs] showed that meditation boosted thickness of brain structure dealing with attention, sensory input, and memory functions. The thickening was found to be more noticeable in adults than younger individuals. It’s interesting because the same sections of our cortex that meditation thickens, tend to get thinner as we age.

Meditation is known to boost brain activity, coherency of brain waves, strengthen neural connections, and thicken gray matter. Though scientists haven’t confirmed the effects of meditation and its ability to aid neurogenesis [due to complexity issues], there is a likely possibility that it helps.

4. Antidepressant Drugs

Scientific research by the National Institute of Mental Health has proven that antidepressants work by allowing our brains to grow new brain cells (neurons). In a 2003 study, scientists discovered that when they blocked the formation of new neurons in the hippocampus brain region, behavioral effects of the antidepressant Prozac [Fluoxetine] were diminished.

Research has already understood that depression, stress, and anxiety disorders can cause death of neurons in the brain. More studies have demonstrated that most other antidepressants on the market can and will trigger the growth of new neurons. Even more interesting is the fact that besides humans, adult animals grow new neurons when given antidepressant drugs.

Though there are many other interactions in the brain with antidepressants, their primary beneficial effect from them is derived from their ability to produce neurogenesis. Now if scientists can only figure out a way to induce the amount of neurogenesis that antidepressant medication does without creating a new drug!

5. An Enriched Environment

Science has long known that living in a mentally stimulating environment vs. an impoverished environment is far better for brain development. Research has found that exposure to an enriched environment enhances neurogenesis functioning and is able to regulate emotionality.

Scientists have found that memory-based tasks were far improved in the hippocampus region of the brain when human beings are raised in a healthy, enriched environment. One study found that mice put in stimulating environments actually had larger hippocampus regions than did those living in “standard” or “poor” laboratory conditions. They discovered a direct correlation between an enriched environment and the amount of neurons produced in the brains of mice. This had a significant effect on neurogenesis!

6. The Act of “Learning”

Though scientists have long known that new brain cells are able “enhance learning” - they never thought that “learning” could actually cause the birth of new brain cells… that is, until recently. In recent animal studies, researchers have found that there was a direct relationship between “learning” and the survival rate of newly-birthed brain cells.

When researchers taught certain rodents a wide-variety of cognitive tasks which involved a wide-range of brain areas - scientists found that the more the animal “learned” - the more new neurons were able to survive in the hippocampus. Scientists have made it clear that “learning” can increase the presence of new neurons in the brain.

Brain cells that are born in the hippocampus, which normally die off, are literally “rescued” by “learning” experiences. There is still plenty of research being conducted in this area and not all sources agree. However, your best bet is to keep your brain power boosted and your mind sharp. Always try to learn something new!

7. Restricting Caloric Intake

The phenomena of calorie restriction has continued to puzzle researchers. They have found that eating less food can lead to significant increases in longevity. Even when starting calorie restriction in middle age, it is able to produce around a ten to twenty percent increase in life-span. It has also been associated with hundreds of biological changes and can harbor our ability to produce new brain cells.

Restricting calorie intake has been associated with increases in neurogenesis and a better overall neuroprotective effect in the brain. Scientists have found that calorie-restricted animals nearly always stay active and healthy up until the end of their lives’. This phenomena has also been associated with a significantly lowered likelihood of developing a degenerative brain disease and can even produce new nerve cells!

*8. Infared Light Helmets

Though the use of infared light helmets is relatively new, researchers believe that they may help patients with Alzheimer’s disease by helping them grow new brain cells. Developer of this infared light helmet, Dr. Gordon Dougal, (also the director of medical research at medical research company Virulite) believes the helmet will hit the market about 1 year from now. It works by aiming low levels of infared light at the wearer’s brain. Next, it stimulates neurogenesis in the brain, suggests research.

More on how this works according to its inventor [Dr. Gordon Dougal]: “How we hope it’s going to work is that the infrared light will be facing inside the helmet onto the actual person, onto their skin, onto their brain, and actually goes on the frontal part of the bones, so it goes onto the actual front part of the brain and the side of the brain.”

“The side of the head and their skull are relatively thin, so the light will penetrate the skull and treat the underlying brain tissue. And the top of the head is also quite thin, and the light will penetrate the brain tissue at that point.”

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For more information, view the sources:

LE Magazine: June 2002 - Calorie Restriction, Exercise, Hormone Replacement, and Phytonutrients Fight Aging - Age Conference - Madison, Wisconsin

Harvard University - Meditation found to increase brain size - Mental calisthenics bulk up some layers By William J. Cromie - Harvard News Office http://www.news.harvard.edu/gazette/daily/2006/01/23-meditation.html

Antidepressants Grow New Brain Cells - About.com; http://mentalhealth.about.com/cs/psychopharmacology/a/neurogenesis.htm

Sci STKE. 2003 Aug; (195):318. Antidepressants and Hippocampal Neurogenesis. Santarelli L, Saxe M, Gross A, Surget A, Battaglia F, Dulawa S, Weisstaub N, Lee J, Duman R, Arancio O, Belzung, Hen R.

The Journal of Neuroscience. 2007 Mar; 27(13): 3252-3259. Experience-Specific Functional Modification of the Dentate Gyrus through Adult Neurogenesis: A Critical Period during an Immature Stage. Tashiro A, Makino H, Gage FH.

Stanford University Research In Progress: HD & Lifestyle http://www.stanford.edu/group/hopes/rltdsci/inprogress/ae2.html

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Scientists and brain researchers have known that the foods that we allow our body to digest have a direct effect on how well our brain functions and performs. The foods in which we eat can have a huge affect on our mood, energy levels, and even on our brains’ neurotransmitter levels (i.e. serotonin, norepinephrine, and dopamine). The focus of this article is to help you learn and fully understand how certain nutrients found in certain types of foods can have a direct effect on the functioning ability of your brain.

Certain foods have the ability to improve things like: our intelligence levels, memory tasks, ability to focus, and overall cognition. The 7 “brain foods” listed below are considered “good brain foods” [as opposed to "bad brain foods"]. Eating these foods consistently along with a balanced diet should allow you to boost the mental processing speed of your brain. If you consistently eat healthy “good brain foods,” you can even slow the aging process: in both your body and brain.

Below, I’ve compiled a list of “7 Brain Foods For Optimal Brain Health”:

1. Almonds

Though almonds don’t appear very powerful from their exterior, their insides contain powerful nutrients that will ultimately boost your brain power. Almonds have also been known to slow aging and stabilize irritable moods. As small as they are, almonds have so much to offer for the health of your brain, that it is wise to add them to your diet as frequently as possible.

Almonds contain a vital chemical named phenylalanine - which works to enhance our cognitive processing (i.e. thoughts, memory, planning) and is shown to promote healthy brain functioning. Phenylalanine passes easily though our brain-blood barrier, which aids in our brain’s natural production of the neurotransmitter dopamine.

Almonds also contain the nutrients L-carnitine and Riboflavin - both of which are healthy for our brain. The amount of L-carnitine that is found in almonds is even significant enough to help improve our memories. If you enjoy almonds, adding a few handfuls to your day could prove to be a delicious treat that helps your brain!

2. Blueberries

Blueberries are one of the single healthiest foods for your brain. Eating blueberries helps boost the power of neuron communication, efficiency of overall electrical activity in the brain, and even help prevent brain aging. One study showed that rats who were fed blueberries were able to produce new brain cells [i.e. neurogenesis]. In another, fairly recent study, subjects that ate one cup of blueberries on a daily basis for over 2 weeks had an increased hippocampus cell birth rate [i.e. new brain cells were being created in the hippocampus region of the brain - responsible for memory processing].

In another study, students who ate blueberries even scored higher on classroom tests than subjects who opted out of adding blueberries to their diets. Ellagic acid, a phytochemical found in blueberries, has been linked to the prevention of cellular damage in the brain. Eating blueberries is also understood to prevent oxidative stress in the brain and prevent damage caused by “free radicals.” Not only that, but they have also been linked to preventing the development of Alzheimer’s disease and Dementia.

After researching “good brain foods,” I personally think that blueberries [along with fish] rank number one due to their ability to create a state of neurogenesis a.k.a. the production of new brain cells in our brain’s hippocampus region. Get yourself to the store and buy some blueberries now if you aren’t already fully stocked!

3. Green tea

Ahh, on to the magical drink: Green tea. Green tea is a phenomenal drink to help boost your brain. It contains compounds [such as catechines] that have been linked to memory improvements, improvement in concentration, and it gives the brain an energy booster when fatigued. A positive, well-balanced mood is a well-known side-effect in result of drinking Green tea.

It has been linked to improvements in mood disorders and has been shown to improve signaling strength in brain circuits. Green tea also contains polyphenols - healthy antioxidants that allow us to produce healthy amounts of the neurotransmitter dopamine. Dopamine is a neurotranmitter that is associated with: advanced thought, communication, planning, thinking, and pleasure. Boosting your overall amount via drinking Green tea would be of great benefit to anyone!

A great idea would be to ditch your daily coffee routine and drink Green tea instead! You’ll feel less stressed out, just as energized, and ready to conquer the day with peace of mind and clarity of thought. The polyphenols [healthy antioxidants] that Green tea provides have been linked to reduced risk of developing both heart disease and cancer.

4. Eggs

Contrary to popular belief, people can eat eggs without having any adverse effects on the incidence of cardiovascular disease, according to an extensive study from the Harvard School of Public Health. Eggs contain the vital nutrient “cholin” - which plays a large role in effectively allowing us to process memory and improve our brain’s overall motor functioning. University of North Carolina researcher Steven Zeisel discovered that brains’ of babies whose mothers were given cholin supplements showed “increased memory capacity and functioning.”

For around only 70 calories, eggs are one of the most highly-nutritious foods to include in your diet. Healthy minerals, vitamins, and proteins are packed-full in eggs. Groups of researchers have even found that choline can increase the size of our brain’s neurons [brain cells]. Increasing their size allows them to strongly and more precisely fire electrical signals for quicker brain communication.

Zeaxanthin and lutein, which are two antioxidants found in the yolk of eggs, have even been linked to a reduced risk of developing macular degeneration, cataracts, and other optical problems that have long been associated with the aging process. If you’re the type of person who enjoys eating eggs for breakfast, you’ll also be lucky to receive the brain boosting side-effects.

5. Walnuts

Walnuts contain helpful antioxidants that walnuts contain include: vitamin B6 and vitamin E. Both of these vitamins revitalize your nervous system, which in turn, actually refreshes your brain. Omega-3 fatty acids [alpha-linoleic acids], which work wonders for boosting brain functioning and power. The omega-3 fatty acids strengthen brain cell membranes, and are a necessary fat that our brain needs in order to make us smarter.

You may not have known, but over half of our brain is comprised of structural fat - mostly Omega-3 fatty acid [which can be found in: flaxseed, walnuts, and fish]. Our brain’s cell membranes become much more flexible and are able to remove unhealthy “chemical waste” when we feed them Omega-3 fatty acids. Omega-3’s aren’t found in most foods, which is why the act of eating walnuts is such a phenomenal way to get a healthy amount. [I personally take fish oil capsules to fulfill my personal requirements].

Walnuts have also been linked to helping the regulation process of the neurotransmitter: serotonin. Having a healthy amount of serotonin has been linked to having a happier, more positive mood and healthy appetite. Disorders like: anxiety, depression, insomnia, anger, panic disorder, and obsessive compulsive disorder are all linked to [usually low] amounts of serotonin. Eating walnuts, may be just the extra boost you need for regulating serotonin and reducing symptoms of mood disorders.

Walnuts can also ward off unfocused [A.D.D.-type] thinking and allow us to think clearly with a more positive outlook on life. One last thing about walnuts… Take a close look at the outside of a walnut: it looks similar to the anatomy of the human brain! Walnuts appear as if they’re 2 hemispheres of our brain mashed up next to each other.

6. Dark Chocolate

It’s definitely difficult to fathom that something as tasty as chocolate can actually be good for your brain health. Though it may be difficult for some of us to believe, there is scientifically-proven evidence showing that dark chocolate can be extremely good for the health of our body and brain when eaten in healthy amounts.

What separates dark chocolate from other types of chocolate is the amount of antioxidants that are packed within it. Dark chocolate actually improves our focus levels via its production of healthy endorphins. It also contains mood-brightening stimulants. The one thing that it also contains that separates it from the pack is flavannols. Dark chocolate’s high amount of overall flavanols boost blood flow to the brain and improve our cognition.

For all the dark chocolate haters: I haven’t yet found strong evidence that regular, milk-chocolate is able to improve brain power and functioning - sorry. But for all of the wonderful individuals that enjoy eating dark-chocolate in moderation ['too much' is unhealthy] are actually improving the health of their body - and most importantly - the health of their brains’!

7. Spinach

Have you been aware of the fact that heart disease is a strong indicator of memory decline? Anyways, a brain food that is able to prevent both heart disease and memory decline is spinach. Spinach is a great food that allows your body to keep high-levels of folic acid, which help prevent heart disease by reducing the amount of the ammino acid: homocysteine.

When homocysteine is found in high levels throughout the body, it has been linked to worsening of memory, Alzheimer’s disease, and even heart attacks. The key is to lower the amount of this [potentially unhealthy] ammino acid lurking inside your body. Eating spinach is a phenomenal way to accomplish this. Spinach also contains tons of healthy vitamins and nutrients such as: vitamin K [helps aid "blood clotting"] and magnesium.

Spinach also helps to control and balance the overall amount of water in your body. It can even help eliminate bloating and slow down effects of age-related brain decline. It helps prevent oxidative stress and regulates “free radicals” which can potentially kill brain cells. Many scientific researchers believe that having a diet which is rich in spinach can improve memory and learning skills.

So next time you are debating in your mind as to whether or not you should eat spinach - ask yourself what Popeye would do. Be like Popeye and eat it up. Instead of picturing your muscles getting stronger, picture your brain getting stronger and more powerful! The more that you’re able to include spinach in your diet, the better.

Final thoughts:

The brain really needs to have a good, healthy diet in order to ensure peak performance and health. Providing it with healthy vitamins and nutrients via our diet [foods we eat], will increase its power, prevent aging, allow us to focus, and reap the major benefits associated with having a healthy brain. After reading this article, it should be absolutely zero surprise that every meal you eat affects your: thought process, mood, behavior, and overall intelligence. After all, if it was possible to eat your way to brilliance, wouldn’t you take the opportunity?

For more in-depth information on brain foods, see the article: 5 Supercharged Brain Foods.

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1.  Fish

It’s definitely not a myth that fish is good for the body. But exactly how good is fish for the brain? Fish is actually one of the most healthy foods for keeping the brain at an optimal level of functioning. Eskimo’s and countries that are high in fish consumption tend to have slower aging rates, significantly lower percentages of “mental diseases” and “disorders” and an overall healthier population. High fish consumption has been linked to lowered rates of depression & neurosis and a stabilized mood.

Fish actually fights aging in the brain and significantly reduces cognitive decline in the elderly. “That rate of reduction is equivalent to being three to four years younger in age,” wrote researcher Martha Clare Morris, (ScD, of Rush University Medical Center, Chicago) in the Archives of Neurology. Eating fish high in Omega-3 fatty-acids is especially helpful for not only the brain, but the entire body.

That’s why I take the fish oil supplements daily, which have been proven as effective as actually eating fish.  If you are currently consuming plenty of fish or taking fish oil supplements, you are helping your brain reach a peak level of performance! If you aren’t, your brain is definitely missing out.

2.  Avocados

Avocados are almost as good as blueberries in enhancing brain health. While the avocodo is pretty fatty, the fat is monounsaturated; promoting increased circulation and bloodflow. The increased circulation from avocado nutrients is not only found in the body, but is highly prevalent in the brain.

So if you want increased oxygen and bloodflow to the brain, stock up and chow down on some avacados. Avocados also lower blood pressure levels — which is known to benefit the brain. Lower blood pressure is linked to an increase in cognitive abilities and I.Q.

3.  Blueberries

Compounds in blueberries have been proven to actually “reverse” short-term memory loss. Research compiled on blueberries effects on the brain found that they actually increase the number of cells in the hippocampus - the region of the brain which is responsible for memory.  So blueberries actually cause neurogenesis - the production of new brain cells.

This is a great finding for those who may have killed off a few too many cells from stress. Blueberries have also been known to prevent brain aging and actually trigger specific neural-pathways in the brain to enhance cognition and mental processing speed. I suggest keeping those blueberries around for a snack.  By eating them you are literally feeding your brain new neurons!

4.  Spinach

Spinach has been linked to preventing dementia in women. A study has proved that middle-aged women who ate spinach and other green vegetables, delayed cognitive decline by 2 entire years.  Spinach is literally brain food and feeds the brain vital nutrients and enzymes that it needs to strengthen synapses and produce healthy levels of neurotransmitters. Spinach also keeps up Folic acid - low levels of Folic acid have been linked to memory decline and heart disease.

To keep your Folic acid levels up, eat spinach! Spinach helps control the amount of water your body retains and helps eliminate bloating. Neurologists recommend eating spinach at least 3 times a week as brain food. It is now highly recommended by experts to find organic spinach because spinach is on the top ten list of insecticide-laden vegetables. But if you aren’t already eating spinach, it definitely wouldn’t hurt to incorporate a little bit of Popeye’s diet into your own!

5.  Eggs

Eggs are known to enhance many executive brain functions. Recently, the National Sciences Academy recognized the nutrient “cholin” in eggs as being “essential to one’s diet.” “Cholin” plays an essential role in the development of brain motor functioning and memory. At the University of North Carolina, research conducted by Steven H. Zeisel found that the brains of babies whose mothers were given “cholin supplements” showed increased memory functioning and capacity.

“The difference is so clear that we can differentiate between them even when they have reached adult age”, says Dr. Zeisel. Eggs have always remained high on the “brain-food” chain.  So, if you enjoy eating eggs, you are actually enjoying the associated benefits of enriched brain functioning.

Side note: An extensive study from the Harvard School of Public Health proved beyond any doubt that healthy people can eat eggs without any adverse effects on the incidence of cardiovascular diseases.

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