Exercise benefits the brain
 

We all know anecdotally that exercise can help beat depression, which some people with PCS have.

An article in the New York Times recently reports that scientists have found that exercise increases levels of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), which may play a role in improving memory and recall. BDNF levels are also associated with the ability to perform or complicated tasks.

http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/1...its-the-brain/

By extension, it suggests to me that there's something to staying as active as possible as part of recovery from a concussion or treating PCS.

I read another article a while ago about BDNF (I think it may be posted on the sticky articles thread at the top of the forum). They suggested that certain types of exercise are more beneficial for BDNF than others. I believe walking was one.

There are also some dietary supplements that you can take to increase BDNF or decrease whatever the corresponding bad chemical is. Acetyl-l-carnitine is one that happens to do both.

My nueropsycologist told me to rest and not walk. I did anyway. I told my nuerologist this and he said I am to walk everyday.... I told him either way I get headaches so I might as well keep up my fitness. It helps with the sadness.

Interesting. Have you tried this supplement before Eowyn?

Since pretty much anything I did provoked symptoms, I spent several months literally did not leaving my bed or couch and did not doing anything but stare at the wall because some doctors told me any activity that provoked symptoms was bad.

I wish I hadn't listen to them because it caused or contributed to the major depression I still struggle with, and I became completely out of shape, which is making my recovery more difficult than it should be.

omg ...I'm so with you....I did the same exact thing ...sat and did nothing ..nothing at all ..the entire day while kids were at school because every single thing brought on symptoms. What an idiot I was to listen to the dr that told me that one!! I think it contributed to depression, anxiety and being out of shape.

How are you feeling now??

After my mTBI no doctor asked me to rest and told me to do what I can. May be that was a mistake but I don't know but I was making progress with headaches, dizziness etc., After 5-6 weeks I went down just like that.

Then I rested for 1 year doing nothing and trying all kinds of meds/supplements and things didn't improve much at all. I got into depression and anxiety just because of that.

After that I slowly started doing stuff and now I can do elliptic for 15 minutes (started with 3 mins), some light weights and my heart rate doesn't go crazy anymore. My BP used to be 130ish/75ish and now it is around 120/60. Not sure it doing anything for my dizziness,imbalance or forehead headaches, eye strain but overall sure exercise helps a lot.

My primary doctor wanted me to go for a Neuro-rehab when she saw my condition. But no specialists even mentioned that. I should have followed my PCP advice. Still not sure why for severe TBI the new protocol is to start the rehab as soon as possible (even within few weeks) and for concussion you have to rest (both are brain injuries). But Buffalo protocol says different.

I think the best way to find out is to try slowly if the recovery didn't happen in about 6 months.

When I work out or do anything active, it brings on the brain fog symptoms. Sometimes the fog will last for days. I noticed the less I do, the less foggy my brain gets. So I spend most of my days at home resting, watching movies and surfing the web.

Yes, I have been taking 500 mg of acetyl-l-carnitine daily for several months now. I understand that this occurs naturally in meat, and I am a vegetarian, so I thought it would be extra important to supplement.

I was advised to walk everyday. did so for 3 weeks with a cane, then with out one. Started back at the gym, very light, 20 min stretch, 10 - 15 min on treadmill. 20 min of 5lb dumbells :( Looking in the mirror at the gym with me hefting 5lbs is a bit of a drag as it is 35 - 40 lbs short of my pre injury weights. Day by day....