title: Can exercise shape your brain? Cortical differences associated with judo practice.
abstract: Experimental animal studies have shown that physical exercise, associated with planning and execution of complex movements, are related to changes in brain structure. In humans, changes in cortical tissue density in relation to physical activity are yet to be fully determined and quantified. We investigated differences on gray matter volume in judo players by using voxel-based morphometry. Comparison between a group of eight internationally competitive judo players and a group of 18 healthy controls showed a significantly higher gray matter tissue density in brain areas of judo players.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Neuroimaging, Faculty of Medical Sciences of State University of Campinas (UNICAMP), Brazil.
authors.forename: Wantuir F S
authors.initials: WF
authors.lastname: Jacini
authors.forename: Gianna C
authors.initials: GC
authors.lastname: Cannonieri
authors.forename: Paula T
authors.initials: PT
authors.lastname: Fernandes
authors.forename: Leonardo
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Bonilha
authors.forename: Fernando
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Cendes
authors.forename: Li M
authors.initials: LM
authors.lastname: Li
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001921:Brain / Q000502:physiology*; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D015444:Exercise / Q000502:physiology* / Q000523:psychology; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D016139:Martial Arts / Q000502:physiology* / Q000523:psychology; D009473:Neuronal Plasticity / Q000502:physiology*; D055815:Young Adult