Ep 94. Neurogenesis and Anxiety

Not Another Anxiety Show

Kelli Walker

Therapy, Health & Fitness, Mindfulness, Health, Alternative Health, Mental Health, Anxiety, Claireweekes, Counseling, Brenebrown, Research, Meditation, Panicattacks, Science, Selfhelp, Stress

4.8 • 655 Ratings

🗓️ 14 September 2017

⏱️ 3 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

In this episode Kelli explores how growth of brain cells in a certain area of the brain, the hippocampus, can decrease anxiety and depression. Kelli also shares simple ways to stimulate growth of brain cells in the hippocampus.

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Disclaimer: Hopefully you find the information in this podcast helpful but it is not intended to replace medical advice and should not be used as such.

Transcript

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0:00.0	Hey guys, welcome to not another anxiety show. I'm your host, Kelly Walker, and Tate'll be just me geeking out a little bit about neurogenesis and what it has to do with anxiety.
0:23.0	So, neurogenesis is just a fancy word for the growth of new brain cells.
0:28.0	Neuro is short for neurons, which are brain cells, and genesis is equivalent to creation.
0:34.5	So, the creation of new brain cells.
0:40.9	And this episode here is just a quick add-on to our last episode that was about novelty igniting neuroplasticity. So some recent preliminary research
0:49.2	conducted by Dr. Henn, professor of psychiatry, neuroscience, and pharmacology at Columbia University,
0:55.8	suggested that neurogenesis, or the growth of new brain cells, in the hippocampus area of the
1:01.5	brain, is associated with decreased anxiety and depression. So the bigger your hippocampus,
1:08.1	the less anxiety and depression that is present. The research concluded that neurogenesis in the hippocampus, the less anxiety and depression that is present. The research concluded
1:13.0	that neurogenesis in the hippocampus acted as a preventative or prophylaxis to the stress hormone
1:19.5	cortisol, basically increasing our resiliency to stress. So I'm guessing everyone obviously has the same question that I did after hearing this.
1:30.4	How do I get my brain to grow new neurons in my hippocampus? Well, neurologist Dr. Fatoui says there are a few
1:38.2	ways. And honestly, they're all pretty simple and anticlimactic. So one way is exercise, physical exercise, even just walking, stimulates growth of new neurons
1:50.1	and also increases the likelihood of the survival of these new baby neurons in the hippocampus.
1:57.5	Another way is to eat foods rich in omega-3 fatty acids, because this fatty acid is the building
2:03.4	block for new brain cells.
2:05.6	And this includes foods like salmon, nuts, and olive oil, basically the Mediterranean
2:10.4	diet.
2:12.3	And last but not least, we've mentioned this quite a bit in several episodes, exercises, brain exercises,
2:19.7	like meditation. And circling back to our last episode, the survival of these baby neurons
2:27.3	is increased by the novelty of our experiences, according to Dr. Rick Hansen.
2:33.3	And since no experience is exactly like any other, focusing on and taking in different
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