Interview with Erik Scherder
What does exercise do to our brain? ‘Cycling literally makes you smarter’
We have known for years that exercise is healthy. Yet, it is only since the spring of 2020 – as our lives changed during the lockdown – that many people have realised how great exercise is. Suddenly, working from home was part of the new normal and an afternoon in the gym was a thing of the past. Fitness equipment, running shoes and certainly bikes were hard to get hold of. The appreciation of bikes was given a healthy boost. Professor of Neuropsychology Erik Scherder is not surprised. ‘Cycling makes us that bit happier than driving a car, there’s no doubt about that.’ But how does it work in our brain? What does cycling do to our brain and why is it so good for our spirits? Scherder tells us all about it.
Not just cycling but exertion in general is good for our overall mood. It is good for the immune system and ensures you can better absorb and process information. However, there is a snake in the grass, because according to Scherder, you get less of those positive effects if you sit inside on your home trainer for 30 minutes. ‘Cycling like that is only good for your physical health. It does not challenge your brain at all. On the other hand, cycling in the countryside does call on different brain functions. You hear birds that you try to identify; you follow a route and suddenly see lovely natural light fall. Your brain needs all those stimuli to function at its best.’ The fact we feel better after exercising is in part due to our how our brain functions. Scherder: ‘If you put your brain to work, you stimulate the cerebral cortex and that inhibits undesirable emotions such as anxiety, stress and depression.’ Exercise makes you smarter Scherder emphasises that you can never start cycling too early. ‘You often hear that elite athletes or successful entrepreneurs used to have to cycle long routes to school. That forms your character and determination.’ According to the professor, a connection can also be made between exercise, cognitive development and school performances: ‘Children who cycle or exercise in some other way, develop the connections in their brain faster, and they are stronger than children who don’t exercise. If you look at it that way, exercise, and therefore also cycling, literally makes you smarter.’
You never forget how to ride a bike either. Just like walking and swimming, it is a skill that is stored in the basal cores of our brain. That contains knowledge we can rely on our entire lives. The brain recognises the movements, and we can pick them back up just like that. Scherder: ‘Humans have a vast learning capacity. I once saw a bike that had been built the wrong way round. You had to cycle backwards to move forwards and steer left to go right. Almost everyone falls off the first time, but they succeed after a few tries.’ Vulnerable The neuropsychology professor would like to see more bicycle helmets on our streets. Our brain is important and at the same time the most vulnerable part of our body: ‘A large percentage of the injures cyclists incur in accidents is brain injury. For the older generation, that’s up to 80 per cent. Anyone who falls on their head damages more than just the outside, without noticing. Each blood vessel that bursts can lead to brain damage. I am involved in the Edwin van der Sar Foundation as an advisor. The foundation is committed to helping people with an acquired brain injury. A large portion of those could be prevented if we’d all wear bicycle helmets. To be honest, I am not a big fan of them either. An important reason that the Dutch are so resistant to the idea is that hardly anyone wears one, but it’s a question of getting used to it. If it was compulsory to wear a bicycle helmet, we would consider it the most normal thing in the world within no time.’
Prof. Erik J.A. Scherder (1951) is professor of neuropsychology at the Vrije Universiteit van Amsterdam. He became known among a large audience because he was on the panel of the talk show ‘De Wereld Draait Door’ (The World Keeps on Turning). Together with former skater Ard Schenk and neurobiologist Dick Swaab, he has been organising theatre lectures and webinars under the title ‘Het Fitte Brein’ (The Fit Brain) since 2013.
Edwin van der Sar Foundation The Edwin van der Sar Foundation is committed to helping people with an acquired brain injury. Each year in the Netherlands, 50,000 people are faced with an injury caused by a stroke, cerebral infarction or a traffic or other form of accident. The organisation organises various exercise projects, because: ‘Exercise is vital for the recovery of brain functions. Moreover, it reduces the chance of recurrence or a relapse.’
Photo: Inge Mill
School streets During the lockdown, some schools decided to close off the streets at certain times of the day. The Dutch Cycling Association has been lobbying for years for these so-called school streets. ‘Many parents bring their children to school by car because they think it’s safer. However, due to the large number of cars, it is actually unsafe. If the street is only accessible to cyclists and pedestrians at the start and end of the day, it becomes much safer for both parties,’ says a spokesperson.