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Brains and Brawn: Complex Motor Activities to Maximize Cognitive Enhancement

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Abstract

The target articles in this special issue address the timely question of embodied cognition in the classroom, and in particular the potential of this approach to facilitate learning in children. The interest for motor activities within settings that typically give little space to nontraditional content is proof of a shift from a Cartesian dichotomy to a united approach of brain and body, particularly in line with recent advances in neuroscience. In this commentary, I discuss some of the possibilities offered by a blend of cognitive and motor demands in the context of cognitive enhancement. I then present novel empirical evidence and current trends of research that support this approach, and discuss examples of effective cognitive training interventions based on motor activities. Ultimately, the rationale for an early start to a successful and healthy education goes beyond the classroom—the goal is to educate the next generations about the benefits of sustained motor activities across the lifespan.

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  1. Centre for Brain Research and School of Psychology, The University of Auckland, Human Sciences Building, Office 641, Auckland, 1010, New Zealand

    David Moreau

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  1. David Moreau
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Moreau, D. Brains and Brawn: Complex Motor Activities to Maximize Cognitive Enhancement. Educ Psychol Rev 27, 475–482 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10648-015-9323-5

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