Resistance training (twice a week for 6 months) slowed brain shrinkage in multiple sclerosis (MS) patients and even led to brain growth in other areas of the brain. This is the first time that resistance training has been shown to prevent brain atrophy in MS patients. Previously it was shown to help improve their muscle strength and ability to walk. It is not known how resistance training countered the brain atrophy but other studies have found that it increased cerebral blood volume which could result in the growth of new blood vessels and neurogenesis (the growth of new neurons) in the dentate gyrus region of the brain.