{"id":36202,"date":"2016-03-09T16:16:15","date_gmt":"2016-03-09T22:16:15","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/news.medill.northwestern.edu\/chicago\/?p=36202"},"modified":"2016-03-09T16:16:15","modified_gmt":"2016-03-09T22:16:15","slug":"exercise-boosts-brain-activity","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/news.medill.northwestern.edu\/chicago\/exercise-boosts-brain-activity\/","title":{"rendered":"Exercise boosts brain activity"},"content":{"rendered":"

By Elizabeth Bacharach<\/strong><\/p>\n

Heart thumping, sweat dripping, neurotransmitters surging.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis is your body on exercise,\u201d according to the findings of a new imaging study<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Your heart and lungs work harder, of course. But the real surprise is how the exercise produces surges of more neurotransmitters that rev up brain function.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

[vimeo 158391802 w=474]<\/p>\n

\n

Local runners pound the pavement on a recent Sunday morning. They are revving up brain function with every stride, a new study finds. (Scripted by Elizabeth Bacharach; videod and produced by Caroline Kenny\/MEDILL)<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

A recent study by University of California Davis Health System researchers found an increase of the common neurotransmitters glutamate and GABA after intense exercise.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe two of these together conduct 85 percent of the brain\u2019s business in terms of information exchange through chemical messengers,\u201d said Richard Maddock, study lead investigator and professor in the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at UC Davis. The results appear in the Feb. 24 issue of The Journal of Neuroscience.<\/em><\/p>\n

The team studied 38 healthy, normal-weight men and women, all volunteers. Thirty-two of these participants exercised on a stationary bicycle, reaching about \u201c80 percent of predicted maximum heart rate,\u201d according to study results. The other six subjects sat on a bicycle without pedaling and were part of the control group.<\/p>\n

To measure the glutamate and GABA levels, the researchers conducted imaging studies before and after exercise with a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scanner that can show the chemical measurement of changes in targeted area of the brain.<\/p>\n

For this study, the team focused on two regions of the brain: the primary visual cortex, a sensory region, and the anterior cingulate cortex, a cognitive and emotional region. Before and after each session of vigorous exercise, lasting between eight to 20 minutes, the team measured the glutamate and GABA levels. They found an increase of these neurotransmitters only in the brains of those who pedaled.<\/p>\n

\"The
The research was funded entirely by UC Davis, Maddock said. (Elizabeth Bacharach\/MEDILL)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

While the researchers did not focus on long-term effects, they assessed the level of physical activities of participants leading up to the study.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe did find that people who had more physical activity in the preceding week had higher glutamate levels than the people who had less physical activity,\u201d even among those who exercised for the study, Maddock said, \u201cSo, that suggests that there are some persisting effects of exercise,\u201d he added.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s interesting that they find both the glutamate and GABA are increased because these two\u2026do opposite things in the brain,\u201d said\u00a0 Lei Wang, an assistant professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences and Radiology at Northwestern University\u2019s Feinberg School of Medicine. He was not associated with the study.<\/p>\n

Wang explained how glutamate is a neurotransmitter that excites neurons and turns up the activity of the next neuron in the chain of communication. GABA is an inhibitory neurotransmitter whose \u201crole is to put a break on the activity in the brain.\u201d<\/p>\n

While the brain needs both of these chemicals, those who are clinically depressed have a decrease in the amount of glutamate.<\/p>\n

The study findings also suggest that exercise could be used as an \u201calternative\u201d treatment for mild to moderate depression. If exercise can also increase neurotransmitters in the brains of those who are depressed, then it \u201cmight have value in helping them recover,\u201d Maddock said.<\/p>\n

“I think this is obviously a great way by which exercise can be used as a way to effect depression,” opposed to “pharmacological means,” said Julius Dewald, chair of the Department of Physical Therapy and Human Movement Sciences at Feinberg.<\/p>\n

Yet Wang emphasized that, because of the MRI scanning techniques, the study only focused on two areas of the brain. Findings cannot be \u201cgeneralized to other brain areas,\u201d Wang said.<\/p>\n

“It\u2019s interesting that they find both the glutamate and GABA are increased because these two\u2026do opposite things in the brain.\u201d\u00a0\u00a0 Lei Wang, Northwestern University<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Dewald noted examples of how exercise can benefit those affected by illness. Studies have found a \u201cpositive effect [following exercise] on the movement problems that occur as a result of Parkinson\u2019s disease,\u201d said Dewald, who is also a professor at Northwestern’s McCormick School of Engineering.<\/p>\n

Despite the many beneficial effects that have been demonstrated, Daniel Corcos, who studies\u00a0the\u00a0effects of exercise on\u00a0Parkinson\u2019s disease, said more study is needed. There hasn\u2019t been a study like the one at UC Davis to evaluate the chemical\u00a0basis for why exercise might aid those with Parkinson\u2019s disease.<\/p>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t know of\u00a0any studies conducted on humans\u00a0that get to metabolic or neurotransmitter changes in Parkinson\u2019s disease,\u201d said Corcos, a professor of Physical Therapy and Human Movement Sciences at Feinberg.<\/p>\n

Corcos added that a study like that is \u201cneeded\u201d to understand\u00a0\u201cthe biological basis for the therapeutic\u00a0benefits of Parkinson\u2019s disease.”<\/p>\n

\"Green-nikes\"<\/a><\/div><\/div><\/div>
Cold temperatures and winds can’t deter Chicago exercise enthusiasts. A new study shows they are improving brain activity as well as general health. (Elizabeth Bacharach\/MEDILL)<\/figcaption><\/figure>
\"Bernese-Mt.-Dog\"<\/a><\/div><\/div><\/div>
(Elizabeth Bacharach\/MEDILL) <\/figcaption><\/figure>
\"Solo-biker\"<\/a><\/div><\/div><\/div>
(Elizabeth Bacharach\/MEDILL) <\/figcaption><\/figure>
\"Running-path-2\"<\/a><\/div><\/div><\/div>
(Elizabeth Bacharach\/MEDILL)<\/figcaption><\/figure>
\"Sneakers-and-skater\"<\/a><\/div><\/div><\/div>
(Elizabeth Bacharach\/MEDILL)<\/figcaption><\/figure>
\"Bikers\"<\/a><\/div><\/div><\/div>
(Elizabeth Bacharach\/MEDILL) <\/figcaption><\/figure>
\"Solo-runner\"<\/a><\/div><\/div><\/div>
(Elizabeth Bacharach\/MEDILL)<\/figcaption><\/figure>
\"Running-path\"<\/a><\/div><\/div><\/div>
(Elizabeth Bacharach\/MEDILL)<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div><\/div>\n

Exercise in general, however, is known to make people feel better.<\/p>\n

Johnpaul Higgins is both a \u201chabitual\u201d runner and the director of membership and community development at the Chicago Area Runners Association (CARA). For Higgins, running is \u201calmost addictive\u201d because it makes him \u201cfeel better mentally, emotionally – more centered, more grounded.\u201d<\/p>\n

Wang also finds that running helps him cognitively. \u201cI run to work\u2026every day, rain or shine\u2026So, I know the benefit on the brain because I feel very rejuvenated, able to focus, and concentrate,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

Because of the already recognized benefits of exercise, Dr. Sara Brown, a primary care sports physician practicing in Chicago, said she was not surprised by the study\u2019s results.<\/p>\n

Brown, also a member of the CARA Board of Directors, said she has seen a \u201cpositive effect\u201d on her patients\u2019 moods when they exercise frequently and a \u201cnegative effect\u201d when they get injured and are no longer able to keep up usual activity.<\/p>\n

Brown added that the study\u2019s findings will help her when encouraging depressed patients to exercise. \u201cIf I can explain to them the chemical reaction that can occur, which will lead them to feeling better, that might support my argument and they might take it more seriously,\u201d Brown said.<\/p>\n

Although Maddock said he is \u201cconfident in the findings,\u201d he wants to proceed with more research. His team plans to seek funding from the National Institutes of Health to pursue larger studies, specifically ones involving patients with depression.<\/p>\n

\u201cExercise has no side effect. Right? I think people\u2026should be encouraged to [exercise] regardless of whether we uncover the actual mechanism of exercise in neurotransmitter change,\u201d Wang said.<\/p>\n

Photo at top: The study’s findings show that exercise boosts mental activity.\u00a0(Elizabeth Bacharach\/MEDILL)<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

By Elizabeth Bacharach Heart thumping, sweat dripping, neurotransmitters surging. \u201cThis is your body on exercise,\u201d according to the findings of a new imaging study. Your heart and lungs work harder, of course. 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