According to a study published in the journal JNeurosci, exercise is linked to increased dopamine signaling and this occurs primarily in motor areas of the mouse body. That’s according to a new statement from the Society for Neuroscience.
Physical activity is not only good for the body, but also for the brain.
As the statement explains, physical activity is not only good for the body, but also for the brain. First, it has positive effects on mood (with all the positive side effects that can have) and second, it can improve memory. Exercise can also counteract cognitive decline.
Physical activity improves motor behavior
As is also seen in people with Parkinson’s disease, physical activity improves motor behavior, but in the latter case the link has never been fully elucidated. Some have suggested that the link may be explained by an increase in dopamine release. Dopamine is an important neurotransmitter for motor and emotional control. In people with Parkinson’s disease, the release of this neurotransmitter tends to decrease.
The mouse study
Researcher Guendalina Bastioli and her colleagues have conducted a new study analyzing dopamine release in mice. The researcher created two groups of mice: she made the first group do exercises on a wheel while the second group remained almost inactive. The experiment lasted 30 days.
Discoveries
The researcher found that in running mice, dopamine production increased in a motor area of the brain called the striatum upon electrical stimulation. In contrast, no changes were seen in mice that had not exercised.
Furthermore, the researcher noted that the increase in dopamine was maintained even a week following the mice in the first group had completed the exercise phase.
The role of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF)
Finally, the researchers measured brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF). BDNF is a protein that plays a role in the health of neurons. For this second phase, the researchers performed the same experiment, but using mice without BDNF. In this second experiment, the researcher did not notice any difference between the active group and the sedentary group. This suggests that this protein is a catalyst for increasing dopamine signaling. Experiments on mice with Parkinson’s disease might be carried out in the future to understand this relationship.
