New research suggests that moving your legs is crucial for brain health; in fact, exercising the leg muscles helps the brain produce new neurons, according to the work published in the journal Frontiers in Neuroscience . The findings will help researchers better understand the progression of neurological and motor neuron diseases.
Certainly, both astronauts and people who have been bedridden for long periods of time experience many physical changes. For one thing, either due to lack of gravity or bed rest, muscles tend to shrink. In fact, science has shown that restricted muscle activity affects all neuromuscular function.
The link between movement and the brain is strong
We know that the motor cortex of the brain sends signals to the spinal cord for specific muscles to contract. And, interestingly, when some of the brain areas responsible for movement are damaged, the brain tries to “repair itself” through neuroplasticity , that is, the ability of neurons to reassign their connections, which makes a different part of the brain. brain take control.
Recently, more and more research has focused on the effect of voluntary physical activity on brain health. For example, some studies have shown that exercise can induce neurogenesis, which means that it can help the brain form new nerve cells, and counteract the effects that aging has on the brain’s hippocampus, which is the brain’s key to memory and information processing.
Now, a new study looks at how neural stem cells are affected by reduced leg movement. Neural stem cells are undifferentiated stem cells that will develop into neurons or other brain cells.
The researchers, led by Raffaella Adami, from the Università degli Studi di Milano (Italy) conducted an experiment with mice, restricting their movement for a period of 28 days. Specifically, the rodents’ hind legs, but not the front, were immobilized. They also had a control group of mice that could move freely.
At the end of the study period, the scientists examined the subventricular region of the brain, a key area for nerve cell health (and the place where neural stem cells differentiate into neurons), finding that restricting physical activity reduced neural stem cells by 70%, compared to the control group. Furthermore, mice whose movement was restricted had underdeveloped neurons.
The main takeaway from the new findings is that leg exercise, particularly weight training, “tells” the brain to produce healthy neurons , which are key to our ability to cope with stress and life changes.
The exercise should be of the type that defies gravity: dancing, walking, running, climbing stairs, playing tennis and lifting weights are examples of exercises of this type.
“Neurological health is not a one-way street with the brain telling the muscles to ‘get up’, ‘walk’, and so on,” explains Raffaella Adami, leader of the study.
“Our study supports the idea that people who are unable to perform load-bearing exercises, such as bedridden patients or even astronauts on long trips, not only lose muscle mass, but their body chemistry is altered at the cellular level and even their system. nervous is negatively affected, “concludes Adami.
Reference: Raffaella Adami et al. Frontiers in Neuroscience (2018). DOI: 10.3389 / fnins.2018.00336
