Scientists at the Beckman Institute for Advanced Science and Technology have found that exercise improves brain health by changing the chemical signals that regulate neurons. Research published in the journal neuroscience.
When muscles contract, various compounds are released into the blood. These substances can travel to different parts of the body, including the brain. To isolate these compounds, the scientists took samples of small muscle cells from mice. The muscle cells were then grown in the lab, and after they matured, they began to contract on their own, releasing the substances the scientists needed.
The biologists added the compounds that isolate muscle cells to a platter of hippocampal cells, a part of the brain that greatly suffers from Alzheimer’s disease. This caused hippocampal neurons to generate stronger and more frequent electrical signals, a sign of active growth and health. The synchronization of these signals has also increased. This may indicate that brain cells form a more mature network.
“Ultimately, our work may contribute to the development of more effective exercise regimens for cognitive disorders such as Alzheimer’s disease,” the scientists concluded.