Exploring the depths of a “muscle-mind” connection

I recently started working with a new personal trainer.

She challenges me to think about my workouts differently.

For example, she has me imagine how my efforts are impacting my muscles—and how those efforts help me to maintain better form and performance.

She calls it a “muscle-mind” connection.

And I must admit—at first, I thought it sounded silly.

But as it turns out, she might be onto something…

The link between exercise and neurons

There’s no doubt that exercise does your body a lot of good.

Regular activity strengthens muscles and supports your bones, blood vessels, immune system, and much more.

But now, a study out of MIT reveals that exercise may even help your neurons grow.

(Neurons, also known as nerve or brain cells, are the body’s messengers. They send signals to control functions like breathing, walking, and thinking.)

Researchers observed that when muscles contract during exercise, they release biochemical signals called myokines. These myokines communicate with other organs and tissues, including neurons.

And when this occurs, neurons seem to grow four times faster than those not exposed to this biochemical “soup.”

How exciting to think that exercise can help our neurons grow!

Moreover, the researchers observed that, similar to how muscles contract and expand during exercise, when neurons are pulled back and forth, they also grow quicker.

(The push-and-pull analogy here relates to when neurons repeatedly send signals. And it seems they’re activated by the simple act of exercise.)

Let exercise be thy medicine

I must note that the study design was interesting.

Researchers grew mouse muscle cells into long fibers, which they then fused into small sheets of mature muscle tissues. Then, they genetically modified these tissues to contract in response to light, stimulating exercise.

When the team exposed motor neurons (nerves that control voluntary muscle movement) to this muscle’s biochemical signals, the neurons grew rapidly—four times faster, to be exact.

Yes, it’s a preliminary study. But our nation is grappling with so many neurodegenerative diseases—like Parkinson’s, Alzheimer’s, and multiple sclerosis—with no cure or treatment in sight. So, any glimmer of hope is exciting to me.

(We don’t even have much to offer in the case of traumatic brain injuries.)

Perhaps key takeaways, like the ones I reported on today, will lead to a new treatment modality where we can stimulate our muscles to help encourage our nerve cells to heal.

After all, exercise is SO important to our health and well-being. Perhaps it could “be thy medicine”—just like food!

P.S. Don’t forget to check out my Alzheimer’s Prevention and Treatment Plan. This innovative, online learning tool outlines how to protect and restore memory, strengthen focus, and fight dementia. Click here now!

Source:

“When muscles work out, they help neurons to grow, a new study shows.” MIT News, 11/12/2024. (news.mit.edu/2024/when-muscles-work-out-they-help-neurons-grow-1112)


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