A recent study explored why exercise improves cognitive performance and found that dopamine, a chemical related to pleasure and motivation, plays a key role.
The experiment indicates that the increase in dopamine during workouts is connected to quicker reaction times during exercise.
This finding might open up new ways to enhance cognitive health, especially since dopamine is important in conditions like Parkinson's disease, schizophrenia, ADHD, addiction, and depression.
How it was tested
Specialists used a special scanning device known as positron emission tomography (PET) to measure dopamine release in the brain.
They discovered an increase in dopamine during cycling, which was associated with improved reaction time.
The experiment emphasized the promising results and underscored the potential of exercise as a therapeutic approach for various health conditions.
Involving three experiments with 52 men, the experiment found that voluntary exercise positively affected cognitive performance, while forced electrical stimulation did not produce the same results.
Why it's important to know
The test results indicate that exercise's effect on dopamine release is linked to central brain signals rather than muscle movement alone, suggesting that intentional physical activity triggers the beneficial process.
The specialists emphasize the need for further studies to comprehensively understand the connection between dopamine release and cognitive performance post-exercise.
Previously, we talked about going to bed late.
