A Japanese study has shown ‘moderate intensity’ running for just 10 minutes can increase brain function and improve a person’s mood.
The researchers at the University of Tsukuba found the short running session increased blood flows to various parts of the prefrontal cortex which:
- improves the brain’s ‘executive function’ – processes including attention, memory, planning, organisation and impulse control; and
- plays an important role in stimulating a better mood.
Previous research has noted: the prefrontal cortex becomes activated during running (perhaps because the brain must process large amounts of sensory information to coordinate ‘running movement’ while keeping the body balanced); the mechanical impact of running increases blood circulation (which may also benefit brain activity); and the up-and-down head movement may contribute to serotonin receptor regulation in the prefrontal cortex (potentially improving mood and cognitive control).
The new study, published in the journal Scientific Reports, compared executive brain function and mood after a 10-minute session on a treadmill with those recorded ‘at rest’ – using the Stroop task, which presents colour words written in incongruous colours (eg, the word ‘red’ may appear in blue letters).
While participants attempted to name the colour of the letters (rather than reading the word itself) as quickly as possible, scientists assessed brain activation by monitoring blood flow changes using near-infrared spectroscopy (a non-invasive method of optical imaging).
People in the running sessions completed the Stroop test significantly faster, and experienced increased brain signals in the bilateral prefrontal cortex.
Participants also completed a two- dimensional mood scale questionnaire before and after both running and resting sessions, to assess any mood changes. The results showed running led to a significant increase in both pleasure and arousal.
Authors Chorphaka Damrongthai and Professor Hideaki Soya told medicalnewstoday.com: ‘The results surprised us, in that 10 minutes of moderate running enhances not only executive function but also pleasant mood coinciding with bilateral prefrontal activation.
‘Based on previous studies, including our own, physical exercise has been revealed to increase executive function by predominantly activating the left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex – which is a brain locus implicated in inhibitory and mood control – without reporting change of pleasant mood.’
They noted almost all previous studies used pedalling, not running, and noted: ‘Running may stimulate the prefrontal cortex more broadly to benefit mood and executive function than other forms of exercise that do not require as much coordination of weight-bearing activity, such as pedalling.’
Professor Marilyn Moffat from New York University commented to medicalnewstoday.com: ‘It is difficult to tell if these changes related to enhanced arousal and pleasure level could be associated with the increases in the blood levels of the neuro-modulating endocannabinoids that may occur with running, thus promoting short- term psychoactive effects that lead to decreased anxiety and enhanced feelings of calm.’ AMP
