Not only are our legs set by Wringer during a marathon, new research suggests. Scientists have found evidence that our brains can undergo dramatic changes as we run a tremendous race.
Researchers in Spain conducted a study, Na -Published Monday in the journal Nature Metabolism. They in -scan the brains of the people before and after the operation of a marathon, found that runners experience a significant, but temporarily reducing myelin in some regions. The results suggest that our brains can use fat stored in Myelin as an emergency source of energy when pushed to the limit, researchers say.
Marathons are motivated by endurance tests, which require participants to run 26.2 miles. While running a marathon or any kind of long exercise, we first rely on stored carbohydrate (glucose) for gasoline. But in the end, this fuel runs low, motivating our bodies to burn the stored fat instead. Research on rodents is suggested That brains can use myelin as a such fat source as needed. Myelin provides a protective coating on the neurons of the brain while strengthening the speed at which our brain cells can communicate with each other; Most are also made of lipids, or fats (between 70% and 80%).
To test this hypothesis, researchers conducted MRIs in 10 City and Mountain Marathon Runner until two days before the long. All ten were given MRIs a day or two after running too, and some gained a two weeks and two months later.
Before the marathon, the runners had a similar level of myelin (measured using a indirect biomarker). Thereafter, they have a “large” reduction of myelin in the specific regions of the brain known to be involved in motor coordination as well as sensory and emotional integration. In runners -two weeks later, myelin levels increased but not all back to normal; Two months later, myelin levels finally reached their pre-marathon baseline.
“These findings suggest that the content of the brain's myelin is temporary and reversed by serious exercise, a search consistent with recent evidence from rodent studies” suggesting that myelin lipids can be used as an energy reserve in times of need, researchers wrote.
Those who set up that their study has a small sample size, so more research is required to confirm these findings and to better understand the phenomenon if it is real. It is unknown if myelin uses differently depending on the emergency situation, for example. In other words, do different types of prolonged activity or stress make our bodies borrow myelin from elsewhere in the brain? Researchers also said that more research should be done to determine if these deductions in myelin have led to any temporary physical or provisional changes.
Marathons and other types of elite are usually healthy and perhaps Live longer than average, So it is not likely that this short -term collapse on Myelin has a huge adverse health effect on the average runner. But the lessons learned from learning these runners can help scientists get insight into how our brains are metabolizing and using energy during other situations, such as when we develop some neurodegenerative diseases tied to the permanent loss of Myelin.
“[T]He is the potential relevance of the findings described here in the metabolism of brain energy provides additional studies, “letter of the set.
Personally, running a marathon a decade ago, I was just glad that my brain didn't have to be completely hungry before I was able to gorge myself with the Chinese takingout that I ordered immediately after my race.
