Exercise helps protect the brain, avoiding depression

(exercise) has a lot of positive effects on human health, including protecting the body from stress, leading to depression. However, up to now the intermediary mechanisms of this positive impact have not been clarified.

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In a new study done on mice, researchers at the Karolinska Institute in Sweden demonstrated that exercise exercises cause skeletal muscle changes , which helps purify the blood. from a buildup in stress, and harm to the brain. The study is presented in the journal Cell.

"In terms of neurobiological terms, we don't really know what depression is. Our study represents one piece in the graft, we provide an explanation for the biochemical change that has Protection caused by exercise prevents the brain from being harmed during stress, " said Mia Lindskog, a researcher at the Department of Neuroscience at Karolinska Institute.

We already know that PGC-1 protein (read PGC-1alpha1) increases in skeletal muscle along with physical activity, and intermediates cause favorable muscle conditions in relation to physical activity. In this study, researchers used genetically engineered mice with high levels of PGC-1a1 in skeletal muscle, which showed a lot of muscular properties are well-trained (even without exercise).

These mice, and normal mice, were exposed to a pressure-filled environment, like sounds, loud noises, flash lights and circadian rhythms that were turned upside down during periods of time. often. After 5 weeks of mild stress, normal mice developed depressive behaviors, while genetically modified mice (with well-trained muscle properties) did not have depressive symptoms. ."Our initial research hypothesis is that trained muscles can produce a substance that has a positive effect on the brain. We actually find the opposite: muscles are well trained to give birth. an enzyme that purifies the body from harmful substances, so in this case muscle function is like that of the kidney or liver, " Jorge Ruas, principal investigator at the Department of Physiology and Pharmacology at Karolinska academy said.

The researchers found that mice with higher concentrations of PGC-1a1 in muscle also had higher levels of enzyme called KAT . KAT converts a substance formed during stress (kynurenine) into kynurenic acid, a substance that cannot be transmitted from the blood to the brain. The exact function of kynurenine is unclear, but high levels of kynurenine can be measured in patients with neuropathy.

In this study, the researchers showed that when normal mice received kynurenine, they exhibited depressive behavior, while mice increased PGC-1a1 levels in the unaffected muscle. In fact, these mice never had high levels of kynurenine in their blood from the time KAT enzymes were in their trained muscles, kynurenine was converted into kynurenic acid quickly, leading to a protective mechanism. guard.

"This study may help usher in a new principle of depression medication, in which we will attempt to influence the function of skeletal muscle instead of targeting it directly to the brain. As a detoxifying effect, when activated, it can help protect the brain from trauma and mental illness, " Jorge Ruas said.

Depression is a common mental disorder worldwide. The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that more than 350 million people are affected by the disease.