792 million people are suffering from a mood disorder right now. When a patient is diagnosed with a mood disorder, standard procedure states that a patient should be treated with Cognitive Behavioral Therapy and medication. However, groundbreaking research has shown that exercise can mitigate the effects of depression and anxiety and protect against cognitive decline, as exercise increases neurotransmitters, and fortifies white matter.
In 2010 the United States of America spent 210.5 billion treating major depressive episodes. Out of the 210.5 billion, “45% are attributed to direct costs, 5% to suicide-related costs, and 50% to workplace costs”. Research is showing that exercise is a free way to alleviate some symptoms of mood disorders. Furthermore, the neurotransmitters Dopamine, Serotonin, Glutamate, and GABA are all influenced by exercise. In order to understand the role of neurotransmitters one must understand the basics of brain function.
The brain is made up of gray matter, neuronal somas which are darker in color and located on the outside of the brain, and white matter, which is made of neuronal axons wrapped in a myelin sheath, an insulating layer of protein and fatty substances. Furthermore, the difference in structure results in a different function as gray matter is primarily responsible for processing and interpreting information. In contrast, white matter is responsible for transmitting information to other regions in the Nervous system. The brain's efficiency is a result of neurons being able to effectively communicate with each other, ineffective communication between neurons can lead to mood disorders. In order to communicate the brain utilizes Neurotransmitters.
Neurotransmitters are chemicals that are transferred between the synapse, which is the space between the axon of one neuron to the dendrite of another neuron. There are many different neurotransmitters and they are all responsible for different things. For example, Dopamine is known as the “happy chemical” as it is associated with happiness and learning. Some other Neurotransmitters are; Serotonin, which is associated with memory and feelings of contentedness, Glutamate, associated with learning, and memory, Neuroplasticity ( the ability of our brains to change), and GABA which is associated with emotional processing. Mood disorders are a direct result of errors in Neurotransmitter production. Depression is believed to be a result of errors in dopamine and serotonin creation. Consequently, Anxiety and stress result from errors in the production of GABA and glutamate, neurotransmitters affecting mood.
When one exercises they increase blood flow to the frontal cortex. This results in a whole host of health benefits such as increased memory storage as a result of the creation of new cells in the hippocampus, increased mood regulation as a result of the volume of the frontal cortex is increased, and increased fear regulation as a result of a decrease in flawed activation of the amygdala, the part of the brain responsible for emotional behavior and motivation. Additionally, exercise permanently alters the serotonin and dopamine pathways which increase the ability to cope with stress. Our brain’s Neuroplasticity is what allows us to reap the benefits of exercise.
The next time you finish a run and feel a “Runner's High” you will be able to realize that this is the result of an increase in the production of neurotransmitters such as Dopamine and Serotonin. Furthermore, scientists have established a strong link between exercise and mood, which may lead to exercise being used as a treatment for mood disorders in the future.
Works Cited
Greenberg, Paul E., et al. “The Economic Burden of Adults with Major Depressive Disorder in the United States (2005 and 2010).” The Journal of Clinical Psychiatry, vol. 76, no. 02, 25 Feb. 2015, pp. 155–162, www.psychiatrist.com/jcp/article/Pages/2015/v76n02/v76n0204.aspx, 10.4088/jcp.14m09298.
Johns Hopkins Medicine. “Brain Anatomy and How the Brain Works.” Johns Hopkins Medicine, 2019, www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/conditions-and-diseases/anatomy-of-the-brain.
“The Neuroscience of Exercise: Why Exercise Leads to a Healthier Brain.” Www.injurymap.com, www.injurymap.com/articles/exercise-your-way-to-a-better-brain.
“What Is a Neuron? - Definition, Structure, Parts and Function.” BYJUS, byjus.com/biology/neurons/.
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