An exercise that exhausts myelin brain, but it is completely recovered

summary: New research shows that the operation of the marathon can cause a temporary decrease in myelin in the brain, fatty substances that isolate nerve cells and support effective communication. It seems that this decrease, which is observed in areas related to motor coordination and sensory treatment, is caused by the body using myelin fat as energy reserve when exhausting the other fuel.

However, the study also found that the levels of myelin begin to recover within weeks and completely recovery for two months after the race. These results reveal an unknown role in the two miles in the metabolism of brain energy and may offer visions to treat annoying diseases.

Main facts:

• Millen’s depletion: The marathon reduces myelin in the brain areas associated with the motor and sensory function.
• Reverse effect: Myelin levels are greatly recovered within two weeks and their normalization is completely after two months.
• A new vision: Myelin may act as an energy source in the brain during severe endurance.

source: Basque University

Exercising for a long period of time forces the human body to resort to energy reserves.

When running a marathon, for example, the body mainly consumes carbohydrates, such as glycogen, as an energy source, but it resorted to fat when using glycogen in the muscles.

Myelin, which surrounds nerve cells in the brain and works as an electric insulator, mainly includes fat, and previous research in rodents indicates that these fats can act as energy reserves in maximum metabolic conditions.

A study conducted by UPV/EHU, Cic Biomagune and IIS Biobizkaia researchers showed that people who manage a marathon suffer from a decrease in the amount of myelin in certain areas of the brain.

According to the study it published Nature metabolismThis effect is completely reversed after two months of marathon.

Carlos Matti, Professor of Anatomy and Humanology at UPV/EHU and IIS BIOBIZKAIA, Pedro Ramos-Cabr, Professor of Ikerbasque in Cic Biomagune, with Alberto Cabrara-Zubizarreta, Delini at HT Médica, used Resonance imaging From Mannative of Images of Thing of the Mann. Women (and 48 hours ago after a 42 km race.

Likewise, the researchers took pictures of the brains of two contestants two weeks after the race, and six of the contestants two months after the race as a follow -up.

By measuring a portion of myelin water in the brain – an indirect indicator of the amount of myelin – the authors discovered “a decrease in the content of myelin in 12 areas of white material in the brain, which is linked to motor coordination and sensory and emotional integration,” explained by Carlos Matut.

Two weeks later, “Millen’s concentrations have increased significantly, but they have not yet reached pre -race levels.” The authors saw that the myelin content was completely recovered after two months of the marathon.

Myelin, brain fuel

The researchers concluded that “myelin seems to be a source of energy when other foodstuffs are exhausted during endurance, and that more research is needed to determine the extent of extremist exercises connected to the amount of myelin in the brain. Experiences are needed in a larger group.”

This study reveals that “brain energy metabolism is more complicated than previously thought. The use of myelin where brain fuel opens new visions in brain energy requirements,” Matti explained.

In addition toand According to the authors, more studies are needed to assess whether these changes have any effect on the physiological and cognitive physiological functions associated with these areas, but they indicate that most of the myelin in the brain is not affected.

The results of this work open a new floor in the role of energy in healthy myelin, aging and disease in the brain.

“Understanding how myelin in the contestants quickly recovers may provide evidence to develop treatments for miles removal diseases, such as multiple sclerosis, where the myelin disappears, and, thus, for its contribution to energy, it facilitates structural damage and degradation,” Matti said.

At the same time, the researchers are keen to emphasize that the operation of the marathon is not harmful to the brain; “On the contrary, the use and replacement of myelin as an energy reserve is useful because this exercises the metabolism of the brain.”

About this myelin and research news

author: Encarni Miguel
source: Basque University
communication: Encarni Miguel – Basque University
image: The image is attributed to news of neuroscience

The original search: Closed access.
“Decreased vice versa in myelin content in the brain when the marathon is turned onWritten by Carlos Matti and others. Nature metabolism

a summary

Decreased vice versa in myelin content in the brain when the marathon is turned on

Here we use MRI to study the effect of marathon that works on the structure of the brain in humans.

We explain that the sign of the water of myelin – an alternative to the myelin content – is largely reduced when the marathon is operated in specific brain areas that participate in motor coordination and sensory and emotional integration, but it recovers within two months.

These results indicate that myelin content in the brain is temporarily diminishing and reflecting through extreme exercise, a discovery consistent with modern evidence from rodent studies that indicate that myelin fat may act as stiff energy reserves in extreme representative conditions.