If this wet, winter weather has you confined to the comfort of your couch, you may want to lace up your running shoes after considering this: new research shows that people who run regularly have greater functional connectivity – or vital connections between brain regions – than non-runners do.
The recent study was conducted by University of Arizona’s anthropology professor and running expert, David Raichlen, and Gene Alexander, who specializes in brain aging and Alzheimer’s at the Evelyn F. McKnight Brain Institute. In their study, Raichlen and Alexander compared MRI scans from cross-country runners to scans of those who hadn’t participated in any form of exercise for a year or longer. Both groups were made up of individuals in the same age group (18-25) with comparable education levels and body mass indexes (BMI).
The researchers analyzed resting state functional connectivity, where the participants were awake but not involved in a specific task. Overall, the runner group showed greater functional connectivity within many areas of the brain, including the frontal cortex, which governs complex brain functions such as problem-solving, memory, decision-making, language and personality development.
Many previous studies have corroborated that hobbies requiring focused hand-eye coordination or fine motor skills, like playing tennis or a musical instrument, can improve cognitive function. However, this study, published in Frontiers in Human Neuroscience, is one of the few that has investigated the effects of activities that don’t require much precise motor control, like running.
Because functional connectivity decline is very common in aging adults, Raichlen and Alexander’s findings are important for people of all age groups. The implications could help researchers gain a better understanding of how activities and behaviors during young adulthood impact our cognitive functions as we age.
Want to start improving your mental health but concerned about foot and ankle pain or knee injuries that could impact your ability to run? Consult with one of our orthopedic doctors in the Eastside or Seattle to learn what surgical or non-surgical treatment might be best for you. Contact one of our Eastside orthopedic clinics today.
