▎ WuXi AppTec content team editor
"Running is far beyond physical exercise for me, and the reward it brings me is one spiritual victory after another." The famous American writer William Arthur Ward once wrote.
Image credit: 123RF
We know that running not only strengthens cardiovascular endurance, strengthens muscles and bones, but also makes people happy. But some people may think that although life is about exercise, but the daily work is particularly busy, there is not much time to run. So what are the health benefits of short-term exercise for us?
Recently, studies published in Scientific reports found that just 10 minutes of running increased local blood flow in the brain to various sites in the bilateral prefrontal cortex, which was beneficial to mental health and enhanced executive performance.
Screenshot source: Scientific reports
The study included a total of 26 participants who were right-handed adults with normal vision and vision (or returned to normal). The researchers then determined the optimal running intensity (moderate intensity) for each participant based on each person's 50% maximum oxygen uptake.
Each participant was randomly tested in two phases.
During the running phase: Participants are required to complete a 10-minute moderate-intensity running session.
The researchers gave participants two "word color match tests" (CWST) before and 15 minutes after running and measured prefrontal hemodynamic changes in the participants during the process using functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS).
During the run, the participants' heart rate and perceived labor rate (RPE) were also monitored;
Finally, the researchers assessed participants' executive function and psycho-emotional state based on the mood scale (TDMS) and other data.
In the control phase: Choose a different date, have participants sit still for 10 minutes, and detect relevant data.
"Word color match test": It can be understood that before and after running, participants are shown inconsistent information, such as writing the word "red" in green, so that participants must say the name of the color (green) instead of pronouncing the word (red). In the process, our brains must process two sets of information and suppress irrelevant information.
Perceived labor rate: This is a measure of how much work people feel during physical activity. It's a tool that helps people manage the intensity of their exercise.
The researchers found that:
At the last minute of the run, the researchers found that the participants had an average heart rate of 141.35 bpm and an average perceived labor rate of 10.61 points. According to American Academy of Sports Medicine guidelines, participants' average heart rates were in the range of moderate-intensity exercise, while perceived labor rates were lower than the reference range.
Participants' levels of arousal and pleasure increased significantly after a 10-minute run compared to before the run (p
After a 10-minute run, participants' response time to the Word Color Match test (CWST) was significantly reduced (p=0.002) compared to before the run. During the CWST test, running also resulted in increased blood flow signals in both prefrontal lobes, indicating that the associated cerebral cortex was activated.
In addition, the researchers also found an association between mood changes caused by running, reduced reaction time, and increased blood flow in related brain regions.
The paper concludes: The study shows that a single 10-minute moderate-intensity run produces positive emotions and enhances executive function by increasing blood flow in the prefrontal lobe region of participants.
Dr. Chorphaka Damrongthai, lead author of the study and the University of Tsukuba, noted: "We provide evidence for the neural mechanisms behind moderate-intensity running, which causes mood improvement and enhanced executive function. Given that many of the features of the human prefrontal cortex are unique to humans, this study sheds light not only on the current benefits of running, but also on the role these benefits may have played in human evolutionary history. ”