Does running make your brain shrink?

Does running make your brain shrink?

A study by researchers from Germany found that the brains of runners who participated in an extreme endurance race temporarily shrank by as much as 6%, raising questions about how prolonged physical exertion affects the brain.

According to “Dami Mong Alam, Kuya Kim!,” the study involved runners who took part in a 4,500-kilometer foot race from Italy to Norway over 64 days.

Researchers found that the brain region most affected was responsible for visual processing, or the way the brain processes information from what we see. However, they have yet to determine the exact reason behind the change in brain size.

One hypothesis is that the change may be linked to the runners repeatedly looking at the road throughout the race. Another possibility is that the brain adjusts to redirect energy toward other parts of the body that need it during prolonged physical exertion.

These explanations remain hypotheses, however, and further research is needed to understand the findings.

The good news is that the runners' brains returned to their original size within six months, suggesting that the changes were temporary among the study participants.

Aside from the brain, researchers also examined the runners' cartilage, the tissue that cushions the joints and helps absorb impact between bones.

They observed that the cartilage gradually decreased during the first 2,500 kilometers of the race but began to regenerate after the race ended.

This does not mean running is bad for the brain.

The study focused on an extreme endurance race that required participants to run for 64 days, and its findings do not establish that ordinary jogging or running a marathon causes the same changes in brain size.

In fact, numerous studies have linked regular physical activity to better brain health.

The findings highlight how the body may respond to extreme physical demands, but further research is needed to understand the effects of prolonged endurance exercise on the brain and other tissues. —Carby Rose Basina/JCB, GMA News