This episode of Dnews was proudly made possible by the all-new 2015 Subaru Legacy.
It’s not just a sedan, it’s a Subaru.
You know those people who claim that they actually ENJOY exercise?
Well it turns out, they may be right.
Damnit.
Hey guys, Tara here for Dnews - and try as we might, some of us just seem predisposed
to loving exercise.
You get addicted to the endorphins, they say - and even though I personally can’t understand
what that’s like, it turns out there IS a part of our brains dedicated to that - and
it may explain why some people are more motivated to exercise than others.
Scientists at the Seattle Children’s Research Institute have discovered a tiny region of
the brain in mice - called the dorsal medial habenula - that controls their desire to exercise.
It’s also responsible for mood regulation and motivation, but its similarity to a structure
in human brains - means it could lead to improved treatments for depression, which typically
coincide with a lack of motivation.
The link between exercise and depression - has been proven time and time again.
“Changes in physical activity and the inability to enjoy rewarding or pleasurable experiences,
are two of the hallmarks of major depression” - so it makes sense that exercise would be
one of the more effective treatments for it.
But the brain pathways responsible for exercise motivation haven’t been well understood
- until now.
For their study, a team of researchers examined 3 different groups of mice.
The first group, was a control.
The second group, was genetically engineered to have their dorsal medial habenula blocked
- and the third group, were given the option of hyperactivating their dorsal medial habenula,
using laser technology.
Sure enough, the second group, whose brain region was blocked - were much more lethargic
than the control mice.
Meaning even though they were physically capable of running on their wheel - they just didn’t
want to.
On the flip side, the third group of mice - had the option of either activating or suppressing
their dorsal medial habenula, by turning one of two response wheels.
Turns out, mice strongly preferred activating that area, as opposed to suppressing it.
And that signifies that this part of the brain is strongly tied to rewarding behavior.
It makes sense that the mice would choose that option, too.
After all, nobody WANTS to be depressed or lazy - it’s just something that happens.
So you can imagine how useful a drug would be, that specifically targets and activates
that area.
Depression may be a well-understood disease, but the treatments for it - are still lacking.
So researchers hope that this discovery - can help develop better therapies for people who
lack the motivation to help themselves.
What do you guys think?
Aside from the depression aspects, would you take a drug that made you more motivated to
exercise?
Let us know your thoughts in the comments below - and as always, thank you guys for
watching!