Every daily gesture leaves traces in the brain. Physical activity, a simple restless night, or even a subtle change in mood impacts the latter well beyond the present moment.
Finnish scientists now reveal that these effects persist longer than previously thought. They can influence brain activity for up to two weeks after the initial event.
At the heart of this discovery, a team of researchers from Aalto and Oulu universities analyzed the brain activity of a participant. For five months, she scrupulously documented her daily life via portable devices and brain scanners.
The results are clear: our brain does not react to each moment independently. Indeed, its activity evolves in response to variations in sleepof heartbeat or mood over several days.
Even more surprising, even a simple physical training session of a few minutes, carried out two weeks previously, could still influence the memory or the concentration of the same day. The link between the brain and behavior therefore seems deeper than imagined.
An important component, heart rate variability, plays a key role in resting brain connectivity. Meditation or other relaxation techniques could thus reshape our brain, even when we are inactive.
Faced with these results, researchers highlight the importance of wearable devices in monitoring mental health. These could allow better management of stress and emotions in real time, thus improving well-being in the long term.
The study, published in PLOS Biologyopens the way to a better understanding of the interactions between our body and our brain, and could considerably improve health care personalized.
What are the impacts of a workout on our brain?
L’physical activity influences the brain well beyond the session itself. Researchers have found that even a short period of exercise can change neural connections, influencing memory, concentration and cognition for several days. This influence lasts up to 15 days, which means that the brain remains sensitive to changes in theenvironment physical well after the effort.
When we exercise, the brain responds by strengthening connections between different regions. This notably improves cognitive flexibility, that is, our ability to think more fluidly and adapt to changing situations. This phenomenon is partly explained by better oxygenation of the brain and an increase in the levels of certain molecules promoting neuronal plasticity, such as neurotrophins.
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