Why dose exercise improve mental health?

2016 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 26560336
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Challenging Exploratory Research
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Research Field: Developmental mechanisms and the body works
• Research Institution: Physical Fitness Research Institute, Meiji Yasuda Life Foundation of Health and Welfare
• Principal Investigator: SUDO MIZUKI 公益財団法人明治安田厚生事業団体力医学研究所, その他部局等, 研究員(移行) (10585186)
• Project Period (FY): 2014-04-01 – 2017-03-31
• Keywords: メンタルヘルス / 運動 / 骨格筋

Outline of Final Research Achievements

The purpose of this study was to clarify the effects of exercise on skeletal muscle, neurotransmitters, and mental health using an animal model. The present results indicated that enriched environments, which increase voluntary exercise, increased muscle mass of tibialis anterior and circulating noradrenaline. In contrast, enriched environments reduced anxiety-like behavior. At the current stage, there are no clear relationships between skeletal muscle activation and improvements in mental health. However, the present results suggest that skeletal muscle activation may potentially contribute to improvements in mental health. Further studies are required to elucidate mechanisms underlying improvements in mental health induced by exercise.

Free Research Field

運動生理学