Running increases the release of dopamine and improves coordination

The experts compared young and middle—aged mice – in human terms, this is about the age of 50+. And it turned out that older animals react to running no worse than young ones: a month of free access to the treadmill led to a significant increase in dopamine levels and more dexterous, faster movements. The mice descended the vertical pole more easily and moved faster in open space, although their muscle strength did not change. The improvements are related to coordination, not to pumped-up muscles.

The results obtained prove that the positive effects of aerobic exercise on the brain are not limited to young age. Despite the fact that dopaminergic neurons gradually weaken over the years, physical activity remains a powerful stimulant of their work.

The findings are of particular interest for understanding Parkinson’s disease. The disease is associated with the gradual destruction of neurons that produce dopamine, which leads to slowness, tremor and decreased dexterity. It has long been known that exercise helps patients, but there have been few biochemical explanations. For the first time, the study demonstrates a direct link: exercise enhances the dopamine signal, and with it motor skills and reaction speed.

The authors emphasize that more research is needed, especially in humans, but it is already clear that physical activity remains one of the most effective non-drug ways to maintain brain health. As a next step, the team plans to repeat experiments on genetic models of Parkinson’s disease in order to better understand exactly how running affects weakened dopamine systems.

The study also revealed a curious detail: female mice ran about twice as much as males, but their dopamine response was the same. Scientists suggest that there is a certain threshold of stress necessary to maximize the dopamine signal — and when this threshold is exceeded, the effect no longer increases.