Bizarre brain "shrink" seen in long-distance runners

[Binary_Bark]

More than a million people of nearly all ages lace up their trainers and hit the pavement in a marathon every year. And while running any distance has numerous health benefits, researchers warn that going the distance may not be so good for the brain – with the negative effects lingering for a month following a race.

Scientists at Spain's University of the Basque Country (UPV/EHU) have identified a link between marathon running and a sharp reduction in the protective myelin that surrounds nerve fibers – axons – in the brain. This insulating layer is critical for facilitating the transmission of electrical signals in the brain and spinal cord – and a loss of myelin is one biomarker of many neurological conditions, including stroke and multiple sclerosis.

Bizarre brain "shrink" seen in long-distance runners

More than a million people of nearly all ages lace up their trainers and hit the pavement in a marathon every year. And while running any distance has numerous health benefits, researchers warn that going the distance may not be so good for the brain – with the negative effects lingering for a…

newatlas.com

 

[Brawler]

As an ex-runner, anything over 21km is just torture.

 

[Sideshow Bob]

I knew it. I always avoided any kind of running in life. I feel good now that science has vindicated me.

 

[Bliksis]

As an ex-runner, anything over 21km is just torture.

As an ex up-and-coming runner, everything over 2km is torture, so now I'm no longer up-and-coming.

 

[Pegging]

It happens with cyclists and delivery scooter riders as well. Just much faster due to the speeds involved..

 

[ShaunSA]

I told you guys they were nuts. Especially those comrades okes!

 

[Tomtomtom]

This sounds like a typical observational study, so that word "link" is doing a lot of work. They're probably not making any causal claim, or if they are, they probably shouldn't be.

 

[Stokstert]

As an ex up-and-coming runner, everything over 2km is torture, so now I'm no longer up-and-coming.

Agree with you......that's why I hated the 2,4.

 

[Bliksis]

Agree with you......that's why I hated the 2,4.

I hated the fact that the coach could easily run that with us, more.

 

[LCBXX]

Nothing IMO ages a person faster than long-distance running. All of them look 15+ years older than they really are.

Brain shrinking is new to me, though.

 

[Jan van Riebeeckstad]

I could have confirm this years ago, just by looking at all the joggers every morning

 

[B-1]

Is it really surprising? Anything thats being overdone is bad for you.

 

[Binary_Bark]

I could have confirm this years ago, just by looking at all the joggers every morning

Explains why cyclists have no brain

 

[Agent_Smith]

So our government were all marathon runners in their younger days? That explains a lot!

 

[Binary_Bark]

So our government were all marathon runners in their younger days? That explains a lot!

You need one to start off with. This lot started with an empty cave from the get-go

 

[wise_guy]

Nothing IMO ages a person faster than long-distance running. All of them look 15+ years older than they really are.

Brain shrinking is new to me, though.

Since I started running a few year ago I've actually started to look younger.
That "runners face" you're referring to is more to do with sun exposure and eccentuated wrinkles due to being lean rather than the metabolic effects of running.

I forgot what else I was going to say.

 

[wise_guy]

This sounds like a typical observational study, so that word "link" is doing a lot of work. They're probably not making any causal claim, or if they are, they probably shouldn't be.

From the article...

And more work is needed – as this study only looked at the brain scans of 10 runners (eight male), aged 45–73 years – and it offers an association, but not causation.

"This pilot observational imaging study has limitations, including a relatively small number of participants that will require validation in a larger cohort...

 

[Hemi300c]

Bizarre brain "shrink" seen in long-distance runners

More than a million people of nearly all ages lace up their trainers and hit the pavement in a marathon every year. And while running any distance has numerous health benefits, researchers warn that going the distance may not be so good for the brain – with the negative effects lingering for a…

newatlas.com

Cyclists must be in the same boat but with even very short distances.

 

[rh1]

10km is far enough and enjoyable.

 

[DodgeThis]

The human body was not designed to run 42km. Anyway, it says you return to normal after 2 months.

"But there's some good news – further scans showed that myelin had naturally increased two weeks after the run, and then had returned to normal levels after two months."