Exercise: A Gym for Your Nerve Cells? MIT Researchers Believe It Is

Summary: Researchers at MIT have found that the advantages of exercise reach individual nerve cells in two remarkable ways. Their research indicates that neurons develop four times more quickly when influenced by biochemical signals from active muscles, and similar growth takes place when neurons undergo physical movement akin to exercise.

Published in: Advanced Healthcare Materials, November 2024
Reading Time: 6 minutes

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When individuals consider the advantages of physical activity, they often think of stronger muscles, improved cardiovascular wellness, and enhanced endurance. However, revolutionary research from MIT indicates that exercise may provide an additional, unexpected benefit: improved nerve cell proliferation. Recent evidence underscores that exercise activates nerve cells in both biochemical and physical manners, presenting hopeful prospects for individuals with nerve damage or neurodegenerative disorders such as ALS.

Let’s delve deeper into this thrilling revelation.

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A Fresh Perspective on Exercise: Neurons Also Reap Rewards

The research, carried out by MIT’s Department of Mechanical Engineering and featured in *Advanced Healthcare Materials*, has revealed for the first time that neurons—cells tasked with transmitting signals throughout the body—experience significantly accelerated growth under two exercise-related conditions. Initially, when exposed to a mixture of biochemical signals generated by muscles during exercise, known as myokines, neurons were observed to extend four times further than those not receiving such signals.

In a surprising revelation, scientists replicated the physical motions of exercise and discovered that this too prompted rapid nerve cell growth. Specifically, neurons subjected to gentle oscillation, simulating the physical forces they encounter during muscle contractions, demonstrated increased growth and functionality.

This distinctive dual discovery has captured the attention of researchers and practitioners alike, as it reveals new insights into the body’s processes that support motor neurons, crucial for voluntary muscle control.

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A Dialogue Between Muscle and Nerves

The foundation of this investigation is the identification of what researchers term “muscle-nerve crosstalk.” At the cellular level, this interaction has clear implications for the field of medical science.

Assistant Professor Ritu Raman, the leading researcher at MIT, elucidates the relevance: “Now that we recognize this muscle-nerve communication exists, it holds potential for treating conditions such as nerve injuries, where the connection between nerve and muscle is disrupted. Perhaps by stimulating the muscle, we could promote nerve healing and recuperate mobility for those who have suffered losses due to traumatic damage or neurodegenerative illnesses.”

Scientists have been aware for some time of the significance of myokines—the “biochemical mixture” released by muscles during activity—but this is the inaugural study explicitly demonstrating the profound effects they can have on nerve growth. Laboratory exposure of neurons to myokines revealed that they extended four times farther than their non-exposed counterparts, indicating that exercise might serve as a powerful method for enhancing neural repair.

Traditionally, rehabilitation protocols after nerve injury or surgery have focused on muscle retraining through targeted physical therapy. This innovative research implies that a more comprehensive strategy incorporating both muscle and nerve cells could yield even greater efficacy.

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The Unexpected Strength of Physical Movement

Perhaps the most thrilling finding was that simply simulating movement within neurons resulted in accelerated growth.

In their study, the research team utilized magnets to move neurons back and forth, replicating the forces muscles would experience during exercise. Surprisingly, the neurons reacted equally robustly to physical motion as to the chemical signals from muscle cells, offering researchers new avenues in nerve rehabilitation.

“That’s a positive indication because it suggests that both biochemical and physical impacts of exercise are crucial,” remarks Raman. This realization opens a potentially significant path for treatment. Even when traditional physical exercise is unfeasible due to injury or illness, applying controlled movements to nerve cells in a laboratory environment or through internal devices might yield advantageous results.

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From Laboratory Research to Clinical Applications

The research team’s laboratory findings are part of an expanding collection of studies examining ways to restore nerve functionality post-injury. For instance, prior research from MIT utilized grafts of healthy, “exercised” muscle tissue to successfully restore movement in mice suffering from nerve injury. This study aids scientists in comprehending the cellular-level alterations that made that success achievable.

“Exercise appears to affect not only the growth of neurons but also their maturity and functionality,” Raman clarifies. In essence, the benefits of exercise seem to transcend mere increases in the number of nerve cells—exercise alters how well those nerve cells operate and interconnect with others.