Posted by linkadge on April 7, 2006, at 14:23:17
In reply to Re: Exercise as mild AD, posted by john berk on April 7, 2006, at 7:58:47
The thing that people don't realize about exercise is that it seems to do (biochemically) many of the things that long term antidepressant treatment does.
Exercise increases all the growth factors that have been associated with antidepressant treatment, BDNF, NGF, NT-3, GAP-43, and then some (GDNF, and others). It also regulates neurotransmitter receptors systems like 5-ht autoreceptors, and post synaptic 5-ht1a. It can downregulate HPA axis reactivity, and induce nerugenesis in several areas of the hippocampus.
There is a lot more research in support of the antidepressant effect of exercise than the average person with depression is made aware of.
Ultramarathon running is probably not recomended since it can tax the system and reverse some of the gains of exercise.
Linkadge
poster:linkadge
thread:629897
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20060403/msgs/630144.html