Khaberni - A new study has shown that physical activity can help modify neural connections in the brain of individuals who have experienced negative experiences during childhood.
These findings question the idea that childhood trauma leaves incurable scars on the brain.
Negative experiences such as emotional and physical abuse and neglect affect the brain and increase the risk of depression, bipolar disorder, and post-traumatic stress disorder.
Researchers from the Central Institute of Mental Health in Mannheim and the German Center for Mental Health studied how these effects can be mitigated through a healthy lifestyle, primarily physical activity. Study participant Christian Schmal stated, "We wanted to challenge the idea of 'permanent brain scars'."
The study analyzed data from 75 adults who had faced harsh experiences before the age of eighteen using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) in a resting state to examine connections between the Amygdala, Hippocampus, and Anterior cingulate cortex. The results showed that lifelong physical activity enhances the connectivity between these brain regions. The less physical activity, the weaker the connections, whereas the connections strengthen in people who regularly engage in physical activity.
The largest changes were recorded in subcortical and cerebellar areas, as well as in associative visual and motor regions, and this effect was noticeable when engaging in physical activity for between 150 and 390 minutes weekly.
Study participant Gabriel Ende emphasized the importance of involving the Cerebellum in these processes, given its connection to emotion regulation and stress response. The editor-in-chief of the scientific journal, Cameron Carter, described physical activity as a regulator of neural connectivity in the brain.
Lead researcher Lamia Zehirli Oglu emphasized that childhood traumas do not determine a person's fate, and that physical activity can make a change in the way the brain responds to past events.
Physical activity is an accessible means to enhance the ability to handle stress and can be implemented in the fields of psychiatry, psychology, primary care, and nursing.
