Benefits of cycling on the brain! Study shows benefits of cycling

An innovative study conducted by the Federal Universities of Rio Grande do Norte (UFRN) and Parana (UFPR), in partnership with UK health institutions, has revealed the amazing effects of cycling, especially when you do it with your eyes closed, on health. Regulating brain activity. Published in a peer-reviewed scientific journal One plus On the second Wednesday of this month, research highlights how cycling can benefit people with neurodegenerative diseases, such as Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s.

What prompted this research was an interesting Dutch study that observed a patient with advanced Parkinson’s disease who, despite difficulties with walking, maintained his ability to ride a bike. Neuroscientist John Fontenelli Araujo, of UFRN, one of the authors of the article, shared that this patient had a “frozen gait,” but was able to move easily when pedaling.

Cycling with eyes closed regulates brain activity

The research analyzed the brain activity of 24 healthy adults while cycling and at rest. Using a stationary bike, which resembles a pedal boat, the scientists observed that when participants pedaled with their eyes closed, brain entropy, a sign of disorganization, significantly decreased. As a result, brain activity becomes more organized, facilitating voluntary movements.

This phenomenon is particularly promising for Parkinson’s patients who tend to have high brain entropy at rest. Repetition and coordination of movements while pedaling helps synchronize nerve impulses, simplifying the brain effort required to perform the activity.

What are the benefits of cycling for people with Parkinson’s disease?

For Parkinson’s patients, cycling has a series of benefits, according to Araujo. Training allows movement, which is often slow and laborious, to become more flexible, thus reducing motor difficulties. Moreover, patients with speech challenges showed improved communication after adopting cycling into their routine.

In addition to motor gains, cycling can also strengthen the cardiorespiratory system of exercisers, which is very useful in treating neurodegenerative conditions. These aspects are crucial to providing a better quality of life for these individuals.

Benefits of cycling for the general population

It’s not just those with neurodegenerative diseases who benefit from cycling. For the general population, cycling is an excellent way to activate neurons and train the cerebral cortex. This type of exercise improves mood and enhances mental health, in addition to improving motor responses, which contributes to more efficient physical performance.

• Activate the brain in a specific and healthy way
• Improvement in mood
• Improving motor responses

Explore new search possibilities

Researchers are eager to explore how different riding conditions can affect the complexity and patterns of brain signals emitted. This could include testing different types of bikes, virtual reality environments, and even among athletes and patients with neurodegenerative diseases.

According to Professor Araujo, studies focusing on Parkinson’s patients are already underway, with the aim of contributing to future treatments that preserve motor control. However, it is not necessary to wait for these results to enjoy the benefits that cycling can offer. For him, it will be important for health and urban infrastructure policies to take these findings into account now.