In their experiments, the scientists worked with muscle and nerve tissue to assess the effects of exercise on the health of cells and nerves. They found that muscle contraction led to the release of a host of biochemical signals called myokines. They then compared the state of nerve tissue with and without myokines.
It turned out that physical exercise had a significant biochemical effect on nerve growth: in the presence of myokines, neuronal growth increased fourfold. The effect could be seen after just five days. Remarkably, when neurons were physically affected (stretched, similar to how muscles are stretched during exercise), growth was as strong as when myokines were used.
"The results show muscle-nerve crosstalk and point to the possibility of restoring damaged nerves with exercise," the authors commented. Until now, they thought that nerves controlled muscles, but were not sure about their mutual communication.
The possibility of stimulating muscles to repair nerves after traumatic injury or neurodegenerative disease is now being considered. The scientists will now test different disease and injury models to see if exercise has the therapeutic potential to combat symptoms.
Previously, in other studies, scientists have shown that physical activity reduces blood pressure levels and also copes with symptoms of depression.
