Substantial and reversible brain gray matter reduction but no acute brain lesions in ultramarathon runners: experience from the TransEurope-FootRace Project
Wolfgang Freund, Sonja Faust, Frank Birklein, Christian Gaser, Arthur P Wunderlich, Marguerite Mueller, Christian Billich, Markus S Juchems, Bernd L Schmitz, Georg Groen and Uwe H Schuetz
BMC Medicine 2012, 10:170 doi:10.1186/1741-7015-10-170
Published: 21 December 2012
Abstract (provisional)
Results
Average global gray matter volume as well as body weight significantly decreased by 6% during the race. After 8 months, gray matter volume returned to baseline as well as body weight. No new brain lesions were detected by DWI or FLAIR imaging.
Read the Abstract at: http://www.biomedcentral.com/1741-7015/10/170/abstract
Evidence from neuroimaging to explore brain plasticity in humans during an ultra-endurance burden
Stephane Perrey and Kevin Mandrick
BMC Medicine 2012, 10:171 doi:10.1186/1741-7015-10-171
Published: 21 December 2012
Abstract (provisional)
“Physical activity, likely through induction of neuroplasticity, is a promising intervention to promote brain health. In athletes it is clear that training can and does, by physiological adaptations, extend the frontiers of performance capacity. The limits of our endurance capacity lie deeply in the human brain, determined by various personal factors yet to be explored.”
