Léo Ramos Chaves / Pesquisa FAPESP Physical training affects the nerves on each side of the heart differentlyLéo Ramos Chaves / Pesquisa FAPESP
In addition to strengthening the heart itself, frequent moderate aerobic exercise alters the nerves (bundles of fibers formed by extensions of neurons) that control the organ, according to a study by the University of Bristol, UK, the University of São Paulo (USP), and the Federal University of São Paulo (UNIFESP). The research also found that physical training affects the nerves on each side of the heart differently. Rats trained for 10 weeks had approximately four times more neurons in the cardiovascular group on the right side of the body than on the left, compared to untrained rats. Meanwhile, neurons on the left side nearly doubled in size, while those on the right shrank slightly. “These nerve clusters act like the heart’s dimmer switch,” said the University of Bristol’s Augusto Coppi in a statement. “The discovery points to a previously hidden left–right pattern in the body’s ‘autopilot’ system that helps run the heart.” Understanding this division between left and right, he adds, could help to more effectively treat a range of problems, such as irregular heartbeats and chest pain (Autonomic Neuroscience, September 24).
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