RUNNER’S HIGH: AFFECTS ON THE HUMAN BRAINBy: Lauren Curtiss

WHAT IS RUNNER’S HIGH?As Exercise Addiction: Symptoms, Diagnosis, Epidemiology and Etiology published by Informa Healthcare states, runner’s high is not fatigue or exhaustion, rather the intense feeling of euphoria, feeling of flying and effortless movements. Some people call it “the zone” when the human body produces endorphins from running.

WHAT MIGHT SOMEONE ENCOUNTERING RUNNER’S HIGH EXPERIENCE?

Well, whether it’s you watching someone else experience runner’s high or you’re experiencing it first-hand, it appears that the person is “out of it”. The eye might get glossy, focused to look like the person is watching something a distance away, aside from breathing changing the individual might not make sense cognitively while speaking. Other identifiers include being jittery, not being able to walk/move in a straight line. The body and mind are split during runner’s high, which might make the person look like they are on heroin or another substance which is proven that humans cannot control themselves on, which the reason is explained further in my project (examples to provide this information from watching three different age groups at Crossfit Synergistics in Ashland, Massachusetts).

ENDORPHINS: WHAT THEY ARE AND HOW THEY AFFECT THE

BRAINIn latent terms, endorphins are among the twenty different kinds of neurotransmitters found specifically in the pituitary gland and other parts of the brain. They are released when a person is under stress or in pain. They are correlated with opiate receptors, thus block pain such as morphine would which is why the feeling of endorphins releasing can be addicting, explaining why some people become dependent on working out at high intensity or running.

SERATONINThough endorphin release can be addicting, endorphins from working out benefit the human brain. If we do not exercise not only do we become out of shape, but our brain shrivels. Exercise increases levels of serotonin, C10H12N2O which stabilizes mood and fights against aggression. Without serotonin, we can become depressed, anxious, and develop OCD symptoms. Interestingly enough, working out is scientifically proven to treat depression more effectively than Zoloft while increasing memory. ADD/ADHD improves from working out, and surprisingly enough addicts can become less addicted to/not crave substances as much by use of physical activity.

NOREPINEPHRINEExercise balances other neurotransmitters as well, such as norepinephrine. C8H11NO3 controls attention, perception, motivation, arousal and responding actions. It can suppress neuroinflammation (swelling leading to tears, other injuries mostly correlated to stress) while also initiating the “fight-or-flight” response when we encounter conflicts.

DOPAMINEC8H11NO2 controls the brain’s reward and pleasure centers as well as regulation of movement and emotional responses. Dopamine is used in learning, attention, reward, and movement for calming ADHD.

HIGH INTENSITY EXERCISING AND LEARNING

The brain is plastic, which means it adapts to learning new information. It can be compared to play doh rather than porcelain. Electroencephalograms (EEGs) are scans of the human brain. Through EEG testing, cognitive abilities, more neurons involved with attention, working memory, and processing speed are seen in people who work out. In schools, fit children tend to score higher than unfit children overall because fit children take a second to consider a question to come up with the correct answer, which is an example of growth in the prefrontal cortex.

BRAIN-DEVELOPED NEUROTROPHIC FACTOR (BDNF)

BDNF is a member of the nerve growth factor family which is necessary for survival of a few main kinds of neurons/nerve growth with the main roles of maintaining stress and balancing mood biochemically. It can maintain circuitry and structure by working out intensely. People who exercise regularly have more BDNF in the hippocampus (the hippocampus is involved with spatial memory and navigation). By activating the hippocampus, individuals lessen the likelihood of developing degenerative diseases such as Parkinson’s Disease and Alzheimer’s Disease while boosting stimulation for learning. BDNF is collected in pools of the synapse, a part of the neuron, which then signals glutamate and serotonin to increase uptake of f IGF-1 which is important for long term memories.

BEFORE WE CONTINUERunners whom exercise vigorously are proven to be more creative. Though runners cannot learn new material while intensely working out due to blood being shunted away from the prefrontal cortex (key part of the brain in learning new material), jogging at least two or three times a week for at least eight weeks straight for approximately 30 minutes vastly improves executive functions. Exercise forces the breakdown of neurons, but they rebuild stronger. This prevents stress which can tear down the architecture of the brain and attack brain cells.

THE HUMAN BRAIN

PLAUSIBLE CAUSE FOR RUNNER’S HIGH

The most plausible cause for runner’s high can be explained through endocannabinoids. The endocannabinoid system is made of lipids and receptors which are involved in physiological processes such as eating, reaction time, pain sensation, mood, and memory. To put it in easier terms to relate to, imagine someone who uses Marijuana regularly. Think of how the use of Marijuana changes their reaction time, mood, increases appetite, etc. This is similar to what endocannabinoids do without adding substances, but to muscles and joints. There is a link between exercise and natural pain killers, which has evolved for humans to deal with the inevitable pain in muscles and joints when we put stress on them. In the runner’s high state, pain is almost abolished, which is explained be endocannabinoids.

PURE PEDANTRY- THE NEUROLOGICAL BASIS OF THE RUNNER’S HIGH

One of the sources I’ve relied on a lot was from Pure Pedantry. The author states that he tests the causes of runner’s high with proof from fMRI’s using human testing. He agrees endocannabinoids, which he just explains as endorphins collectively, are the cause for runner’s high. It is proven in this study that endorphins bind to the same receptors that are bound to by morphine and heroin, explaining the addiction which runners might endure to runner’s high. It is explained that the euphoric affects of runner’s high can be reversed by a drug called naxolone- which is an opioid receptor antagonist used to treat heroin overdose. The experiment shows complicated pictures of the brain’s central opioid receptor binding after two hours of long distance running, which the specimen reported to feel runner’s high.

OTHER FACTORSAs humans, we are all different. Some of us are prescribed “uppers”, such as Adderall, Ritalin, or other drugs. Others of us might consume massive amounts of caffeine. The parasympathetic nervous system is extremely sensitive to any kind of “upper” providing extra stimulation. These can alter mood and perception during exercise, especially when it come to tiredness and pain. This can improve performance during physical activity, but also mimics the beginning stages of entering a runner’s high, which can lead to addiction of caffeine or “uppers” to continuously replicate the positive performance (especially in young athletes).

INTERESTING FACTAn interesting fact to keep in mind is that the brain craves rewarding events. As the Pure Pedantry article sums up, humans can crave beating video games, highs (natural or through substances), achieving hard goals, being advanced academically, and virtually anything with a reward can apply. The runner’s high is generally seen in people who want to beat their personal records, who are competitive and choose running as a reward. Likewise a similar feeling would arise for a video game addict/avid player whom beats a hard level on a game.

EXERCISE AND ANXIETYThough this project isn’t focused on anxiety, anxiety is dwindled by experiencing runner’s high as well as exercising regularly. Atrial natriuretic peptide (ANP) is a 28-amino acid peptide that is synthesized, stored, and released by atrial myocytes in response to atrial distension, angiotensin II stimulation, endothelin, and sympathetic stimulation (beta-adrenoceptor mediated). What this means is that it increases sodium excretion (salt, in this case seen through sweat) and decreases blood pressure and blood volume, which both tend to be higher for people who experience intense anxiety.

“I don’t know much about runner’s high, I personally have never experienced it… in fact after I run all I want to do is sleep. All I know is that there is a release of endorphins in the brain that cause a ‘high’ like feeling for those individuals who experience it. It can lead to exercise addiction, which is also linked to eating disorders” –Abigail Wills, personal trainer I interviewed through Joe St. Denis of Anytime Fitness

WHEN EXERCISE BECOMES UNHEALTHY

The Neurology Associates of Kansas have an interesting article I glossed through about exercise going from a healthy habit to a sick addiction. Addiction for exercise, especially the feeling of runner’s high, can be a serious issue. Considering it gives off a similar high as morphine or heroin, it should be enforced to all runners/athletes at all levels that they can become physically and mentally addicted. This can lead to eating disorders, insomnia, regret/guilt from not working out, a deeper depression to fall into if injured or from missing work outs, changes in mood, and changes in overall biochemistry. As my mentor has taught me, everything in moderation including moderation, thus, don’t go looking to feel runner’s high or become addicted to that feeling. But if you experience runner’s high on occasion, don’t be scared of it.