Neuro Athletes,

If you're reading this email, THANK YOU — I appreciate you taking the time out on Friday to read this. If you’re in NYC, I hope you get time to get outside, this weather is absolutely gorgeous. Welcome to the newest 89 members! I am thrilled that you have signed up and you are excited to learn more about the neuroscience of high performance.

In two weeks I will be flying to San Francisco to present at the Tonal Summit 🤫 I have not announced this yet on any social platform but I am proud to announce to you guys, my loyal Neuro Athletes, that I am the Neuroscience board advisor for Tonal. It has been about 5 months now and I am so excited to present the innovative new research as it related to resistance training and brain performance.

It still shocks me that I had this dream in 2014 to build a company that lived at the intersection of neuroscience and athletic performance and now in 2022 the world is starting to adopt neuroscientific practises to better their performance!

PS— our Neuro Athletics community is growing, if this newsletter was helpful in any way would you please send it to 1 person that you think might benefit from it also. if you do and they sign up, email me and let me know!

In this newsletter I will detail some preliminary findings on the relationship between the brain and resistance training.

This email is brought to you by

Primer

Normally when we hear about how exercise is good for the brain we immediately think of BDNF (brain Derived Neurotrophic Factor) which is primarily released during aerobic exercise. Rarely do we hear that strength training plays a role in aiding cognitive performance. A few studies with older people have linked weight training to improved cognition, but the studies have been small and the linkages tenuous. While researchers know that lifting weights builds muscle, it was not yet clear how, at a molecular level, it would affect the cells and functions of the brain. Until now….

When I first started digging into the research, to my surprise there are four main areas that resistance training (RT) can optimise the brain and they are;

1. Optimization of neuroendocrine and physiological responses

2. Action as a buffer against stress and stress-related diseases/chronic diseases;

3. Promotion of an anti-inflammatory state

4. Enhancement of neuroplasticity and growth factor expression

In this email I will detail just one point from the above that I think will interest you as RT is known to slow down the process of age-related neurodegeneration, and existing hypotheses suggest that RT represents a potential adjunctive treatment for cognitive impairment. Regular physical activity can modulate the potential risk factors of dementia and other neurodegenerative disorders, such as Alzheimer’s disease (AD) and/or Parkinson disease (PD) but it can always optimise your brains performance.

So let’s have a look at how this occurs and dig a bit deeper into the hormonal changes that take place during RT that help optimise the brain.

Irisin

Various forms of exercise releases different myokines (a muscle based protein) from skeletal muscle tissue following exercise of different intensity, mode, and volume. Changes in concentration of these myokines are linked to changes in brain volumes and cognition.

Some myokines may be anabolic and have direct growth-promoting effects, while others generate signals that may mediate some of the health benefits of RT. In 2012, a new myokine was discovered- Irisin- which is a muscle based protein (myokine") that is released during physical activity and acts as a link between muscles and other tissues and organs. 

Irisin is named after “Iris” in Greek mythology who is a “messenger to the Gods”.

Irisin is cleaved from fibronectin type III domain containing 5 (FNDC5), a transmem-brane precursor protein expressed in muscle under the control of PGC-1α. FNDC5 is also known to be profoundly expressed in many regions of the brain, including cerebellar Purkinje cells, the hypothalamus, and the hippocampus, a region of the brain involved in memory and spatial awareness.

Irisin Functions

Heart and Liver

Irisin has many specific functions, and it plays a role in the functioning of the heart and liver, where it exerts antiapoptotic effects on cardiomyocytes and hepatocytes through the induction of autophagy, and protects cells from ischemia-reperfusion injury.

Bone Mass

Irisin increases the mass and strength of the cortical bones, positively modifying their geometry and also has a favorable effect and represents a key molecule in the crosstalk between this tissue and skeletal muscle.

Immune System

In immune system functioning, irisin mediates the positive effect of regular/moderate physical activity, contributing to a reduction in systemic inflammation, and consequently protecting from the development of diseases associated with chronic inflammation.

Brain Health

Irisin is unique in the fact that it crosses the blood brain barrier and initiates a neuroprotective genetic program in the hippocampus that culminates with increased expression of brain derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF).The functions of irisin on the brain is the most exciting part for me. In brief, Irisin increases the proliferation of hippocampal neuronal cells and reduces the neuronal damage mediated by pro-oxidant stimuli.

Since 2016, several findings on irisin’s impacts on cognitive functions have been made. These findings suggest that the beneficial effects of RT in counteracting memory degradation are mediated by irisin from a peripheral and central origin.

Animal studies have shown that physical exercise increases irisin levels, while neurological conditions reduce it. Focal cerebral ischemic stroke reduces plasma levels of irisin and Fndc5 expression in the muscles, but intravenous delivery of irisin 30 min post-ischemia reduces brain infarct volume, oxidative stress, neuro-inflammation, and neurological deficits.

When looking at training protocols, 19 months old mice subjected to an 8-week resistance training program have increased irisin levels in serum and skeletal muscles. Similar increase is also demonstrated after an 8-week swimming exercise program in rats. Alternatively, 6 weeks of voluntary wheel running can significantly increase irisin levels in the brain, which is correlated with the anxiolytic effect of wheel running, suggesting the role of irisin as one of the peripheral exerkines to increase cognitive performance.

What now?

I hope this gives you a snap shot about the multiple roles in neuroprotection for the exercise derived myokine Irisin. The research discovered could be greatly relevant for aging related conditions such as neurodegenerative diseases, including Alzheiner’s Disease. In this context, the possible identification of Irisin as an important mediator of the “muscle-brain axis” could have several implications for therapeutics development.

So with that said, don’t skimp on your resistance training! get out there, lift heavy and enjoy the brain boosting benefits!

Until next time,

Louisa x

Improve Your Fitness Through Sleep

Good sleep is the ultimate game changer and nature’s best medicine. Consistent good sleep can help reduce the likelihood of serious health issues, decrease the risk of heart disease, lower blood pressure and even reduce the risk of Alzheimer’s Disease…

Yet, still more than 30% of Americans struggle with sleep and temperature is one of the main causes of poor sleep.

The Pod Pro Cover by Eight Sleep is the most advanced solution on the market for

thermoregulation. It pairs dynamic cooling and heating with biometric tracking. You can add the cover to any mattress, and start sleeping as cool as 55°F or as hot as 110°F.

The result?

Eight Sleep users fall asleep up to 32% faster, reduce sleep interruptions by 40%, and get overall more restful sleep.

All Neuro Athletics subscribers can get $150 off using code neuro at check out.