In this video, we dive deep into the fascinating world of neuroscience to explore the powerful effects that exercise has on mental health. We explore the endorphin theory of exercise, why exercise has an antidepressant effect, the role of neurotrophins in exercise, how exercise can normalise the HPA Axis and much more…

Professor Henning Budde is a Professor for Sport Science & Research Methodology at the Medical School Hamburg. He has taught and researched at universities throughout Europe, in South Korea and Australia, all the while publishing over 120 peer-reviewed articles on Ex Neuroscience. He has achieved these remarkable feats whilst also having a neurological disease, which affects his speaking. 

Chapters

0:00 Show Intro

3:09 Monoamine Hypothesis

18:30 Measurement Difficulties

25:55 Endorphin Theory 

43:55 HPA Axis

50:05 Exercise Effects on the Brain

1:05:50 Future of Exercise Neuroscience Research

The Endocannabinoid System and Physical Exercise by Matei et al. (2023)

The Endocannabinoid System as Modulator of Exercise Benefits in Mental Health by Amatriain-Fernandez et al (2021)

Lessons in exercise neurobiology: The Case of Endorphins by Dishman and O’Connor (2009)

Exercise-induced euphoria and anxiolysis do not depend on endogenous opioids in humans by Siebers et al. (2021)

Physical activity, fitness, and gray matter volume by Erickson et al. (2015)

Brain monoamines, exercise, and behavioral stress: animal models by Dishman et al. (1997)
The runner's high: opioidergic mechanisms in the human brain by Boeker et al. (2008)

Effect of exercise for depression: systematic review and network meta-analysis of randomised controlled trials by Noetel et al. (2024)

The Exercise Effect on Mental Health: Neurobiological Mechanisms by Budde and Wegner (2018)