Looks like it enhances release of the neurotrophic BDNF which in turn does result in new neurons! Only we'd need to exercise a lot to replenish - ha

The Effects of Exercise on the Brain

Exercise is a stressor too, but a good sort of stress. What interests me is that the pituitary gland gets cued to release endorphins a "feel good" chemical that helps your system to smoothly return to homeostasis.

Can anyone think of another "good stress"? These would be other things that should elicit same release of endorphins. Funny thing is I thought "landing a good job", "getting married or @your wedding" though for me these in the end were stressors each one bringing with it its own sort of angst. Can anyone else relate? I couldn't even fully savor accepting a good job offer. Instead, I went straight to worrying. For me there is only stress and really bad stress.

Why does good stress result in release of BDNF?


Also wondering did any of you ever have a bruxism (teeth grinding)prior to diagnosis? Funny thing is the doctor asked about any new stress in my life, I responded with a negative - How do you respond when you don't even recognize it in yourself. It is chronic and low level like your limbic system is always idling, but it feels normal, and you assume that this is how other people feel. Does this sound familiar to anyone?

Laura

Stress is a factor in all illnesses...why we got pd and others get allergies is too complicated to figure. I grew up in a dysfunctional family and so is mine now. The parent that didn't exercise died at 56 of pancreatic cancer. The one that exercised died at 84. The longer living parent was by a large margin the 'uptight' one. The one that died held it all in.

Exercise is medicine.
IMHO

Stress - if I rememeber my studies from years ago - was a concept developed by Hans Selye who defined it as anything that required adaptation on the part of the organism stressed. So, getting married or being promoted at work would certainly be stressful! It feels to me that there must be some difference between positive and negative stress but I seem to remember that it is the degree and number of changes over time that add up to the total amount of stress. This is at a cellular level, I think, and perhaps has to do with the extent of the changes requires to adjust to the new situation and to respond to it adaptively.

Somehow, exercise - and I'm guessing meditation, social support, prayer, etc. seem to mitigate that stress reponse. Remember that scale where - if you scored 300 points or something in a year, you had a high probablity of developing an illness? That's it.

I do agree that this kind of works aS a general model of illness. Probably even helps account for who succombs to infection and who doesn't - as least statistically, probably not going to explain it on an individual basis. Then we have genetics, just to add a touch of complexity....