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Regular exercise can do more than strengthens the heart. According to new research, it could also reprogram the nerves that control the heartbeat.
The discovery could eventually help doctors better treat common conditions such as irregular heart rhythms, chest pain, angina and stress-related “broken heart” syndrome, according to scientists at the University of Bristol in the United Kingdom.
The study, which involved laboratory rats trained for 10 weeks, found that moderate exercise does not affect heart function. nervous control system uniformly. Instead, it produces distinct and opposite changes on the left and right sides of the body. A split which, according to researchers, has gone largely unnoticed until now.
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“The discovery highlights a previously hidden left-right configuration in the body’s ‘autopilot’ system that helps operate the heart,” Dr. Augusto Coppi, lead author of the study and senior lecturer in veterinary anatomy at the University of Bristol, said in a statement.
Regular exercise can “rewire” the nerves that control the heart, according to the new study. (iStock)
“This could help explain why certain treatments work better on one side than the other and, in the future, help doctors target therapies more precisely and effectively,” Coppi added.
After 10 weeks of aerobic exercise, Researchers examined the animals’ cardiac control nerves and discovered left-right differences that did not appear in inactive rats, according to research published in the journal Autonomic Neuroscience in September.
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On the right side, the nerve center that sends “go faster” signals to the heart has grown many more nerve cells, suggesting increased wiring. On the left side, however, the number of nerve cells did not increase as much. Instead, the existing cells became much larger, indicating a different type of adaptation.
These findings could help explain why some heart treatments work better on one side than the other. (iStock)
The results show that exercise reshapes the heart’s nervous control system in a specific way rather than affecting both sides equally, the researchers said. Understanding this process could help doctors better target treatments, particularly for patients who cannot exercise or whose symptoms persist despite lifestyle changes.
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The researchers compared the nerve groups, known as stellate ganglia, to a “dimmer switch” that adjusts the strength of stimulation of the heart. This fine tuning is important because overstimulation of these nerves is linked to chest pain and dangerous heart rhythm problems.
Scientists caution that additional studies are needed to determine whether the same effects occur in humans. (iStock)
The results are in their early stages and are based on animal research. They therefore do not prove the same effects in humans. Further studies are needed before they can affect patient care.
Researchers say future studies will explore whether similar left-right nerve changes occur in people and whether they could help explain why certain heart treatments work better on one side than the other, potentially paving the way for more precise and personalized care. angina and heart rhythm disturbances.
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The study was carried out in collaboration with researchers from University College London, the University of São Paulo and the Federal University of São Paulo in Brazil.
Researchers found distinct left-right changes in the heart’s controlling nerves after 10 weeks of aerobic exercise. (iStock)
The findings add to growing evidence that regular, moderate exercise benefits the heart in ways that scientists are beginning to better understand.
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Fox News Digital has contacted the study authors for comment.
