Your Pupils Could Reveal a Hidden Signal About Your Brain Function
The way your pupils react to light exercise could reveal whether you're getting one of the key benefits of movement – the cognitive boost linked to improved mood and enhanced executive function.
Pupil Size and Cognitive Boost
Researchers in Japan conducted a small trial involving 24 participants to investigate the relationship between pupil size during light exercise and the cognitive boost they experienced.
The results showed that participants who had larger pupils, indicating more significant dilation during light exercise, received a better cognitive boost.
This finding suggests that the mechanisms related to pupil size may play a role in enhancing prefrontal cortex activation and executive function.
The Link between Exercise and Brain Function
Exercise, including low-intensity activities like yoga and walking, has been shown to improve mood and cognitive function.
While the exact neural activity underlying this executive function boost is still unclear, previous research has indicated that our pupils can reflect deeper neural activity.
By monitoring changes in pupil size, researchers can gain insights into the impact of exercise on brain function.
Study Design and Results
The study involved recruiting healthy young adults and dividing them into two groups: one group engaged in 10 minutes of very light exercise, while the other group served as a control and rested on an exercise machine.
Pupil size was monitored non-invasively before, during, and after the exercise period, and participants also reported their mood.
Both groups took an executive function test, and the results showed that the exercise group performed better and had increased activity in the prefrontal cortex, a region associated with executive function.
Pupil Size as a Biomarker and Future Research
The study's findings suggest that the pupil-linked neural activity underlying dilation during exercise contributes to the enhancement of prefrontal executive function.
Additionally, the researchers propose that pupil diameter could serve as a novel biomarker to predict the effects of exercise on the brain.
Further research is needed to validate these findings and explore the potential benefits and applications of this knowledge.
