March Madness induces coaches, players and fans to intensity. A first sign of intensity, one in every ballgame played during this madness, is traditional and time-tested: the warm-up. This pre-game activity, designed with the players in mind, is really for the body: one has to wake the body up (stress it a bit) to make it intense – to raise consciousness.
One’s heart pumps more, legs stretch, breathing calms, and soon the first drops of intensity … sweat.
Sweat is also a sign of the cannabinoid system (CS). The CS modulates exercise by priming our other systems for activity: the research is exciting (maybe even more than a few of the games) and The National Institutes of Health (PubMed) provides the quotes and play-by-play.
Reward and Warm-up
Wired to run: exercise-induced endocannabinoid signaling in humans and cursorial mammals with implications for the 'runner's high'. (2012)
“Humans report a wide range of neurobiological rewards following moderate and intense aerobic activity, popularly referred to as the 'runner's high', which may function to encourage habitual aerobic exercise. Endocannabinoids (eCBs) are endogenous neurotransmitters that appear to play a major role in generating these rewards by activating cannabinoid receptors in brain reward regions during and after exercise.”
“This study provides the first evidence that inter-specific variation in neurotransmitter signaling may explain differences in locomotor behavior among mammals.”
Reward and Intensity
Exercise-induced endocannabinoid signaling is modulated by intensity. (2013)
“Endocannabinoids (eCB) are endogenous ligands for cannabinoid receptors that are densely expressed in brain networks responsible for reward.”
“Our results are consistent with intensity-dependent psychological state changes with exercise and therefore support the hypothesis that eCB activity is related to neurobiological effects of exercise. Thus, future studies examining the role of exercise-induced eCB signaling on neurobiology or physiology must take exercise intensity into account.”
Reward and Depression
Intense exercise increases circulating endocannabinoid and BDNF levels in humans – possible implications for reward and depression. (2012)
“The endocannabinoid system is known to have positive effects on depression partly through its actions on neurotrophins, such as Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor (BDNF). As BDNF is also considered the major candidate molecule for exercise-induced brain plasticity, we hypothesized that the endocannabinoid system represents a crucial signaling system mediating the beneficial antidepressant effects of exercise.”
“These findings provide evidence in humans that acute exercise represents a physiological stressor able to increase peripheral levels of AEA [anandamide] and that BDNF might be a mechanism by which AEA influences the neuroplastic and antidepressant effects of exercise.”
The CS handles intensities like a play-making point-guard; these ballgames and our enthusiasm involve an ancient biological process genetically developed for millions of years. You’ll recognize its presence in the cards of victory and the flush of defeat.
Oh yeah … the refs. Human too you know ~ meaning CS modulation is involved. So let’em warm-up proper and get prepared, as it’s that time: tip-off!
March Madness Modulation Everyone!
Bryan W. Brickner