not just a sedan, it’s a Subaru.

You know those people who claim that they actually ENJOY exercise? Well it turns out,

they may be right. Damn it.

Hey guys, Tara here for Dnews - and try as we might, some of us just seem predisposed

to loving exercise. You get addicted to the endorphins, they say - and even though I personally

can’t understand what that’s like, it turns out there IS a part of our brains dedicated

to that - and it may explain why some people are more motivated to exercise than others.

Scientists at the Seattle Children’s Research Institute have discovered a tiny region of

the brain in mice - called the dorsal medial habenula - that controls their desire to exercise.

It’s also responsible for mood regulation and motivation, but its similarity to a structure

in human brains - means it could lead to improved treatments for depression, which typically

coincides with a lack of motivation.

The link between exercise and depression - has been proven time and time again. “Changes

in physical activity and the inability to enjoy rewarding or pleasurable experiences,

are two of the hallmarks of major depression” - so it makes sense that exercise would be

one of the more effective treatments for it. But the brain pathways responsible for exercise

motivation haven’t been well understood - until now.

For their study, a team of researchers examined 3 different groups of mice. The first group,

was a control. The second group, was genetically engineered to have their dorsal medial habenula

blocked - and the third group, were given the option of hyperactivating their dorsal

medial habenula, using laser technology.

Sure enough, the second group, whose brain region was blocked - were much more lethargic

than the control mice. Meaning even though they were physically capable of running on

their wheel - they just didn’t want to.

On the flip side, the third group of mice - had the option of either activating or suppressing

their dorsal medial habenula, by turning one of two response wheels. Turns out, mice strongly

preferred activating that area, as opposed to suppressing it. And that signifies that

this part of the brain is strongly tied to rewarding behavior.

It makes sense that the mice would choose that option, too. After all, nobody WANTS

to be depressed or lazy - it’s just something that happens. So you can imagine how useful

a drug would be, that specifically targets and activates that area.

Depression may be a well-understood disease, but the treatments for it - are still lacking.

So researchers hope that this discovery - can help develop better therapies for people who

lack the motivation to help themselves.

What do you guys think? Aside from the depression aspects, would you take a drug that made you

more motivated to exercise? Of course you would. Let us know your thoughts in the comments below - and as always,

thank you guys for watching!