Bidirectional Association between Physical Activity and Dopamine Across Adulthood-A Systematic Review

Adilson Marques^{1

2}, Priscila Marconcin³, André O Werneck⁴, Gerson Ferrari⁵, Élvio R Gouveia^{6

7

8}, Matthias Kliegel^{8

9

10}, Miguel Peralta^{1

2}, Andreas Ihle^{8

9

10}

Affiliations

¹ CIPER, Faculty of Human Kinetics, University of Lisbon, 1499-002 Cruz Quebrada, Portugal.
² ISAMB, University of Lisbon, 1649-004 Lisbon, Portugal.
³ Faculty of Human Kinetics, University of Lisbon, 1649-004 Lisbon, Portugal.
⁴ Center for Epidemiological Research in Nutrition and Health, Department of Nutrition, School of Public Health, University of São Paulo (USP), São Paulo 05508-220, Brazil.
⁵ Escuela de Ciencias de la Actividad Física, el Deporte y la Salud, Universidad de Santiago de Chile (USACH), Santiago 9170124, Chile.
⁶ Departamento de Educação Física e Desporto, Universidade da Madeira, 9000-390 Funchal, Portugal.
⁷ Interactive Technologies Institute, LARSyS, 9020-105 Funchal, Portugal.
⁸ Center for the Interdisciplinary Study of Gerontology and Vulnerability, University of Geneva, 1205 Geneva, Switzerland.
⁹ Swiss National Centre of Competence in Research LIVES-Overcoming Vulnerability, Life Course Perspectives, 1015 Lausanne, Switzerland.
¹⁰ Department of Psychology, University of Geneva, 1205 Geneva, Switzerland.

PMID: 34201523
PMCID: PMC8301978
DOI: 10.3390/brainsci11070829

Review

Bidirectional Association between Physical Activity and Dopamine Across Adulthood-A Systematic Review

Adilson Marques et al. Brain Sci. 2021.

. 2021 Jun 23;11(7):829.

doi: 10.3390/brainsci11070829.

Authors

Adilson Marques^{1

2}, Priscila Marconcin³, André O Werneck⁴, Gerson Ferrari⁵, Élvio R Gouveia^{6

7

8}, Matthias Kliegel^{8

9

10}, Miguel Peralta^{1

2}, Andreas Ihle^{8

9

10}

Affiliations

¹ CIPER, Faculty of Human Kinetics, University of Lisbon, 1499-002 Cruz Quebrada, Portugal.
² ISAMB, University of Lisbon, 1649-004 Lisbon, Portugal.
³ Faculty of Human Kinetics, University of Lisbon, 1649-004 Lisbon, Portugal.
⁴ Center for Epidemiological Research in Nutrition and Health, Department of Nutrition, School of Public Health, University of São Paulo (USP), São Paulo 05508-220, Brazil.
⁵ Escuela de Ciencias de la Actividad Física, el Deporte y la Salud, Universidad de Santiago de Chile (USACH), Santiago 9170124, Chile.
⁶ Departamento de Educação Física e Desporto, Universidade da Madeira, 9000-390 Funchal, Portugal.
⁷ Interactive Technologies Institute, LARSyS, 9020-105 Funchal, Portugal.
⁸ Center for the Interdisciplinary Study of Gerontology and Vulnerability, University of Geneva, 1205 Geneva, Switzerland.
⁹ Swiss National Centre of Competence in Research LIVES-Overcoming Vulnerability, Life Course Perspectives, 1015 Lausanne, Switzerland.
¹⁰ Department of Psychology, University of Geneva, 1205 Geneva, Switzerland.

PMID: 34201523
PMCID: PMC8301978
DOI: 10.3390/brainsci11070829

Abstract

Physical activity (PA) may influence the secretion of neurotransmitters and thereby have positive consequences for an individual's vulnerability (i.e., reducing anxiety and depressive symptoms). This systematic review aims to analyse the potential bidirectional effects of exercise on dopamine from young adulthood to old age. The article search was conducted in PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science in December 2020. The inclusion criteria were longitudinal and experimental study design; outcomes included dopamine and exercise; effect of exercise on dopamine and vice versa; adults; and articles published in English, Portuguese, or Spanish. Fifteen articles were included in the review. We observed robust findings concerning the potential effects of PA on dopamine, which notably seem to be observable across a wide range of participants characteristics (including age and sex), a variety of PA characteristics, and a broad set of methods to analyse dopamine. By contrast, regarding the potential effects of dopamine on PA, findings were mixed across studies. Thus, there are robust effects of physical exercise on dopamine. These findings further strengthen the idea that innovative approaches could include PA interventions for treating and preventing mental disorders. Therefore, it seems that PA is a potential alternative to deal with mental health issues.

Keywords: brain; mental health; neurotransmitter; physical activity.

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Conflict of interest statement

All authors declare that they have no conflicts of interest.

Figures

**Figure 1**
Flow diagram of study selection.

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Bidirectional Association between Physical Activity and Dopamine Across Adulthood-A Systematic Review

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Bidirectional Association between Physical Activity and Dopamine Across Adulthood-A Systematic Review

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Conflict of interest statement

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