Cycle News is a weekly magazine that covers all aspects of motorcycling including Supercross, Motocross and MotoGP as well as new motorcycles
Issue link: https://magazine.cyclenews.com/i/1073388
IN THE WIND P34 RIDING MOTORCYCLES IS GOOD FOR YOUR BRAIN T he results of a neurobio- logical study conducted by a team of three researchers from UCLA's Semel Institute for Neu- roscience and Human Behavior yielded pioneering scientific evidence revealing the potential mental and physical benefits of riding. Funded by Harley- Davidson, the study found that motorcycling increased metrics of focus and attention, and de- creased relative levels of cortisol, a hormonal marker of stress. Researchers recorded partici- pants' brain activity and hormone levels before, during and after motorcycling, driving a car and resting. While riding a motor- cycle, participants experienced increased sensory focus and resilience to distraction. Riding also produced an increase in adrenaline levels and heart rate, as well as a decrease in cortisol metrics—results often associated with light exercise and stress- reduction. "Stress levels, especially among young adults, continue to rise, and people are exploring pathways to better their mental and physical health. Until re- cently, the technology to rigor- ously measure the impact of activities like motorcycling on the brain didn't exist," said Dr. Don Vaughn, the neuroscientist who led the research team. "The brain is an amazingly complex organ and it's fascinating to rigorously investigate the physical and men- tal effects riders report." Results Highlights: * Riding a motorcycle de- creased hormonal biomarkers of stress by 28% * On average, riding a motor- cycle for 20 minutes increased participants' heart rates by 11 per- cent and adrenaline levels by 27 percent—similar to light exercise * Sensory focus was en- hanced while riding a motorcycle versus driving a car, an effect also observed in experienced meditators vs non-meditators * Changes in study participants' brain activity while riding suggest- ed an increase in alertness similar to drinking a cup of coffee "While scientists have long- studied the relationship of brain and hormone responses to attention and stress, doing so in real-life conditions such as these is rare," explained UCLA Profes- sor and senior team member, Dr. Mark Cohen. "No lab experiment can duplicate the feelings that a motorcyclist would have on the open road." "The differences in partici- pants' neurological and physio- logical responses between riding and other measured activities were quite pronounced," contin- ued Dr. Vaughn. "This could be significant for mitigating everyday stresses." Research Overview The research team monitored participants' electrical brain activity and heart rate, as well as levels of adrenaline, noradrena- line and cortisol. To be pre- sented later this year, the Harley- Davidson funded study, entitled "The mental and physical effects of riding a motorcycle" measured the biological and physiologi- cal responses of more than 50 experienced motorcyclists, using mobile EEG technology. "We're leveraging the latest technologies as we shift our fo- cus from exclusively motorcycles to growing ridership, so it only made sense to tap technology to explore the impact of riding itself," said Heather Malenshek, Harley-Davidson's Senior Vice President of Marketing & Brand. "The research findings Dr. Vaughn and his team identified help explain what our riders have felt for the past 116 years—there's a vitality and heightened sensory experience that comes from the freedom of riding a motorcycle. We hope their findings inspire the next generation of riders to experience these benefits along with us." CN