Exercise reprograms heart nerves in left-right pattern, study finds

New research has revealed that regular exercise can do more than strengthen the heart, it can also reprogram the nerves that control how the heart beats.

The discovery could help doctors better treat common conditions such as irregular heart rhythms, chest pain, angina and stress-related “broken heart” syndrome, according to scientists at the University of Bristol in the United Kingdom.

The study, which examined laboratory mice trained for 10 weeks, found that moderate exercise did not affect the heart’s nervous control system equally. Instead, it produces distinct and opposing changes on the left and right sides of the body; This distinction has gone largely unnoticed until now, researchers say.

SIMPLE LIFESTYLE CHANGES COULD REDUCE THE RISK OF HEART ATTACK FOR MILLIONS, SCIENTISTS REPORT.

Lead author of the study and senior lecturer in veterinary anatomy at the University of Bristol, Dr. “This discovery points to a previously hidden left-right pattern in the body’s ‘autopilot’ system that helps drive the heart,” Augusto Coppi said in a statement.

“This may help explain why some treatments work better on one side than the other, and in the future may help doctors target treatments more precisely and effectively,” Coppi added.

After 10 weeks of aerobic exercise, researchers examined the animals’ heart control nerves and found left-right differences not seen in inactive mice, according to the study published in September in the journal Autonomic Neuroscience.

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On the right side, many more nerve cells developed in the nerve center that sends “go faster” signals to the heart, indicating increased wiring. However, the number of nerve cells on the left side did not increase that much. Instead, existing cells grew significantly larger, indicating a different adaptation.

The findings may help explain why some heart treatments work better on one side than the other. (iStock)

The findings suggest that exercise rewires the heart’s nervous control system in a side-specific way, rather than affecting both sides equally, the researchers said. Understanding this process can help doctors better target treatments, especially for patients who cannot exercise or whose symptoms persist despite lifestyle changes.

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Researchers compared clusters of nerves known as stellate ganglia to a “dimmer switch” that regulates how strongly the heart is stimulated. This fine-tuning is important because overstimulation of these nerves is linked to chest pain and dangerous heart rhythm problems.

Scientists warn that more studies are needed to determine whether the same effects occur in humans. (iStock)

But the findings are early stage and based on animal studies; therefore, it does not prove that the same effects occur in humans. More studies are needed before it impacts patient care.

Future studies will investigate whether similar left-right nerve changes occur in humans and could help explain why some heart treatments work better on one side than the other, potentially paving the way for more precise, personalized care for angina and heart rhythm disorders, the researchers say.

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The study was carried out in collaboration with researchers from University College London, the University of São Paulo and the Federal University of São Paulo in Brazil.

Researchers discovered significant left-right changes in heart control nerves after 10 weeks of aerobic exercise. (iStock)

The findings add to growing evidence that regular, moderate exercise benefits the heart in ways that scientists are beginning to better understand.

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Fox News Digital has reached out to the study’s authors for comment.