Shedding light on the new frontiers of sports performance between biomedical technologies and the use of supplements, passing through topics such as nutrition, doping and risk of addiction. This is the focus of the conference organized by Order of Doctors Massa and Carrara in collaboration with the Italian Sports Medical Federation, the Education Authority of Lucca, Massa and Carrara, CONI and Nausicaa Municipal Pharmacies Carrara entitled “Sport, nutrition, well-being and the brain”The event, which took place in the setting of the new Nausicaa Conference Room – formerly the Giulio Conti Conference Room – at the historic Marmoteca of Marina di Carrara, saw, in addition to the doctors, also the presence of over 120 students from the provincial high schools participating in the Biology project with Biomedical Curvature. The meeting brought together experts in the field to discuss how new discoveries in the field of neuroscience can be applied to improve brain well-being, in sport and in everyday life, especially among adolescents. “Advanced technologies such as PET (Positron Emission Tomography) and Functional Magnetic Resonance – explains Prof. Emiliano Ricciardi, Professor of Cognitive Neuroscience MoMiLab Unit at IMT Lucca – are in fact transforming our way of understanding the brain. For years, these tools have opened a window on the functioning of this organ, allowing us to characterize the neurobiological mechanisms underlying the main mental functions, including emotions, consciousness and sleep, to the point of better understanding how it happens that the brain can get sick. Neuroscientists have gone so far as to even try to understand how one can “read minds.” We have thus understood how the construction of neuronal networks is a process that reacts and adapts to a constantly changing environment and therefore sensitive to everything that can interfere with it. Today we can therefore promote not only a general idea of brain well-being, but also study the effects of physical activity on the brain and understand what happens in the brains of athletes to develop more effective strategies for motor learning and fatigue management. ” “Sports activity and nutrition play a role of fundamental importance in all neuronal processes – explains Prof. Vincenzo Calderone, Full Professor of Pharmacology, Department of Pharmacy, University of Pisa. Tools such as supplements, mostly protein-based, can have a high impact on performance provided, however, that they are used with guidance and awareness. Today we are witnessing a global increase in their use which is often completely inappropriate and can cause even serious side effects, especially in adolescents and young adults” In the institutional context, Prof. Vincenzo Genovese, MIM Director at the Sector Territoriale of Massa-Carrara described, in the context of the psychophysical health of adolescents, the decisive role of the school while Dr. Andrea Giorgetti, Dr. Carlo Giammattei and Dr. Manlio Porcellini of the FMSI illustrated the aspects linked to the world of doping, athlete nutrition and sports certifications. “The discussion on doping and the certification of suitability to practice sports – intervenes Dr. Cesare Tonini, specialist in sports medicine and current president of the Apuan Amateur Sports Medical Association – allows us to remember our brotherly friend and our late president Dr. Maurizio Fialdini, general practitioner specializing in sports medicine, particularly dedicated to cycling and later to fencing. Maurizio was the first national anti-doping “collector” doctor in our province. We owe him the co-foundation of the first sports medicine center in Marina di Carrara and the foundations for the creation of our provincial section of which he was the undisputed president for many years.”
We are satisfied – concludes Dr. Carlo Manfredi, president of the Massa and Carrara Medical Association – with the participation in the event of the over 120 students participating in the Biology with Biomedical Curvature project and their teachers. This path of empowerment and orientation, which I remember was born precisely to allow high school students in the Province to “experience first-hand” the world of medical and health professions and prepare them as best as possible for the entrance exam to the universities in question, is upon us new regulation by the MIM which testifies to its great success. I take this opportunity to thank on behalf of the Order all the doctors who dedicate themselves every year with great enthusiasm and absolutely free of charge to the training of their future colleagues, sacrificing their free time. Our heartfelt recognition goes to them.”
