In this Friday (26) edition of the Medical Correspondent panel, on Novo Dia, neurosurgeon Fernando Gomes spoke about the passion of fans of Flamengo and Palmeiras, on the eve of the Libertadores da América decision in Montevideo, Uruguay.
The fanaticism of the fans made rubro-negros and alviverdes fill the streets of São Paulo and Rio de Janeiro for the clubs’ boarding and also weighed on their pockets: the cheapest ticket for the decision at the Centenário stadium costs R$ 1,100, in addition to tickets to the Uruguayan capital being sold for up to R$27 thousand.
According to Fernando Gomes, the passion for football is related to the feeling of belonging to a group and also has a medical explanation. “Sport is something that really stirs our emotions. Therefore, we have the frontal lobe area in the brain, mainly developed and related to this process.”
“When your team scores a goal or wins, you have the dopaminergic limbic system, the part that gives us pleasure, being activated. So you make deep structural connections to the prefrontal cortex, laurating the brain with dopamine and feeling too good,” he explained.
Although a supporter’s emotions during a match can be controlled in a natural way, with movements and meditation, the neurosurgeon highlighted that it is not uncommon for people to “let off” their euphoria, especially when drinking alcoholic beverages, which change the control inhibitory of the brain.
Also according to Gomes, passion for a football team can even help in cases of depression, as it directly affects motivation. “Depression is characterized by a time when your motivation is being questioned or put to the test. What the passionate individual is most motivated by a particular object he loves. The problem is the person holding on to it and, suddenly, the team is not having a good season”, he said.
The doctor warned, however, for the excess of emotions during the match, which can cause a heart attack or cerebrovascular accident (CVA). “It’s the autonomic nervous system, releasing a lot of adrenaline right now, and that gives you an increased heart rate and physical sensations that can be really good, but they should be taken into account.”
Reference: CNN Brasil
