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Dijkhuizen S, Van Ginneken LMC, IJpelaar AHC, Koekkoek SKE, De Zeeuw CI, Boele HJ. Impact of enriched environment on motor performance and learning in mice. Sci Rep 2024; 14:5962. [PMID: 38472324 PMCID: PMC10933351 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-56568-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/11/2023] [Accepted: 03/08/2024] [Indexed: 03/14/2024] Open
Abstract
Neuroscience heavily relies on animal welfare in laboratory rodents as it can significantly affect brain development, cognitive function and memory formation. Unfortunately, laboratory animals are often raised in artificial environments devoid of physical and social stimuli, potentially leading to biased outcomes in behavioural assays. To assess this effect, we examined the impact of social and physical cage enrichment on various forms of motor coordination. Our findings indicate that while enriched-housed animals did not exhibit faster learning in eyeblink conditioning, the peak timing of their conditioned responses was slightly, but significantly, improved. Additionally, enriched-housed animals outperformed animals that were housed in standard conditions in the accelerating rotarod and ErasmusLadder test. In contrast, we found no significant effect of enrichment on the balance beam and grip strength test. Overall, our data suggest that an enriched environment can improve motor performance and motor learning under challenging and/or novel circumstances, possibly reflecting an altered state of anxiety.
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Affiliation(s)
- S Dijkhuizen
- Department of Neuroscience, Erasmus MC, 3015 GD, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
| | - L M C Van Ginneken
- Department of Neuroscience, Erasmus MC, 3015 GD, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
| | - A H C IJpelaar
- Department of Neuroscience, Erasmus MC, 3015 GD, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
| | - S K E Koekkoek
- Department of Neuroscience, Erasmus MC, 3015 GD, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
| | - C I De Zeeuw
- Department of Neuroscience, Erasmus MC, 3015 GD, Rotterdam, The Netherlands.
- Netherlands Institute for Neuroscience, Royal Academy of Arts and Sciences (KNAW), 1105 BA, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
| | - H J Boele
- Department of Neuroscience, Erasmus MC, 3015 GD, Rotterdam, The Netherlands.
- Princeton Neuroscience Institute, Princeton, NJ, 08540, USA.
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2
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Khan RH, Rhodes JS, Girard IA, Schwartz NE, Garland T. Does Behavior Evolve First? Correlated Responses to Selection for Voluntary Wheel-Running Behavior in House Mice. ECOLOGICAL AND EVOLUTIONARY PHYSIOLOGY 2024; 97:97-117. [PMID: 38728689 DOI: 10.1086/730153] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/12/2024]
Abstract
AbstractHow traits at multiple levels of biological organization evolve in a correlated fashion in response to directional selection is poorly understood, but two popular models are the very general "behavior evolves first" (BEF) hypothesis and the more specific "morphology-performance-behavior-fitness" (MPBF) paradigm. Both acknowledge that selection often acts relatively directly on behavior and that when behavior evolves, other traits will as well but most with some lag. However, this proposition is exceedingly difficult to test in nature. Therefore, we studied correlated responses in the high-runner (HR) mouse selection experiment, in which four replicate lines have been bred for voluntary wheel-running behavior and compared with four nonselected control (C) lines. We analyzed a wide range of traits measured at generations 20-24 (with a focus on new data from generation 22), coinciding with the point at which all HR lines were reaching selection limits (plateaus). Significance levels (226 P values) were compared across trait types by ANOVA, and we used the positive false discovery rate to control for multiple comparisons. This meta-analysis showed that, surprisingly, the measures of performance (including maximal oxygen consumption during forced exercise) showed no evidence of having diverged between the HR and C lines, nor did any of the life history traits (e.g., litter size), whereas body mass had responded (decreased) at least as strongly as wheel running. Overall, results suggest that the HR lines of mice had evolved primarily by changes in motivation rather than performance ability at the time they were reaching selection limits. In addition, neither the BEF model nor the MPBF model of hierarchical evolution provides a particularly good fit to the HR mouse selection experiment.
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Latino F, Tafuri F. Physical Activity and Cognitive Functioning. MEDICINA (KAUNAS, LITHUANIA) 2024; 60:216. [PMID: 38399504 PMCID: PMC10890300 DOI: 10.3390/medicina60020216] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/09/2024] [Revised: 01/18/2024] [Accepted: 01/25/2024] [Indexed: 02/25/2024]
Abstract
Neuroscience applied to motor activity is a growing area that aims to understand the effects of motor activity on the structures and functions of the Central Nervous System. Attention has been paid to this multidisciplinary field of investigation by the scientific community both because it is of great importance in the treatment of many chronic diseases and because of its potential applications in the Movement Sciences. Motor activity during a developmental age is, in fact, an indispensable tool for the physical and mental growth of children, both able-bodied and disabled. Through movement, individuals can improve their physical efficiency and promote their own better health, establish relationships with the environment and others, express themselves and their emotions, form their identity and develop cognitive processes. This literature review aims, therefore, to highlight how an adequate practice of motor activity offers extraordinary possibilities for everyone in relation to learning, from the perspective of an integral development of the person, and, consequently, can raise the awareness of those involved in the training and growth, especially the youngest, towards the educational value of motor and sports activities. According to this review, and in line with the modern neuroscientific approach toward the relationships between motor activities and cognitive functions, it is possible to claim that hypokinesia tends to inhibit learning. Therefore, it now seems more topical than ever to draw attention to the need to introduce working proposals that integrate brain-based motor activity programs into the school curriculum.
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Affiliation(s)
- Francesca Latino
- Department of Human Science, Educational and Sport, Pegaso University, 80143 Naples, Italy
| | - Francesco Tafuri
- Heracle Lab Research in Educational Neuroscience, Niccolò Cusano University, 00166 Rome, Italy;
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Rosario MA, Kern KL, Mumtaz S, Storer TW, Schon K. Cardiorespiratory fitness is associated with cortical thickness of medial temporal brain areas associated with spatial cognition in young but not older adults. Eur J Neurosci 2024; 59:82-100. [PMID: 38056827 PMCID: PMC10979765 DOI: 10.1111/ejn.16200] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/02/2023] [Accepted: 11/03/2023] [Indexed: 12/08/2023]
Abstract
Cardiorespiratory fitness has a potent effect on neurocognitive health, especially regarding the hippocampal memory system. However, less is known about the impact of cardiorespiratory fitness on medial temporal lobe extrahippocampal neocortical regions. Specifically, it is unclear how cardiorespiratory fitness modulates these brain regions in young adulthood and if these regions are differentially related to cardiorespiratory fitness in young versus older adults. The primary goal of this study was to investigate if cardiorespiratory fitness predicted medial temporal lobe cortical thickness which, with the hippocampus, are critical for spatial learning and memory. Additionally, given the established role of these cortices in spatial navigation, we sought to determine if cardiorespiratory fitness and medial temporal lobe cortical thickness would predict greater subjective sense of direction in both young and older adults. Cross-sectional data from 56 young adults (20-35 years) and 44 older adults (55-85 years) were included. FreeSurfer 6.0 was used to automatically segment participants' 3T T1-weighted images. Using hierarchical multiple regression analyses, we confirmed significant associations between greater cardiorespiratory fitness and greater left entorhinal, left parahippocampal, and left perirhinal cortical thickness in young, but not older, adults. Left parahippocampal cortical thickness interacted with age group to differentially predict subjective sense of direction in young and older adults. Young adults displayed a positive, and older adults a negative, correlation between left parahippocampal cortical thickness and sense of direction. Our findings extend previous work on the association between cardiorespiratory fitness and hippocampal subfield structure in young adults to left medial temporal lobe neocortical regions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael A. Rosario
- Graduate Program for Neuroscience, Boston University Aram V. Chobanian & Edward Avedisian School of Medicine, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
- Department of Anatomy & Neurobiology, Boston University Aram V. Chobanian & Edward Avedisian School of Medicine, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
- Center for Systems Neuroscience, Boston University, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Kathryn L. Kern
- Department of Anatomy & Neurobiology, Boston University Aram V. Chobanian & Edward Avedisian School of Medicine, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
- Center for Systems Neuroscience, Boston University, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Shiraz Mumtaz
- Department of Anatomy & Neurobiology, Boston University Aram V. Chobanian & Edward Avedisian School of Medicine, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
- Center for Systems Neuroscience, Boston University, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Thomas W. Storer
- Men’s Health, Aging, and Metabolism Unit, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Karin Schon
- Graduate Program for Neuroscience, Boston University Aram V. Chobanian & Edward Avedisian School of Medicine, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
- Department of Anatomy & Neurobiology, Boston University Aram V. Chobanian & Edward Avedisian School of Medicine, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
- Center for Systems Neuroscience, Boston University, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Boston University, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
- Center for Memory and Brain, Boston University, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
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5
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Latchney SE, Cadney MD, Hopkins A, Garland T. Maternal upbringing and selective breeding for voluntary exercise behavior modify patterns of DNA methylation and expression of genes in the mouse brain. GENES, BRAIN, AND BEHAVIOR 2023; 22:e12858. [PMID: 37519068 PMCID: PMC10733581 DOI: 10.1111/gbb.12858] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/20/2023] [Revised: 06/26/2023] [Accepted: 07/12/2023] [Indexed: 08/01/2023]
Abstract
Selective breeding has been utilized to study the genetic basis of exercise behavior, but research suggests that epigenetic mechanisms, such as DNA methylation, also contribute to this behavior. In a previous study, we demonstrated that the brains of mice from a genetically selected high runner (HR) line have sex-specific changes in DNA methylation patterns in genes known to be genomically imprinted compared to those from a non-selected control (C) line. Through cross-fostering, we also found that maternal upbringing can modify the DNA methylation patterns of additional genes. Here, we identify an additional set of genes in which DNA methylation patterns and gene expression may be altered by selection for increased wheel-running activity and maternal upbringing. We performed bisulfite sequencing and gene expression assays of 14 genes in the brain and found alterations in DNA methylation and gene expression for Bdnf, Pde4d and Grin2b. Decreases in Bdnf methylation correlated with significant increases in Bdnf gene expression in the hippocampus of HR compared to C mice. Cross-fostering also influenced the DNA methylation patterns for Pde4d in the cortex and Grin2b in the hippocampus, with associated changes in gene expression. We also found that the DNA methylation patterns for Atrx and Oxtr in the cortex and Atrx and Bdnf in the hippocampus were further modified by sex. Together with our previous study, these results suggest that DNA methylation and the resulting change in gene expression may interact with early-life influences to shape adult exercise behavior.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah E. Latchney
- Department of BiologySt. Mary's College of MarylandSt. Mary's CityMarylandUSA
| | - Marcell D. Cadney
- Department of Evolution, Ecology, and Organismal BiologyUniversity of CaliforniaRiversideCaliforniaUSA
- Neuroscience Research Institute, University of CaliforniaSanta BarbaraCaliforniaUSA
| | | | - Theodore Garland
- Department of Evolution, Ecology, and Organismal BiologyUniversity of CaliforniaRiversideCaliforniaUSA
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6
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Schmill MP, Thompson Z, Lee D, Haddadin L, Mitra S, Ezzat R, Shelton S, Levin P, Behnam S, Huffman KJ, Garland T. Hippocampal, Whole Midbrain, Red Nucleus, and Ventral Tegmental Area Volumes Are Increased by Selective Breeding for High Voluntary Wheel-Running Behavior. BRAIN, BEHAVIOR AND EVOLUTION 2023; 98:245-263. [PMID: 37604130 DOI: 10.1159/000533524] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/15/2023] [Accepted: 08/04/2023] [Indexed: 08/23/2023]
Abstract
Uncovering relationships between neuroanatomy, behavior, and evolution are important for understanding the factors that control brain function. Voluntary exercise is one key behavior that both affects, and may be affected by, neuroanatomical variation. Moreover, recent studies suggest an important role for physical activity in brain evolution. We used a unique and ongoing artificial selection model in which mice are bred for high voluntary wheel-running behavior, yielding four replicate lines of high runner (HR) mice that run ∼3-fold more revolutions per day than four replicate nonselected control (C) lines. Previous studies reported that, with body mass as a covariate, HR mice had heavier whole brains, non-cerebellar brains, and larger midbrains than C mice. We sampled mice from generation 66 and used high-resolution microscopy to test the hypothesis that HR mice have greater volumes and/or cell densities in nine key regions from either the midbrain or limbic system. In addition, half of the mice were given 10 weeks of wheel access from weaning, and we predicted that chronic exercise would increase the volumes of the examined brain regions via phenotypic plasticity. We replicated findings that both selective breeding and wheel access increased total brain mass, with no significant interaction between the two factors. In HR compared to C mice, adjusting for body mass, both the red nucleus (RN) of the midbrain and the hippocampus (HPC) were significantly larger, and the whole midbrain tended to be larger, with no effect of wheel access nor any interactions. Linetype and wheel access had an interactive effect on the volume of the periaqueductal gray (PAG), such that wheel access increased PAG volume in C mice but decreased volume in HR mice. Neither linetype nor wheel access affected volumes of the substantia nigra, ventral tegmental area, nucleus accumbens, ventral pallidum (VP), or basolateral amygdala. We found no main effect of either linetype or wheel access on neuronal densities (numbers of cells per unit area) for any of the regions examined. Taken together, our results suggest that the increased exercise phenotype of HR mice is related to increased RN and hippocampal volumes, but that chronic exercise alone does not produce such phenotypes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Margaret P Schmill
- Neuroscience Graduate Program, University of California, Riverside, California, USA
| | - Zoe Thompson
- Neuroscience Graduate Program, University of California, Riverside, California, USA
- Department of Biology, Utah Valley University, Orem, Utah, USA
| | - Daisy Lee
- Department of Evolution, Ecology, and Organismal Biology, University of California, Riverside, California, USA
| | - Laurence Haddadin
- Department of Evolution, Ecology, and Organismal Biology, University of California, Riverside, California, USA
| | - Shaarang Mitra
- Department of Evolution, Ecology, and Organismal Biology, University of California, Riverside, California, USA
| | - Raymond Ezzat
- Department of Evolution, Ecology, and Organismal Biology, University of California, Riverside, California, USA
| | - Samantha Shelton
- Department of Evolution, Ecology, and Organismal Biology, University of California, Riverside, California, USA
| | - Phillip Levin
- Department of Evolution, Ecology, and Organismal Biology, University of California, Riverside, California, USA
| | - Sogol Behnam
- Department of Evolution, Ecology, and Organismal Biology, University of California, Riverside, California, USA
| | - Kelly J Huffman
- Neuroscience Graduate Program, University of California, Riverside, California, USA
- Department of Psychology, University of California, Riverside, California, USA
| | - Theodore Garland
- Neuroscience Graduate Program, University of California, Riverside, California, USA
- Department of Evolution, Ecology, and Organismal Biology, University of California, Riverside, California, USA
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7
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Effects of early-life voluntary exercise and fructose on adult activity levels, body composition, aerobic capacity, and organ masses in mice bred for high voluntary wheel-running behavior. J Dev Orig Health Dis 2023; 14:249-260. [PMID: 36193024 DOI: 10.1017/s204017442200054x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/05/2022]
Abstract
Fructose (C6H12O6) is acutely obesogenic and is a risk factor for hypertension, cardiovascular disease, and nonalcoholic fatty liver disease. However, the possible long-lasting effects of early-life fructose consumption have not been studied. We tested for effects of early-life fructose and/or wheel access (voluntary exercise) in a line of selectively bred High Runner (HR) mice and a non-selected Control (C) line. Exposures began at weaning and continued for 3 weeks to sexual maturity, followed by a 23-week "washout" period (equivalent to ∼17 human years). Fructose increased total caloric intake, body mass, and body fat during juvenile exposure, but had no effect on juvenile wheel running and no important lasting effects on adult physical activity or body weight/composition. Interestingly, adult maximal aerobic capacity (VO2max) was reduced in mice that had early-life fructose and wheel access. Consistent with previous studies, early-life exercise promoted adult wheel running. In a 3-way interaction, C mice that had early-life fructose and no wheel access gained body mass in response to 2 weeks of adult wheel access, while all other groups lost mass. Overall, we found some long-lasting positive effects of early-life exercise, but minimal effects of early-life fructose, regardless of the mouse line.
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8
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Gao Y, Syed M, Zhao X. Mechanisms underlying the effect of voluntary running on adult hippocampal neurogenesis. Hippocampus 2023; 33:373-390. [PMID: 36892196 PMCID: PMC10566571 DOI: 10.1002/hipo.23520] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/19/2022] [Revised: 02/11/2023] [Accepted: 02/17/2023] [Indexed: 03/10/2023]
Abstract
Adult hippocampal neurogenesis is important for preserving learning and memory-related cognitive functions. Physical exercise, especially voluntary running, is one of the strongest stimuli to promote neurogenesis and has beneficial effects on cognitive functions. Voluntary running promotes exit of neural stem cells (NSCs) from the quiescent stage, proliferation of NSCs and progenitors, survival of newborn cells, morphological development of immature neuron, and integration of new neurons into the hippocampal circuitry. However, the detailed mechanisms driving these changes remain unclear. In this review, we will summarize current knowledge with respect to molecular mechanisms underlying voluntary running-induced neurogenesis, highlighting recent genome-wide gene expression analyses. In addition, we will discuss new approaches and future directions for dissecting the complex cellular mechanisms driving change in adult-born new neurons in response to physical exercise.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yu Gao
- Waisman Center, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI 53705, USA
- Department of Neuroscience, School of Medicine and Public Health, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI 53705, USA
| | - Moosa Syed
- Waisman Center, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI 53705, USA
- Department of Neuroscience, School of Medicine and Public Health, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI 53705, USA
| | - Xinyu Zhao
- Waisman Center, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI 53705, USA
- Department of Neuroscience, School of Medicine and Public Health, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI 53705, USA
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9
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de Frutos Lucas J, Sewell KR, García-Colomo A, Markovic S, Erickson KI, Brown BM. How does apolipoprotein E genotype influence the relationship between physical activity and Alzheimer's disease risk? A novel integrative model. Alzheimers Res Ther 2023; 15:22. [PMID: 36707869 PMCID: PMC9881295 DOI: 10.1186/s13195-023-01170-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/13/2022] [Accepted: 01/15/2023] [Indexed: 01/29/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Wide evidence suggests that physical activity (PA) confers protection against Alzheimer's disease (AD). On the other hand, the apolipoprotein E gene (APOE) ε4 allele represents the greatest genetic risk factor for developing AD. Extensive research has been conducted to determine whether frequent PA can mitigate the increased AD risk associated with APOE ε4. However, thus far, these attempts have produced inconclusive results. In this context, one possible explanation could be that the influence of the combined effect of PA and APOE ε4 carriage might be dependent on the specific outcome measure utilised. MAIN BODY In order to bridge these discrepancies, the aim of this theoretical article is to propose a novel model on the interactive effects of PA and APOE ε4 carriage on well-established mechanisms underlying AD. Available literature was searched to investigate how PA and APOE ε4 carriage, independently and in combination, may alter several molecular pathways involved in AD pathogenesis. The reviewed mechanisms include amyloid beta (Aβ) and tau deposition and clearance, neuronal resilience and neurogenesis, lipid function and cerebrovascular alterations, brain immune response and glucose metabolism. Finally, combining all this information, we have built an integrative model, which includes evidence-based and theoretical synergistic interactions across mechanisms. Moreover, we have identified key knowledge gaps in the literature, providing a list of testable hypotheses that future studies need to address. CONCLUSIONS We conclude that PA influences a wide array of molecular targets involved in AD neuropathology. A deeper understanding of where, when and, most importantly, how PA decreases AD risk even in the presence of the APOE ε4 allele will enable the creation of new protocols using exercise along pharmaceuticals in combined therapeutic approaches.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jaisalmer de Frutos Lucas
- Experimental Psychology, Cognitive Processes and Logopedia Department, School of Psychology, Universidad Complutense de Madrid, 28223, Pozuelo de Alarcón, Spain.
- Centre for Precision Health, Edith Cowan University, Joondalup, Western Australia, 6027, Australia.
- Departamento de PsicologíaFacultad de Ciencias de la Vida y de la Naturaleza, Universidad Antonio de Nebrija, 28015, Madrid, Spain.
| | - Kelsey R Sewell
- Centre for Healthy Ageing, Health Futures Institute, Murdoch University, Murdoch, Western Australia, 6150, Australia
| | - Alejandra García-Colomo
- Experimental Psychology, Cognitive Processes and Logopedia Department, School of Psychology, Universidad Complutense de Madrid, 28223, Pozuelo de Alarcón, Spain
| | - Shaun Markovic
- Centre for Healthy Ageing, Health Futures Institute, Murdoch University, Murdoch, Western Australia, 6150, Australia
- Australian Alzheimer's Research Foundation, Sarich Neuroscience Research Institute, Nedlands, Western Australia, 6009, Australia
| | - Kirk I Erickson
- Department of Psychology, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, 15260, USA
- PROFITH "PROmoting FITness and Health Through Physical Activity" Research Group, Sport and Health University Research Institute (iMUDS), Department of Physical and Sports Education, Faculty of Sport Sciences, University of Granada, 18071, Granada, Spain
- AdventHealth Research Institute, Orlando, FL, 32804, USA
| | - Belinda M Brown
- Centre for Precision Health, Edith Cowan University, Joondalup, Western Australia, 6027, Australia
- Centre for Healthy Ageing, Health Futures Institute, Murdoch University, Murdoch, Western Australia, 6150, Australia
- Australian Alzheimer's Research Foundation, Sarich Neuroscience Research Institute, Nedlands, Western Australia, 6009, Australia
- School of Medical and Health Sciences, Edith Cowan University, Joondalup, Western Australia, 6027, Australia
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10
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Hillis DA, Garland T. Multiple solutions at the genomic level in response to selective breeding for high locomotor activity. Genetics 2023; 223:iyac165. [PMID: 36305689 PMCID: PMC9836024 DOI: 10.1093/genetics/iyac165] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/20/2022] [Accepted: 10/14/2022] [Indexed: 01/19/2023] Open
Abstract
Replicate lines under uniform selection often evolve in different ways. Previously, analyses using whole-genome sequence data for individual mice (Mus musculus) from 4 replicate High Runner lines and 4 nonselected control lines demonstrated genomic regions that have responded consistently to selection for voluntary wheel-running behavior. Here, we ask whether the High Runner lines have evolved differently from each other, even though they reached selection limits at similar levels. We focus on 1 High Runner line (HR3) that became fixed for a mutation at a gene of major effect (Myh4Minimsc) that, in the homozygous condition, causes a 50% reduction in hindlimb muscle mass and many pleiotropic effects. We excluded HR3 from SNP analyses and identified 19 regions not consistently identified in analyses with all 4 lines. Repeating analyses while dropping each of the other High Runner lines identified 12, 8, and 6 such regions. (Of these 45 regions, 37 were unique.) These results suggest that each High Runner line indeed responded to selection somewhat uniquely, but also that HR3 is the most distinct. We then applied 2 additional analytical approaches when dropping HR3 only (based on haplotypes and nonstatistical tests involving fixation patterns). All 3 approaches identified 7 new regions (as compared with analyses using all 4 High Runner lines) that include genes associated with activity levels, dopamine signaling, hippocampus morphology, heart size, and body size, all of which differ between High Runner and control lines. Our results illustrate how multiple solutions and "private" alleles can obscure general signatures of selection involving "public" alleles.
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Affiliation(s)
- David A Hillis
- Genetics, Genomics, and Bioinformatics Graduate Program, University of California, Riverside, CA 92521, USA
| | - Theodore Garland
- Department of Evolution, Ecology, and Organismal Biology, University of California, Riverside, CA 92521, USA
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11
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Jaehne EJ, Kent JN, Lam N, Schonfeld L, Spiers JG, Begni V, De Rosa F, Riva MA, van den Buuse M. Chronic running-wheel exercise from adolescence leads to increased anxiety and depression-like phenotypes in adulthood in rats: Effects on stress markers and interaction with BDNF Val66Met genotype. Dev Psychobiol 2023; 65:e22347. [PMID: 36567651 DOI: 10.1002/dev.22347] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/19/2022] [Revised: 09/27/2022] [Accepted: 10/15/2022] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Exercise has been shown to be beneficial in reducing symptoms of affective disorders and to increase the expression of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF). The BDNF Val66Met polymorphism is associated with reduced activity-dependent BDNF release and increased risk for anxiety and depression. Male and female Val66Met rats were given access to running wheels from 3 weeks of age and compared to sedentary controls. Anxiety- and depression-like behaviors were measured in adulthood using the elevated plus maze (EPM), open field (OF), and forced swim test (FST). Expression of BDNF and a number of stress-related genes, the glucocorticoid receptor (Nr3c1), serum/glucocorticoid-regulated kinase 1 (Sgk1), and FK506 binding protein 51 (Fkbp5) in the hippocampus were also measured. Rats given access to running wheels developed high levels of voluntary exercise, decreased open-arm time on the EPM and center-field time in the OF, reduced overall exploratory activity in the open field, and increased immobility time in the FST with no differences between genotypes. Chronic exercise induced a significant increase in Bdnf mRNA and BDNF protein levels in the hippocampus with some of these effects being genotype specific. Exercise decreased the expression of Nr3c1 and Sgk1, but increased the expression of Fkbp5. These results suggest that chronic running-wheel exercise from adolescence increased anxiety and depression-like phenotypes in adulthood, independent of BDNF Val66Met genotype. Further studies are required to confirm that increased indices of anxiety-like behavior are independent from reduced overall locomotor activity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emily J Jaehne
- Department of Psychology, Counselling and Therapy, School of Psychology and Public Health, La Trobe University, Melbourne, Australia
| | - Jessica N Kent
- Department of Psychology, Counselling and Therapy, School of Psychology and Public Health, La Trobe University, Melbourne, Australia
| | - Nikki Lam
- Department of Psychology, Counselling and Therapy, School of Psychology and Public Health, La Trobe University, Melbourne, Australia
| | - Lina Schonfeld
- Department of Psychology, Counselling and Therapy, School of Psychology and Public Health, La Trobe University, Melbourne, Australia
| | - Jereme G Spiers
- Department of Biochemistry and Genetics, La Trobe Institute for Molecular Science, La Trobe University, Melbourne, Australia
| | - Veronica Begni
- Department of Pharmacological and Biomolecular Sciences, University of Milan, Milan, Italy
| | - Federico De Rosa
- Department of Pharmacological and Biomolecular Sciences, University of Milan, Milan, Italy
| | - Marco A Riva
- Department of Pharmacological and Biomolecular Sciences, University of Milan, Milan, Italy.,Biological Psychiatry Laboratory, IRCCS Istituto Centro San Giovanni di Dio Fatebenefratelli, Brescia, Italy
| | - Maarten van den Buuse
- Department of Psychology, Counselling and Therapy, School of Psychology and Public Health, La Trobe University, Melbourne, Australia.,Department of Pharmacology, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Australia
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12
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Cook AA, Jayabal S, Sheng J, Fields E, Leung TCS, Quilez S, McNicholas E, Lau L, Huang S, Watt AJ. Activation of TrkB-Akt signaling rescues deficits in a mouse model of SCA6. SCIENCE ADVANCES 2022; 8:eabh3260. [PMID: 36112675 PMCID: PMC9481119 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.abh3260] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/02/2021] [Accepted: 07/29/2022] [Indexed: 06/01/2023]
Abstract
Spinocerebellar ataxia type 6 (SCA6) is a neurodegenerative disease resulting in motor coordination deficits and cerebellar pathology. Expression of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) is reduced in postmortem tissue from SCA6 patients. Here, we show that levels of cerebellar BDNF and its receptor, tropomyosin receptor kinase B (TrkB), are reduced at an early disease stage in a mouse model of SCA6 (SCA684Q/84Q). One month of exercise elevated cerebellar BDNF expression and improved ataxia and cerebellar Purkinje cell firing rate deficits. A TrkB agonist, 7,8-dihydroxyflavone (7,8-DHF), likewise improved motor coordination and Purkinje cell firing rate and elevated downstream Akt signaling. Prolonged 7,8-DHF administration persistently improved ataxia when treatment commenced near disease onset but was ineffective when treatment was started late. These data suggest that 7,8-DHF, which is orally bioavailable and crosses the blood-brain barrier, is a promising therapeutic for SCA6 and argue for the importance of early intervention for SCA6.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anna A. Cook
- Biology Department, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Sriram Jayabal
- Biology Department, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada
- Integrated Neuroscience Program, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada
- Department of Neurobiology, Stanford School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Jacky Sheng
- Biology Department, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Eviatar Fields
- Biology Department, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada
- Integrated Neuroscience Program, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | | | - Sabrina Quilez
- Biology Department, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | | | - Lois Lau
- Biology Department, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Shixia Huang
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Department of Education, Innovation and Technology, Dan L. Duncan Cancer Center, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Alanna J. Watt
- Biology Department, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada
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13
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Lattanzi D, Savelli D, Pagliarini M, Cuppini R, Ambrogini P. Short-Term, Voluntary Exercise Affects Morpho-Functional Maturation of Adult-Generated Neurons in Rat Hippocampus. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:ijms23126866. [PMID: 35743307 PMCID: PMC9224999 DOI: 10.3390/ijms23126866] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/05/2022] [Revised: 06/17/2022] [Accepted: 06/18/2022] [Indexed: 02/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Physical exercise is a well-proven neurogenic stimulus, promoting neuronal progenitor proliferation and affecting newborn cell survival. Besides, it has beneficial effects on brain health and cognition. Previously, we found that three days of physical activity in a very precocious period of adult-generated granule cell life is able to antedate the appearance of the first GABAergic synaptic contacts and increase T-type Ca2+ channel expression. Considering the role of GABA and Ca2+ in fostering neuronal maturation, in this study, we used short-term, voluntary exercise on a running wheel to investigate if it is able to induce long-term morphological and synaptic changes in newborn neurons. Using adult male rats, we found that: (i) three days of voluntary physical exercise can definitively influence the morpho-functional maturation process of newborn granule neurons when applied very early during their development; (ii) a significant percentage of new neurons show more mature morphological characteristics far from the end of exercise protocol; (iii) the long-term morphological effects result in enhanced synaptic plasticity. Present findings demonstrate that the morpho-functional changes induced by exercise on very immature adult-generated neurons are permanent, affecting the neuron maturation and integration in hippocampal circuitry. Our data contribute to underpinning the beneficial potential of physical activity on brain health, also performed for short times.
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Di Rosa MC, Zimbone S, Saab MW, Tomasello MF. The Pleiotropic Potential of BDNF beyond Neurons: Implication for a Healthy Mind in a Healthy Body. Life (Basel) 2021; 11:life11111256. [PMID: 34833132 PMCID: PMC8625665 DOI: 10.3390/life11111256] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/29/2021] [Revised: 11/14/2021] [Accepted: 11/15/2021] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) represents one of the most widely studied neurotrophins because of the many mechanisms in which it is involved. Among these, a growing body of evidence indicates BDNF as a pleiotropic signaling molecule and unveils non-negligible implications in the regulation of energy balance. BDNF and its receptor are extensively expressed in the hypothalamus, regions where peripheral signals, associated with feeding control and metabolism activation, and are integrated to elaborate anorexigenic and orexigenic effects. Thus, BDNF coordinates adaptive responses to fluctuations in energy intake and expenditure, connecting the central nervous system with peripheral tissues, including muscle, liver, and the adipose tissue in a complex operational network. This review discusses the latest literature dealing with the involvement of BDNF in the maintenance of energy balance. We have focused on the physiological and molecular mechanisms by which BDNF: (I) controls the mitochondrial function and dynamics; (II) influences thermogenesis and tissue differentiation; (III) mediates the effects of exercise on cognitive functions; and (IV) modulates insulin sensitivity and glucose transport at the cellular level. Deepening the understanding of the mechanisms exploited to maintain energy homeostasis will lay the groundwork for the development of novel therapeutical approaches to help people to maintain a healthy mind in a healthy body.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria Carmela Di Rosa
- Department of Biomedical and Biotechnological Sciences, University of Catania, Via S. Sofia 64, 95123 Catania, Italy; (M.C.D.R.); (M.W.S.)
- Institute of Crystallography, CNR, Via P. Gaifami 18, 95126 Catania, Italy;
| | - Stefania Zimbone
- Institute of Crystallography, CNR, Via P. Gaifami 18, 95126 Catania, Italy;
| | - Miriam Wissam Saab
- Department of Biomedical and Biotechnological Sciences, University of Catania, Via S. Sofia 64, 95123 Catania, Italy; (M.C.D.R.); (M.W.S.)
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Lee TH, Christie BR, Lin K, Siu PMF, Zhang L, Yuan TF, Komal P, Xu A, So KF, Yau SY. Chronic AdipoRon Treatment Mimics the Effects of Physical Exercise on Restoring Hippocampal Neuroplasticity in Diabetic Mice. Mol Neurobiol 2021; 58:4666-4681. [PMID: 34164760 PMCID: PMC8487422 DOI: 10.1007/s12035-021-02441-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/24/2021] [Accepted: 05/25/2021] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Administration of exercise mimetic drugs could be a novel therapeutic approach to combat comorbid neurodegeneration and metabolic syndromes. Adiponectin is an adipocyte-secreted hormone. In addition to its antidiabetic effect, adiponectin mediates the antidepressant effect of physical exercise associated with adult hippocampal neurogenesis. The antidiabetic effect of the adiponectin receptor agonist AdipoRon has been demonstrated, but its potential pro-cognitive and neurotrophic effects in the hippocampus under diabetic condition are still unclear. This study reported that chronic AdipoRon treatment for 2 weeks improved hippocampal-dependent spatial recognition memory in streptozotocin-induced diabetic mice. Besides, AdipoRon treatment increased progenitor cell proliferation and neuronal differentiation in the hippocampal dentate gyrus (DG) of diabetic mice. Furthermore, AdipoRon treatment significantly increased dendritic complexity, spine density, and N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor-dependent long-term potentiation (LTP) in the dentate region, and increased BDNF levels in the DG of diabetic mice. AdipoRon treatment activated AMPK/PGC-1α signalling in the DG, whereas increases in cell proliferation and LTP were not observed when PGC-1α signalling was pharmacologically inhibited. In sum, chronic AdipoRon treatment partially mimics the benefits of physical exercise for learning and memory and hippocampal neuroplasticity in the diabetic brain. The results suggested that AdipoRon could be a potential physical exercise mimetic to improve hippocampal plasticity and hence rescue learning and memory impairment typically associated with diabetes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thomas H Lee
- Department of Rehabilitation Sciences, Faculty of Health and Social Sciences, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, 11 Yuk Choi Road, Hung Hom, Hong Kong SAR
| | - Brian R Christie
- Division of Medical Sciences, University of Victoria, Victoria, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Kangguang Lin
- Department of Affective Disorder, Guangzhou Brain Hospital, The Affiliated Brain Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Parco Ming-Fai Siu
- School of Public Health, LKS Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam, Hong Kong SAR
| | - Li Zhang
- Key Laboratory of CNS Regeneration (Ministry of Education), Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macau Institute of CNS Regeneration, Jinan University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Ti-Fei Yuan
- Shanghai Mental Health Center, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China
| | - Pragya Komal
- Department of Biological Sciences, Birla Institute of Technology and Sciences (BITS-Pilani Hyderabad), Hyderabad, India
| | - Aimin Xu
- Department of Pharmacology and Pharmacy, LKS Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam, Hong Kong SAR
- State Key Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology, The University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam, Hong Kong SAR
| | - Kwok-Fai So
- Key Laboratory of CNS Regeneration (Ministry of Education), Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macau Institute of CNS Regeneration, Jinan University, Guangzhou, China
- State Key Laboratory of Brain and Cognitive Science, The University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam, Hong Kong SAR
| | - Suk-Yu Yau
- Department of Rehabilitation Sciences, Faculty of Health and Social Sciences, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, 11 Yuk Choi Road, Hung Hom, Hong Kong SAR.
- University Research Facility in Behavioral and Systems Neuroscience, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hung Hom, Hong Kong SAR.
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Turkin A, Tuchina O, Klempin F. Microglia Function on Precursor Cells in the Adult Hippocampus and Their Responsiveness to Serotonin Signaling. Front Cell Dev Biol 2021; 9:665739. [PMID: 34109176 PMCID: PMC8182052 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2021.665739] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/08/2021] [Accepted: 04/12/2021] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Microglia are the resident immune cells of the adult brain that become activated in response to pathogen- or damage-associated stimuli. The acute inflammatory response to injury, stress, or infection comprises the release of cytokines and phagocytosis of damaged cells. Accumulating evidence indicates chronic microglia-mediated inflammation in diseases of the central nervous system, most notably neurodegenerative disorders, that is associated with disease progression. To understand microglia function in pathology, knowledge of microglia communication with their surroundings during normal state and the release of neurotrophins and growth factors in order to maintain homeostasis of neural circuits is of importance. Recent evidence shows that microglia interact with serotonin, the neurotransmitter crucially involved in adult neurogenesis, and known for its role in antidepressant action. In this chapter, we illustrate how microglia contribute to neuroplasticity of the hippocampus and interact with local factors, e.g., BDNF, and external stimuli that promote neurogenesis. We summarize the recent findings on the role of various receptors in microglia-mediated neurotransmission and particularly focus on microglia’s response to serotonin signaling. We review microglia function in neuroinflammation and neurodegeneration and discuss their novel role in antidepressant mechanisms. This synopsis sheds light on microglia in healthy brain and pathology that involves serotonin and may be a potential therapeutic model by which microglia play a crucial role in the maintenance of mood.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrei Turkin
- School of Life Sciences, Immanuel Kant Baltic Federal University, Kaliningrad, Russia
| | - Oksana Tuchina
- School of Life Sciences, Immanuel Kant Baltic Federal University, Kaliningrad, Russia
| | - Friederike Klempin
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Charité University Medicine Berlin, Berlin, Germany
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17
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Effect of Physical Activity on Cognitive Function and Neurogenesis: Roles of BDNF and Oxidative Stress. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2020. [DOI: 10.5812/thrita.109723] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Context: Cognitive disorders are one of the most common neurological problems that can be caused by lifestyle patterns, especially sedentary lifestyle, poor nutrition, exposure to a variety of toxins or diseases. Evidence Acquisition: There are various strategies recommended for the prevention and treatment of these disorders, including drug therapy, psychological therapy, dietary pattern changes, and physical activity. Results: It seems that physical activity with biological mechanisms can have beneficial effects on the central nervous system and improve cognitive function, including enhanced learning and memory, as well as reduced depression and anxiety. Conclusions: Of the major mechanisms that physical activity can affect cognitive function include increased neurogenic factors, decreased oxidative stress, decreased inflammatory mediators, and mitochondrial biogenesis. Therefore, it is recommended that people with cognitive impairments can use physical activity as an appropriate strategy to prevent and treat cognitive impairment problems.
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18
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Jamali A, Shahrbanian S, Morteza Tayebi S. The Effects of Exercise Training on the Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor (BDNF) in the Patients with Type 2 Diabetes: A Systematic Review of the Randomized Controlled Trials. J Diabetes Metab Disord 2020; 19:633-643. [PMID: 32550216 DOI: 10.1007/s40200-020-00529-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/03/2020] [Accepted: 04/13/2020] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Purpose Glucose dysregulation is one of the distinctive features of type 2 diabetes that is associated with an increased risk of cognitive impairment and dementia. The low concentrations of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) are reported in people with insulin resistance, metabolic syndrome, and type 2 diabetes. BDNF can be increased by an adjustment in lifestyle including caloric restriction and exercise training. Studies have reported controversial findings about physical activity and its association with BDNF, but there is no comprehensive conclusions on this issue. The aim of this study was to systematically review the effects of exercise training on BDNF levels in patients with type 2 diabetes. Methods The electronic databases of Embase, Pedro, PubMed, Medline, Cochrane Library, as well as the Google Scholar search engine were used to obtain the related data about the role of exercise training on BDNF levels in patients with type 2 diabetes. The search period was set from inception to August 2019. Keywords of "exercise", "training", "physical activity", "brain-derived neurotrophic factor", "type 2 diabetes", and "randomized clinical trials", were used in persian and English. The PEDro scale was used to evaluate the quality of the included articles. Results. Finally, 11 articles (four human and seven animal articles) with medium to high quality were included in the study which 5 articles reported elevation (one human and four animal articles), 4 articles reported a reduction (one human and three animal articles), and 2 articles reported no changes (both of them in human articles) in BDNF level following the exercise training. Conclusion Decreased energy intake and increased energy expenditure through exercise training may modulate BDNF levels in patients with type 2 diabetes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Afsaneh Jamali
- Department of Sport Science, Faculty of Humanities, Tarbiat Modares University, Tehran, Iran
| | - Shahnaz Shahrbanian
- Department of Sport Science, Faculty of Humanities, Tarbiat Modares University, Tehran, Iran
| | - Seyed Morteza Tayebi
- Department of Exercise Physiology, Faculty of Sport Science, Allameh Tabataba'i University, Tehran, Iran
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19
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Poole DC, Copp SW, Colburn TD, Craig JC, Allen DL, Sturek M, O'Leary DS, Zucker IH, Musch TI. Guidelines for animal exercise and training protocols for cardiovascular studies. Am J Physiol Heart Circ Physiol 2020; 318:H1100-H1138. [PMID: 32196357 DOI: 10.1152/ajpheart.00697.2019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 63] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
Whole body exercise tolerance is the consummate example of integrative physiological function among the metabolic, neuromuscular, cardiovascular, and respiratory systems. Depending on the animal selected, the energetic demands and flux through the oxygen transport system can increase two orders of magnitude from rest to maximal exercise. Thus, animal models in health and disease present the scientist with flexible, powerful, and, in some instances, purpose-built tools to explore the mechanistic bases for physiological function and help unveil the causes for pathological or age-related exercise intolerance. Elegant experimental designs and analyses of kinetic parameters and steady-state responses permit acute and chronic exercise paradigms to identify therapeutic targets for drug development in disease and also present the opportunity to test the efficacy of pharmacological and behavioral countermeasures during aging, for example. However, for this promise to be fully realized, the correct or optimal animal model must be selected in conjunction with reproducible tests of physiological function (e.g., exercise capacity and maximal oxygen uptake) that can be compared equitably across laboratories, clinics, and other proving grounds. Rigorously controlled animal exercise and training studies constitute the foundation of translational research. This review presents the most commonly selected animal models with guidelines for their use and obtaining reproducible results and, crucially, translates state-of-the-art techniques and procedures developed on humans to those animal models.
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Affiliation(s)
- David C Poole
- Department of Kinesiology, Kansas State University, Manhattan, Kansas.,Department of Anatomy and Physiology, Kansas State University, Manhattan, Kansas
| | - Steven W Copp
- Department of Kinesiology, Kansas State University, Manhattan, Kansas
| | - Trenton D Colburn
- Department of Kinesiology, Kansas State University, Manhattan, Kansas
| | - Jesse C Craig
- Department of Internal Medicine, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, Utah.,Geriatric Research, Education, and Clinical Center, Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Salt Lake City, Utah
| | - David L Allen
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, University of Colorado, Boulder, Colorado
| | - Michael Sturek
- Department of Anatomy, Cell Biology and Physiology, Indiana University, Indianapolis, Indiana
| | - Donal S O'Leary
- Department of Physiology, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, Michigan
| | - Irving H Zucker
- Department of Cellular and Integrative Physiology, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, Nebraska
| | - Timothy I Musch
- Department of Kinesiology, Kansas State University, Manhattan, Kansas.,Department of Anatomy and Physiology, Kansas State University, Manhattan, Kansas
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20
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Shirvani H, Aslani J, Fallah Mohammadi Z, Arabzadeh E. Short-term effect of low-, moderate-, and high-intensity exercise training on cerebral dopamine neurotrophic factor (CDNF) and oxidative stress biomarkers in brain male Wistar rats. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2019. [DOI: 10.1007/s00580-018-2885-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/27/2022]
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21
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Hill T, Polk JD. BDNF, endurance activity, and mechanisms underlying the evolution of hominin brains. AMERICAN JOURNAL OF PHYSICAL ANTHROPOLOGY 2018; 168 Suppl 67:47-62. [PMID: 30575024 DOI: 10.1002/ajpa.23762] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/30/2018] [Revised: 10/21/2018] [Accepted: 11/05/2018] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES As a complex, polygenic trait, brain size has likely been influenced by a range of direct and indirect selection pressures for both cognitive and non-cognitive functions and capabilities. It has been hypothesized that hominin brain expansion was, in part, a correlated response to selection acting on aerobic capacity (Raichlen & Polk, 2013). According to this hypothesis, selection for aerobic capacity increased the activity of various signaling molecules, including those involved in brain growth. One key molecule is brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), a protein that regulates neuronal development, survival, and plasticity in mammals. This review updates, partially tests, and expands Raichlen and Polk's (2013) hypothesis by evaluating evidence for BDNF as a mediator of brain size. DISCUSSION We contend that selection for endurance capabilities in a hot climate favored changes to muscle composition, mitochondrial dynamics and increased energy budget through pathways involving regulation of PGC-1α and MEF2 genes, both of which promote BDNF activity. In addition, the evolution of hairlessness and the skin's thermoregulatory response provide other molecular pathways that promote both BDNF activity and neurotransmitter synthesis. We discuss how these pathways contributed to the evolution of brain size and function in human evolution and propose avenues for future research. Our results support Raichlen and Polk's contention that selection for non-cognitive functions has direct mechanistic linkages to the evolution of brain size in hominins.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tyler Hill
- Department of Anthropology, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois
| | - John D Polk
- Department of Anthropology, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois.,Department of Biomedical and Translational Sciences, Carle-Illinois College of Medicine, Urbana, Illinois
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22
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Joggin’ the Noggin: Towards a Physiological Understanding of Exercise-Induced Cognitive Benefits. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2018; 88:177-186. [DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2018.03.018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 75] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/03/2017] [Revised: 01/31/2018] [Accepted: 03/16/2018] [Indexed: 01/01/2023]
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23
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Liu PZ, Nusslock R. Exercise-Mediated Neurogenesis in the Hippocampus via BDNF. Front Neurosci 2018; 12:52. [PMID: 29467613 PMCID: PMC5808288 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2018.00052] [Citation(s) in RCA: 267] [Impact Index Per Article: 44.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/19/2017] [Accepted: 01/23/2018] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Exercise is known to have numerous neuroprotective and cognitive benefits, especially pertaining to memory and learning related processes. One potential link connecting them is exercise-mediated hippocampal neurogenesis, in which new neurons are generated and incorporated into hippocampal circuits. The present review synthesizes the extant literature detailing the relationship between exercise and hippocampal neurogenesis, and identifies a key molecule mediating this process, brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF). As a member of the neurotrophin family, BDNF regulates many of the processes within neurogenesis, such as differentiation and survival. Although much more is known about the direct role that exercise and BDNF have on hippocampal neurogenesis in rodents, their corresponding cognitive benefits in humans will also be discussed. Specifically, what is known about exercise-mediated hippocampal neurogenesis will be presented as it relates to BDNF to highlight the critical role that it plays. Due to the inaccessibility of the human brain, much less is known about the role BDNF plays in human hippocampal neurogenesis. Limitations and future areas of research with regards to human neurogenesis will thus be discussed, including indirect measures of neurogenesis and single nucleotide polymorphisms within the BDNF gene.
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Affiliation(s)
- Patrick Z. Liu
- Department of Psychology, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL, United States
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24
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Eisinger BE, Zhao X. Identifying molecular mediators of environmentally enhanced neurogenesis. Cell Tissue Res 2018; 371:7-21. [PMID: 29127518 PMCID: PMC5826587 DOI: 10.1007/s00441-017-2718-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/28/2017] [Accepted: 10/16/2017] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Adult hippocampal neurogenesis occurs throughout life and supports healthy brain functions. The production of new neurons decreases with age, and deficiencies in adult neurogenesis are associated with neurodevelopmental and degenerative disease. The rate of neurogenesis is dynamically sensitive to an individual's environmental conditions and experiences, and certain stimuli are known robustly to enhance neurogenesis in rodent models, including voluntary exercise, enriched environment, and electroconvulsive shock. In these models, information about an organism's environment and physiological state are relayed to neurogenic cell types within the hippocampus through a series of tissue and cellular interfaces, ultimately eliciting a neurogenic response from neural stem cells and newborn neurons. Therefore, an understanding of the way that novel genes and proteins act in specific cell types within this circuit-level context is of scientific and therapeutic value. Several well-studied neurotrophic factors have been implicated in environmentally enhanced neurogenesis. This review highlights recently discovered, novel molecular mediators of neurogenesis in response to environmental cues and summarizes the contribution of advanced, large-scale gene expression and function assessment technology to past, present, and future efforts aimed at elucidating cell-type-specific molecular mediators of environmentally enhanced neurogenesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brian E Eisinger
- Waisman Center and Department of Neuroscience, University of Wisconsin-Madison School of Medicine and Public Health, Madison, WI 53705, USA
| | - Xinyu Zhao
- Waisman Center and Department of Neuroscience, University of Wisconsin-Madison School of Medicine and Public Health, Madison, WI 53705, USA.
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25
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Rahmati-Ahmadabad S, Azarbayjani M, Nasehi M. The Effects of High-Intensity Interval Training with Supplementation of Flaxseed Oil on BDNF mRNA Expression and Pain Feeling in Male Rats. ANNALS OF APPLIED SPORT SCIENCE 2017; 5:1-12. [DOI: 10.29252/aassjournal.5.4.1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/30/2023]
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26
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Shafiee SM, Vafaei AA, Rashidy-Pour A. Effects of maternal hypothyroidism during pregnancy on learning, memory and hippocampal BDNF in rat pups: Beneficial effects of exercise. Neuroscience 2016; 329:151-61. [PMID: 27181637 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroscience.2016.04.048] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/21/2016] [Revised: 04/28/2016] [Accepted: 04/28/2016] [Indexed: 01/13/2023]
Abstract
Hypothyroidism during early development leads to numerous morphological, biochemical and functional changes in developing brain. In this study, we investigated the effects of voluntary and treadmill exercise on learning, memory and hippocampal BDNF levels in both hypothyroid male and female rat pups. To induce hypothyroidism in the mothers, 6-propyl-2-thiouracil (PTU) was added to their drinking water (100mg/L) from their embryonic day 6 to their postnatal day (PND) 21. For 14days, from PNDs 31 to 44, the rat pups were trained with one of the two different exercise protocols, namely the mild treadmill exercise and the voluntary wheel exercise. On PNDs 45-52, a water maze was used for testing their learning and memory ability. The rats were sacrificed one day later and their BDNF levels were then measured in the hippocampus. The findings of the present study indicate that hypothyroidism during the fetal period and the early postnatal period is associated with the impairment of spatial learning and memory and reduced hippocampal BDNF levels in both male and female rat offspring. Both the short-term treadmill exercise and the voluntary wheel exercise performed during the postnatal period reverse the behavioral and neurochemical deficits induced by developmental thyroid hormone insufficiency in both male and female rat offspring. The findings of this study thus demonstrate a marked reversibility of both behavioral and neurochemical disorders induced by developmental thyroid hormone insufficiency through the performance of exercise.
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Affiliation(s)
- Seyed Morteza Shafiee
- Laboratory of Learning and Memory, Research Center and Department of Physiology, School of Medicine, Semnan University of Medical Sciences, Semnan, Iran
| | - Abbas Ali Vafaei
- Laboratory of Learning and Memory, Research Center and Department of Physiology, School of Medicine, Semnan University of Medical Sciences, Semnan, Iran
| | - Ali Rashidy-Pour
- Laboratory of Learning and Memory, Research Center and Department of Physiology, School of Medicine, Semnan University of Medical Sciences, Semnan, Iran.
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Habibian M, Moosavi SJ, Farzanegi P. Regular Exercise Combined With Curcumin Supplementation: Protective Effects against Lead-Induced Cerebellar Oxidative Damage in an Animal Model. NEUROPHYSIOLOGY+ 2016. [DOI: 10.1007/s11062-016-9564-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
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28
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Nokia MS, Lensu S, Ahtiainen JP, Johansson PP, Koch LG, Britton SL, Kainulainen H. Physical exercise increases adult hippocampal neurogenesis in male rats provided it is aerobic and sustained. J Physiol 2016; 594:1855-73. [PMID: 26844666 DOI: 10.1113/jp271552] [Citation(s) in RCA: 154] [Impact Index Per Article: 19.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/14/2015] [Accepted: 01/19/2016] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
KEY POINTS Aerobic exercise, such as running, enhances adult hippocampal neurogenesis (AHN) in rodents. Little is known about the effects of high-intensity interval training (HIT) or of purely anaerobic resistance training on AHN. Here, compared with a sedentary lifestyle, we report a very modest effect of HIT and no effect of resistance training on AHN in adult male rats. We found the most AHN in rats that were selectively bred for an innately high response to aerobic exercise that also run voluntarily and increase maximal running capacity. Our results confirm that sustained aerobic exercise is key in improving AHN. ABSTRACT Aerobic exercise, such as running, has positive effects on brain structure and function, such as adult hippocampal neurogenesis (AHN) and learning. Whether high-intensity interval training (HIT), referring to alternating short bouts of very intense anaerobic exercise with recovery periods, or anaerobic resistance training (RT) has similar effects on AHN is unclear. In addition, individual genetic variation in the overall response to physical exercise is likely to play a part in the effects of exercise on AHN but is less well studied. Recently, we developed polygenic rat models that gain differentially for running capacity in response to aerobic treadmill training. Here, we subjected these low-response trainer (LRT) and high-response trainer (HRT) adult male rats to various forms of physical exercise for 6-8 weeks and examined the effects on AHN. Compared with sedentary animals, the highest number of doublecortin-positive hippocampal cells was observed in HRT rats that ran voluntarily on a running wheel, whereas HIT on the treadmill had a smaller, statistically non-significant effect on AHN. Adult hippocampal neurogenesis was elevated in both LRT and HRT rats that underwent endurance training on a treadmill compared with those that performed RT by climbing a vertical ladder with weights, despite their significant gain in strength. Furthermore, RT had no effect on proliferation (Ki67), maturation (doublecortin) or survival (bromodeoxyuridine) of new adult-born hippocampal neurons in adult male Sprague-Dawley rats. Our results suggest that physical exercise promotes AHN most effectively if the exercise is aerobic and sustained, especially when accompanied by a heightened genetic predisposition for response to physical exercise.
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Affiliation(s)
- Miriam S Nokia
- Department of Psychology, University of Jyväskylä, Finland
| | - Sanna Lensu
- Department of Biology of Physical Activity, University of Jyväskylä, Finland
| | - Juha P Ahtiainen
- Department of Biology of Physical Activity, University of Jyväskylä, Finland
| | - Petra P Johansson
- Department of Psychology, University of Jyväskylä, Finland.,Department of Biology of Physical Activity, University of Jyväskylä, Finland
| | - Lauren G Koch
- Department of Anesthesiology, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | - Steven L Britton
- Department of Anesthesiology, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, MI, USA.,Department of Molecular & Integrative Physiology, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | - Heikki Kainulainen
- Department of Biology of Physical Activity, University of Jyväskylä, Finland
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Somkuwar SS, Staples MC, Fannon MJ, Ghofranian A, Mandyam CD. Evaluating Exercise as a Therapeutic Intervention for Methamphetamine Addiction-Like Behavior. Brain Plast 2015; 1:63-81. [PMID: 29765835 PMCID: PMC5928557 DOI: 10.3233/bpl-150007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Abstract
The need for effective treatments for addiction and dependence to the illicit stimulant methamphetamine in primary care settings is increasing, yet no effective medications have been FDA approved to reduce dependence [1]. This is partially attributed to the complex and dynamic neurobiology underlying the various stages of addiction [2]. Therapeutic strategies to treat methamphetamine addiction, particularly the relapse stage of addiction, could revolutionize methamphetamine addiction treatment. In this context, preclinical studies demonstrate that voluntary exercise (sustained physical activity) could be used as an intervention to reduce methamphetamine addiction. Therefore, it appears that methamphetamine disrupts normal functioning in the brain and this disruption is prevented or reduced by engaging in exercise. This review discusses animal models of methamphetamine addiction and sustained physical activity and the interactions between exercise and methamphetamine behaviors. The review highlights how methamphetamine and exercise affect neuronal plasticity and neurotoxicity in the adult mammalian striatum, hippocampus, and prefrontal cortex, and presents the emerging mechanisms of exercise in attenuating intake and in preventing relapse to methamphetamine seeking in preclinical models of methamphetamine addiction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sucharita S Somkuwar
- Committee on the Neurobiology of Addictive Disorders, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Miranda C Staples
- Committee on the Neurobiology of Addictive Disorders, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - McKenzie J Fannon
- Committee on the Neurobiology of Addictive Disorders, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Atoosa Ghofranian
- Committee on the Neurobiology of Addictive Disorders, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Chitra D Mandyam
- Committee on the Neurobiology of Addictive Disorders, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, CA, USA
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Bolijn S, Lucassen PJ. How the Body Talks to the Brain; Peripheral Mediators of Physical Activity-Induced Proliferation in the Adult Hippocampus. Brain Plast 2015; 1:5-27. [PMID: 29765833 PMCID: PMC5939189 DOI: 10.3233/bpl-150020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
In the hippocampal dentate gyrus, stem cells maintain the capacity to produce new neurons into adulthood. These adult-generated neurons become fully functional and are incorporated into the existing hippocampal circuit. The process of adult neurogenesis contributes to hippocampal functioning and is influenced by various environmental, hormonal and disease-related factors. One of the most potent stimuli of neurogenesis is physical activity (PA). While the bodily and peripheral changes of PA are well known, e.g. in relation to diet or cardiovascular conditions, little is known about which of these also exert central effects on the brain. Here, we discuss PA-induced changes in peripheral mediators that can modify hippocampal proliferation, and address changes with age, sex or PA duration/intensity. Of the many peripheral factors known to be triggered by PA, serotonin, FGF-2, IGF-1, VEGF, β-endorphin and adiponectin are best known for their stimulatory effects on hippocampal proliferation. Interestingly, while age negatively affects hippocampal proliferation per se, also the PA-induced response to most of these peripheral mediators is reduced and particularly the response to IGF-1 and NPY strongly declines with age. Sex differences per se have generally little effects on PA-induced neurogenesis. Compared to short term exercise, long term PA may negatively affect proliferation, due to a parallel decline in FGF-2 and the β-endorphin receptor, and an activation of the stress system particularly during conditions of prolonged exercise but this depends on other variables as well and remains a matter of discussion. Taken together, of many possible mediators, serotonin, FGF-2, IGF-1, VEGF, β-endorphin and adiponectin are the ones that most strongly contribute to the central effects of PA on the hippocampus. For a subgroup of these factors, brain sensitivity and responsivity is reduced with age.
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Affiliation(s)
- Simone Bolijn
- Centre for Neuroscience, Swammerdam Institute of Life Sciences, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Paul J Lucassen
- Centre for Neuroscience, Swammerdam Institute of Life Sciences, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
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Wable GS, Chen YW, Rashid S, Aoki C. Exogenous progesterone exacerbates running response of adolescent female mice to repeated food restriction stress by changing α4-GABAA receptor activity of hippocampal pyramidal cells. Neuroscience 2015; 310:322-41. [PMID: 26383252 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroscience.2015.09.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/20/2015] [Revised: 08/31/2015] [Accepted: 09/02/2015] [Indexed: 01/03/2023]
Abstract
Adolescent females are particularly vulnerable to mental illnesses with co-morbidity of anxiety, such as anorexia nervosa (AN). We used an animal model of AN, called activity-based anorexia (ABA), to investigate the neurobiological basis of vulnerability to repeated, food restriction (FR) stress-evoked anxiety. Twenty-one of 23 adolescent female mice responded to the 1st FR with increased wheel-running activity (WRA), even during the limited period of food access, thereby capturing AN's symptoms of voluntary FR and over-exercise. Baseline WRA was an excellent predictor of FR-elicited WRA (severity of ABA, SOA), with high baseline runners responding to FR with minimal SOA (i.e., negative correlation). Nine gained resistance to ABA following the 1st FR. Even though allopregnanolone (3α-OH-5α-pregnan-20-one, THP), the metabolite of progesterone (P4), is a well-recognized anxiolytic agent, subcutaneous P4 to these ABA-resistant animals during the 2nd FR was exacerbative, evoking greater WRA than the counterpart resistant group that received oil vehicle, only. Moreover, P4 had no WRA-reducing effect on animals that remained ABA-vulnerable. To explain the sensitizing effect of P4 upon the resistant mice, we examined the relationship between P4 treatment and levels of the α4 subunit of GABAARs at spines of pyramidal cells of the hippocampal CA1, a parameter previously shown to correlate with resistance to ABA. α4 levels at spine membrane correlated strongly and negatively with SOA during the 1st ABA (prior to P4 injection), confirming previous findings. α4 levels were greater among P4-treated animals that had gained resistance than of vehicle-treated resistant animals or of the vulnerable animals with or without P4. We propose that α4-GABAARs play a protective role by counterbalancing the ABA-induced increase in excitability of CA1 pyramidal neurons, and although exogenous P4's metabolite, THP, enhances α4 expression, especially among those that can gain resistance, it also interferes with α4-GABAARs' protective role by desensitizing α4-GABAARs.
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Affiliation(s)
- G S Wable
- Center for Neural Science, New York University, 4 Washington Place, Room 809, New York, NY 10003, United States.
| | - Y-W Chen
- Center for Neural Science, New York University, 4 Washington Place, Room 809, New York, NY 10003, United States.
| | - S Rashid
- Center for Neural Science, New York University, 4 Washington Place, Room 809, New York, NY 10003, United States.
| | - C Aoki
- Center for Neural Science, New York University, 4 Washington Place, Room 809, New York, NY 10003, United States.
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Transformation of cortical and hippocampal neural circuit by environmental enrichment. Neuroscience 2014; 280:282-98. [PMID: 25242640 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroscience.2014.09.031] [Citation(s) in RCA: 66] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/15/2014] [Revised: 09/10/2014] [Accepted: 09/10/2014] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
It has been half a century since brain volume enlargement was first reported in animals reared in an enriched environment (EE). As EE animals show improved memory task performance, exposure to EE has been a useful model system for studying the effects of experience on brain plasticity. We review EE-induced neural changes in the cerebral cortex and hippocampus focusing mainly on works published in the recent decade. The review is organized in three large domains of changes: anatomical, electrophysiological, and molecular changes. Finally, we discuss open issues and future outlook toward better understanding of EE-induced neural changes.
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Carvalho A, Rea IM, Parimon T, Cusack BJ. Physical activity and cognitive function in individuals over 60 years of age: a systematic review. Clin Interv Aging 2014; 9:661-82. [PMID: 24748784 PMCID: PMC3990369 DOI: 10.2147/cia.s55520] [Citation(s) in RCA: 74] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND It is unclear whether physical activity in later life is beneficial for maintenance of cognitive function. We performed a systematic review examining the effects of exercise on cognitive function in older individuals, and present possible mechanisms whereby physical activity may improve cognition. METHODS Sources consisted of PubMed, Medline, CINAHL, the Cochrane Controlled Trials Register, and the University of Washington, School of Medicine Library Database, with a search conducted on August 15, 2012 for publications limited to the English language starting January 1, 2000. Randomized controlled trials including at least 30 participants and lasting at least 6 months, and all observational studies including a minimum of 100 participants for one year, were evaluated. All subjects included were at least 60 years of age. RESULTS Twenty-seven studies met the inclusion criteria. Twenty-six studies reported a positive correlation between physical activity and maintenance or enhancement of cognitive function. Five studies reported a dose-response relationship between physical activity and cognition. One study showed a nonsignificant correlation. CONCLUSION The preponderance of evidence suggests that physical activity is beneficial for cognitive function in the elderly. However, the majority of the evidence is of medium quality with a moderate risk of bias. Larger randomized controlled trials are needed to clarify the association between exercise and cognitive function and to determine which types of exercise have the greatest benefit on specific cognitive domains. Despite these caveats, the current evidence suggests that physical activity may help to improve cognitive function and, consequently, delay the progression of cognitive impairment in the elderly.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ashley Carvalho
- Department of Public Health, Queen’s University Belfast, Northern Ireland, UK
- School of Medicine, Dentistry and Biomedical Science, Queen’s University Belfast, Northern Ireland, UK
| | - Irene Maeve Rea
- School of Medicine, Dentistry and Biomedical Science, Queen’s University Belfast, Northern Ireland, UK
| | - Tanyalak Parimon
- Research and Development Service, Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Boise, ID, USA
- Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Barry J Cusack
- Research and Development Service, Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Boise, ID, USA
- Division of Gerontology and Geriatric Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
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Vaidya VA, Fernandes K, Jha S. Regulation of adult hippocampal neurogenesis: relevance to depression. Expert Rev Neurother 2014; 7:853-64. [PMID: 17610392 DOI: 10.1586/14737175.7.7.853] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/19/2023]
Abstract
Recent hypotheses suggest that depression may involve an inability to mount adaptive structural changes in key neuronal networks. In particular, the addition of new neurons within the hippocampus, a limbic region implicated in mood disorders, is compromised in animal models of depression. Adult hippocampal neurogenesis is also a target for chronic antidepressant treatments, and an increase in adult hippocampal neurogenesis is implicated in the behavioral effects of antidepressants in animal models. The 'neurogenic' hypothesis of depression raises the intriguing possibility that hippocampal neurogenesis may contribute to the pathogenesis and treatment of depressive disorders. While there remains substantial debate about the precise relevance of hippocampal neurogenesis to mood disorders, this provocative hypothesis has been the focus of many recent studies. In this review, we discuss the pathways that may mediate the effects of depression models and antidepressants on adult hippocampal neurogenesis, and the promise of these studies in the development of novel antidepressants.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vidita A Vaidya
- Tata Institute of Fundamental Research, Homi Bhabha Road, Colaba, Mumbai 400005, India.
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Kelly SA, Rezende EL, Chappell MA, Gomes FR, Kolb EM, Malisch JL, Rhodes JS, Mitchell GS, Garland T. Exercise training effects on hypoxic and hypercapnic ventilatory responses in mice selected for increased voluntary wheel running. Exp Physiol 2013; 99:403-13. [PMID: 24142456 DOI: 10.1113/expphysiol.2013.076018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Abstract
NEW FINDINGS What is the central question of this study? We used experimental evolution to determine how selective breeding for high voluntary wheel running and exercise training (7-11 weeks) affect ventilatory chemoreflexes of laboratory mice at rest. What is the main finding and its importance? Selective breeding, although significantly affecting some traits, did not systematically alter ventilation across gas concentrations. As with most human studies, our findings support the idea that endurance training attenuates resting ventilation. However, little evidence was found for a correlation between ventilatory chemoreflexes and the amount of individual voluntary wheel running. We conclude that exercise 'training' alters respiratory behaviours, but these changes may not be necessary to achieve high levels of wheel running. Ventilatory control is affected by genetics, the environment and gene-environment and gene-gene interactions. Here, we used an experimental evolution approach to test whether 37 generations of selective breeding for high voluntary wheel running (genetic effects) and/or long-term (7-11 weeks) wheel access (training effects) alter acute respiratory behaviour of mice resting in normoxic, hypoxic and hypercapnic conditions. As the four replicate high-runner (HR) lines run much more than the four non-selected control (C) lines, we also examined whether the amount of exercise among individual mice was a quantitative predictor of ventilatory chemoreflexes at rest. Selective breeding and/or wheel access significantly affected several traits. In normoxia, HR mice tended to have lower mass-adjusted rates of oxygen consumption and carbon dioxide production. Chronic wheel access increased oxygen consumption and carbon dioxide production in both HR and C mice during hypercapnia. Breathing frequency and minute ventilation were significantly reduced by chronic wheel access in both HR and C mice during hypoxia. Selection history, while significantly affecting some traits, did not systematically alter ventilation across all gas concentrations. As with most human studies, our findings support the idea that endurance training (access to wheel running) attenuates resting ventilation. However, little evidence was found for a correlation at the level of the individual variation between ventilatory chemoreflexes and performance (amount of individual voluntary wheel running). We tentatively conclude that exercise 'training' alters respiratory behaviours, but these changes may not be necessary to achieve high levels of wheel running.
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Affiliation(s)
- Scott A Kelly
- * Ohio Wesleyan University, Schimmel/Conrades Science Center #346, 61 S. Sandusky Street, Delaware, OH 43015, USA.
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Ferreira-Vieira TH, Bastos CP, Pereira GS, Moreira FA, Massensini AR. A role for the endocannabinoid system in exercise-induced spatial memory enhancement in mice. Hippocampus 2013; 24:79-88. [PMID: 24115292 DOI: 10.1002/hipo.22206] [Citation(s) in RCA: 49] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 09/09/2013] [Indexed: 01/22/2023]
Abstract
It is well known that physical exercise has positive effects on cognitive functions and hippocampal plasticity. However, the underlying mechanisms have remained to be further investigated. Here we investigated the hypothesis that the memory-enhancement promoted by physical exercise relies on facilitation of the endocannabinoid system. We observed that the spatial memory tested in the object location paradigm did not persist in sedentary mice, but could be improved by 1 week of treadmill running. In addition, exercise up-regulated CB1 receptor and BDNF expression in the hippocampus. To verify if these changes required CB1 activation, we treated the mice with the selective antagonist, AM251, before each period of physical activity. In line with our hypothesis, this drug prevented the exercise-induced memory enhancement and BDNF expression. Furthermore, AM251 reduced CB1 expression. To test if facilitating the endocannabinoid system signaling would mimic the alterations observed after exercise, we treated sedentary animals during 1 week with the anandamide-hydrolysis inhibitor, URB597. Mice treated with this drug recognized the object in a new location and have increased levels of CB1 and BDNF expression in the hippocampus, showing that potentiating the endocanabinoid system equally benefits memory. In conclusion, the favorable effects of exercise upon spatial memory and BDNF expression depend on facilitation of CB1 receptor signaling, which can be mimic by inhibition of anandamide hydrolysis in sedentary animals. Our results suggest that, at least in part, the promnesic effect of the exercise is dependent of CB1 receptor activation and is mediated by BDNF.
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Affiliation(s)
- Talita H Ferreira-Vieira
- Department of Physiology and Biophysics, Institute of Biological Sciences, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil
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Abstract
Voluntary wheel running has long been known to induce precursor cell proliferation in adult hippocampal neurogenesis in rodents. However, mechanisms that couple activity with the promitotic effect are not yet fully understood. Using tryptophan hydroxylase (TPH) 2 deficient (Tph2-deficient) mice that lack brain serotonin, we explored the relationship between serotonin signaling and exercise-induced neurogenesis. Surprisingly, Tph2-deficient mice exhibit normal baseline hippocampal neurogenesis but impaired activity-induced proliferation. Our data demonstrate that the proproliferative effect of running requires the release of central serotonin in young-adult and aged mice. Lack of brain serotonin further results in alterations at the stage of Sox2-positive precursor cells, suggesting physiological adaptations to changes in serotonin supply to maintain homeostasis in the neurogenic niche. We conclude that serotonin plays a direct and acute regulatory role in activity-dependent hippocampal neurogenesis. The understanding of exercise-induced neurogenesis might offer preventive but also therapeutic opportunities in depression and age-related cognitive decline.
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Cacciaglia R, Krause-Utz A, Vogt MA, Schmahl C, Flor H, Gass P. Voluntary exercise does not ameliorate context memory and hyperarousal in a mouse model for post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). World J Biol Psychiatry 2013; 14:403-9. [PMID: 21736515 DOI: 10.3109/15622975.2011.583270] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES We investigated the effects of voluntary wheel running as model for intervention on the development of contextual fear and hyperarousal in a mouse model of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Physical exercise in general has been associated with improved hippocampus-dependent memory performance both in animals and humans. However, studies that have tried to link physical exercise and contextual conditioning in an animal model of PTSD, revealed mixed findings. METHODS Here we tested contextual fear conditioning, generalized fear response, acoustic startle response and emotionality in C57BL/6NCrl mice which had free access to a running wheel for 28 days, compared with control animals which did not run and mice which did not receive a shock during the conditioning phase. RESULTS We found no significant effects of voluntary running on the above-mentioned variables, except for enhanced anxiety levels in the Dark-Light-Box and O-Maze tests of running mice. CONCLUSIONS Our results suggest that running as a model for intervention does not ameliorate contextual aversive learning but has the potency to change emotional behaviours.
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Affiliation(s)
- Raffaele Cacciaglia
- Institute of Neuropsychology and Clinical Psychology, Central Institute of Mental Health, Mannheim, Germany
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Kim G, Kim E. The Effects of Antecedent Exercise on Motor Function Recovery and Brain-derived Neurotrophic Factor Expression after Focal Cerebral Ischemia in Rats. J Phys Ther Sci 2013; 25:553-6. [PMID: 24259800 PMCID: PMC3804980 DOI: 10.1589/jpts.25.553] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/19/2012] [Accepted: 12/19/2012] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
[Purpose] In the present study, we investigated the effect of antecedent exercise on
functional recovery and brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) expression following
focal cerebral ischemia injury. [Subjects] The rat middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO)
model was employed. Adult male Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into 4 groups.
Group I included untreated normal rats (n=10); Group II included untreated rats with focal
cerebral ischemia (n=10); Group III included rats that performed treadmill exercise (20
m/min) training after focal cerebral ischemia (n=10); and Group IV included rats that
performed antecedent treadmill exercise (20 m/min) training before focal cerebral ischemia
(n=10) as well as treadmill exercise after ischemia. At different time points (1, 7, 14,
and 21 days) Garcia’s score, and the hippocampal expressions level of BDNF were examined.
[Results] In the antecedent exercise group, improvements in the motor behavior index
(Garcia’s score) were observed and hippocampal BDNF protein expression levels increased.
[Conclusion] These results indicate that antecedent treadmill exercise, before permanent
brain ischemia exerts a neuroprotective effect against ischemia brain injury by improving
motor performance and increasing the level of BDNF expression. Furthermore, the antecedent
treadmill exercise of appropriate intensity is critical for post-stroke
rehabilitation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gyeyeop Kim
- Department of Physical Therapy, College of Health and Welfare, Dongshin University
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Ninan I. Synaptic regulation of affective behaviors; role of BDNF. Neuropharmacology 2013; 76 Pt C:684-95. [PMID: 23747574 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuropharm.2013.04.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 77] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/02/2013] [Revised: 03/31/2013] [Accepted: 04/02/2013] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
Brain derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), a neurotrophin essential for nervous system development and synaptic plasticity, has been found to have a significant influence on affective behaviors. The notion that an impairment in BDNF signaling might be involved in affective disorders is originated primarily from the opposing effects of antidepressants and stress on BDNF signaling. Antidepressants enhance BDNF signaling and synaptic plasticity. On the other hand, negative environmental factors such as severe stress suppress BDNF signaling, impair synaptic activity and increase susceptibility to affective disorders. Postmortem studies provided strong support for decreased BDNF signaling in depressive disorders. Remarkably, studies in humans with a single nucleotide polymorphism in the BDNF gene, the BDNF Val66Met which affects regulated release of BDNF, showed profound deficits in hippocampal and prefrontal cortical (PFC) plasticity and cognitive behaviors. BDNF regulates synaptic mechanisms responsible for various cognitive processes including attenuation of aversive memories, a key process in the regulation of affective behaviors. The unique role of BDNF in cognitive and affective behaviors suggests that cognitive deficits due to altered BDNF signaling might underlie affective disorders. Understanding how BDNF modulates synapses in neural circuits relevant to affective behaviors, particularly the medial prefrontal cortical (mPFC)-hippocampus-amygdala pathway, and its interaction with development, sex, and environmental risk factors might shed light on potential therapeutic targets for affective disorders. This article is part of the Special Issue entitled 'BDNF Regulation of Synaptic Structure, Function, and Plasticity'.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ipe Ninan
- Department of Psychiatry, NYU School of Medicine, SKI 5-3, 540 1st Ave, NY 10016, United States.
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Raichlen DA, Polk JD. Linking brains and brawn: exercise and the evolution of human neurobiology. Proc Biol Sci 2013; 280:20122250. [PMID: 23173208 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2012.2250] [Citation(s) in RCA: 84] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/17/2023] Open
Abstract
The hunting and gathering lifestyle adopted by human ancestors around 2 Ma required a large increase in aerobic activity. High levels of physical activity altered the shape of the human body, enabling access to new food resources (e.g. animal protein) in a changing environment. Recent experimental work provides strong evidence that both acute bouts of exercise and long-term exercise training increase the size of brain components and improve cognitive performance in humans and other taxa. However, to date, researchers have not explored the possibility that the increases in aerobic capacity and physical activity that occurred during human evolution directly influenced the human brain. Here, we hypothesize that proximate mechanisms linking physical activity and neurobiology in living species may help to explain changes in brain size and cognitive function during human evolution. We review evidence that selection acting on endurance increased baseline neurotrophin and growth factor signalling (compounds responsible for both brain growth and for metabolic regulation during exercise) in some mammals, which in turn led to increased overall brain growth and development. This hypothesis suggests that a significant portion of human neurobiology evolved due to selection acting on features unrelated to cognitive performance.
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Affiliation(s)
- David A Raichlen
- School of Anthropology, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ 85721, USA.
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Kim YM, Ji ES, Yoon SJ, Yoon JH. Sudden detraining deteriorates swimming training-induced enhancement of short-term and spatial learning memories in mice. J Exerc Rehabil 2013; 9:243-9. [PMID: 24278867 PMCID: PMC3836522 DOI: 10.12965/jer.130006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/05/2013] [Revised: 03/12/2013] [Accepted: 03/30/2013] [Indexed: 01/19/2023] Open
Abstract
In the present study, we investigated the effect of swimming training and sudden detraining on learning ability and spatial memory capability and on neurogenesis and brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) expression in the hippocampus of mice. Male ICR mice were randomly assigned into three groups (n= 15 in each group): the control group, the swimming training group, and the detraining group. The mice in the swimming training group were made to swim (6 days/week, 60 min/day) for 8 weeks. The mice in the detraining group were accomplished the same swimming program for 4 weeks and then discontinued exercise for 4 weeks. In the present results, enhanced short-term and spatial learning memories and increased hippocampal neurogenesis and BDNF expression were observed in the mice of the swimming training group. In contrast, decreased short-term and spatial learning memories were observed in the mice of the swimming detraining group compared to the control level. Hippocampal neurogenesis and BDNF expression were also decreased in the mice of the detraining group near to the control level. Here in this study, we suggest that sudden cessation of exercise training might bring decline of the brain functions.
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Affiliation(s)
- You-Mi Kim
- Department of Sports Science, College of Life Science and Nano Technology, Hannam University, Daejeon, Korea
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Kim G, Kim E. The Effects of Antecedent Exercise on Motor Function Recovery and Brain-derived Neurotrophic Factor Expression after Focal Cerebral Ischemia in Rats. J Phys Ther Sci 2013. [DOI: 10.1589/jpts.25.5_553] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Gyeyeop Kim
- Department of Physical Therapy, College of Health and Welfare, Dongshin University
| | - Eunjung Kim
- Department of Physical Therapy, Nambu University: Chemdan, Jungang 1-ro, Gwangsan-gu, Gwangju 506-706, Republic of Korea
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Groves-Chapman JL, Murray PS, Stevens KL, Monroe DC, Koch LG, Britton SL, Holmes PV, Dishman RK. Changes in mRNA levels for brain-derived neurotrophic factor after wheel running in rats selectively bred for high- and low-aerobic capacity. Brain Res 2011; 1425:90-7. [PMID: 22024546 PMCID: PMC3312391 DOI: 10.1016/j.brainres.2011.09.059] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/18/2011] [Revised: 09/21/2011] [Accepted: 09/27/2011] [Indexed: 10/16/2022]
Abstract
We evaluated levels of exercise-induced brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) messenger RNA (mRNA) within the hippocampal formation in rats selectively bred for 1) high intrinsic (i.e., untrained) aerobic capacity (High Capacity Runners, HCR), 2) low intrinsic aerobic capacity (Low Capacity Runners, LCR), and 3) unselected Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats with or without free access to running wheels for 3 weeks. The specific aim of the study was to determine whether a dose-response relationship exists between cumulative running distance and levels of BDNF mRNA. No additional treatments or behavioral manipulations were used. HCR, LCR, and SD rats were grouped by strain and randomly assigned to sedentary or activity (voluntary access to activity wheel) conditions. Animals were killed after 21 days of exposure to the assigned conditions. Daily running distances (mean ± standard deviation meters/day) during week three were: HCR (4726 ± 3220), SD (2293 ± 3461), LCR (672 ± 323). Regardless of strain, levels of BDNF mRNA in CA1 were elevated in wheel runners compared to sedentary rats and this difference persisted after adjustment for age (p=0.040). BDNF mRNA was not affected by intrinsic aerobic capacity and was not related to total running distance. The results support that BDNF mRNA expression is increased by unlimited access to activity wheel running for 3 weeks but is not dependent upon accumulated running distance.
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Daniels WMU, Marais L, Stein DJ, Russell VA. Exercise normalizes altered expression of proteins in the ventral hippocampus of rats subjected to maternal separation. Exp Physiol 2011; 97:239-47. [PMID: 22080486 DOI: 10.1113/expphysiol.2011.061176] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Many studies have reported on the detrimental effects of early life adversity and the beneficial effects of exercise on brain function. However, the molecular mechanisms that underpin these various effects remain poorly understood. The advent of advanced proteomic analysis techniques has enabled simultaneous measurement of protein expression in a wide range of biological systems. We therefore used iTRAQ proteomic analysis of protein expression to determine whether exercise counteracts the detrimental effects of early life adversity in the form of maternal separation on protein expression in the brain. Rat pups were subjected to maternal separation from postnatal day 2 to 14 for 3 h day(-1) or normally reared. At 40 days of age, half of the rats in each group (maternal separation and normally reared) were allowed to exercise voluntarily (access to a running wheel) for 6 weeks and the remainder kept as sedentary control animals. At 83 days of age, rats were killed and the ventral hippocampus was dissected for quantitative proteomic (iTRAQ) analysis. The iTRAQ proteomic analysis identified several proteins that had been altered by maternal separation, including proteins involved in neuronal structure, metabolism, signalling, anti-oxidative stress and neurotransmission, and that many of these proteins were restored to normal by subsequent exposure to voluntary exercise in adolescence. Our data show that a broad range of proteins play a role in the complex consequences of adversity and exercise.
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Affiliation(s)
- Willie M U Daniels
- Discipline of Human Physiology, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Westville Campus, Private Bag X54001, Durban KZ 4000, South Africa.
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Meng D, Wu T, Rao U, North CS, Xiao H, Javors MA, Adinoff B. Serum NPY and BNDF response to a behavioral stressor in alcohol-dependent and healthy control participants. Psychopharmacology (Berl) 2011; 218:59-67. [PMID: 21796371 PMCID: PMC4024439 DOI: 10.1007/s00213-011-2414-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/11/2010] [Accepted: 07/06/2011] [Indexed: 02/08/2023]
Abstract
RATIONALE Neuropeptide Y (NPY) and brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) have been implicated in both the stress response and alcohol addiction. However, few studies have assessed the NPY and BDNF response to stress in alcohol-dependent participants and the concurrent measure of NPY and BDNF has not been reported in human participants. OBJECTIVE The purpose of this study was to concurrently assess serum NPY and BDNF, as well as adrenocorticotropin (ACTH) and cortisol, in control and race- and aged-matched abstinent alcohol-dependent participants in response to a stress-inducing public-speaking task. METHODS Basal and post-stress serum values of NPY and BDNF, as well as ACTH and cortisol, were assessed in 14 abstinent alcohol-dependent and ten healthy control male participants. RESULTS Basal measures were stable over short periods of time and stress induced a significant increase in both NPY (p = 0.002) and BDNF (p = 0.006) as well as ACTH (p < 0.001) and cortisol (p < 0.007). Alcohol-dependent and control groups did not significantly differ on any basal or stress-induced measure. Basal and delta responses of NPY and BDNF were not significantly correlated, and delta peak responses of NPY and BDNF did not correlate with one another or with their respective ACTH and cortisol responses. CONCLUSIONS These findings reveal that both serum NPY and BDNF are responsive to behavioral stressors, although their regulatory mechanisms appear to differ from one another and those of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis. Differences in basal and stress-induced responses of NPY and BDNF were not supported between control and abstinent alcohol-dependent subjects.
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Affiliation(s)
- Donna Meng
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, 5323 Harry Hines Blvd, Dallas, TX 75390-8564, USA
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Raichlen DA, Gordon AD. Relationship between exercise capacity and brain size in mammals. PLoS One 2011; 6:e20601. [PMID: 21731619 PMCID: PMC3120765 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0020601] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/28/2010] [Accepted: 05/07/2011] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND A great deal of experimental research supports strong associations between exercise, cognition, neurogenesis and neuroprotection in mammals. Much of this work has focused on neurogenesis in individual subjects in a limited number of species. However, no study to date has examined the relationship between exercise and neurobiology across a wide range of mammalian taxa. It is possible that exercise and neurobiology are related across evolutionary time. To test this hypothesis, this study examines the association between exercise and brain size across a wide range of mammals. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS Controlling for associations with body size, we examined the correlation between brain size and a proxy for exercise frequency and capacity, maximum metabolic rate (MMR; ml O(2) min(-1)). We collected brain sizes and MMRs from the literature and calculated residuals from the least-squares regression line describing the relationship between body mass and each variable of interest. We then analyzed the correlation between residual brain size and residual MMR both before and after controlling for phylogeny using phylogenetic independent contrasts. We found a significant positive correlation between maximum metabolic rate and brain size across a wide range of taxa. CONCLUSIONS These results suggest a novel hypothesis that links brain size to the evolution of locomotor behaviors in a wide variety of mammalian species. In the end, we suggest that some portion of brain size in nonhuman mammals may have evolved in conjunction with increases in exercise capacity rather than solely in response to selection related to cognitive abilities.
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Affiliation(s)
- David A Raichlen
- School of Anthropology, University of Arizona, Tucson, Arizona, United States of America.
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Abstract
Both healthy aging and the pathologic incidence of disorders associated with aging involve an array of debilities. Physical exercise harnesses implicit and inherent biologic characteristics amenable to the putative interventional influences under clinical, institutional or laboratory conditions. The neurodegenerative and pathophysiologic progressions that constitute Alzheimer's disease (AD), amnestic mild cognitive impairment (aMCI), normal aging, and different animal models of AD have shown the existence of several putative mechanisms. A large variety of moderating factors have demonstrated that the ever-proliferating plethora of neurotrophic factors, neurogenesis as observed through generality of expression and neuronal arborization. The insistent efficacy of brain vascular angiogenesis may delay also the comorbid incidence of depressive disorders with dementia pathology. The pathogenesis of aging may be contained by selective treatments: these diverse conditions, linked to the basis of the aging concept, have been shown, to greater or lesser extents, to respond to a variety of scheduled applications of physical exercise. The range of reports that provide accounts of the mechanisms mediating the positive progressive response to exercise intervention is far-ranging; these studies indicate that subtle changes at molecular, neuronal, vascular and epigenetic levels may exert notable consequence at functional expression and, perhaps most essentially, offer convincing expectancy of significant benefits.
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Affiliation(s)
- T Archer
- Department of Psychology, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden.
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Abstract
Although it is well known that physical activity prevents and ameliorates a large number of conditions and chronic diseases, it is also incontrovertible that physical inactivity is becoming more prevalent. This paradox has led some to suggest that genetic/biological factors influence activity levels as opposed to the classical notion that voluntary activity is solely regulated by environmental factors. There is a plethora of recent data showing that there is considerable genetic influence on activity levels in both humans and animals and emerging evidence suggesting potential genomic locations for those genetic factors. Several independent lines of evidence suggest that dopamine receptor 1 (Drd1) and nescient helix loop helix (Nhlh2) are excellent candidate genes for the regulation of physical activity, with several other potential candidate genes only partially supported. This foundation provides the basis for continuing work to identify additional candidate genes, to identify other genetic factors that are involved in the regulation of physical activity, and to investigate the mechanisms by which these genes and genetic factors regulate activity.
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Affiliation(s)
- J Timothy Lightfoot
- Huffines' Institute for Sports Medicine and Human Performance, Department of Health and Kinesiology, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX 77845-4243, USA.
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Manns M, Leske O, Gottfried S, Bichler Z, Lafenêtre P, Wahle P, Heumann R. Role of neuronal ras activity in adult hippocampal neurogenesis and cognition. Front Neurosci 2011; 5:18. [PMID: 21427796 PMCID: PMC3052750 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2011.00018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/19/2010] [Accepted: 02/01/2011] [Indexed: 01/17/2023] Open
Abstract
Hippocampal neurogenesis in the adult mammalian brain is modulated by various signals like growth factors, hormones, neuropeptides, and neurotransmitters. All of these factors can (but not necessarily do) converge on the activation of the G protein Ras. We used a transgenic mouse model (synRas mice) expressing constitutively activated G12V-Harvey Ras selectively in differentiated neurons to investigate the possible effects onto neurogenesis. H-Ras activation in neurons attenuates hippocampal precursor cell generation at an early stage of the proliferative cascade before neuronal lineage determination occurs. Therefore it is unlikely that the transgenically activated H-Ras in neurons mediates this effect by a direct, intracellular signaling mechanism. Voluntary exercise restores neurogenesis up to wild type level presumably mediated by brain-derived neurotrophic factor. Reduced neurogenesis is linked to impairments in spatial short-term memory and object recognition, the latter can be rescued by voluntary exercise, as well. These data support the view that new cells significantly increase complexity that can be processed by the hippocampal network when experience requires high demands to associate stimuli over time and/or space.
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Affiliation(s)
- Martina Manns
- Biopsychology, Institute for Cognitive Neuroscience, Faculty for Psychology, Ruhr-University Bochum Bochum, Germany
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