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Zuloaga DG, Lafrican JJ, Zuloaga KL. Androgen regulation of behavioral stress responses and the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis. Horm Behav 2024; 162:105528. [PMID: 38503191 PMCID: PMC11144109 DOI: 10.1016/j.yhbeh.2024.105528] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/11/2023] [Revised: 02/02/2024] [Accepted: 03/06/2024] [Indexed: 03/21/2024]
Abstract
Testosterone is a powerful steroid hormone that can impact the brain and behavior in various ways, including regulating behavioral and neuroendocrine (hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis) stress responses. Early in life androgens can act to alter development of brain regions associated with stress regulation, which ultimately impacts the display of stress responses later in life. Adult circulating androgens can also influence the expression of distinct genes and proteins that regulate stress responses. These changes in the brain are hypothesized to underlie the potent effects of androgens in regulating behaviors related to stress and stress-induced activation of the HPA axis. Androgens can induce alterations in these functions through direct binding to the androgen receptor (AR) or following conversion to estrogens and subsequent binding to estrogen receptors including estrogen receptor alpha (ERα), beta (ERβ), and G protein-coupled estrogen receptor 1 (GPER1). In this review, we focus on the role of androgens in regulating behavioral and neuroendocrine stress responses at different stages of the lifespan and the sex hormone receptors involved in regulating these effects. We also review the specific brain regions and cell phenotypes upon which androgens are proposed to act to regulate stress responses with an emphasis on hypothalamic and extended amygdala subregions. This knowledge of androgen effects on these neural systems is critical for understanding how sex hormones regulate stress responses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Damian G Zuloaga
- Department of Psychology, University at Albany, Albany, NY, USA.
| | | | - Kristen L Zuloaga
- Department of Neuroscience and Experimental Therapeutics, Albany Medical College, Albany, NY, USA
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Vitor-de-Lima SM, Figueira de Oliveira ML, Tavares IDS, Leandro CVG, Guedes RCA. Maternal voluntary physical exercise in the adult rat: evidence of exercise-associated differences in maternal food intake, and in brain effects on the progeny. Nutr Neurosci 2024; 27:120-131. [PMID: 36633889 DOI: 10.1080/1028415x.2023.2166415] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/13/2023]
Abstract
Objectives: Maternal physical activity may impact behavioral and electrophysiological aspects of brain function, with short- and long-term effects on pre- and postnatal neurodevelopment of the offspring. This study evaluated in the rat the effects of maternal voluntary physical activity (MVPA) on food intake and weight gain in the dams, as well as anxiety-like behavior, short-term memory and the brain excitability-related phenomenon known as cortical spreading depression (CSD) on the mother-pup dyad.Methods: Female Wistar rats (n=33) were individually housed in cages containing a running wheel for a 30-days adaptation period before mating. Rats were classified as inactive (I); active (A) or very active (VA) according to the distance spontaneously travelled daily. During gestation, the dams continued to have access to the running wheel. Mothers and their respective pups (1 pup per mother) were evaluated in the open field test (OFT), object recognition test (ORT), elevated plus maze test (EPMT) and the CSD propagation features.Results: MVPA was directly associated with increased food intake and weight gain during gestation, and maternal anxiolytic-like behavioral responses in the OFT. Pups from VA mothers showed a high discrimination index for shape recognition memory (ORT) and decreased propagation velocities of CSD, when compared with the inactive group.Discussion: The data suggest that MVPA during the gestational period induces neuroplasticity and may modulate the brain functions in the mother-infant dyad in the rat.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Carol Virgínia Góis Leandro
- Department of Nutrition, Federal University of Pernambuco, Recife, Brazil
- Department of Nutrition, CAV, Federal University of Pernambuco, Vitória de Santo Antão, Brazil
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Lee TH, Devaki M, Formolo DA, Rosa JM, Cheng ASK, Yau SY. Effects of Voluntary Wheel Running Exercise on Chemotherapy-Impaired Cognitive and Motor Performance in Mice. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2023; 20:5371. [PMID: 37047984 PMCID: PMC10094707 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph20075371] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/16/2023] [Revised: 03/28/2023] [Accepted: 03/29/2023] [Indexed: 06/19/2023]
Abstract
Chemotherapy-induced cognitive impairment (chemobrain) and muscle wasting (cachexia) are persisting side effects which adversely affect the quality of life of cancer survivors. We therefore investigated the efficacy of physical exercise as a non-pharmacological intervention to reverse the adverse effects of chemotherapy. We examined whether physical exercise in terms of voluntary wheel running could prevent chemotherapy-induced cognitive and motor impairments in mice treated with the multi-kinase inhibitor sorafenib. Adult male BALB/c mice were subdivided into runner and non-runner groups and orally administered with sorafenib (60 mg/kg) or vehicle continuously for four weeks. Mice could freely access the running wheel anytime during sorafenib or vehicle treatment. We found that sorafenib treatment reduced body weight gain (% of change, vehicle: 3.28 ± 3.29, sorafenib: -9.24 ± 1.52, p = 0.0004), impaired hippocampal-dependent spatial memory in the Y maze (exploration index, vehicle: 35.57 ± 11.38%, sorafenib: -29.62 ± 7.90%, p < 0.0001), increased anhedonia-like behaviour in the sucrose preference test (sucrose preference, vehicle: 66.57 ± 3.52%, sorafenib: 44.54 ± 4.25%, p = 0.0005) and impaired motor skill acquisition in rotarod test (latency to fall on day 1: 37.87 ± 8.05 and day 2: 37.22 ± 12.26 s, p > 0.05) but did not induce muscle wasting or reduce grip strength. Concomitant voluntary running reduced anhedonia-like behaviour (sucrose preference, sedentary: 44.54 ± 4.25%, runners: 59.33 ± 4.02%, p = 0.0357), restored impairment in motor skill acquisition (latency to fall on day 1: 50.85 ± 15.45 and day 2: 168.50 ± 37.08 s, p = 0.0004), but failed to rescue spatial memory deficit. Immunostaining results revealed that sorafenib treatment did not affect the number of proliferating cells and immature neurons in the hippocampal dentate gyrus (DG), whereas running significantly increased cell proliferation in both vehicle- (total Ki-67+ cells, sedentary: 16,687.34 ± 72.63, exercise: 3320.03 ± 182.57, p < 0.0001) and sorafenib-treated mice (Ki-67+ cells in the ventral DG, sedentary: 688.82.34 ± 38.16, exercise: 979.53 ± 73.88, p < 0.0400). Our results suggest that spatial memory impairment and anhedonia-like behaviour precede the presence of muscle wasting, and these behavioural deficits are independent of the changes in adult hippocampal neurogenesis. Running effectively prevents body weight loss, improves motor skill acquisition and reduces anhedonia-like behaviour associated with increased proliferating cells and immature neurons in DG. Taken together, they support physical exercise rehabilitation as an effective strategy to prevent chemotherapy side effects in terms of mood dysregulation and motor deficit.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thomas H. Lee
- Department of Rehabilitation Sciences, Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hung Hom, Hong Kong; (T.H.L.); (M.D.); (D.A.F.); (J.M.R.)
| | - Malegaddi Devaki
- Department of Rehabilitation Sciences, Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hung Hom, Hong Kong; (T.H.L.); (M.D.); (D.A.F.); (J.M.R.)
- Mental Health Research Center (MHRC), Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hung Hom, Hong Kong
- Research Institute for Smart Aging (RISA), Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hung Hom, Hong Kong
| | - Douglas A. Formolo
- Department of Rehabilitation Sciences, Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hung Hom, Hong Kong; (T.H.L.); (M.D.); (D.A.F.); (J.M.R.)
- Mental Health Research Center (MHRC), Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hung Hom, Hong Kong
- Research Institute for Smart Aging (RISA), Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hung Hom, Hong Kong
| | - Julia M. Rosa
- Department of Rehabilitation Sciences, Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hung Hom, Hong Kong; (T.H.L.); (M.D.); (D.A.F.); (J.M.R.)
- Mental Health Research Center (MHRC), Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hung Hom, Hong Kong
- Research Institute for Smart Aging (RISA), Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hung Hom, Hong Kong
| | - Andy S. K. Cheng
- Department of Rehabilitation Sciences, Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hung Hom, Hong Kong; (T.H.L.); (M.D.); (D.A.F.); (J.M.R.)
| | - Suk-Yu Yau
- Department of Rehabilitation Sciences, Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hung Hom, Hong Kong; (T.H.L.); (M.D.); (D.A.F.); (J.M.R.)
- Mental Health Research Center (MHRC), Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hung Hom, Hong Kong
- Research Institute for Smart Aging (RISA), Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hung Hom, Hong Kong
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Mohamed AO, Hafez SMNA, Ibrahim RA, Rifaai RA. Exercise ameliorates hippocampal damage induced by Wi-Fi radiation; a biochemical, histological, and immunohistochemical study. J Chem Neuroanat 2023; 129:102252. [PMID: 36796735 DOI: 10.1016/j.jchemneu.2023.102252] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/01/2023] [Revised: 02/03/2023] [Accepted: 02/13/2023] [Indexed: 02/17/2023]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Nowadays, using electromagnetic devices (EMD) has been increased. However, the control of EMD hazards was poorly evaluated, especially those affected the hippocampus. Regular physical exercises are safe, easily, inexpensive, and acceptable for long-term use. It is reported that exercise protects against many health problems. AIM is to investigate the hypothesis of the possible prophylactic effect of exercise on the hippocampal damage induced by electromagnetic waves of Wi-Fi. MATERIAL AND METHODS Adult male albino rats were divided into four groups: group I (control), group II (exercise), group III (Wi-Fi), and group IV (exercise -Wi-Fi). Hippocampi were subjected to biochemical, histological, and immunohistochemical techniques. RESULTS In group III, a significant increase in the oxidative enzymes as well as decrease in antioxidant enzymes were detected in rat hippocampus. Additionally, the hippocampus showed degenerated pyramidal and granular neurons. An evident decrease in both PCNA and ZO-1 immunoreactivity was also noticed. In group IV, physical exercise alleviates the effect of Wi-Fi on previously mentioned parameters. CONCLUSION Regular physical exercise performance significantly minimizes the hippocampal damage and protects against the hazarders of chronic Wi-Fi radiation exposure.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amany Osama Mohamed
- Department of Histology and Cell Biology, Faculty of Medicine, Minia University, Minia, Egypt
| | | | - Randa Ahmed Ibrahim
- Department of Histology and Cell Biology, Faculty of Medicine, Minia University, Minia, Egypt
| | - Rehab Ahmed Rifaai
- Department of Histology and Cell Biology, Faculty of Medicine, Minia University, Minia, Egypt.
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Dos Santos AS, Segabinazi E, de Almeida W, Faustino AM, Bronauth LP, Dos Santos TM, Ferreira FS, Wyse ATS, Marcuzzo S, Pereira LO. Resistance exercise was safe for the pregnancy and offspring's development and partially protected rats against early life stress-induced effects. Behav Brain Res 2023; 445:114362. [PMID: 36889464 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbr.2023.114362] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/26/2022] [Revised: 02/13/2023] [Accepted: 02/24/2023] [Indexed: 03/08/2023]
Abstract
Promising evidence points to gestational physical exercise as the key to preventing various disorders that affect the offspring neurodevelopment, but there are no studies showing the impact of resistance exercise on offspring health. Thus, the aim of this study was to investigate whether resistance exercise during pregnancy is able to prevent or to alleviate the possible deleterious effects on offspring, caused by early life-stress (ELS). Pregnant rats performed resistance exercise throughout the gestational period:they climbed a sloping ladder with a weight attached to their tail, 3 times a week. Male and female pups, on the day of birth (P0), were divided into 4 experimental groups: 1) rats of sedentary mothers (SED group); 2) rats of exercised mothers (EXE group); 3) rats of sedentary mothers and submitted to maternal separation (ELS group) and 4) rats of exercised mothers and submitted to MS (EXE + ELS group). From P1 to P10, pups from groups 3 and 4 were separated from their mothers for 3 h/day. Maternal behavior was assessed. From P30, behavioral tests were performed and on P38 the animals were euthanized and prefrontal cortex samples were collected. Oxidative stress and tissue damage analysis by Nissl staining were performed. Our results demonstrate that male rats are more susceptible to ELS than females, showing impulsive and hyperactive behavior similar to that seen in children with ADHD. This behavior was attenuated by the gestational resistance exercise. Our results demonstrate, for the first time, that resistance exercise performed during pregnancy seems to be safe for the pregnancy and offspring's neurodevelopment and are effective in preventing ELS-induced damage only in male rats. Interestingly, resistance exercise during pregnancy improved maternal care and it is reasonable to propose that this finding may be related to the protective role on the animals neurodevelopment, observed in our study.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adriana Souza Dos Santos
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Neurociências, Instituto de Ciências Básicas da Saúde, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil; Departamento de Ciências Morfológicas, Instituto de Ciências Básicas da Saúde, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil
| | - Ethiane Segabinazi
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Neurociências, Instituto de Ciências Básicas da Saúde, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil; Departamento de Ciências Morfológicas, Instituto de Ciências Básicas da Saúde, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil
| | - Wellington de Almeida
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Neurociências, Instituto de Ciências Básicas da Saúde, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil; Departamento de Ciências Morfológicas, Instituto de Ciências Básicas da Saúde, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil
| | - Aline Martins Faustino
- Departamento de Ciências Morfológicas, Instituto de Ciências Básicas da Saúde, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil
| | - Loise Peres Bronauth
- Departamento de Ciências Morfológicas, Instituto de Ciências Básicas da Saúde, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil
| | - Tiago Marcon Dos Santos
- Departamento de Bioquímica, Programa de Pós-Graduação em Bioquímica, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil
| | - Fernanda Silva Ferreira
- Departamento de Bioquímica, Programa de Pós-Graduação em Bioquímica, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil
| | - Angela T S Wyse
- Departamento de Bioquímica, Programa de Pós-Graduação em Bioquímica, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil
| | - Simone Marcuzzo
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Neurociências, Instituto de Ciências Básicas da Saúde, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil; Departamento de Ciências Morfológicas, Instituto de Ciências Básicas da Saúde, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil
| | - Lenir Orlandi Pereira
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Neurociências, Instituto de Ciências Básicas da Saúde, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil; Departamento de Ciências Morfológicas, Instituto de Ciências Básicas da Saúde, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil.
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Increasing Adiponectin Signaling by Sub-Chronic AdipoRon Treatment Elicits Antidepressant- and Anxiolytic-Like Effects Independent of Changes in Hippocampal Plasticity. Biomedicines 2023; 11:biomedicines11020249. [PMID: 36830788 PMCID: PMC9953351 DOI: 10.3390/biomedicines11020249] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/06/2022] [Revised: 01/16/2023] [Accepted: 01/16/2023] [Indexed: 01/20/2023] Open
Abstract
(1) Background: Adiponectin is an adipocyte-secreted hormone that has antidepressant- and anxiolytic-like effects in preclinical studies. Here, we investigated the antidepressant- and anxiolytic-like effects of sub-chronic treatment with AdipoRon, an adiponectin receptor agonist, and its potential linkage to changes in hippocampal adult neurogenesis and synaptic plasticity. (2) Methods: Different cohorts of wild-type C57BL/6J and CamKIIα-Cre male mice were treated with sub-chronic (7 days) AdipoRon, followed by behavioral, molecular, and electrophysiological experiments. (3) Results: 7-day AdipoRon treatment elicited antidepressant- and anxiolytic-like effects but did not affect hippocampal neurogenesis. AdipoRon treatment reduced hippocampal brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) levels, neuronal activation in the ventral dentate gyrus, and long-term potentiation of the perforant path. The knockdown of N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptor subunits GluN2A and GluN2B in the ventral hippocampus did not affect the antidepressant- and anxiolytic-like effects of AdipoRon. (4) Conclusions: Increasing adiponectin signaling through sub-chronic AdipoRon treatment results in antidepressant- and anxiolytic-like effects independent of changes in hippocampal structural and synaptic function.
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Helman TJ, Headrick JP, Stapelberg NJC, Braidy N. The sex-dependent response to psychosocial stress and ischaemic heart disease. Front Cardiovasc Med 2023; 10:1072042. [PMID: 37153459 PMCID: PMC10160413 DOI: 10.3389/fcvm.2023.1072042] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/17/2022] [Accepted: 04/03/2023] [Indexed: 05/09/2023] Open
Abstract
Stress is an important risk factor for modern chronic diseases, with distinct influences in males and females. The sex specificity of the mammalian stress response contributes to the sex-dependent development and impacts of coronary artery disease (CAD). Compared to men, women appear to have greater susceptibility to chronic forms of psychosocial stress, extending beyond an increased incidence of mood disorders to include a 2- to 4-fold higher risk of stress-dependent myocardial infarction in women, and up to 10-fold higher risk of Takotsubo syndrome-a stress-dependent coronary-myocardial disorder most prevalent in post-menopausal women. Sex differences arise at all levels of the stress response: from initial perception of stress to behavioural, cognitive, and affective responses and longer-term disease outcomes. These fundamental differences involve interactions between chromosomal and gonadal determinants, (mal)adaptive epigenetic modulation across the lifespan (particularly in early life), and the extrinsic influences of socio-cultural, economic, and environmental factors. Pre-clinical investigations of biological mechanisms support distinct early life programming and a heightened corticolimbic-noradrenaline-neuroinflammatory reactivity in females vs. males, among implicated determinants of the chronic stress response. Unravelling the intrinsic molecular, cellular and systems biological basis of these differences, and their interactions with external lifestyle/socio-cultural determinants, can guide preventative and therapeutic strategies to better target coronary heart disease in a tailored sex-specific manner.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tessa J. Helman
- Centre for Healthy Brain Ageing, School of Psychiatry, University of New South Wales, NSW, Sydney, Australia
- Correspondence: Tessa J. Helman
| | - John P. Headrick
- Schoolof Pharmacy and Medical Sciences, Griffith University, Southport, QLD, Australia
| | | | - Nady Braidy
- Centre for Healthy Brain Ageing, School of Psychiatry, University of New South Wales, NSW, Sydney, Australia
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Mezheritskiy MI, Dyakonova VE. Direct and Inherited Epigenetic Changes in the Nervous System Caused by Intensive Locomotion: Possible Adaptive Significance. Russ J Dev Biol 2022. [DOI: 10.1134/s1062360422050058] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
Abstract
This review is devoted to the analysis of works that investigated the long-term effects of species-specific forms of intensive locomotion on the cognitive functions of animals and humans, which can be transmitted to the next generation. To date, the anxiolytic and cognitive-enhancing long-term effects of intensive locomotion have been demonstrated in humans, rodents, fish, insects, mollusks, and nematodes. In rodents, changes in the central nervous system caused by intense locomotion can be transmitted through the maternal and paternal line to the descendants of the first generation. These include reduced anxiety, improved spatial learning and memory, increased levels of brain neurotrophic factor and vascular endothelial growth factor in the hippocampus and frontal cortex. The shift of the balance of histone acetylation in the hippocampus of rodents towards hyperacetylation, and the balance of DNA methylation towards demethylation manifests itself both as a direct and as a first-generation inherited effect of motor activity. The question about the mechanisms that link locomotion with an increase in the plasticity of a genome in the brain of descendants remains poorly understood, and invertebrate model organisms can be an ideal object for its study. Currently, there is a lack of a theoretical model explaining why motor activity leads to long-term improvement of some cognitive functions that can be transmitted to the next generation and why such an influence could have appeared in evolution. The answer to these questions is not only of fundamental interest, but it is necessary for predicting therapeutic and possible side effects of motor activity in humans. In this regard, the article pays special attention to the review of ideas on the evolutionary aspects of the problem. We propose our own hypothesis, according to which the activating effect of intensive locomotion on the function of the nervous system could have been formed in evolution as a preadaptation to a possible entry into a new environment.
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Na X, Raja R, Phelan NE, Tadros MR, Moore A, Wu Z, Wang L, Li G, Glasier CM, Ramakrishnaiah RR, Andres A, Ou X. Mother’s physical activity during pregnancy and newborn’s brain cortical development. Front Hum Neurosci 2022; 16:943341. [PMID: 36147297 PMCID: PMC9486075 DOI: 10.3389/fnhum.2022.943341] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/13/2022] [Accepted: 08/18/2022] [Indexed: 01/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Physical activity is known to improve mental health, and is regarded as safe and desirable for uncomplicated pregnancy. In this novel study, we aim to evaluate whether there are associations between maternal physical activity during pregnancy and neonatal brain cortical development. Methods Forty-four mother/newborn dyads were included in this longitudinal study. Healthy pregnant women were recruited and their physical activity throughout pregnancy were documented using accelerometers worn for 3–7 days for each of the 6 time points at 4–10, ∼12, ∼18, ∼24, ∼30, and ∼36 weeks of pregnancy. Average daily total steps and daily total activity count as well as daily minutes spent in sedentary/light/moderate/vigorous activity modes were extracted from the accelerometers for each time point. At ∼2 weeks of postnatal age, their newborns underwent an MRI examination of the brain without sedation, and 3D T1-weighted brain structural images were post-processed by the iBEAT2.0 software utilizing advanced deep learning approaches. Cortical surface maps were reconstructed from the segmented brain images and parcellated to 34 regions in each brain hemisphere, and mean cortical thickness for each region was computed for partial correlation analyses with physical activity measures, with appropriate multiple comparison corrections and potential confounders controlled. Results At 4–10 weeks of pregnancy, mother’s daily total activity count positively correlated (FDR corrected P ≤ 0.05) with newborn’s cortical thickness in the left caudal middle frontal gyrus (rho = 0.48, P = 0.04), right medial orbital frontal gyrus (rho = 0.48, P = 0.04), and right transverse temporal gyrus (rho = 0.48, P = 0.04); mother’s daily time in moderate activity mode positively correlated with newborn’s cortical thickness in the right transverse temporal gyrus (rho = 0.53, P = 0.03). At ∼24 weeks of pregnancy, mother’s daily total activity count positively correlated (FDR corrected P ≤ 0.05) with newborn’s cortical thickness in the left (rho = 0.56, P = 0.02) and right isthmus cingulate gyrus (rho = 0.50, P = 0.05). Conclusion We identified significant relationships between physical activity in healthy pregnant women during the 1st and 2nd trimester and brain cortical development in newborns. Higher maternal physical activity level is associated with greater neonatal brain cortical thickness, presumably indicating better cortical development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaoxu Na
- Department of Radiology, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, AR, United States
- Arkansas Children’s Nutrition Center, Little Rock, AR, United States
- Arkansas Children’s Research Institute, Little Rock, AR, United States
| | - Rajikha Raja
- Department of Radiology, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, AR, United States
- Arkansas Children’s Nutrition Center, Little Rock, AR, United States
- Arkansas Children’s Research Institute, Little Rock, AR, United States
| | - Natalie E. Phelan
- College of Medicine, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, AR, United States
| | - Marinna R. Tadros
- College of Medicine, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, AR, United States
| | - Alexandra Moore
- College of Medicine, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, AR, United States
| | - Zhengwang Wu
- Department of Radiology and Biomedical Research Imaging Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, United States
| | - Li Wang
- Department of Radiology and Biomedical Research Imaging Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, United States
| | - Gang Li
- Department of Radiology and Biomedical Research Imaging Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, United States
| | - Charles M. Glasier
- Department of Radiology, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, AR, United States
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, AR, United States
| | - Raghu R. Ramakrishnaiah
- Department of Radiology, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, AR, United States
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, AR, United States
| | - Aline Andres
- Arkansas Children’s Nutrition Center, Little Rock, AR, United States
- Arkansas Children’s Research Institute, Little Rock, AR, United States
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, AR, United States
| | - Xiawei Ou
- Department of Radiology, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, AR, United States
- Arkansas Children’s Nutrition Center, Little Rock, AR, United States
- Arkansas Children’s Research Institute, Little Rock, AR, United States
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, AR, United States
- *Correspondence: Xiawei Ou,
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Zavvari F, Alivan F, Abdi M, Jahanbazi Jahan-Abad A, Karimzadeh F. Maternal exercise during pregnancy increases neuregulin-1 and ErbB4 expression in the newborn offspring of Wistar rats. SPORT SCIENCES FOR HEALTH 2022. [DOI: 10.1007/s11332-021-00878-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
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Yau SY, Yip YSL, Formolo DA, He S, Lee THY, Wen C, Hryciw DH. Chronic consumption of a high linoleic acid diet during pregnancy, lactation and post-weaning period increases depression-like behavior in male, but not female offspring. Behav Brain Res 2022; 416:113538. [PMID: 34418475 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbr.2021.113538] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/04/2021] [Revised: 07/28/2021] [Accepted: 08/13/2021] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
Polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) play an essential role in brain development. Emerging data have suggested a possible link between an imbalance in PUFAs and cognitive behavioral deficits in offspring. A diet rich in high linoleic acid (HLA), typically from preconception to lactation, leads to an increase in the ratio of omega-6 (n-6) to omega-3 (n-3) fatty acids in the fetus. Arising research has suggested that a deficiency in omega-3 fatty acids is a potential risk factor for inducing autism spectrum disorder (ASD)-like behavioral deficits. However, the impact of a high n- diet during preconception, pregnancy, lactation, and post-weaning on the brain development of adolescent offspring are yet to be determined. This study examined whether consumption of an HLA diet during pregnancy, lactation, and post-weaning induced social and cognitive impairments in female and male offspring rats that resemble autistic phenotypes in humans. Female Wistar Kyoto rats were fed with either HLA or low linoleic acid (LLA) control diet for 10 weeks before mating, then continued with the same diet throughout the pregnancy and lactation period. Female and male offspring at 5 weeks old were subjected to behavioral tests to assess social interaction behavior and depression-/anxiety-like behavior. Our result showed that chronic consumption of an HLA diet did not affect sociability and social recognition memory, but induced depression-like behavior in male but not in female offspring.
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Affiliation(s)
- Suk-Yu Yau
- Department of Rehabilitation Sciences, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hong Kong; Institute for Health and Sport, Victoria University, Melbourne, VIC, Australia.
| | - Yvette Siu Ling Yip
- Department of Rehabilitation Sciences, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hong Kong; Institute for Health and Sport, Victoria University, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| | - Douglas A Formolo
- Department of Rehabilitation Sciences, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hong Kong; Institute for Health and Sport, Victoria University, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| | - Siyuen He
- Department of Rehabilitation Sciences, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hong Kong; Institute for Health and Sport, Victoria University, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| | - Thomas Ho Yin Lee
- Department of Rehabilitation Sciences, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hong Kong; Institute for Health and Sport, Victoria University, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| | - Chunyi Wen
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hong Kong; Institute for Health and Sport, Victoria University, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| | - Deanne H Hryciw
- Centre for Planetary Health and Food Security, Griffith University, Nathan, Queensland, Australia; School of Environment and Science, Griffith University, Nathan, QLD, Australia; Institute for Health and Sport, Victoria University, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
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12
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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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13
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Yang Y, Lagisz M, Foo YZ, Noble DWA, Anwer H, Nakagawa S. Beneficial intergenerational effects of exercise on brain and cognition: a multilevel meta-analysis of mean and variance. Biol Rev Camb Philos Soc 2021; 96:1504-1527. [PMID: 33783115 DOI: 10.1111/brv.12712] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/18/2020] [Revised: 03/16/2021] [Accepted: 03/17/2021] [Indexed: 10/21/2022]
Abstract
Physical exercise not only helps to improve physical health but can also enhance brain development and cognition. Recent reports on parental (both maternal and paternal) effects raise the possibility that parental exercise may provide benefits to offspring through intergenerational inheritance. However, the general magnitude and consistency of parental exercise effects on offspring is still controversial. Additionally, empirical research has long overlooked an important aspect of exercise: its effects on variability in neurodevelopmental and cognitive traits. Here, we compiled data from 52 studies involving 4786 rodents (412 effect sizes) to quantify the intergenerational transmission of exercise effects on brain and cognition. Using a multilevel meta-analytic approach, we found that, overall, parental exercise showed a tendency for increasing their offspring's brain structure by 12.7% (albeit statistically non-significant) probably via significantly facilitating neurogenesis (16.5%). Such changes in neural anatomy go in hand with a significant 20.8% improvement in neurobehaviour (improved learning and memory, and reduced anxiety). Moreover, we found parental exercise significantly reduces inter-individual differences (i.e. reduced variance in the treatment group) in progeny's neurobehaviour by 10.2% (coefficient of variation ratio, lnCVR), suggesting the existence of an individual by intervention interaction. The positive effects of exercise are modulated by several covariates (i.e. moderators), such as the exercised parent's sex, offspring's sex, and age, mode of exercise, and exercise timing. In particular, parental forced exercise is more efficient than voluntary exercise at significantly improving offspring neurobehaviour (26.0%) and reducing its variability (14.2%). We observed larger effects when parental exercise started before pregnancy. However, exercising only during pregnancy also had positive effects. Mechanistically, exercise significantly upregulated brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) by 28.9%, vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) by 35.8%, and significantly decreased hippocampal DNA methylation by 3.5%, suggesting that brain growth factor cascades and epigenetic modifications can moderate the transmission of parental exercise effects. Collectively, by coupling mean with variance effects, our analyses draw a more integrated picture of the benefits that parental exercise has on offspring: not only does it improve offspring brain development and cognitive performance, but it also reduces inter-individual differences in cognition-related traits. We advocate that meta-analysis of variation together with the mean of a trait provides novel insights for old controversies as well as emerging new questions, opening up a new era for generating variance-based hypotheses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yefeng Yang
- Evolution & Ecology Research Centre and School of Biological, Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW, 2052, Australia.,Department of Biosystems Engineering, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310058, China
| | - Malgorzata Lagisz
- Evolution & Ecology Research Centre and School of Biological, Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW, 2052, Australia
| | - Yong Zhi Foo
- Evolution & Ecology Research Centre and School of Biological, Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW, 2052, Australia
| | - Daniel W A Noble
- Evolution & Ecology Research Centre and School of Biological, Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW, 2052, Australia.,Division of Ecology and Evolution, Research School of Biology, The Australian National University, Canberra, ACT, Australia
| | - Hamza Anwer
- Evolution & Ecology Research Centre and School of Biological, Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW, 2052, Australia
| | - Shinichi Nakagawa
- Evolution & Ecology Research Centre and School of Biological, Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW, 2052, Australia
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14
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Lee TH, Christie BR, van Praag H, Lin K, Siu PMF, Xu A, So KF, Yau SY. AdipoRon Treatment Induces a Dose-Dependent Response in Adult Hippocampal Neurogenesis. Int J Mol Sci 2021; 22:2068. [PMID: 33669795 PMCID: PMC7922380 DOI: 10.3390/ijms22042068] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/11/2021] [Revised: 02/01/2021] [Accepted: 02/05/2021] [Indexed: 12/28/2022] Open
Abstract
AdipoRon, an adiponectin receptor agonist, elicits similar antidiabetic, anti-atherogenic, and anti-inflammatory effects on mouse models as adiponectin does. Since AdipoRon can cross the blood-brain barrier, its chronic effects on regulating hippocampal function are yet to be examined. This study investigated whether AdipoRon treatment promotes hippocampal neurogenesis and spatial recognition memory in a dose-dependent manner. Adolescent male C57BL/6J mice received continuous treatment of either 20 mg/kg (low dose) or 50 mg/kg (high dose) AdipoRon or vehicle intraperitoneally for 14 days, followed by the open field test to examine anxiety and locomotor activity, and the Y maze test to examine hippocampal-dependent spatial recognition memory. Immunopositive cell markers of neural progenitor cells, immature neurons, and newborn cells in the hippocampal dentate gyrus were quantified. Immunosorbent assays were used to measure the serum levels of factors that can regulate hippocampal neurogenesis, including adiponectin, brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), and corticosterone. Our results showed that 20 mg/kg AdipoRon treatment significantly promoted hippocampal cell proliferation and increased serum levels of adiponectin and BDNF, though there were no effects on spatial recognition memory and locomotor activity. On the contrary, 50 mg/kg AdipoRon treatment impaired spatial recognition memory, suppressed cell proliferation, neuronal differentiation, and cell survival associated with reduced serum levels of BDNF and adiponectin. The results suggest that a low-dose AdipoRon treatment promotes hippocampal cell proliferation, while a high-dose AdipoRon treatment is detrimental to the hippocampus function.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thomas H. Lee
- Department of Rehabilitation Sciences, Faculty of Health and Social Sciences, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hong Kong;
| | - Brian R. Christie
- Division of Biomedical Sciences, University of Victoria, Victoria, BC V8P 5C2, Canada;
| | - Henriette van Praag
- FAU Brain Institute and Charles E. Schmidt College of Medicine, Florida Atlantic University, Jupiter, FL 33431, USA;
| | - Kangguang Lin
- Department of Affective Disorder, Guangzhou Brain Hospital, The Brain Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou 510370, China;
| | - Parco Ming-Fai Siu
- Division of Kinesiology, School of Public Health, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong;
| | - Aimin Xu
- Department of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong;
- Department of Pharmacology and Pharmacy, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong
- The State Key Laboratory of Pharmacology, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong
| | - Kwok-Fai So
- Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macau Institute of CNS Regeneration, Jinan University, Guangzhou 510632, China;
- State Key Laboratory of Brain and Cognitive Sciences, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong
- Department of Ophthalmology, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong
| | - Suk-yu Yau
- Department of Rehabilitation Sciences, Faculty of Health and Social Sciences, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hong Kong;
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15
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Luft C, Levices IP, da Costa MS, de Oliveira JR, Donadio MVF. Effects of running before pregnancy on long-term memory and hippocampal alterations induced by prenatal stress. Neurosci Lett 2021; 746:135659. [PMID: 33482306 DOI: 10.1016/j.neulet.2021.135659] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/31/2020] [Revised: 01/05/2021] [Accepted: 01/10/2021] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
Studies have shown that an adverse environment in utero influences fetal growth and development, leading to several neuroendocrine and behavioral changes in adult life. Nevertheless, the mechanisms involved in the long-term benefits of pregestational exercise are still poorly understood. Thus, this study aimed to evaluate the effects of physical exercise before the gestational period on memory behavior and gene expression in the hippocampus of adult mice submitted to prenatal stress. Female Balb/c mice were divided into three groups: control (CON), prenatal restraint stress (PNS), and exercise before the gestational period plus PNS (EX + PNS). When adults, male and female offspring were submitted to the object recognition test followed by the hippocampal evaluation of BDNF exons I and IV mRNA expression, as well as hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis related genes. Pregestational exercise did not prevent the decreased recognition index, as well as GR and CRHR1 gene expression observed in PNS males. Conversely, prenatal stress did not influence female memory behavior. Moreover, exercise attenuated the effects of prenatal stress on female BDNF IV gene expression. The results indicate that pregestational exercise was able to prevent the effects of maternal stress on hippocampal BDNF IV gene expression in females, although no effects were seen on the stress-induced memory impairment in males.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carolina Luft
- Laboratory of Pediatric Physical Activity, Infant Center, Pontifícia Universidade Católica do Rio Grande do Sul (PUCRS), Porto Alegre, Brazil; Laboratory of Cellular Biophysics and Inflammation, Pontifícia Universidade Católica do Rio Grande do Sul (PUCRS), Porto Alegre, Brazil
| | - Isadora Perez Levices
- Laboratory of Pediatric Physical Activity, Infant Center, Pontifícia Universidade Católica do Rio Grande do Sul (PUCRS), Porto Alegre, Brazil
| | - Mariana Severo da Costa
- Laboratory of Pediatric Physical Activity, Infant Center, Pontifícia Universidade Católica do Rio Grande do Sul (PUCRS), Porto Alegre, Brazil
| | - Jarbas Rodrigues de Oliveira
- Laboratory of Cellular Biophysics and Inflammation, Pontifícia Universidade Católica do Rio Grande do Sul (PUCRS), Porto Alegre, Brazil
| | - Márcio Vinícius Fagundes Donadio
- Laboratory of Pediatric Physical Activity, Infant Center, Pontifícia Universidade Católica do Rio Grande do Sul (PUCRS), Porto Alegre, Brazil; Laboratory of Cellular Biophysics and Inflammation, Pontifícia Universidade Católica do Rio Grande do Sul (PUCRS), Porto Alegre, Brazil.
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16
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Zuloaga DG, Heck AL, De Guzman RM, Handa RJ. Roles for androgens in mediating the sex differences of neuroendocrine and behavioral stress responses. Biol Sex Differ 2020; 11:44. [PMID: 32727567 PMCID: PMC7388454 DOI: 10.1186/s13293-020-00319-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 48] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/27/2020] [Accepted: 07/09/2020] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Estradiol and testosterone are powerful steroid hormones that impact brain function in numerous ways. During development, these hormones can act to program the adult brain in a male or female direction. During adulthood, gonadal steroid hormones can activate or inhibit brain regions to modulate adult functions. Sex differences in behavioral and neuroendocrine (i.e., hypothalamic pituitary adrenal (HPA) axis) responses to stress arise as a result of these organizational and activational actions. The sex differences that are present in the HPA and behavioral responses to stress are particularly important considering their role in maintaining homeostasis. Furthermore, dysregulation of these systems can underlie the sex biases in risk for complex, stress-related diseases that are found in humans. Although many studies have explored the role of estrogen and estrogen receptors in mediating sex differences in stress-related behaviors and HPA function, much less consideration has been given to the role of androgens. While circulating androgens can act by binding and activating androgen receptors, they can also act by metabolism to estrogenic molecules to impact estrogen signaling in the brain and periphery. This review focuses on androgens as an important hormone for modulating the HPA axis and behaviors throughout life and for setting up sex differences in key stress regulatory systems that could impact risk for disease in adulthood. In particular, impacts of androgens on neuropeptide systems known to play key roles in HPA and behavioral responses to stress (corticotropin-releasing factor, vasopressin, and oxytocin) are discussed. A greater knowledge of androgen action in the brain is key to understanding the neurobiology of stress in both sexes.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Ashley L Heck
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, USA
| | | | - Robert J Handa
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, USA.
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17
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August PM, Hözer R, Rodrigues KS, Dos Santos BG, Maurmann RM, Scortegagna MC, Matté C. Effect of Maternal Exercise on Diet-induced Redox Imbalance in Hippocampus of Adult Offspring. Neuroscience 2020; 437:196-206. [PMID: 32387646 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroscience.2020.04.046] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/06/2020] [Revised: 04/27/2020] [Accepted: 04/28/2020] [Indexed: 10/24/2022]
Abstract
Physical exercise practice has been increasingly recommended in the prevention and treatment of chronic diseases, causing a positive effect from body weight/fat loss to improved cognitive function. Maternal exercise seems to induce the same positive lifelong adaptations to the offspring. We hypothesized that maternal exercise can prevent redox imbalance in adult offspring's hippocampus exposed to a high-fat diet (HFD). Female Wistar rats were divided into three groups before and during pregnancy: (1) sedentary, (2) swimming exercise, and (3) swimming exercise with overload. On 60 days of age, the male pups were divided into standard diet or HFD for one month, yielding normal and HFD subgroups for each maternal condition. Maternal interventions did not alter gestational parameters, birth outcomes, and offspring weight gain from weaning to 90 days of age. The HFD consumption increased body fat, which was not prevented by maternal exercise. Serum glucose levels were increased by HFD, an effect that was prevented by unload maternal exercise. In the hippocampus, both maternal exercise intensities could increase antioxidant defense. Hippocampal redox homeostasis was impaired by HFD, causing increased superoxide levels, which was prevented by exercise without load, while overload caused only a reduction of the effect. In summary, the practice of swimming exercise without overload during pregnancy seems to be more beneficial when evaluated in animal model, preventing HFD induced redox imbalance and increasing antioxidant defense while overload swimming exercise during pregnancy demonstrated a negative effect on offspring submitted to HFD consumption.
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Affiliation(s)
- P M August
- Programa de Pós-graduação em Ciências Biológicas: Bioquímica, ICBS, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil
| | - Régis Hözer
- Programa de Pós-graduação em Ciências Biológicas: Bioquímica, ICBS, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil
| | - K S Rodrigues
- Programa de Pós-graduação em Ciências Biológicas: Bioquímica, ICBS, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil
| | - B G Dos Santos
- Programa de Pós-graduação em Ciências Biológicas: Bioquímica, ICBS, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil
| | - R M Maurmann
- Departamento de Bioquímica, Instituto de Ciências Básicas da Saúde, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil
| | - M C Scortegagna
- Departamento de Bioquímica, Instituto de Ciências Básicas da Saúde, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil
| | - Cristiane Matté
- Programa de Pós-graduação em Ciências Biológicas: Bioquímica, ICBS, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil; Departamento de Bioquímica, Instituto de Ciências Básicas da Saúde, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil; Programa de Pós-graduação em Ciências Biológicas: Fisiologia, ICBS, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil.
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