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Domingos C, Pêgo JM, Santos NC. Effects of physical activity on brain function and structure in older adults: A systematic review. Behav Brain Res 2020; 402:113061. [PMID: 33359570 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbr.2020.113061] [Citation(s) in RCA: 47] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/01/2020] [Revised: 11/06/2020] [Accepted: 12/05/2020] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Despite increasing evidence that physical activity (PA) contributes to brain health in older individuals, both at the level of brain structure and function, this relationship is not yet well established. To explore this potential association, a systematic literature search was performed using PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science, adhering to PRISMA guidelines. A total of 32 studies met the eligibility criteria: 24 cross-sectional and 8 longitudinal. Results from structural Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) showed that PA associated with larger brain volumes (less brain atrophy) specifically in brain regions vulnerable to dementia, comprising the hippocampus, temporal, and frontal regions. Furthermore, functional MRI (fMRI) showed greater task-relevant activity in brain areas recruited in executive function and memory tasks. However, the dose-response relationship is unclear due to the high variability in PA measures. Further research using objective measures is needed to better understand which PA type, intensity, frequency, and duration, has the greatest protective effect on brain health. Findings highlight the importance of PA in both cognitive decline and dementia prevention.
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Affiliation(s)
- C Domingos
- Life and Health Sciences Research Institute (ICVS), School of Medicine, University of Minho, Braga, Portugal; ICVS/3B's, PT Government Associate Laboratory, Braga, Guimarães, Portugal; iCognitus4ALL - IT Solutions, Braga, Portugal; Clinical Academic Center-Braga (2CA-B), Braga, Portugal
| | - J M Pêgo
- Life and Health Sciences Research Institute (ICVS), School of Medicine, University of Minho, Braga, Portugal; ICVS/3B's, PT Government Associate Laboratory, Braga, Guimarães, Portugal; iCognitus4ALL - IT Solutions, Braga, Portugal; Clinical Academic Center-Braga (2CA-B), Braga, Portugal
| | - N C Santos
- Life and Health Sciences Research Institute (ICVS), School of Medicine, University of Minho, Braga, Portugal; ICVS/3B's, PT Government Associate Laboratory, Braga, Guimarães, Portugal; Clinical Academic Center-Braga (2CA-B), Braga, Portugal; Associação Centro de Medicina Digital P5 (ACMP5), Braga, Portugal.
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Melo A, Tavares I, Sousa N, Pêgo JM. Can the dopaminergic-related effects of general anesthetics be linked to mechanisms involved in drug abuse and addiction? Acta Anaesthesiol Scand 2015; 59:822-9. [PMID: 25950123 DOI: 10.1111/aas.12530] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/24/2014] [Revised: 03/05/2015] [Accepted: 03/07/2015] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND General anesthetics (GA) are well known for the ability to induce a state of reversible loss of consciousness and unresponsiveness to painful stimuli. However, evidence from animal models and clinical studies show that GA exposure may induce behavioral changes beyond acute effects. Most research and concerns are focused on changes in cognition and memory. METHODS We will look at effects of GA on behavior that is mediated by the dopaminergic system. RESULTS Pharmacological resemblance of GA with drugs of abuse, and the complexity and importance of dopaminergic systems in both reward seeking and addictive illnesses make us believe that it deserves an overview about what is already known and what matters to us as healthcare workers and specifically as anesthesiologists. CONCLUSION A review of available evidence strongly suggests that there may be a link between the effects of GA on the brain and substance abuse, partly explained by their influence on the dopaminergic system.
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Affiliation(s)
- A. Melo
- Life and Health Sciences Research Institute (ICVS); School of Health Sciences; University of Minho; Braga Portugal
- ICVS/3B's - PT Government Associate Laboratory; Braga/Guimarães Portugal
| | - I. Tavares
- Department of Experimental Biology; Faculty of Medicine; University of Porto; Porto Portugal
| | - N. Sousa
- Life and Health Sciences Research Institute (ICVS); School of Health Sciences; University of Minho; Braga Portugal
- ICVS/3B's - PT Government Associate Laboratory; Braga/Guimarães Portugal
| | - J. M. Pêgo
- Life and Health Sciences Research Institute (ICVS); School of Health Sciences; University of Minho; Braga Portugal
- ICVS/3B's - PT Government Associate Laboratory; Braga/Guimarães Portugal
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Pêgo JM, Sousa N. How repeated and unpredictable experiences turn into fear-memories. Front Neurosci 2013; 7:17. [PMID: 23437012 PMCID: PMC3578277 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2013.00017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/24/2013] [Accepted: 02/03/2013] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- J. M. Pêgo
- Life and Health Sciences Research Institute (ICVS), School of Health Sciences, University of Minho, Campus de GualtarBraga, Portugal
- ICVS/3B's - PT Government Associate LaboratoryBraga/Guimarães, Portugal
| | - N. Sousa
- Life and Health Sciences Research Institute (ICVS), School of Health Sciences, University of Minho, Campus de GualtarBraga, Portugal
- ICVS/3B's - PT Government Associate LaboratoryBraga/Guimarães, Portugal
- *Correspondence:
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Lopes A, Torres DB, Rodrigues AJ, Cerqueira JJ, Pêgo JM, Sousa N, Gontijo JAR, Boer PA. Gestational protein restriction induces CA3 dendritic atrophy in dorsal hippocampal neurons but does not alter learning and memory performance in adult offspring. Int J Dev Neurosci 2012; 31:151-6. [PMID: 23280060 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijdevneu.2012.12.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/13/2012] [Accepted: 12/14/2012] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Studies have demonstrated that nutrient deficiency during pregnancy or in early postnatal life results in structural abnormalities in the offspring hippocampus and in cognitive impairment. In an attempt to analyze whether gestational protein restriction might induce learning and memory impairments associated with structural changes in the hippocampus, we carried out a detailed morphometric analysis of the hippocampus of male adult rats together with the behavioral characterization of these animals in the Morris water maze (MWM). Our results demonstrate that gestational protein restriction leads to a decrease in total basal dendritic length and in the number of intersections of CA3 pyramidal neurons whereas the cytoarchitecture of CA1 and dentate gyrus remained unchanged. Despite presenting significant structural rearrangements, we did not observe impairments in the MWM test. Considering the clear dissociation between the behavioral profile and the hippocampus neuronal changes, the functional significance of dendritic remodeling in fetal processing remains undisclosed.
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Affiliation(s)
- A Lopes
- Fetal Programming Laboratory, Department of Morphology of Biosciences Institute, São Paulo State University, Botucatu, SP, Brazil
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Rodrigues AJ, Leão P, Pêgo JM, Cardona D, Carvalho MM, Oliveira M, Costa BM, Carvalho AF, Morgado P, Araújo D, Palha JA, Almeida OFX, Sousa N. Mechanisms of initiation and reversal of drug-seeking behavior induced by prenatal exposure to glucocorticoids. Mol Psychiatry 2012; 17:1295-305. [PMID: 21968930 DOI: 10.1038/mp.2011.126] [Citation(s) in RCA: 41] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Stress and exposure to glucocorticoids (GC) during early life render individuals vulnerable to brain disorders by inducing structural and chemical alterations in specific neural substrates. Here we show that adult rats that had been exposed to in utero GCs (iuGC) display increased preference for opiates and ethanol, and are more responsive to the psychostimulatory actions of morphine. These animals presented prominent changes in the nucleus accumbens (NAcc), a key component of the mesolimbic reward circuitry; specifically, cell numbers and dopamine (DA) levels were significantly reduced, whereas DA receptor 2 (Drd2) mRNA expression levels were markedly upregulated in the NAcc. Interestingly, repeated morphine exposure significantly downregulated Drd2 expression in iuGC-exposed animals, in parallel with increased DNA methylation of the Drd2 gene. Administration of a therapeutic dose of L-dopa reverted the hypodopaminergic state in the NAcc of iuGC animals, normalized Drd2 expression and prevented morphine-induced hypermethylation of the Drd2 promoter. In addition, L-dopa treatment promoted dendritic and synaptic plasticity in the NAcc and, importantly, reversed drug-seeking behavior. These results reveal a new mechanism through which drug-seeking behaviors may emerge and suggest that a brief and simple pharmacological intervention can restrain these behaviors in vulnerable individuals.
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Affiliation(s)
- A J Rodrigues
- Life and Health Sciences Research Institute, School of Health Sciences, University of Minho, Braga, Portugal
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Pêgo JM, Morgado P, Pinto LG, Cerqueira JJ, Almeida OFX, Sousa N. Dissociation of the morphological correlates of stress-induced anxiety and fear. Eur J Neurosci 2008; 27:1503-16. [DOI: 10.1111/j.1460-9568.2008.06112.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 111] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
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Mesquita AR, Pêgo JM, Summavielle T, Maciel P, Almeida OFX, Sousa N. Neurodevelopment milestone abnormalities in rats exposed to stress in early life. Neuroscience 2007; 147:1022-33. [PMID: 17587501 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroscience.2007.04.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 59] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/21/2006] [Revised: 04/02/2007] [Accepted: 04/02/2007] [Indexed: 12/01/2022]
Abstract
Manipulation of the corticosteroid milieu by interfering with the mother-newborn relationship has received much attention because of its potential bearing on psychopathology later in life. In the present study, infant rats that were deprived of maternal contact between the 2nd and the 15th postnatal days (MS2-15) for 6 h/day were subjected to a systematic assessment of neurodevelopmental milestones between postnatal days 2 and 21. The analyses included measurements of physical growth and maturation and evaluation of neurological reflexes. Although some somatic milestones (e.g. eye opening) were anticipated, MS2-15 animals showed retardation in the acquisition of postural reflex, air righting and surface righting reflexes, and in the wire suspension test; the latter two abnormalities were only found in males. A gender effect was also observed in negative geotaxis, with retardation being observed in females but not males. To better understand the delay of neurological maturation in MS2-15 rats, we determined the levels of various monoamines in different regions of the brain stem, including the vestibular area, the substantia nigra, ventral tegmental area and dorsal raphe nuclei. In the vestibular region of MS2-15 rats the levels of 5-HT were reduced, while 5-HT turnover was increased. There was also a significant increase of the 5-HT turnover in MS2-15 animals in the raphe nuclei, mainly due to increased 5-hydroxyindoleacetic acid (5-HIAA) levels, and an increase of 3,4-dihydroxyphenylacetic acid (DOPAC) levels in the ventral tegmental area (VTA) of stressed females. No significant differences were found in the immunohistochemical sections for tyrosine and tryptophan hydroxylase in these regions of the brain stem. In conclusion, the present results show that postnatal stress induces signs of neurological pathology that may contribute to the genesis of behavioral abnormalities later in life.
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Affiliation(s)
- A R Mesquita
- Life and Health Sciences Research Institute (ICVS), Health Sciences School, University of Minho, Campus de Gualtar, 4710-057 Braga, Portugal
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Pêgo JM, Morgado P, Cerqueira JJ, Almeida OFX, Sousa N. Mismatch between anxiety status and morphometric parameters in the amygdala and bed nucleus of the stria terminalis. Behav Brain Res 2006; 173:320-5. [PMID: 16904199 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbr.2006.06.035] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/14/2006] [Revised: 06/22/2006] [Accepted: 06/26/2006] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
Aging is associated with behavioral changes, including increased anxiety. In this study we confirmed a hyperanxious status in aged animals, measured in the elevated-plus maze and in the acoustic startle. Subsequently, we searched for age-related changes in the volume and cell numbers in the amygdala or in the bed nucleus of the stria terminalis, but failed to detect gross structural changes in these two brain areas, both implicated in emotionality.
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Affiliation(s)
- J M Pêgo
- Life and Health Sciences Research Institute (ICVS), School of Health Sciences, University of Minho, Campus de Gualtar, 4710-057 Braga, Portugal.
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