Systems neuroscienceExercise primes a molecular memory for brain-derived neurotrophic factor protein induction in the rat hippocampus
Section snippets
Animals
Adult male Sprague-Dawley rats (Charles-River Inc., MA, USA), 7–8 weeks of age (150–200g) at experimental onset, were individually housed with ad libitum access to food and water in a 12-h light/dark vivarium. Each cage of the exercising animals was individually equipped with a running wheel (Minimitter, OR, USA) that occupied 1/2 of the cage. Running activity was voluntary, and the nightly distance run was monitored by computer software (VitalView, Minimitter Co., OR, USA). For the
BDNF induction by daily vs intermittent exercise
To investigate the effect of different training paradigms on BDNF regulation, rats were allowed to exercise under two conditions of voluntary wheel-running: either daily access for 2, 4, 7, 14, or 28 days (Fig. 1A), or exercise on alternating-days over a period of 7, 14, 21, or 28 days (Fig. 1B). To assess the effect of long-term running on BDNF protein levels, an additional group of animals had daily wheel access for 3 months.
BDNF protein levels increased in response to both daily activity (F
Discussion
Several novel concepts emerge from this study. In particular, (1) intermittent exercise is as effective as daily exercise to increase BDNF protein levels, (2) BDNF protein remains elevated for several days after exercise has ceased, and (3) BDNF protein is rapidly reinduced to peak levels by a normally-subthreshold exercise re-exposure, even after 14 days of quiescence. Thus, the experience of BDNF induction by exercise is robust and long-lasting. Further, exercise experience increases the
Acknowledgments
This work was supported by R01-AG13411 to C.W.C.
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