As opposed to earlier beliefs, the brain is altering itself throughout an individual’s life. The process of functional or structural alterations is referred to as plasticity, and can be induced by several factors such as experience or physical exercise. In this thesis, the research area of experience-dependent plasticity, with focus on exercise-induced plasticity is examined critically. Evidence from a vast array of studies are reviewed and compared in order to find whether physical exercise can induce neural plasticity in the human brain, how it may be beneficial, and what some of the plausible mediators of exercise-induced plasticity are. The findings demonstrated in this thesis suggest that although there are knowledge gaps and limitations in the literature, physical exercise can indeed result in exhibited plasticity as well as being beneficial for the human brain in several ways.

Thesis (MSc)--Stellenbosch University, 2012. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Background:Obesity is a growing global burden; current studies have projected the prevalence of obese / overweight individuals to increase to ~1.35 billion by 2030. A number of factors contribute to cardiovascular diseases, of which the focus of this study is what effect an increased level of free fatty acids has on the flux through the hexosamine biosynthetic pathway (HBP). It has been widely proven that an increased flux through the HBP causes an increase in protein O-GlcNAcylation, which leads to increased reactive oxygen species (ROS) production as well as an increase in cell death (apoptosis). Methods: For the purpose of this study a cell model was used. H9c2 cardiomyoblasts were cultured in 5ml Dulbecco‟s Modified Eagles Medium (DMEM) supplemented with 10% foetal bovine serum and 1% penicillin-streptomycin. The cells were then exposed to 0.25mM monounsaturated fatty acid (oleic acid) for 24, 48 and 72 hours respectively. The cultured cells were then evaluated to assess the degree ROS production, overall O-GlcNAcylation and cell death (apoptosis and necrosis), using flow cytometry and immunofluorescence microscopy. Results: We found that oleic acid causes a significant decrease in ROS production at the 48 hour time point when analysed on the flow cytometer, which indicates that oleic acid is metabolized by the cells in a independent manner. Oleic acid also caused a significant decrease in cell death at all the time intervals. With regard to the HBP, oleic acid activates this pathway but causes downstream cardioprotective effects that do not necessarily occur along this pathway. Conclusion: This study explored whether a monounsaturated fatty acid, oleic acid, is able to act as a novel cardioprotective agent. The in vitro data supports this concept and we showed that it is able to blunt oxidative stress and cell death. It was also found that although oleic acid activated the HBP, it did not mediate its protective effects via this pathway only. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Agtergrond: Vetsug is 'n groeiende wêreldlas; huidige studies voorspel dat die voorkoms van vetsugtige / oorgewig individue toe sal neem tot ~1.35 biljoen teen 2030. Alhoewel verskeie faktore tot kardiovaskulêre siektes bydra is die fokus van hierdie studie om die effek van verhoogde vryvetsuurvlakke op die fluks deur die heksosamienbiosintestiese weg (HBW) te ondersoek. Dit is reeds bewys dat verhoogde fluks deur die HBW 'n verhoging in proteïen O-GlcNAsilering lei, wat verder tot verhoogde reaktiewe suusrtofspesies (ROS) vorming aanleiding gee en ook seldood (apoptose) verhoog. Metodes:'n Selmodel is vir die doel van hierdie studie gebruik. H9c2 kardiomioblaste is in 5ml Dulbecco's Modified Eagles Medium (DMEM) gekweek en gesupplementeer met 10% fetale beesserum en 1% penisillien-streptomysien. Die selle is blootgestel aan 'n 0.25mM mono onversadigde vetsuur (oleïensuur ) vir 24, 48 en 72 uur onderskeidelik. Die gekweekte selle is gevolglik ondersoek vir die graad van ROS ontwikkeling, algehele O-GlcNAsilering en seldood (apoptosis en nekrose), deur van vloeisitometrie en immunofluoresensie mikroskopie gebruik te maak. Resultate: Ons het bevind dat oleïensuur 'n betekenisvolle verlaging in ROS ontwikkeling teen 48 uur soos bepaal deur die vloeisitometer, veroorsaak. Dit wys daarop dat oleïensuur deur die selle op 'n onafhanklike wyse gemetaboliseer is. Oleïensuur het ook 'n betekenisvolle verlaging in seldood by alle tydsintervalle veroorsaak. Met betrekking tot die HBW het oleïensuur hierdie weg geaktiveer maar afstroom kardiobeskermings effekte versoorsaak wat nie noodwendig langs hierdie weg onstaan nie. Gevolgtrekking:Hierdie studie het die moontlikheid van 'n mono-onversadige vetsuur, oleïensuur, om op te tree as 'n nuwe kardiobeskermingsmiddel ondersoek. Die in vitro data ondersteun hierdie konsep en hier is aangetoon dat dit wel oksidatiewe stres en seldood onderdruk. Daar is verder bevind dat alhoewel oleïensuur die HBW aktiveer dit nie die beskermings effekte alleenlik via hierdie weg medieer nie.

Made available in DSpace on 2016-04-27T18:47:05Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Evandro Diniz Corvino.pdf: 813127 bytes, checksum: f37a4ff056bc14ff33176d64a79a6969 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2010-10-06 / This research aims to show the effects of the Open College for Seniors, College of Physical Education FEFISO/ACM Sorocaba /SP (FAATI/FEFISOACM) to improve health, functional capacity, quality of life and independence of participants. This is a survey of 73 women, aged between 52 and 88 years, attending FAATI only once a week, for two hours. Regardless of education level, there was no difficulty in answering the questions. The participants underwent a battery of questionnaires before and after participating in FAATI for a year. 10 teachers who were involved in this one year of teaching were also evaluated. This data collection of teachers was aimed at the qualification perceived by teachers for each of the aspects investigated. Five questionnaires were applied (1-Assessment of quality of life, 2- Evaluation of Depression Level, 3-Evaluation of Intelligent Eating, 4- Scale of Self-Perception of Wellness and 5-Scale of Self-Assessment of Functional Capacity). After this study it appears that, with regard to age groups, we found that the most represented age group is 65-74 years, a total of 46.5%. The results showed meaningful satisfactory rates between assessment and reassessment in the Quality of Life in the levels of humor, Food Quality, Scale of Self-Perception of Wellness and Functional Capacity. It is concluded that FAATI had positive results for improving health, functional capacity, quality of life and independence of participants / Esta pesquisa tem como objetivo mostrar os efeitos da Faculdade Aberta para a Terceira Idade da Faculdade de Educação Física da ACM de Sorocaba/SP (FAATI/FEFISO-ACM) para a melhoria da saúde, da capacidade funcional, da qualidade de vida e da independência das participantes. Trata-se de uma pesquisa realizada com 73 mulheres, com faixa etária entre 52 e 88 anos, que freqüentam somente a FAATI, uma vez por semana, com duração de 2 horas. Independente do nível de escolaridade, não houve qualquer dificuldade em responder as questões. As participantes foram submetidas a uma bateria de questionários antes e após uma participação de um ano na FAATI, sendo avaliados também 10 professores que estiveram envolvidos neste um ano de aula. Esta coleta de dados dos professores tem como objetivo a qualificação percebida pelos professores da FAATI para cada um dos aspectos questionados nas participantes. Foram aplicados cinco questionários (1-Avaliação da qualidade de vida, 2-Avaliação do nível de depressão, 3-Avaliação de alimentação inteligente, 4-Escala de Auto-Percepção de Bem-Estar e 5- Escala de Auto-Avaliação da Capacidade Funcional). Após a elaboração deste estudo verifica-se que, no que diz respeito aos grupos etários, comprovamos que a classe etária mais representada é a dos 65-74 anos com 46,5%. Os resultados revelaram índices satisfatórios significativos entre avaliação e reavaliação na Qualidade de Vida, nos níveis de humor, da Qualidade da Alimentação, na Escala de Auto Percepção de Bem-Estar e da Capacidade Funcional. Conclui-se através da pesquisa que a FAATI produziu resultados positivos para a melhoria da saúde, da capacidade funcional, da qualidade de vida e da independência das participantes