碩士 / 國立成功大學 / 生理學研究所 / 92 / Exercise has beneficial effects on brain function, such as lowing risks of cognitive impairment, improving learning/memory capability, and promoting neurogenesis. However, its mechanisms need to be clarified. Previous studies demonstrated that voluntary wheel-running exercise increased levels of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) expression in rat hippocampus. BDNF plays an important role in neuronal plasticity and is necessary for learning/memory formation. However, voluntary wheel-running exercise can not rule out the confounding effects of exercise on the BDNF expression, such as the genetic difference between good runners and poor runners, acute or chronic effects of exercise, or different intensity of exercise. We, therefore, performed this study to verify the underlying mechanisms of exercise effects on the brain function by a well-controlled experimental design. Treadmill exercise was used, because intensity and duration of this type of exercise could be controlled. Rats received different exercise protocols, i.e., 4 weeks of moderate exercise training, acute moderate exercise or acute severe exercise. BDNF expression was determined. In addition, the ability of spatial learning after 4 weeks of exercise training was evaluated by the watermaze test. Our results showed that (1) 4 weeks of exercise training reduced the escape latency in the watermaze test, indicating a better spatial learning performance; (2) BDNF mRNA and protein expression was increased 2 hours after the last run of chronic exercise. However, the expression of BDNF was unaltered if the expression was determined 2 days after training; (3) BDNF protein expression was increased 2 hours after a single bout and the last run of three repetitive of moderate, but the mRNA levels were not altered; (4) 2 hours after acute severe exercise significant increased BDNF mRNA and protein expression. These results indicate that the exercise-increased BDNF expression is an acute effect, and is intensity- and duration-dependent. In conclusion, 4 weeks of exercise training improves spatial learning, possibly via stimulating BDNF expression repetitively to activate its downstream signal transduction pathway.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:TW/092NCKU5116004 |
| Date | January 2004 |
| Creators | Hui-Feng Chen, 陳鏏仹 |
| Contributors | Hsiun-ing Chen, 陳洵瑛 |
| Source Sets | National Digital Library of Theses and Dissertations in Taiwan |
| Language | zh-TW |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | 學位論文 ; thesis |
| Format | 63 |
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