Exercise training protects against aging‐induced cognitive dysfunction via activation of hippocampal PGC‐1α/FNDC5/BDNF pathway

Abstract

Aging process is associated with decreases in cognitive functions, but this decrease may be reversed by regular exercise. However, the molecular mechanisms responsible from this processes remains unclear. Here, we aimed to investigate the impacts of exercise training on cognitive performances such as locomotion, anxiety‐related behavior, learning and memory and hippocampal PGC‐1α, FNDC5, BDNF and other cognition‐related gene expressions and hippocampal FNDC5 and BDNF protein expressions in both young and aged rats. Animals were separated into four groups as regards to age (young vs. aged) and training status (control vs. exercise training). Voluntary exercise training was performed for 90 d, and several behavioral assessments were applied. Following behavioral assessment, hippocampus tissues were obtained for analysis of gene expression of PGC‐1α, mTOR, ERK, SIRT1, cFOS, NF‐κB, ARC and FOXO and gene and protein expressions of FNDC5 and BDNF. Locomotor activity and spatial memory were lower but anxiety scores were higher in the aged rats (P < 0.05). Exercise training enhanced these variables in both young and aged rats (P < 0.05). Hippocampal BDNF, FNDC5, PGC‐1α, mTOR, ARC, cFOS, ERK, SIRT, and FOXO expressions decreased, but NF‐κB expressions increased in aged rats (P < 0.05). Exercise training ameliorated these variables in both young and aged rats (P < 0.05). Similarly, hippocampal BDNF and FNDC5 protein expressions were lower in the aged rats and exercise training elevated them in both young and aged rats (P < 0.05). According to these results, we concluded that aging‐induced cognitive dysfunction is mainly associated with decreased hippocampal expression of PGC‐1α, FNDC5, and BDNF and exercise training improves cognitive functions via activating these molecules in the hippocampus.Support or Funding InformationThis work was supported by the Selcuk University Scientific Research and Project Coordinatorship (project number: 15401171).This abstract is from the Experimental Biology 2018 Meeting. There is no full text article associated with this abstract published in The FASEB Journal.