Abstract
Three months of exercise training (ET) decreases soluble Aβ40 and Aβ42 levels in an intensity dependent manner early in life in Tg2576 mice (Moore et al., 2016). Here, we examined the effects of 12 months of low- and high- intensity exercise training on cognitive function and amyloid plaque load in the cortex and hippocampus of 15-month-old Tg2576 mice. Low- (LOW) and high- (HI) intensity ET animals ran at speeds of 15 m/min on a level treadmill and 32 m/min at a 10% grade, respectively, for 60 min/day, five days/week, from 3 to 15 months of age. Sedentary mice (SED) were placed on a level, non-moving, treadmill for the same duration. ET mice demonstrated a significantly lower amyloid plaque load in the cortex and hippocampus that was intensity dependent. Improvement in cognitive function, assessed by Morris Water Maze and Novel Object Recognition tests, was greater in the HI group compared to the LOW and SED groups. LOW mice performed better in the initial latency to the platform location during the probe trial of the Morris Water Maze (MWM) test than SED, but not in any other aspect of MWM or the Novel Object Recognition test. The results of this study indicate that exercise training decreases amyloid plaque load in an intensity dependent manner and that high-intensity exercise training improves cognitive function relative to SED mice, but the intensity of the LOW group was below the threshold to demonstrate robust improvement in cognitive function in Tg2576 mice.
Highlights
Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is a chronic neurodegenerative disease with growing worldwide impact.Environmental and pharmaceutical interventions have been investigated as strategies attempting to delay or slow the progression of AD
Our results demonstrate that exercise training reduces amyloid plaque load in an intensity dependent manner in male Tg2576 mice
A total of 26 male Tg2576 mice from our breeding colony were used for these experiments which were approved by the Missouri State University Animal Care and Use Committee
Summary
Environmental and pharmaceutical interventions have been investigated as strategies attempting to delay or slow the progression of AD. One such environmental intervention is physical activity. Physical activity is broadly defined as any movement of the body resulting from muscle contraction that elevates total body energy expenditure above that of rest [1] and has long been associated with a healthy lifestyle. Brain Sci. 2020, 10, 88; doi:10.3390/brainsci10020088 www.mdpi.com/journal/brainsci. Brain Sci. 2020, 10, 88 be planned or unplanned and chronic or acute [2]. All of these contribute to the degree to which it contributes to improved health. There is a threshold level of PA below which health is not improved and above which health is improved in a dose-dependent manner [2]
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
