title: Exercise increases the vulnerability of rat hippocampal neurons to kainate lesion.
abstract: Available evidence suggests that regular, moderate-intensity exercise has beneficial effects on neural health, perhaps including neuroprotection. To evaluate this idea further, we compared the severity of kainate-induced neuronal loss in exercised versus sedentary female rats. Stereological estimations of neuron number revealed that rats in the exercise condition exhibited significantly greater neuron loss in hippocampal region CA2/3, suggesting that high levels of physical activity may increase neuronal vulnerability to excitotoxicity.
authors.affiliation: Andrus Gerontology Center, University of Southern California, 3715 McClintock Avenue, Los Angeles, CA 90089-0191, USA.
authors.forename: Martin
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ramsden
authors.forename: Nicole C
authors.initials: NC
authors.lastname: Berchtold
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Patrick Kesslak
authors.forename: Carl W
authors.initials: CW
authors.lastname: Cotman
authors.forename: Christian J
authors.initials: CJ
authors.lastname: Pike
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D018690:Excitatory Amino Acid Agonists / Q000633:toxicity*; D005260:Female; D006624:Hippocampus / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D007608:Kainic Acid / Q000633:toxicity*; D009474:Neurons / Q000502:physiology*; D010805:Physical Conditioning, Animal / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000502:physiology*; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D012420:Running; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D018690:Excitatory Amino Acid Agonists; D007608:Kainic Acid