Exercise increased BDNF and trkB in the contralateral hemisphere of the ischemic rat brain.
Previous studies have suggested that brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) and trkB both have a role in plasticity following brain insults and exercise increases BDNF and trkB mRNA levels in the normal brain. We attempted to determine whether treadmill exercise improves motor function following experimental cerebral ischemia, and whether motor outcome is associated with BDNF and trkB expression. We subjected adult male Sprague-Dawley rats to a permanent ischemia, followed by either 12 days of treadmill exercise or non-exercise. In the exercise group, improvements in the motor behavior index were found and BDNF and trkB proteins in contralateral hemisphere were increased. This study suggests that after permanent brain ischemia, exercise improves motor performance and elevates BDNF and trkB proteins in the contralateral hemisphere.
Kim
Min-Wook
MW
Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Our Lady of Mercy Hospital, College of Medicine, The Catholic University of Korea, 655 Bupyong-6-dong, Bypyong-ku, Incheon 403-720, Republic of Korea.
Bang
Moon-Sug
MS
Han
Tae-Ryoon
TR
Ko
Young-Jin
YJ
Yoon
Byung-Woo
BW
Kim
Jong-Hyun
JH
Kang
La-Mi
LM
Lee
Kyoung-Mi
KM
Kim
Man-Ho
MH
D000818:Animals; D015153:Blotting, Western / Q000379:methods; D001921:Brain / Q000378:metabolism; D002545:Brain Ischemia / Q000209:etiology / Q000378:metabolism / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D019208:Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor / Q000378:metabolism*; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D005080:Exercise Test / Q000379:methods; D007839:Functional Laterality / Q000502:physiology*; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation / Q000502:physiology*; D007150:Immunohistochemistry / Q000379:methods; D020244:Infarction, Middle Cerebral Artery / Q000150:complications; D008297:Male; D009043:Motor Activity / Q000502:physiology; D010805:Physical Conditioning, Animal / Q000502:physiology*; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D020813:Receptor, trkB / Q000378:metabolism*; D013997:Time Factors
D019208:Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor; D020813:Receptor, trkB