Forced running enhances neurogenesis in the hippocampal dentate gyrus of adult rats and improves learning ability.
To investigate the effect of forced running in motor-driven wheel on neurogenesis in the hippocampal dentate gyrus (DG) of adult rats, 5-bromo-2-deoxyuridine (BrdU), a thymidine analog was applied to mark cell proliferation. Neuroepthelial stem cell protein (nestin) expression was used to identify neural stem/precursor cells. The BrdU- and nestin-positive cells were examined by immunohistochemical technique. The ability of learning was evaluated by Y-maze test to explore the functional role of the newborn cells in the DG after forced running. It was found that the number of BrdU- and nestin-positive cells in the DG in running groups was significantly increased compared to that in the control group (P<0.05). The effect of forced running on neurogenesis was intensity-dependent. In addition, an improvement of learning ability in Y-maze test was observed after forced running. These findings suggest that forced running in motor-driven wheel could enhance neurogenesis in the hippocampal DG of adult rats and improve learning ability.
Xu
Wei-Ping
WP
Department of Neurobiology, School of Medicine, Soochow University, Suzhou 215123, China.
Shan
Li-Dong
LD
Gong
Shan
S
Chen
Lin
L
Zhang
Yue-Jin
YJ
Yin
Qi-Zhang
QZ
Hisamitsu
Tadashi
T
Jiang
Xing-Hong
XH
Guo
Shi-Yu
SY
D000818:Animals; D001973:Bromodeoxyuridine / Q000378:metabolism; D002470:Cell Survival; D018891:Dentate Gyrus / Q000166:cytology* / Q000502:physiology; D007381:Intermediate Filament Proteins / Q000032:analysis; D007858:Learning; D008297:Male; D018782:Maze Learning; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins / Q000032:analysis; D064231:Nestin; D009474:Neurons / Q000502:physiology*; D010805:Physical Conditioning, Animal; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D012420:Running
D007381:Intermediate Filament Proteins; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins; C577486:Nes protein, rat; D064231:Nestin; D001973:Bromodeoxyuridine