title: Social isolation prevents exercise-induced proliferation of hippocampal progenitor cells in female rats.
abstract: Social isolation negatively affects the behavior and health of laboratory rats. Recently, it has been found that social isolation retards exercise-induced neurogenesis in the hippocampal dentate gyrus (DG) of male rats (Stranahan et al. (2006) Nat Neurosci 9:526-533). Since male and female rats react differently to housing changes and exercise opportunities, we investigated whether social isolation would also suppress the exercise-dependent increase in proliferation of dentate gyrus progenitor cells in females. Accordingly, female rats were housed either alone (isolated) or in groups (social) with (exercise) or without (sedentary) the opportunity to run in an exercise wheel. Proliferating progenitor cells were labeled with bromodeoxyuridine (BrdU). As expected, exercise increased the number of BrdU+ cells in socially housed animals. However, isolation prevented this running-induced increase. Our results expand upon previous findings by showing that the female brain is also susceptible to the suppressive effect of social isolation on exercise-induced neurogenesis.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, University of Houston, Houston, TX 77204, USA. j.leasure@mail.uh.edu
authors.forename: J Leigh
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Leasure
authors.forename: Linda
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Decker
mesh_terms: D053687:Adult Stem Cells / Q000502:physiology*; D000818:Animals; D001835:Body Weight; D001973:Bromodeoxyuridine; D002452:Cell Count; D049109:Cell Proliferation; D018891:Dentate Gyrus / Q000503:physiopathology*; D005260:Female; D006799:Housing, Animal; D008032:Limbic System / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology; D055495:Neurogenesis / Q000502:physiology; D009929:Organ Size; D010805:Physical Conditioning, Animal / Q000502:physiology*; D051381:Rats; D020318:Rats, Long-Evans; D012420:Running / Q000502:physiology; D012727:Sex Characteristics; D012934:Social Isolation; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000503:physiopathology*; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D001973:Bromodeoxyuridine