title: Forced mild physical training improves blood volume in the motor and hippocampal cortex of old mice.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To assess the effect of mild forced physical training on cerebral blood volume (CBV) and other brain parameters in old mice.
  
  
  METHODS
  Treadmill in the animal house.
  
  
  METHODS
  Thirty old (>25 mo) male mice were randomly assigned to one of three groups, exercise (E), exercise plus testosterone (T) (ET), and rest (C).
  
  
  METHODS
  Mild physical training on treadmill (30 min a day at belt speed = 8 m/min, five days a week) with or without one weekly injection of testosterone.
  
  
  METHODS
  CBV, quantitative transverse relaxation time (T2) maps, and cortical thickness were measured by magnetic resonance imaging.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A significant increase of CBV was found in the motor and hippocampal cortex of E and ET mice; cortical thickness was not affected. T2 maps analysis suggested that water distribution did not change. T administration did not add to the effect of physical training.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This work provides first quantitative evidence that exercise initiated at old age is able to improve the hemodynamic status of the brain cortex in key regions for movement and cognition without inducing edema.
authors: Prof. Carlo Zancanaro, DSNNMM, Sezione di Anatomia e Istologia; Strada Le Grazie 8, I-37134 Verona, Italy. Tel. +39 045 8027155; Fax. +39 045 8027163, E-mail address: carlo.zancanaro@univr.it.
authors: R
authors: R
authors: Mariotti
authors: P
authors: P
authors: Fattoretti
authors: M
authors: M
authors: Malatesta
authors: E
authors: E
authors: Nicolato
authors: M
authors: M
authors: Sandri
authors: C
authors: C
authors: Zancanaro
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001810:Blood Volume / Q000502:physiology*; D003071:Cognition / Q000502:physiology; D005069:Evaluation Studies as Topic; D005080:Exercise Test; D005260:Female; D006624:Hippocampus / Q000098:blood supply*; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D010805:Physical Conditioning, Animal; D012146:Rest; D013739:Testosterone / Q000008:administration & dosage
chemical_list: D013739:Testosterone