title: Exercise training could improve age-related changes in cerebral blood flow and capillary vascularity through the upregulation of VEGF and eNOS.
abstract: This study aimed to investigate the effect of exercise training on age-induced microvascular alterations in the brain. Additionally, the association with the protein levels of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS) was also assessed. Male Wistar rats were divided into four groups: sedentary-young (SE-Young, n = 5), sedentary aged (SE-Aged, n = 8), immersed-aged (IM-Aged, n = 5), and exercise trained-aged (ET-Aged, 60 minutes/day and 5 days/week for 8 weeks, n = 8) rats. The MAPs of all aged groups, SE-Aged, IM-Aged, and ET-Aged, were significantly higher than that of the SE-Young group. The regional cerebral blood flow (rCBF) in the SE-Aged and IM-Aged was significantly decreased as compared to SE-Young groups. However, rCBF of ET-Aged group was significantly higher than that in the IM-Aged group (P < 0.05). Moreover, the percentage of capillary vascularity (%CV) and the levels of VEGF and eNOS in the ET-Aged group were significantly increased compared to the IM-Aged group (P < 0.05). These results imply that exercise training could improve age-induced microvascular changes and hypoperfusion closely associated with the upregulation of VEGF and eNOS.
authors.affiliation: Inter-Department of Physiology, Graduate School, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok 10330, Thailand.
authors.forename: Sheepsumon
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Viboolvorakul
authors.affiliation: Center of Excellence for Microcirculation, Department of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok 10330, Thailand.
authors.forename: Suthiluk
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Patumraj
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001794:Blood Pressure; D002540:Cerebral Cortex / Q000098:blood supply*; D002560:Cerebrovascular Circulation / Q000502:physiology*; D008297:Male; D055806:Microvessels / Q000502:physiology; D052250:Nitric Oxide Synthase Type III / Q000032:analysis / Q000378:metabolism*; D010805:Physical Conditioning, Animal / Q000502:physiology*; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D057185:Sedentary Behavior; D015854:Up-Regulation / Q000502:physiology; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A / Q000032:analysis / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A; D052250:Nitric Oxide Synthase Type III