Premium
Exercise enhances hippocampal‐dependent learning in the rat: Evidence for a BDNF‐related mechanism
Author(s) -
Griffin Éadaoin W.,
Bechara Ranya G.,
Birch Amy M.,
Kelly Áine M.
Publication year - 2009
Publication title -
hippocampus
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.767
H-Index - 155
eISSN - 1098-1063
pISSN - 1050-9631
DOI - 10.1002/hipo.20631
Subject(s) - dentate gyrus , hippocampal formation , neuroscience , perirhinal cortex , hippocampus , brain derived neurotrophic factor , mechanism (biology) , psychology , neurotrophic factors , cognition , medicine , receptor , recognition memory , philosophy , epistemology
Abstract Short periods of forced exercise have been reported to selectively induce enhancements in hippocampal‐dependent cognitive function, possibly via brain‐derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF)‐mediated mechanisms. In this study, we report that 1 week of treadmill running significantly enhanced both object displacement (spatial) and object substitution (nonspatial) learning. These behavioral changes were accompanied by increased expression of BDNF protein in the dentate gyrus, hippocampus, and perirhinal cortex. The effects of exercise on object substitution were mimicked by intracerebroventricular injection of BDNF protein. These data are consistent with the hypothesis that exercise has the potential to enhance cognitive function in young healthy rats, possibly via a mechanism involving increased BDNF expression in specific brain regions. © 2009 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.