of Link The relationship between physical activity and brain health is not new, and many studies have shown how exercise can improve function, from alleviating depression to avoiding cognitive decline. increase. Scientists now show in cell studies that the connection may be more direct, leading to more targeted physical therapy for brain health and potential treatments for neurodegenerative conditions. Open the door.
Scientists at the Beckman Institute for Advanced Science and Technology at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign used mouse muscle cells to see how their contractions cause hippocampal neurons to fire larger, more frequent electrical signals. I was able to prove it. Within days, these stronger, healthier signals were more synchronized, mimicking the neural tissue in the brain.
Every time you exercise, your muscles contract and lengthen. If contractions send out a boosted, stronger electrical signal to the hippocampus, which is essential for cognition, it could lead to exercise-based treatments for conditions such as Alzheimer’s disease.
Ki Yun Lee, lead author of the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, said:
After discovering the chemical pathway, the team added cultures featuring chemical signals from muscle cells to cultures of hippocampal neurons and astrocytes, the “first responders in the brain.” Using immunofluorescence and calcium imaging, researchers were able to confirm how specialized astrocyte cells play critical roles in processes, modulating the chemical environment and moderating neurobehavior. .
Taher Saif, Justin Rhodes, Ki Yun Lee
“Astrocytes play an important role in mediating the effects of exercise,” Lee said. “By regulating neuronal activity and preventing neuronal hyperexcitability, astrocytes contribute to the balance necessary for optimal brain function.”
The body’s chemical response to exercise is a complex one, but focusing on pathways from muscle cells to the hippocampus suggests that scientists believe that targeted physical therapy regimens can help improve neural pathways in people suffering from cognitive decline. can be enhanced or restructured.
“Ultimately, our research may contribute to the development of more effective exercise regimens for cognitive disorders such as Alzheimer’s disease,” said Lee.
The study was published in a journal neuroscience.
Source: Beckmann Institute for Advanced Science and Technology
