Exercise increases BDNF levels in the striatum and decreases depressive-like behavior in chronically stressed rats

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dc.contributor.authorMarais L.
dc.contributor.authorStein D.J.
dc.contributor.authorDaniels W.M.U.
dc.date.accessioned2011-05-15T15:59:58Z
dc.date.available2011-05-15T15:59:58Z
dc.date.issued2009
dc.description.abstractEarly life stress in humans can affect the development of neurons and neurotransmitter systems and predispose an individual to the subsequent development of depression. Similarly, in rats, maternal separation causes anxiety and depressive-like behavior and decreased corticosterone levels. Patients receiving pharmacological treatment for depression often experience negative side-effects or do not respond optimally and therefore the use of exercise as alternative antidepressant treatment is investigated. The aim of the study was to see whether rats subjected to both early life stress and chronic stress later in life show differences in depressive-like behavior, neurotrophin levels, stress hormone levels and antioxidant capacity of serum after chronic voluntary exercise as treatment. Rat pups were maternally separated and one group were allowed access to running wheels for 6 weeks while control rats were also handled and put in cages without running wheels. All rats were subjected to chronic restraint stress during adulthood. A forced swim test was done to test for depressive-like behavior. Neurotrophins were measured in the ventral hippocampus and striatum; baseline stress hormones were measured in blood plasma as well as the anti-oxidative potential of serum. Compared to controls, rats that exercised had no difference in baseline stress hormones, but had decreased immobility times in the forced swim test, increased brain derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) levels in the striatum and decreased anti-oxidative potential of their serum. The mechanism by which depressive-like behavior was improved may have been mediated through increased striatal BDNF levels, resulting in increased neuroplasticity and the prevention of neuronal death. © 2009 Springer Science+Business Media, LLC.
dc.description.versionArticle
dc.identifier.citationMetabolic Brain Disease
dc.identifier.citation24
dc.identifier.citation4
dc.identifier.issn8857490
dc.identifier.other10.1007/s11011-009-9157-2
dc.identifier.urihttp://hdl.handle.net/10019.1/11455
dc.subjectbrain derived neurotrophic factor
dc.subjectcorticotropin
dc.subjectiodine 125
dc.subjectnerve growth factor
dc.subjectneurotrophin
dc.subjectneurotrophin 3
dc.subjectanimal behavior
dc.subjectanimal experiment
dc.subjectanimal model
dc.subjectantioxidant activity
dc.subjectarticle
dc.subjectcontrolled study
dc.subjectcorpus striatum
dc.subjectcorticotropin blood level
dc.subjectdepression
dc.subjectenzyme linked immunosorbent assay
dc.subjectexercise
dc.subjectexperimental model
dc.subjectforced swimming test
dc.subjecthippocampus
dc.subjecthormone blood level
dc.subjectimmobilization stress
dc.subjectimmunoradiometric assay
dc.subjectisotope labeling
dc.subjectlife stress
dc.subjectmaternal deprivation
dc.subjectnerve cell necrosis
dc.subjectnerve cell plasticity
dc.subjectnewborn
dc.subjectnonhuman
dc.subjectradioimmunoassay
dc.subjectrat
dc.subjectserum
dc.subjectAge Factors
dc.subjectAging
dc.subjectAnimals
dc.subjectAntioxidants
dc.subjectBrain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor
dc.subjectChronic Disease
dc.subjectCorpus Striatum
dc.subjectDepressive Disorder
dc.subjectDisease Models, Animal
dc.subjectExercise Therapy
dc.subjectHydrocortisone
dc.subjectMale
dc.subjectNerve Degeneration
dc.subjectNeuronal Plasticity
dc.subjectPhysical Conditioning, Animal
dc.subjectRats
dc.subjectRats, Sprague-Dawley
dc.subjectRestraint, Physical
dc.subjectStress, Psychological
dc.subjectSwimming
dc.subjectTime
dc.subjectUp-Regulation
dc.subjectAnimalia
dc.subjectRattus
dc.titleExercise increases BDNF levels in the striatum and decreases depressive-like behavior in chronically stressed rats
dc.typeArticle
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