Exercise inhibits neuronal apoptosis and improves

Authors: Tatsuki Itoh Motohiro Imano Shozo Nishida Masahiro Tsubaki Shigeo Hashimoto Akihiko Ito Takao Satou

Publish Date: 2011/03/27

Volume: 118, Issue: 9, Pages: 1263-1272

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Abstract

Exercise is reported to inhibit neuronal apoptotic cell death in the hippocampus and improve learning and memory However the effect of exercise on inhibition of neuronal apoptosis surrounding the area of damage after traumatic brain injury TBI and the improvement of cerebral dysfunction following TBI are unknown Here we investigate the effect of exercise on morphology and cerebral function following TBI in rats Wistar rats received TBI by a pneumatic controlled injury device were randomly divided into two groups 1 nonexercise group and 2 exercise group The exercise group ran on a treadmill for 30 min/day at 22 m/min for seven consecutive days Immunohistochemical and behavioral studies were performed following TBI The number of singlestranded DNA ssDNApositive cells around the damaged area early after TBI was significantly reduced in the exercise group compared with the nonexercise group P  005 Furthermore most ssDNApositive cells in the nonexercise group colocalized with neuronal cells However in the exercise group a few ssDNApositive cells colocalized with neurons In addition there was a significant increase in neuronal cell number and improvement in cerebral dysfunction after TBI in the exercise group compared with the nonexercise group P  005 These results indicate that exercise following TBI inhibits neuronal degeneration and apoptotic cell death around the damaged area which results in improvement of cerebral dysfunction In summary treadmill running improved cerebral dysfunction following TBI indicating its potential as an effective clinical therapy Therefore exercise therapy rehabilitation in the early phase following TBI is important for recuperation from cerebral dysfunction

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