Exercise training and the promotion of neurogenesis and neurite outgrowth in the hippocampus

Abstract

There is a developing consensus that physical exercise is useful as a preventive strategy for cognitive impairment found in patients with dementia, particularly those affected by Alzheimer’s disease. Many reports state that the exercise-induced improvement of cognitive performance is an enhanced expression of a brain-derived neurotrophic factor and adult neurogenesis in the hippocampus, which is an area of the brain that is important for learning and memory. The process of adult hippocampal neurogenesis consists of the proliferation of neural progenitor cells (NPCs) and neural differentiation and maturation involving the neurite (axons and dendrites) extension of NPCs. Exercise training is well known as a promoter of cell proliferation and survival in the hippocampus; however, little is known about the effects of exercise training on neurite outgrowth in the hippocampus. This review presents the effect of exercise training on neurogenesis and neurite outgrowth in the hippocampus.

Keywords

• exercise training
• cognitive impairment
• hippocampus
• neurogenesis
• neurite outgrowth