Exercise preconditioning and brain ischemic tolerance.

It is well established that physical exercise can exert neuroprotection both in clinical settings and animal experiments. A series of studies have demonstrated that physical exercise may be a promising preconditioning method to induce brain ischemic tolerance through the promotion of angiogenesis, mediation of the inflammatory response, inhibition of glutamate over-activation, protection of the blood brain barrier (BBB) and inhibition of apoptosis. Through these mechanisms, exercise preconditioning may reduce the neural deficits associated with ischemia and the development of brain infarction and thus provide brain ischemic tolerance. An awareness of the benefits of exercise preconditioning may lead more patients to accept exercise therapy in cases of ischemic stroke.