Physical exercise ameliorates memory impairment in offspring of old mice.

For humans, maternal old age means the age of 35 or older at the time of childbirth. Maternal metabolism not only affects the cognitive function of the offspring, but also affects their physical and neurological development. This study aims to elucidate the effects of exercise training on spatial learning memory, neurogenesis, and apoptosis in the off-spring of old mice. Using mice, the offspring of old mothers showed impaired spatial learning memory, decreased brain-derived neurotrophic factor and postsynaptic density protein 95 levels, suppressed neurogenesis, and increased hippocampal apoptotic cell death. In contrast, the offspring of the old mothers had improved spatial learning memory, increased brain-derived neurotrophic factor and postsynaptic density protein 95 levels, increased neurogenesis, and decreased hippocampal apoptotic cell death when they received exercise training. The present results indicate that there is apparent spatial learning memory impairment among the offspring of old mothers, but by contrast, exercise can ameliorate spatial learning memory impairment. Exercise can be an effective countermeasure against memory decline in the offspring of old mothers.