Caruso Maria Giovanna, Nicolas Sarah, Lucassen Paul J, Mul Joram D, O'Leary Olivia F, Nolan Yvonne M
Department of Anatomy and Neuroscience, University College Cork, Ireland.
APC Microbiome Ireland, University College Cork, Ireland.
Brain Plast. 2024 May 14;9(1-2):43-73. doi: 10.3233/BPL-230157. eCollection 2024.
In our ageing global population, the cognitive decline associated with dementia and neurodegenerative diseases represents a major healthcare problem. To date, there are no effective treatments for age-related cognitive impairment, thus preventative strategies are urgently required. Physical exercise is gaining traction as a non-pharmacological approach to promote brain health. Adult hippocampal neurogenesis (AHN), a unique form of brain plasticity which is necessary for certain cognitive functions declines with age and is enhanced in response to exercise. Accumulating evidence from research in rodents suggests that physical exercise has beneficial effects on cognition through its proneurogenic capabilities. Given ethical and technical limitations in human studies, preclinical research in rodents is crucial for a better understanding of such exercise-induced brain and behavioural changes. In this review, exercise paradigms used in preclinical research are compared. We provide an overview of the effects of different exercise paradigms on age-related cognitive decline from middle-age until older-age. We discuss the relationship between the age-related decrease in AHN and the potential impact of exercise on mitigating this decline. We highlight the emerging literature on the impact of exercise on gut microbiota during ageing and consider the role of the gut-brain axis as a future possible strategy to optimize exercise-enhanced cognitive function. Finally, we propose a guideline for designing optimal exercise protocols in rodent studies, which would inform clinical research and contribute to developing preventative strategies for age-related cognitive decline.
在全球人口老龄化的背景下，与痴呆症和神经退行性疾病相关的认知衰退成为一个重大的医疗保健问题。迄今为止，尚无针对与年龄相关的认知障碍的有效治疗方法，因此迫切需要预防策略。体育锻炼作为一种促进大脑健康的非药物方法正越来越受到关注。成年海马神经发生（AHN）是一种独特的大脑可塑性形式，对某些认知功能至关重要，但会随着年龄增长而下降，并会因运动而增强。来自啮齿动物研究的越来越多的证据表明，体育锻炼通过其促神经发生能力对认知产生有益影响。鉴于人体研究存在伦理和技术限制，啮齿动物的临床前研究对于更好地理解这种运动引起的大脑和行为变化至关重要。在这篇综述中，比较了临床前研究中使用的运动模式。我们概述了不同运动模式对从中年到老年与年龄相关的认知衰退的影响。我们讨论了与年龄相关的AHN减少与运动对减轻这种衰退的潜在影响之间的关系。我们强调了关于运动对衰老过程中肠道微生物群影响的新兴文献，并考虑了肠-脑轴作为优化运动增强认知功能的未来可能策略的作用。最后，我们提出了在啮齿动物研究中设计最佳运动方案的指南，这将为临床研究提供信息，并有助于制定与年龄相关的认知衰退的预防策略。
