Title:Neural Mechanism of Exercise: Neurovascular Responses to Exercise
Volume: 14
Issue: 10
Author(s): Ti-Fei Yuan, Nuno Barbosa Ferreira Rocha, Flávia Paes, Oscar Arias-Carrión, Sergio Machado and Alberto Souza de Sá Filho
Affiliation:
Keywords:
Blood-vessels, cognition, depression, exercise.
Abstract: Physical exercise is responsible for different metabolic and hemodynamic changes, including increased cerebral
blood flow and perfusion. It is known that running increases vascular endothelial growth factor expression in the brain,
which is critical for the anti-depressive effects of adult neurogenesis induced by physical exercise. Both animal and
human studies revealed that neurovascular responses to physical exercise are well correlated to adult hippocampal
neurogenesis and cognition improvement. Yet it is unknown if the increased blood perfusion to hippocampus is affecting
the adult neurogenesis. Manipulating systemic blood pressure, or stimulating the cerebral blood flow with alternative
measures, might provide useful tools to understand how much neurovascular plasticity contributes to the brain cognition
enhancement by physical exercise. In addition, it will be interesting to examine the responses of brain cells (including
neuron, glia and endothelia cells) to increased shear stress and oxygen load, to investigate the underlying molecular
mechanisms.