summary: New research shows exercise may reverse the effects of aging on the brain. The researchers found that physical activity changes microglial gene expression, causing microglia to resemble the gene expression of young brains.
Exercise also helps reduce the presence of harmful T cells in the hippocampus and improves memory and learning. These findings highlight the importance of exercise for maintaining cognitive health as we age.
Important facts:
- gene expression: Exercise returns aged microglial gene expression to a youthful pattern.
- Role of microglia: Essential for the formation of new neurons in the hippocampus due to exercise.
- Decrease in T cells: Exercise prevents/reduces the presence of T cells in the aging hippocampus.
sauce: wiley
New research published in aged cells Provides insight into how exercise can help prevent or slow age-related cognitive decline.
For this study, the researchers assessed gene expression in individual cells in the mouse brain. The research team discovered that exercise has a significant effect on gene expression in microglia, immune cells in the central nervous system that support brain function.
Specifically, the research group found that exercise reverted gene expression patterns in older microglia to those seen in younger microglia.
Treatments that deplete microglia revealed that these cells are required for the stimulatory effects of exercise on the formation of new neurons in the brain’s hippocampus, an area involved in memory, learning, and emotion.
Scientists also found that exposing mice to a hamster wheel prevented and/or reduced the presence of age-related T cells in the hippocampus. These immune cells are not normally present in the brain when we are young, but increase as we age.
“We were surprised and excited to learn how much physical activity can rejuvenate and change the composition of immune cells in the brain, and in particular how it can reverse the negative effects of aging.” said co-author Yana. Dr. Vukovic from the University of Queensland, Australia.
“This highlights the importance of standardizing and facilitating access to customized exercise programs. Our findings highlight the importance of standardizing and facilitating access to customized exercise programs. It should be useful for a variety of industries designing interventions for older adults.
About this research news on aging, exercise, and cognition
author: Sarah Henning Stout
sauce: wiley
contact: Sarah Henning Stout – Wiley
image: Image credited to Neuroscience News
Original research: Open access.
“Exercise rejuvenates microglia and reverses T cell accumulation in the brains of aged female miceWritten by Jana Vukovic et al. aged cells
abstract
Exercise rejuvenates microglia and reverses T cell accumulation in the brains of aged female mice
Slowing or reversing brain aging may reduce cognitive impairment. Previous studies have found that exercise can reduce cognitive decline, but the underlying mechanisms remain largely unknown.
Here we provide an unbiased analysis of single-cell RNA-seq data demonstrating the effects of exercise and aging on specific cell types in the mouse hippocampus.
We demonstrated that exercise has a profound and selective effect on aging microglia, reverting their gene expression signature to that of young microglia.
Pharmacological depletion of microglia further demonstrated that these cells are required for the stimulatory effects of exercise on hippocampal neurogenesis, but not for cognition.
Surprisingly, exposing 18-month-old mice to a running wheel prevented and/or restored the presence of T cells in the aged hippocampus.
Taken together, our data highlight a significant impact of exercise on the rejuvenation of aged microglia, associated pro-neurogenic effects, and presence of peripheral immune cells in the brains of aged female mice.
