Running Changes the Brain: the Long and the Short of It

Author: Carmen Vivar1, Henriette van Praag2
Affiliation: <sup>1</sup> Department of Physiology, Biophysics and Neuroscience, Centro de Investigacion y de Estudios Avanzados del IPN, Mexico; and. <sup>2</sup> Neuroplasticity and Behavior Unit, Laboratory of Neurosciences, Intramural Research Program, National Institute on Aging, National Institutes of Health, Baltimore, Maryland.
Conference/Journal: Physiology (Bethesda)
Date published: 2017 Nov 1
Other: Volume ID: 32 , Issue ID: 6 , Pages: 410-424 , Special Notes: doi: 10.1152/physiol.00017.2017. , Word Count: 80


Exercise is a simple intervention that profoundly benefits cognition. In rodents, running increases neurogenesis in the hippocampus, a brain area important for memory. We describe the dynamic changes in new neuron number and afferent connections throughout their maturation. We highlight the effects of exercise on the neurotransmitter systems involved, with a focus on the role of glutamate and acetylcholine in the initial development of new neurons in the adult brain.


PMID: 29021361 PMCID: PMC6148340 DOI: 10.1152/physiol.00017.2017

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