Acute exercise-induced enhancement of fear inhibition is moderated by BDNF Val66Met polymorphism.

ABSTRACT: Rodent research indicates that acute physical exercise facilitates fear learning and inhibition. Expression of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) may moderate the memory enhancing effects of acute exercise. We assessed the role of acute exercise in modulating extinction retention in humans, and investigated the extent to which the BDNF polymorphism influenced extinction retention. Seventy non-clinical participants engaged in a differential fear potentiated startle paradigm involving conditioning and extinction followed by random assignment to either intense exercise (n = 35) or no exercise (n = 35). Extinction retention was assessed 24 h later. Saliva samples were collected to index BDNF genotype. Exercised participants displayed significantly lower fear 24 h later relative to non-ex

SUBMITTER: Keyan D 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6456490 | biostudies-literature | 2019 Apr

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature