Electrically stimulated hind limb muscle contractions increase adult hippocampal astrogliogenesis but not neurogenesis or behavioral performance in male C57BL/6J mice.

ABSTRACT: Regular exercise is crucial for maintaining cognitive health throughout life. Recent evidence suggests muscle contractions during exercise release factors into the blood which cross into the brain and stimulate adult hippocampal neurogenesis. However, no study has tested whether muscle contractions alone are sufficient to increase adult hippocampal neurogenesis and improve behavioral performance. Adult male, C57BL/6J mice were anesthetized and exposed to bilateral hind limb muscle contractions (both concentric and eccentric) via electrical stimulation (e-stim) of the sciatic nerve twice a week for 8 weeks. Each session lasted approximately 20 min and consisted of a total of 40 muscle contractions. The control group was treated similarly except without e-stim (sham). Acute neuronal activati

SUBMITTER: Gardner JC 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7652861 | biostudies-literature | 2020 Nov

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature