Impact of voluntary exercise training on the metabolic and behavioral characteristics of the rTg4510 transgenic mouse model of frontotemporal dementia

Abstract

Frontotemporal dementia (FTD) is a neurodegenerative disorder that affects the frontal and temporal lobes of the brain, primarily in individuals under 65 years of age, and is the second most common form of dementia worldwide. There is no cure for FTD and current treatments offer limited symptomatic relief. Regular physical activity exhibits cognitive and neuroprotective benefits in healthy individuals and in various neurodegenerative diseases, such as Alzheimer's disease, but few studies have examined its efficacy in FTD. Accordingly, we investigated the impact of voluntary exercise training (VET) on the metabolic and behavioral characteristics of the rTg4510 transgenic mouse model of familial FTD. We show that regardless of genotype, VET increased energy expenditure, decreased sleep duration, and improved long-term memory in rTg4510 mice and WT littermates. Moreover, VET appeared to improve hyperactivity, a common feature of FTD, in rTg4510 mice. Although further work is required, these findings provide important insights into the potential benefits of physical activity in FTD.