Cited by 601Nerve injury and regenerationNeurogenesis and neuroplasticity mechanismsGrowth Hormone and Insulin-like Growth Factors

Circulating Insulin-Like Growth Factor I Mediates the Protective Effects of Physical Exercise against Brain Insults of Different Etiology and Anatomy

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Carro, Eva, Trejo, Jose Luis, Busiguina, Svetlana, Torres-Aleman, Ignacio·2001·The Journal of Neuroscience

Abstract

Physical exercise ameliorates age-related neuronal loss and is currently recommended as a therapeutical aid in several neurodegenerative diseases. However, evidence is still lacking to firmly establish whether exercise constitutes a practical neuroprotective strategy. We now show that exercise provides a remarkable protection against brain insults of different etiology and anatomy. Laboratory rodents were submitted to treadmill running (1 km/d) either before or after neurotoxin insult of the hippocampus (domoic acid) or the brainstem (3-acetylpyridine) or along progression of inherited neurodegeneration affecting the cerebellum (Purkinje cell degeneration). In all cases, animals show recovery of behavioral performance compared with sedentary ones, i.e., intact spatial memory in hippocampal-injured mice, and normal or near to normal motor coordination in brainstem- and cerebellum-damaged animals. Furthermore, exercise blocked neuronal impairment or loss in all types of injuries. Because circulating insulin-like growth factor I (IGF-I), a potent neurotrophic hormone, mediates many of the effects of exercise on the brain, we determined whether neuroprotection by exercise is mediated by IGF-I. Indeed, subcutaneous administration of a blocking anti-IGF-I antibody to exercising animals to inhibit exercise-induced brain uptake of IGF-I abrogates the protective effects of exercise in all types of lesions; antibody-treated animals showed sedentary-like brain damage. These results indicate that exercise prevents and protects from brain damage through increased uptake of circulating IGF-I by the brain. The practice of physical exercise is thus strongly recommended as a preventive measure against neuronal demise. These findings also support the use of IGF-I as a therapeutical aid in brain diseases coursing with either acute or progressive neuronal death.

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Crossref · 10.1523/jneurosci.21-15-05678.2001

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  • Anti-IGF-I antibody can abrogate the protective effects of exercise in many types of brain lesions.

    “Anti-IGF-I antibody can also abrogate the protective effects of exercise in many types of brain lesions (81).”

    From Lack of Exercise Is a Major Cause of Chronic Diseases (2012) · cites this paper as [81]

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Authors
Carro, E., Trejo, J. L., Busiguina, S., & Torres-Aleman, I.
Affiliations
Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (ES)
Venue
The Journal of Neuroscience
Published
2001-08-01
Volume
21
Issue
15
Pages
5678-5684
ISSN
  • 0270-6474 (ISSN-L)
  • 1529-2401
OpenAlex
W2118726420
Cited by
601
References
53
Citations by year
2026: 4 · 2025: 14 · 2024: 4 · 2023: 13 · 2022: 18 · 2021: 20 · 2020: 23 · 2019: 27 · 2018: 18 · 2017: 21 · 2016: 26 · 2015: 31 · 2014: 30 · 2013: 17 · 2012: 37
FWCI
8.59
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Locations
  • Journal of Neuroscience (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed Central (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • DIGITAL.CSIC (Spanish National Research Council (CSIC)) (submittedVersion)
Topics
  • Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cellular and Molecular Neuroscience › Nerve injury and regeneration
  • Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Developmental Neuroscience › Neurogenesis and neuroplasticity mechanisms
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolism › Growth Hormone and Insulin-like Growth Factors
Keywords
physical activity, neuroprotection, insulin-like growth factor I, brain injury, hippocampal neurotoxicity, domoic acid, 3-acetylpyridine, brainstem injury, Purkinje cell degeneration, cerebellar ataxia, spatial memory, motor coordination, neurotrophic factors, neurodegeneration, treadmill running
MeSH terms
Animals, Behavior, Animal, Cell Count, Cerebellar Diseases, Disease Models, Animal, Glucose, Hippocampus, Immunohistochemistry, Injections, Subcutaneous, Insulin-Like Growth Factor I, Kainic Acid, Male, Mice, Inbred C57BL, Motor Activity, Neurons, Olivary Nucleus, Physical Conditioning, Animal, Purkinje Cells, Pyridines, Treatment Outcome, Rats, Wistar, Disease Progression, Neuroprotective Agents, Neurodegenerative Diseases, Mice, Rats

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