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Behavioral Assessments of Spontaneous Locomotion in a Murine MPTP-induced Parkinson's Disease Model
Published on: January 7, 2019
Running wheel activity restores MPTP-induced functional deficits
Anders Fredriksson1, Ingels Maria Stigsdotter, Anders Hurtig
1Department of Neuroscience Psychiatry, Uppsala University, 751 85, Uppsala, Sweden.
Journal of Neural Transmission (Vienna, Austria : 1996)
|September 21, 2010
Summary
Physical exercise, specifically wheel running, significantly alleviates parkinsonism symptoms in mice induced by MPTP. This activity reduces motor deficits and dopamine loss, while increasing BDNF levels, offering a potential therapeutic strategy.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Exercise Physiology
- Pharmacology
Background:
- Parkinsonism is a neurodegenerative disorder characterized by motor symptoms.
- MPTP (1-methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine) is a neurotoxin used to model Parkinson's disease.
- Physical exercise, including wheel running, has shown promise in alleviating parkinsonism.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the efficacy of wheel-running exercise in mitigating MPTP-induced parkinsonism in mice.
- To assess the impact of exercise on motor activity, dopamine levels, and brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) in an MPTP mouse model.
Main Methods:
- C57/BL6 mice were administered MPTP via double-dose or single-dose weekly regimes.
- Mice underwent either daily wheel-running exercise or were housed near running wheels.
- Behavioral tests (spontaneous and L-Dopa-induced activity) and biochemical analyses (dopamine, BDNF) were performed.
Main Results:
- Wheel running significantly attenuated MPTP-induced akinesia/hypokinesia in both spontaneous and L-Dopa-induced motor activity tests.
- Running wheel exercise markedly reduced MPTP-induced dopamine loss in the striatum.
- MPTP insult elevated BDNF levels in the parietal cortex, with further increases observed following physical exercise.
Conclusions:
- Physical exercise, particularly wheel running, effectively alleviates functional deficits associated with MPTP-induced parkinsonism.
- Exercise demonstrates neuroprotective effects by reducing dopamine depletion and modulating BDNF levels.
- Wheel running presents a promising non-pharmacological intervention for managing Parkinson's disease symptoms.
