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Brain activation patterns at exhaustion in rats that differ in inherent exercise capacity
Teresa E Foley1, Leah R Brooks, Lori J Gilligan
1Department of Integrative Physiology and The Center for Neuroscience, University of Colorado, Boulder, Colorado, United States of America.
Plos One
|October 3, 2012
Summary
High-capacity (HCR) and low-capacity (LCR) rats exhibit distinct brain activation patterns during exercise. Differences in neuronal activation, marked by c-Fos mRNA, may explain variations in running endurance.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Exercise Physiology
- Genetics
Background:
- Understanding the genetic underpinnings of exercise capacity is crucial for athletic performance and health.
- Selective breeding has produced distinct rat lines with high (HCR) and low (LCR) inherent running capacity.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate brain activation differences between HCR and LCR rats.
- To identify brain regions associated with variations in exercise capacity.
Main Methods:
- Quantitative in situ hybridization was used to measure c-Fos mRNA levels, a neuronal activation marker.
- Brain samples were analyzed from HCR and LCR rats after acute treadmill running or running to exhaustion.
- Trait differences were verified, with HCR rats running significantly farther and longer than LCR rats.
Main Results:
- Running to exhaustion significantly increased c-Fos mRNA in several brain areas of HCR rats.
- LCR rats did not show significant elevations in c-Fos mRNA at exhaustion compared to acutely run controls.
- Distinct patterns of central c-Fos mRNA expression were observed between HCR and LCR rats during exhaustive exercise.
Conclusions:
- Differences in brain activation patterns, specifically c-Fos mRNA expression, exist between HCR and LCR rats.
- These neurobiological differences likely contribute to the variation in inherent running capacity observed between the rat lines.
