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Published on: June 26, 2013
Exerkines and long-term synaptic potentiation: Mechanisms of exercise-induced neuroplasticity
Wouter A J Vints1, Oron Levin2, Hakuei Fujiyama3
1Department of Health Promotion and Rehabilitation, Lithuanian Sports University, Sporto str. 6, LT-44221 Kaunas, Lithuania; Department of Rehabilitation Medicine Research School CAPHRI, Maastricht University, P.O. Box 616, 6200 MD Maastricht, the Netherlands; Centre of Expertise in Rehabilitation and Audiology, Adelante Zorggroep, P.O. Box 88, 6430 AB Hoensbroek, the Netherlands.
Abstract:
Physical exercise may improve cognitive function by modulating molecular and cellular mechanisms within the brain. We propose that the facilitation of long-term synaptic potentiation (LTP)-related pathways, by products induced by physical exercise (i.e., exerkines), is a crucial aspect of the exercise-effect on the brain. This review summarizes synaptic pathways that are activated by exerkines and may potentiate LTP. For a total of 16 exerkines, we indicated how blood and brain exerkine levels are altered depending on the type of physical exercise (i.e., cardiovascular or resistance exercise) and how they respond to a single bout (i.e., acute exercise) or multiple bouts of physical exercise (i.e., chronic exercise). This information may be used for designing individualized physical exercise programs. Finally, this review may serve to direct future research towards fundamental gaps in our current knowledge regarding the biophysical interactions between muscle activity and the brain at both cellular and system levels.
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