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Cortical microglia dynamics are conserved during voluntary wheel running.

Alexandra O Strohm1, Thomas N O'Connor2,3, Sadie Oldfield4

  • 1Department of Environmental Medicine, University of Rochester Medical Center, Rochester, New York, United States.

Journal of Applied Physiology (Bethesda, Md. : 1985)
|November 16, 2023
PubMed
Summary

Physical exercise, such as voluntary wheel running, does not significantly alter microglia dynamics or responses to injury in healthy adult mice. Exercise may benefit the brain through mechanisms other than direct changes to microglia.

Keywords:
microgliatwo-photon microscopyvoluntary wheel running

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Area of Science:

  • Neuroscience
  • Immunology
  • Exercise Physiology

Background:

  • Microglia are the primary immune cells of the central nervous system, playing crucial roles in brain health and disease.
  • The impact of physical exercise on microglial behavior and function in vivo remains incompletely understood.
  • Understanding how exercise influences microglia is vital for exploring its therapeutic potential for neurological conditions.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the effects of chronic voluntary wheel running on microglia dynamics, morphology, and response to injury in vivo.
  • To determine if physical exercise alters the phenotype of microglia in healthy adult mice.
  • To establish a foundation for future research into exercise and microglia in disease models.

Main Methods:

  • Utilized chronic in vivo imaging techniques to observe microglia over time in mice engaged in voluntary wheel running (VWR).
  • Assessed microglia dynamics, including movement, morphology, and process motility, during periods of exercise.
  • Evaluated microglial response to laser ablation injury in both exercising and sedentary mice.

Main Results:

  • Microglia dynamics, morphology, and process motility remained stable in healthy mice during chronic voluntary wheel running.
  • Exercising mice exhibited similar microglial responses to laser ablation injury compared to sedentary controls.
  • These findings indicate that VWR does not grossly alter cortical microglial phenotypes in healthy adult mice.

Conclusions:

  • Voluntary wheel running over one month does not induce significant changes in microglia dynamics or injury response in healthy mice.
  • The beneficial effects of exercise on the brain may be mediated through pathways independent of direct microglial alterations.
  • Further research is warranted to explore exercise-induced microglial changes in disease and injury contexts.