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Author Spotlight: Enhancements in Gene Expression Regulation Research
Published on: September 15, 2023
Exercise epigenetics is fueled by cell bioenergetics: Supporting role on brain plasticity and cognition
Fernando Gomez-Pinilla1, Pavan Thapak2
1Department of Integrative Biology and Physiology, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, 90095, USA; Department of Neurosurgery, UCLA Brain Injury Research Center, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, 90095, USA.
None:
Exercise has the unique aptitude to benefit overall health of body and brain. Evidence indicates that the effects of exercise can be saved in the epigenome for considerable time to elevate the threshold for various diseases. The action of exercise on epigenetic regulation seems central to building an "epigenetic memory" to influence long-term brain function and behavior. As an intrinsic bioenergetic process, exercise engages the function of the mitochondria and redox pathways to impinge upon molecular mechanisms that regulate synaptic plasticity and learning and memory. We discuss how the action of exercise uses mechanisms of bioenergetics to support a "epigenetic memory" with long-term implications for neural and behavioral plasticity. This information is crucial for directing the power of exercise to reduce the burden of neurological and psychiatric disorders.
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