Exercise increases brain-derived neurotrophic factor - crucial for...
Nicholas Fabiano, MD@NTFabiano
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Mar 20, 2025
~1 min read
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Exercise increases brain-derived neurotrophic factor - crucial for neuronal survival, growth, and plasticity.
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These findings are from a study in @FrontNeurosci which offers a summary of the different molecular mechanisms involved in the brain's response to exercise, with a specific focus on brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF). frontiersin.org/journals/molec… 2/9
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Accumulating evidence supports that physical exercise is the most effective non-pharmacological strategy to improve brain health. 3/9
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Exercise prevents cognitive decline associated with age and decreases the risk of developing neurodegenerative diseases and psychiatric disorders. 4/9
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These positive effects of exercise can be attributed to an increase in neurogenesis and neuroplastic processes, leading to learning and memory improvement. 5/9
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At the molecular level, there is a solid consensus to involve BDNF as the crucial molecule for positive exercise effects on the brain. 6/9
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In animal studies, anti-BDNF strategies negate exercise-associated cognitive benefits, while in humans, the val66met polymorphism, which is associated with a defect in activity-dependent regulated secretion, attenuates the cognitive advantage of exercise. 7/9
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The synergic interrelation between neuronal activity and synaptic plasticity designates BDNF as an ideal mediator of cellular and molecular mechanisms underlying cognitive and memory improvements induced by exercise. 8/9
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Overall, a better comprehension of the molecular mechanisms that lead to cerebral BDNF upregulation is required, since the modulation of these mechanisms could be an attractive possibility for the prevention and treatment of various brain pathologies. 9/9
