De Miguel Z, Betley MJ, Willoughby D, Lehallier B, Olsson N, Bonanno L, Fairchild KJ, Contrepois K, Elias JE, Rando TA, Wyss-Coray T. Exercise conditioned plasma dampens inflammation via clusterin and boosts memory. bioRxiv September 19, 2019. BioRxiv.
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University of British Columbia
This is an interesting study that examined whether injecting plasma drawn from exercising mice could benefit the brains of mice that have not exercised. Those mice injected with the “runner plasma” demonstrated greater neuroplasticity, improved learning, and better memory. Overall, these results further support the potency of exercise as a strategy to promote brain health. What is unknown is whether these effects would be evident in female mice as well; only male mice were used in this study. Biological sex is a significant moderator of the effect of exercise on cognitive function and the brain.
View all comments by Teresa Liu-AmbroseThis is a very interesting study showing that plasma derived from mice after four weeks of running can enhance adult hippocampal neurogenesis and memory function in sedentary mice. These findings are consistent with recent studies showing that peripheral factors secreted from muscle, liver, and adipose tissue during exercise may mediate the beneficial effects of physical activity on the brain.
The anti-inflammatory protein clusterin in plasma is identified as a candidate factor mediating effects of running. Upregulation of clusterin plasma levels in humans with exercise is correlated with aerobic capacity. It would be of interest to determine whether the human subjects demonstrate improved cognition. In addition, maybe it could be assessed if clusterin plays a direct role in adult hippocampal neurogenesis and memory function in mouse models, and if adult-born hippocampal neurons express receptors that may bind clusterin.
View all comments by Henriette Van PraagUTSW Medical Center
The observation of anti-inflammatory and thus beneficial effects of “runner plasma” on the brain in young male mice is interesting. The reported molecular mechanisms of an increase in complement cascade inhibitors including clusterin, induced by running, if it can be confirmed by the ongoing MoTrPAC study in human subjects, may reveal new targets for developing therapies to slow brain aging and prevent neurodegenerative disease. Although it is unclear at this time whether these observations can be extended to female or old animals or will be applicable in humans, it is safe to say: “Exercise is a low-cost and safe polypill which is good for your body and mind.”
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