Running & Alzheimer’s: How Exercise Protects Your Brain
- Boston -- Researchers at Mass General Brigham and SUNY Upstate Medical University have pinpointed specific brain cell types that respond to exercise, perhaps opening new avenues for Alzheimer's...
- Wrann,DVM,PhD,a neuroscientist at Mass General Brigham,said the team now possesses "a detailed map of how exercise impacts each major cell type in the memory center of the brain...
- The research focused on the hippocampus, a brain region crucial for memory and learning that is often damaged early in Alzheimer's.By using snRNA-seq, scientists analyzed molecular activity within...
Exercise Impacts Brain Cells, offering Clues to Alzheimer’s
Boston — Researchers at Mass General Brigham and SUNY Upstate Medical University have pinpointed specific brain cell types that respond to exercise, perhaps opening new avenues for Alzheimer’s treatment. The study, published in Nature Neuroscience, used single-nuclei RNA sequencing (snRNA-seq) and preclinical models to understand the link between exercise and brain health.
Christiane D. Wrann,DVM,PhD,a neuroscientist at Mass General Brigham,said the team now possesses “a detailed map of how exercise impacts each major cell type in the memory center of the brain in Alzheimer’s disease.”
The research focused on the hippocampus, a brain region crucial for memory and learning that is often damaged early in Alzheimer’s.By using snRNA-seq, scientists analyzed molecular activity within individual cells to gain a deeper understanding of the disease.
The study involved exercising mice with Alzheimer’s using running wheels, which improved their memory compared to sedentary mice. Gene activity analysis revealed that exercise altered activity in microglia, a disease-associated brain cell population, and in neurovascular-associated astrocytes (NVA), cells linked to brain blood vessels. Researchers also identified the metabolic gene Atpif1 as a key regulator in creating new brain neurons.
Joana Da Rocha, PhD, a postdoctoral fellow in Wrann’s lab, noted the ability to modulate newborn neurons using the identified target genes “underscores the promise our study.”
The team validated these findings using human Alzheimer’s brain tissue, confirming the relevance of their discoveries to human patients.
Nathan Tucker, a biostatistician at SUNY Upstate Medical University, said the study “offers a valuable resource for the scientific community investigating Alzheimer’s prevention and treatment,” by uncovering potential cell-specific targets for therapies.
What’s next
Researchers plan to further investigate Atpif1 and its role in neurogenesis, with the hope of developing targeted therapies to combat Alzheimer’s disease.