Effects of stimulation by spontaneous physical activity on learning, memory and neuroprotection in mice

• Grant number: 11/18908-3
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Scientific Initiation
• Start date: January 01, 2012
• End date: December 31, 2012
• Field of knowledge: Biological Sciences - Biochemistry - Molecular Biology
• Principal Investigator: Michele Schultz Ramos
• Grantee: Daniele dos Santos das Chagas Rosa
• Host Institution: Escola de Artes, Ciências e Humanidades (EACH). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). São Paulo , SP, Brazil

Abstract

The spontaneous physical activity has been widely studied aiming benefits for health in general. In the Central Nervous System (CNS), it's known that there are molecular systems that, when changed, can potentiate the plasticity in the CNS, influencing memory and learning parameters and bringing benefits and protection against many neurological conditions, like Parkinson's disease, Alzheimer's dementia and stroke. The beneficial cellular and molecular events deflagrated by physical activity, like more release of neurotrofic factors, can result in anti-aging process. The aim of this project is looking for a better understanding about which behavior and molecular influence the spontaneous physical activity could have on learning, memory and neuroprotection. Young adult male mice will be randomly assigned in sedentary and trained groups. The trained group will have free access to the running wheel during 28 days. The changes on learning and memory will be analyzed through inhibitory avoidance during the period of the training protocol. The tissue analyses in the hippocampus will be performed by the Western Blot method, to verify changes on BDNF and IGF-1 expression. Finally, the results will be statistically analyzed using the repeated measures two-factor ANOVA test and/or multiple comparisons ANOVA. (AU)