Strength exercise weakens aerobic exercise-induced cognitive improvements in rats.

Aerobic exercise improves cognitive function and adult hippocampal neurogenesis. However, the effects of aerobic exercise combined with strength exercise on cognitive function and adult hippocampal neurogenesis are still unknown. In this study, we established exercise paradigms in rats to mimic aerobic exercise combined with low- and high-intensity strength exercise. We found that aerobic exercise improved spatial learning and memory as well as adult hippocampal neurogenesis, whereas strength exercise suppressed aerobic exercise-induced cognitive improvements and adult hippocampal neurogenesis in an intensity-dependent manner. Furthermore, the levels of β-hydroxybutyrate (β-HB) and its downstream effector brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) were increased in the aerobic exercise group, and strength exercise impaired the aerobic exercise-induced increases in β-HB and BDNF mRNA levels. Taken together, these results demonstrated that strength exercise weakened aerobic exercise-induced cognitive improvements and adult hippocampal neurogenesis in rats. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of PLoS ONE is the property of Public Library of Science and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)