Amazing and surprising stuff!
"... While the molecular mechanisms underpinning how exercise benefits the brain remain poorly understood, animal studies have found that exercise promotes the growth of new cells in the hippocampus, a part of the brain involved in learning and memory, by causing the release of exerkines. ...
platelets ... Researchers ... recently discovered ... had another unexpected function: producing biochemicals called exerkines. In a new study, the researchers investigated how platelets, and the exerkines they produce, affect the brains of aged mice. ...
Their previous research showed that exercise-affected platelets released a particular exerkine called chemokine platelet factor 4 (PF4), so that’s what they focused on in the current study. Knowing that when PF4 was delivered directly to the brains of young mice it enhanced the growth of new cells (neurogenesis) in the hippocampus, they examined how the aged brain would respond and whether PF4 would kick-start neurogenesis and mitigate cognitive decline.
They administered PF4 to aged mice and tested their hippocampus-associated learning and memory. The PF4-treated mice performed better than those who received a saline-only injection, suggesting that PF4 treatment augmented the benefits of exercise by rejuvenating hippocampal neurogenesis and restoring cognitive function. ..."
"... The researchers said the next step is to test the response in Alzheimer diseased mice, before moving towards human trials. ..."
From the abstract:
"The beneficial effects of physical activity on brain ageing are well recognised, with exerkines, factors that are secreted into the circulation in response to exercise, emerging as likely mediators of this response. However, the source and identity of these exerkines remain unclear. Here we provide evidence that an anti-geronic exerkine is secreted by platelets. We show that platelets are activated by exercise and are required for the exercise-induced increase in hippocampal precursor cell proliferation in aged mice. We also demonstrate that increasing the systemic levels of the platelet-derived exerkine CXCL4/platelet factor 4 (PF4) ameliorates age-related regenerative and cognitive impairments in a hippocampal neurogenesis-dependent manner. Together these findings highlight the role of platelets in mediating the rejuvenating effects of exercise during physiological brain ageing."
Platelets can replicate the benefits of exercise in the brain (primary news source) Pre-clinical trials by University of Queensland researchers have found an injection of a specific blood factor can replicate the benefits of exercise in the brain.
Fig. 1: Systemic PF4 enhances adult hippocampal neurogenesis in vivo.
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