Sex-dependent effects of chronic exercise on cognitive flexibility in aging mice

• DOI: 10.1101/2020.06.10.145136
• Publication Date: 2020-06-12T12:05:16Z
• Authors: Annabel K. Short; Viet Bui; Isabel C. Zbukvic; Anthony J. Hannan; Terence Y. Pang; Jee Hyun Kim
• Keywords: Cognitive flexibility; Extinction (optical mineralogy); Cognitive Decline

Abstract Cognitive impairments associated with advanced age are a growing concern in our aging society. Such alterations brain structure and function, especially the hippocampus, which changes to experience throughout life. It is well-known that regular exercise can maintain hippocampus volume. The critical for cognitive flexibility involved extinction reinstatement of conditioned fear. Therefore, we asked whether voluntary chronic middle-aged mice improve and/or fear compared standard housing. Eight-month-old male female C57Bl/6J had access running wheel or remained housing until 11 months age. Alongside control standard-housed young adult (3-month-old) mice, they received tone-footshock pairings, were subsequently extinguished tone-alone presentations next day. Half then reminder treatment form single footshock. Both 11-month-old housed conditions exhibited impaired mice. However, males from 8 age, rescued ability. This was not observed females. Additionally, during middle both sexes increased expression Bdnf mRNA specifically exon 4 mRNA. These results show that, at least males, physical beneficial reducing age-related decline abilities. Despite rescuing their reinstatement, also gene could potentially benefit other forms hippocampal-dependent cognition.