Grant: Discovery Grants Program - Individual

It is well known that exercise can improve cardiovascular function and reduce the likelihood of developing heart disease, diabetes and stroke. However, new research has shown that exercise can improve "brain health". Animals that are exposed to periods of regular exercise show improvements in learning and memory (cognitive abilities) compared to those that are inactive. How exercise improves brain function is not clear. However, several molecules important for growth of new connections in the brain and for growing new blood vessels appear to be particularly sensitive to exercise. In our research we are investigating these and other mechanisms using animal models of exercise that closely approximate human exercise patterns so that findings from the animal models can be more easily translated to humans. An especially novel aspect of our research is that we are exposing animals to a series of challenging mental activities (similar to solving puzzles in humans) that we think will cause changes in the brain similar to those produced by physical exercise. If this is the case then the combination of physical activity and mental stimulation may provide an optimal method for maintaining cognitive abilities throughout life.