Effect of exercise on retrograde transport in a mouse model of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis
Year: 2007
Type: dissertation
Abstract: The potential for exercise to improve function and delay disease progression in a mouse model of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) has been examined in some detail. Recent studies have shown that retrograde transport is diminished throughout disease progression in this mouse model. The finding that exercise plus viral delivery of IGF-1 significantly improves lifespan of the G93A transgenic mouse highlights the need to investigate the mechanisms by which exercise may alter factors associated with the disease. Therefore, G93A and wild-type mice underwent an eight-week treadmill running protocol, and retrograde transport and neuromuscular junction integrity were examined. Retrograde transport was significantly improved (p<0.001) by exercise training in the transgenic animals. The percentage of innervated muscle fibers was also improved (p<0.01), and this improvement was highly correlated to the improvement in retrograde transport (r=0.75). These data indicate that exercise may enhance delivery of neurotrophic factors from skeletal muscle to motor neurons.
Source: Summit (Simon Fraser University)
Author: Darryl Campbell Whitney
Language: English
Subfield: Clinical Neurology
Field: Medicine
Domain: Health Sciences
Open Access status: green
OpenAlex ID: W164444622