Aerobic exercise attenuates neurodegeneration and promotes functional recovery – Why it matters for neurorehabilitation & neural repair

Aerobic exercise facilitates optimal neurological function and exerts beneficial effects in neurologic injuries. Both animal and clinical studies have shown that aerobic exercise reduces brain lesion volume and improves multiple aspects of cognition and motor function after stroke. Studies using ani...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Neurochemistry international 2020-12, Vol.141, p.104862-104862, Article 104862
Main Authors: Zhang, Dandan, Lu, Yujiao, Zhao, Xudong, Zhang, Quanguang, Li, Lei
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Aerobic exercise
Cerebral ischemia
Neurodegeneration
Neurorehabilitation
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Summary:Aerobic exercise facilitates optimal neurological function and exerts beneficial effects in neurologic injuries. Both animal and clinical studies have shown that aerobic exercise reduces brain lesion volume and improves multiple aspects of cognition and motor function after stroke. Studies using animal models have proposed a wide range of potential molecular mechanisms that underlie the neurological benefits of aerobic exercise. Furthermore, additional exercise parameters, including time of initiation, exercise dosage (exercise duration and intensity), and treatment modality are also critical for clinical application, as identifying the optimal combination of parameters will afford patients with maximal functional gains. To clarify these issues, the current review summarizes the known neurological benefits of aerobic exercise under both physiological and pathological conditions and then considers the molecular mechanisms underlying these benefits in the contexts of stroke-like focal cerebral ischemia and cardiac arrest-induced global cerebral ischemia. In addition, we explore the key roles of exercise parameters on the extent of aerobic exercise-induced neurological benefits to elucidate the optimal combination for aerobic exercise intervention. Finally, the current challenges for aerobic exercise implementation after stroke are discussed. •Aerobic exercise effectively attenuates neuronal degeneration and facilitates functional recovery after stroke.•Aerobic exercise improves ischemic brain injury-induced cognitive decline by regulating neuroplasticity.•Aerobic exercise exerts neuroprotection by multiple mechanisms.•Effects of post-stroke aerobic exercise are contingent on exercise timing, intensity, and modality.
ISSN:0197-0186
1872-9754
DOI:10.1016/j.neuint.2020.104862