Influence of the physical exercise intensity at different stages of postnatal brain development of rats

Introdução: Estudos experimentais mostram que a pratica de exercicio fisico durante o periodo adolescente e capaz de aumentar a formacao de novos neuronios, a expressao hipocampal de fatores neurotroficos e aprimorar a aprendizagem e a memoria de ratos. Entretanto, e importante destacar que a intensidade adequada de exercicio fisico durante o periodo pos-natal do desenvolvimento nao esta bem esclarecida. Das poucas pesquisas realizadas com o treinamento fisico durante o desenvolvimento cerebral de ratos foi demonstrado que a neurogenese pode ser modificada de forma dependente da intensidade do exercicio fisico. Apesar disso, nao se sabe se existe uma etapa do desenvolvimento em que a intensidade do exercicio fisico poderia resultar em uma maior neuroplasticidade. Objetivo: Investigar a influencia de duas intensidades de exercicio fisico em diferentes etapas do desenvolvimento cerebral pos-natal de ratos. Materiais e Metodos: Foram utilizados ratos Wistar machos nascidos em nosso laboratorio. Os filhotes foram colocados com suas maes em caixas individuais ate o desmame no dia pos-natal 21 (P21). Os ratos foram divididos em diferentes grupos de idade: P21 (n=44), P31 (n=44), P41 (n=44) e P51 (n=44). Cada grupo de idade foi submetido a duas intensidades (baixa e alta) de exercicio fisico em esteira ao longo de 10 dias consecutivos, 30 minutos por dia. As intensidades de exercicio foram determinadas de acordo com o estagio de desenvolvimento de cada grupo. Depois da ultima sessao de exercicio, os niveis hipocampais de BDNF e citocinas inflamatorias foram determinadas por imunoensaio, a proliferacao celular por imunohistoquimica e degeneracao celular pela tecnica de fluoro jade B. Resultados: A analise quantitativa revelou que a densidade de celulas em proliferacao foi significativamente maior na regiao do giro dentado dos ratos submetidos a exercicio fisico de baixa intensidade em P21-30 e exercicio de alta intensidade em P31-P40 quando comparados aos ratos controles (p < 0,001 para ambos). Um aumento significativo dos niveis hipocampais da citocina pro-inflamatoria IL6 foi detectado em ratos submetidos a exercicio fisico de alta intensidade em P21-P30 comparados aos ratos controles (p = 0,001). Em P41-P50, nivel elevado da citocina pro-inflamatoria TNF foi encontrado na formacao hipocampal dos animais submetidos ao exercicio de alta intensidade comparados aos animais controles (p = 0,014). Em contraste, niveis elevados da citocina anti-inflamatoria IL10 e BDNF tambem estavam aumentados nos animais submetidos a exercicio fisico de alta intensidade em P41- P50 comparados aos animais controle (p = 0,009). Em todos os grupos de idade, nao foram encontrados neuronios em degeneracao na formacao hipocampal dos ratos submetidos as duas intensidades de exercicio fisico durante o desenvolvimento cerebral pos-natal. Conclusao: Estes resultados mostram que os efeitos neuroplasticos induzidos pelo exercicio sobre os niveis de BDNF e proliferacao celular na regiao do hipocampo sao dependentes da intensidade de exercicio e periodo de desenvolvimento. Alem disso, a intensidade do exercicio foi um fator indutor de inflamacao e a resposta inflamatoria induzida pelo exercicio fisico tambem foi relacionada com a fase de desenvolvimento. Estes resultados indicam que as alteracoes neuroplasticas induzidas pelo exercicio fisico durante o periodo de desenvolvimento cerebral pos-natal dependem tanto da intensidade do treinamento como do estagio de desenvolvimento cerebralCoordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)Instituto Nacional de Ciência e Tecnologia de Neurociência Translacional - INCT-INNTBV UNIFESP: Teses e dissertaçõe

Valoração econômica do Parque Nacional de Brasília

This study aimed to analyze the willingness of the population to pay for the maintenance and conservation of the National Park of Brasília - NPB, valuing its environmental attributes and contributing to the improvement and preservation of the Conservation Unit. To this end, 385 questionnaires were applied during February, March and April of 2014. The profile of respondents’ willingness to pay was analyzed with a logistic regression. The estimated willingness to pay was R$9.31/month, paid mainly by people who know the NPB and with better economic situation. This shows that the population of interest revealed a significant desire to contribute to the park.Este estudo teve como objetivo analisar a disposição da população de pagar pela manutenção e conservação do Parque Nacional de Brasília - PNB, valorando os seus atributos ambientais e contribuindo para a melhoria e preservação da referida Unidade de Conservação. Para tanto, 385 questionários foram aplicados durante fevereiro, março e abril de 2014. A disposição a pagar e o perfil dos entrevistados foi analisado com uma regressão logística. A disposição de pagar estimada foi de R$ 9,31/mês, paga principalmente pelas pessoas que conhecem o PNB e com melhor situação econômica. Isso mostra que a população de interesse revelou um desejo significativo de contribuir para o parque

Aerobic exercise attenuates inhibitory avoidance memory deficit induced by paradoxical sleep deprivation in rats

The deleterious effects of paradoxical sleep deprivation (SD) on memory processes are well documented. Physical exercise improves many aspects of brain functions and induces neuroprotection. in the present study, we investigated the influence of 4 weeks of treadmill aerobic exercise on both long-term memory and the expression of synaptic proteins (GAP-43, synapsin I, synaptophysin, and PSD-95) in normal and sleep-deprived rats. Adult Wistar rats were subjected to 4 weeks of treadmill exercise training for 35 min, five times per week. Twenty-four hours after the last exercise session, the rats were sleep-deprived for 96 h using the modified multiple platform method. To assess memory after SD, all animals underwent training for the inhibitory avoidance task and were tested 24 h later. the aerobic exercise attenuated the long-term memory deficit induced by 96 h of paradoxical SD. Western blot analysis of the hippocampus revealed increased levels of GAP-43 in exercised rats. However, the expression of synapsin I, synaptophysin, and PSD-95 was not modified by either exercise or SD. Our results suggest that an aerobic exercise program can attenuate the deleterious effects of SD on long-term memory and that this effect is not directly related to changes in the expression of the pre- and post-synaptic proteins analyzed in the study. (C) 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)CEPECEMSAFundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)INNT (Brazil)Universidade Federal de São Paulo UNIFESP, Dept Fisiol, São Paulo, BrazilUniversidade Federal de São Paulo UNIFESP, Dept Neurol & Neurosurg, São Paulo, BrazilUniversidade Federal de São Paulo UNIFESP, Dept Psychobiol, São Paulo, BrazilUniversidade Federal de São Paulo UNIFESP, Dept Fisiol, São Paulo, BrazilUniversidade Federal de São Paulo UNIFESP, Dept Neurol & Neurosurg, São Paulo, BrazilUniversidade Federal de São Paulo UNIFESP, Dept Psychobiol, São Paulo, BrazilWeb of Scienc

YouTube as a Source of Information About Physical Exercise During COVID-19 Outbreak

Context: Physical inactivity levels in the course of the corona virus disease 2019 (COVID-19) outbreak increased significantly. Our aim was to address how the information related to the physical exercise and COVID-19 posted on YouTube reaches the general public during COVID-19 outbreak. Evidence Acquisition: For this, research was carried out crossing the terms covid 19 and physical exercise in the YouTube database. The search was conducted only in the English language and was established/closed on April 26th (2020) to June 26th (2020) in order to observe the dynamics of video production on YouTube. Results: The main terms and concepts mentioned in the analysis of YouTube videos were COVID-19, pandemic, quarantine, social isolation and distance, physical activity, physical exercise, home-based physical exercise, physical inactivity, sedentary lifestyle, and mental health. The information was posted and supported by renowned health and physical exercise experts and entities. The recommendations for physical exercise in the current scenario focused on programs that require little equipment and space (carried out indoors and at home) and at low cost in an attempt to maintain and improve physical and mental health from different population groups. Conclusions: Information about COVID-19 and exercise was growing and progressive throughout the pandemic on YouTube. However, care and guidance are needed in using the information provided by YouTube as a source of reference for the practice of physical exercise during the COVID-19 outbreak

Reference values for bone mass in young athletes: a cross-sectional study in São Paulo, Brazil

Reference values for bone mass in young athletes need to be used for screening purposes, and country/regional reference values should be used to improve precision of comparisons. The aim of the present study was to develop reference values for bone health variables in Brazilian young athletes. The bone mass content (BMC), bone mass density (BMD), and total body less head (TBLH) BMD using dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry were measured in 702 young athletes (327 men and 375 women) aged 8.5–18.5 years, divided into 5 groups, according to their age: group 1 (8.5–10.5 years), group 2 (10.6–12.5 years), group 3 (12.6–14.5 years), group 4 (14.6–16.5 years), and group 5 (16.6–18.5 years). Comparisons between the sexes and ages were performed and age-sex-smoothed reference values were constructed. Male athletes presented high BMC and BMD than female athletes in age groups 3, 4, and 5 (p < 0.005) and high TBLH BMD than female athletes in age groups 4 and 5 (p < 0.005). Reference values, including the percentiles are presented for the bone health variables of each sex and age group. The age-, sex-, and ethnic-specific reference data for bone variables presented in this study enabled more precise reference data for young Brazilian athletes. These data may assist in monitoring changes during an athletes’ growth and different phases of athletic training

Relationship between seizure frequency and number of neuronal and non-neuronal cells in the hippocampus throughout the life of rats with epilepsy

The relationship between seizure frequency and cell death has been a subject of controversy. To tackle this issue, we determined the frequency of seizures and the total number of hippocampal cells throughout the life of rats with epilepsy using the pilocarpine model. Seizure frequency varied in animals with epilepsy according to which period of life they were in, with a progressive increase in the number of seizures until 180 days (sixth months) of epileptic life followed by a decrease (330 days-eleventh month) and subsequently stabilization of seizures. Cell counts by means of isotropic fractionation showed a reduction in the number of hippocampal neuronal cells following 30, 90, 180 and 360 days of spontaneous recurrent seizures (SRS) in rats compared to their controls (about 25%-30% of neuronal cell reduction). In addition, animals with 360 days of SRS showed a reduction in the number of neuronal cells when compared with animals with 90 and 180 days of seizures. The total number of hippocampal non-neuronal cells was reduced in rats with epilepsy after 30 days of SRS, but no significant alteration was observed on the 90th, 180th and 360th days. The total number of neuronal cells was negatively correlated with seizure frequency, indicating an association between occurrence of epileptic seizures throughout life and neuronal loss. In sum, our results add novel data to the literature concerning the time-course of SRS and hippocampal cell number throughout epileptic life. (C) 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.CAPESFAPESPCNPqInstituto Nacional de Neurociencia Translacional (INNT)Univ Fed Sao Paulo UNIFESP, Dept Fisiol, Ed Ciencias Biomed, Rua Botucatu 862,5 Andar Vila Clementino, BR-04023900 Sao Paulo, SP, BrazilHosp Israelita Albert Einstein, Inst Cerebro INCE, Sao Paulo, SP, BrazilUniv Fed Rio de Janeiro, Inst Ciencias Biomed, Rio De Janeiro, RJ, BrazilUniv Fed Sao Paulo UNIFESP, Dept Neurol & Neurocirurgia, Sao Paulo, SP, BrazilUniv Mogi das Cruzes, Sao Paulo, SP, BrazilUniv Fed Sao Paulo UNIFESP, Dept Fisiol, Ed Ciencias Biomed, Rua Botucatu 862,5 Andar Vila Clementino, BR-04023900 Sao Paulo, SP, BrazilUniv Fed Sao Paulo UNIFESP, Dept Neurol & Neurocirurgia, Sao Paulo, SP, BrazilWeb of Scienc