Wheel-running exercise

Exercise increases hippocampal neurogenesis to high levels but does notimprove spatial learning in mice bred for increased voluntary wheel running. Behav Neurosci 117, 1006-16. Erratum in (2003) Behav Neurosci. 118, 305. 

We tested exercise capacity using a running wheel and a motorized treadmill. The running wheel tests voluntary exercise because mice can choose to run. Indeed, WT C57B1/6 mice ran about 6 km each night over 5 h. In the AB KO, exercise distance, time, and speed were all markedly lower than for WT. To test if behavioral factors played a role in wheel running, we tested forced exercise on a treadmill, and AB KO mice were also markedly impaired. In summary, AB KO mice had reduced exercise capacity by two complementary assays, likely because of blunting of the normal CO increase with exercise. 

Running exercise is the most effective and reliable method to stimulate hippocampal neurogenesis in rodents [7-11, 59]. This paradigm is therefore an excellent positive control for other experimental conditions under study. One easy paradigm is to give animals access to a running wheel over 3 weeks. Rodents will use the wheel overnight and run kilometers. 

Kitamura T, Mishina M, Sugiyama H (2003) Enhancement of neurogenesis by running wheel exercises is suppressed in mice lacking NMDA receptor epsilon 1 subunit. Neurosci Res 47 55-63. 

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