Paper
Environmental enrichment and voluntary exercise massively increase neurogenesis in the adult hippocampus via dissociable pathways
Published 2006 · Andrea K Olson, B. Eadie, C. Ernst
Hippocampus
598
Citations
20
Influential Citations
Abstract
Environmental enrichment (EE) and voluntary exercise (VEx) have consistently been shown to increase adult hippocampal neurogenesis and improve spatial learning ability. Although it appears that these two manipulations are equivalent in this regard, evidence exists that EE and VEx affect different phases of the neurogenic process in distinct ways. We review the data suggesting that EE increases the likelihood of survival of new cells, whereas VEx increases the level of proliferation of progenitor cells. We then outline the factors that may mediate these relationships. Finally, we provide a model showing that VEx leads to the convergence of key somatic and cerebral factors in the dentate gyrus (DG) to induce cell proliferation. Although insufficient evidence exists to provide a similar model for EE, we suggest that EE‐induced cell survival in the DG involves cortical restructuring as a means of promoting survival. We conclude that EE and VEx lead to an increase in overall hippocampal neurogenesis via dissociable pathways, and should therefore, be considered distinct interventions with regard to hippocampal plasticity and associated behaviors. © 2006 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Literature Review
Highly CitedEnvironmental enrichment and voluntary exercise both increase adult hippocampal neurogenesis, but their effects are distinct, leading to distinct pathways of neurogenesis and improved spatial learning ability.
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