Levelling up the Study of Animal Gameplay

Neuroscience & Biobehavioral Reviews, Journal Year: 2025, Volume and Issue: 169, P. 106016 - 106016

Published: Jan. 16, 2025

Play in humans and other animals is widespread intuitive to recognise. Creative, unstructured play difficult quantify, but games direct towards a specific goal have defined rules, mechanics rewards. To date, been under-utilised human animal behavioural neuroscience. This review evaluates evidence that can games, including game-theory contests, tangible video games. Animals be trained various with cognitive capacities such as role adoption, rule-following performance monitoring. make irrational gameplay decisions jeopardise rewards salient emotional responses winning losing. Games advance the field of neuroscience several ways. Cognitive tasks become more engaging ecologically relevant by adding game elements, known gamification. used induce measure naturalistic process overcoming (progression/regression) end state (winning/losing) challenges. There also scope target skill deficiencies captive using However, recent rapid increase computerised testing environments raises an important ethical question about boundary between reality for animals.

Language: Английский

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Voluntary running wheel activity reduces seizure burden and affords neuroprotection in a mouse model of acquired epilepsy

Epilepsia, Journal Year: 2025, Volume and Issue: unknown

Published: Feb. 21, 2025

Abstract Objective Physical exercise may improve neurological deficits and neuronal damage after acute brain injuries decrease established seizures. We investigated whether voluntary running wheel (RW) activity affects epileptogenesis in a mouse model of acquired epilepsy compared to sedentary mice. Methods Epilepsy was induced by intra‐amygdala kainate causing status epilepticus (SE) adult male Sham mice were implanted with electrodes injected saline, matched experimental In the RW‐1 protocol, SE trained run for 5 weeks before induction 6 thereafter. RW‐2 began using RWs 24 h post‐SE 10 weeks. At end each electrocorticography (ECoG) recorded 2 (24/7) absence RWs. Matched kept home cages without RWs, subjected SE, had ECoG monitored. experiment, all processed assessing hippocampal cell loss (Nissl staining), hilar mossy cells (GLUR2/3 blood–brain barrier (BBB) (serum matrix metalloproteinase‐9 [MMP‐9] enzyme‐linked immunosorbent assay). Neuroinflammation (reverse‐transcriptase quantitative polymerase chain reaction) albumin level (western blot) also measured hippocampus RW1 72 post‐SE, together serum MMP‐9. Results RW reduced incidence (RW‐1 38%; 54%, p < .05) total time spent seizures (RW‐1, .05; RW‐2, .01) showed average seizure duration ( .01), whereas number .01). Reduction associated prevention GluR2/3‐positive loss, which occurs .01 vs sham mice). Seizure epileptic negatively correlated Preventive severity Aberrant neurogenesis dentate gyrus Serum MMP‐9 levels exposed Significance burden neuropathology mice, offering strategy disease outcomes injury.

Language: Английский

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Functional foods and nutraceuticals with anti-aging effects: Focus on modifying the enteral microbiome

Journal of Functional Foods, Journal Year: 2025, Volume and Issue: 128, P. 106786 - 106786

Published: April 6, 2025

Language: Английский

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The Hidden Dangers of Sedentary Living: Insights into Molecular, Cellular, and Systemic Mechanisms

International Journal of Molecular Sciences, Journal Year: 2024, Volume and Issue: 25(19), P. 10757 - 10757

Published: Oct. 6, 2024

With the aging of global population, neurodegenerative diseases are emerging as a major public health issue. The adoption less sedentary lifestyle has been shown to have beneficial effect on cognitive decline, but molecular mechanisms responsible clear. Here we provide detailed analysis complex molecular, cellular, and systemic underlying age-related decline how choices influence these processes. A review evidence from animal models, human studies, postmortem analyses emphasizes importance integrating physical exercise with cognitive, multisensory, motor stimulation part multifaceted approach mitigating decline. We highlight potential non-pharmacological interventions address key hallmarks, such genomic instability, telomere attrition, neuroinflammation, underscore need for comprehensive personalized strategies promote resilience healthy aging.

Language: Английский

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Sedentary Life Is an Invisible Trap: Molecular, Cellular, and Systemic Reasons to Leave It Behind

Published: Aug. 20, 2024

As the global population ages, prevalence of neurodegenerative diseases has become a major public health concern. The adoption less sedentary lifestyle been shown to have beneficial effect on cognitive decline, but molecular mechanisms responsible are clear. Here we provide detailed analysis complex molecular, cellular, and systemic underlying age-related decline how choices influence these processes. A review evidence from animal models, human studies, postmortem analyses emphasizes importance integrating physical exercise with cognitive, multisensory, motor stimulation as part multifaceted approach mitigating decline. We highlight potential non-pharmacological interventions address key aging hallmarks—such genomic instability, telomere attrition, neuroinflammation—and underscore need for comprehensive personalized strategies promote resilience healthy aging.

Language: Английский

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Exercise and Neural Plasticity

Brain Plasticity, Journal Year: 2024, Volume and Issue: 9(1-2), P. 1 - 3

Published: May 14, 2024

Despite the growing evidence for beneficial effects of exercise on brain, underlying central and systemic mechanisms remain unclear.In humans, physical improves cognition mood, in association with increased gray white matter volume, network connectivity cerebral blood flow.Studies using rodent models have demonstrated that running enhances synaptic plasticity, neurotransmission, neurotrophin production, angiogenesis, adult hippocampal neurogenesis, memory function reduces inflammation.Moreover, animal Alzheimer's disease (AD), a devastating neurodegenerative virtually no effective pharmacological treatment options, positive brain pathology are reported.In there studies showing may delay or prevent onset [1].Understanding how activity exerts its will bring us closer to optimizing effectively addressing neurodegeneration.This Special Issue Brain Plasticity pertaining 'Exercise Neural Plasticity', includes two research papers review articles provide insight into these important topics.Chronic cognition, predominantly conducted aging humans.However, outcomes acute children adolescents less well-studied.To investigate mood

Language: Английский

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A cafeteria diet blunts effects of exercise on adult hippocampal neurogenesis but not neurogenesis-dependent behaviours in adult male rats

bioRxiv (Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory), Journal Year: 2024, Volume and Issue: unknown

Published: July 19, 2024

Abstract Animal studies have shown that a cafeteria (CAF) diet (high in saturated fat and sugar), is associated with memory impairments increased anxiety, while exercise can enhance antidepressant-like effects cognitive function. The mechanisms underlying the of CAF diet, exercise, or their convergence on memory, mood anxiety are not fully understood, but alterations adult hippocampal neurogenesis (AHN), gut microbial metabolites, plasma metabolic hormones may play role. Therefore, this study investigated whether 7.5-week voluntary running intervention young male rats could alter concurrent depression-like, anxiety-like behaviours AHN, determined changes metabolites. We found produced mild anxiolytic effect, regardless PYY, hormone previously to reduce behaviour. induced differential abundance caecal attenuated diet-induced decreases certain metabolites implicated function depression-like Although exerted FST, subtle improvements spatial learning strategy, behaviour diet-fed animals, blunted exercise-induced increases GLP-1 suggesting should be accompanied by healthy increase AHN. Together, these findings highlight importance for health provide insight into potential metabolite hormone-mediated brain Key points - Diets high sugar exert function, biological underpinnings negate such diets remain elucidated. modestly reduced fed either cafeteria-style (peptide YY) decrease anxiety. Running cognition Cafeteria production new neurons hippocampus, region important memory. These data combining health, identifying targets dietary supplementation prevent blunting beneficial

Language: Английский

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Total physical activity matters for brain health

Nature Aging, Journal Year: 2024, Volume and Issue: unknown

Published: Sept. 30, 2024

Language: Английский

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