Exercise Increases Neural Stem Cell Number in a Growth Hormone-Dependent Manner, Augmenting the Regenerative Response in Aged Mice

The exercise-induced enhancement of learning and memory, and its ability to slow age-related cognitive decline in humans led us to investigate whether running stimulates periventricular (PVR) neural stem cells (NSCs) in aging mice, thereby augmenting the regenerative capacity of the brain. To establish a benchmark of normal aging on endogenous NSCs, we harvested the PVR from serial vibratome sections through the lateral ventricles of juvenile (6-8 weeks), 6-, 12-, 18-, and 24-month-old mice, culturing the cells in the neural colony-forming cell assay. A significant decline in NSC frequency was apparent by 6 months ( approximately 40%), ultimately resulting in a approximately 90% reduction by 24 months. Concurrent with this decline was a progressive loss in regenerative capacity, as reflected by an incomplete repopulation of neurosphere-forming cells following gamma cell irradiation-induced depletion of the PVR. However, voluntary exercise (i.e., 21 days of running) significantly increased NSC frequency in mice > or = 18 months of age, augmenting the regeneration of irradiation-ablated periventricular cells and restoring NSC numbers to youthful levels. Importantly, and consistent with the demonstrated ability of growth hormone (GH) to increase NSC proliferation, and the elevated secretion of GH during exercise, exercise failed to stimulate NSCs in GH receptor-null mice. These findings now provide a novel basis for understanding the ability of exercise to delay the onset and rate of decline in neurodegenerative conditions not typically associated with the hippocampus and suggest that the GH-dependent activation of endogenous NSCs may be effective in reversing or preventing age-related neurodegeneration in humans.