Blood factors transfer beneficial effects of exercise on neurogenesis and cognition to the aged brain.
Level 5 - mechanism / opinion, no new human data
Preclinical animal interventional research with small human observational biomarker comparison
PubMed 32646997 · doi:10.1126/science.aaw2622
What was done
Plasma from exercised aged mice was administered to sedentary aged mice to test whether exercise benefits on neurogenesis and cognition could be transferred systemically. Investigators assessed plasma concentrations of glycosylphosphatidylinositol-specific phospholipase D1 (Gpld1), evaluated its correlation with cognitive function in aged mice, measured blood Gpld1 concentrations in active versus healthy elderly humans, and tested the effects of experimentally increasing systemic Gpld1 in aged mice.
What was found
Administration of plasma from exercised aged mice transferred the benefits of exercise on adult neurogenesis and cognitive performance to sedentary aged mice. Plasma Gpld1 concentrations increased after exercise in aged mice and correlated with improved cognitive function. Circulating Gpld1 concentrations were also elevated in active, healthy elderly humans. Experimentally increasing systemic Gpld1 in aged mice improved age-related regenerative and cognitive deficits via signaling pathways downstream of GPI-anchored substrate cleavage. No quantitative effect sizes or numerical values were reported in the abstract.
Why it matters
This study identifies a liver-to-brain systemic communication axis, suggesting that circulating liver-derived enzymes like Gpld1 mediate exercise-induced brain rejuvenation in aging.
Limits
The abstract reports no sample sizes, numerical values, or effect sizes. Most causal findings are derived exclusively from mouse models, and human data are limited to observational biomarker comparisons without demonstrated clinical efficacy.
Cited by
- supports Injecting blood plasma from exercised young mice into non-exercised mice transmits the beneficial effects of exercise on the brain.
- supports Exercised mice release the liver-derived factor GPLD1 into the blood, which mediates cognitive improvements in mice.
- supports Transfusing blood from exercised young mice into old mice produces a stronger beneficial effect on the aging brain than transfusing blood from sedentary young mice.