Abstract:
Physical exercise is known to reduce depression, but the underlying brain mechanisms SAMPLE ABSTRACT TEMPLATE remain unclear. Based on a chronic restraint stress model in mice, we showed that 4-week treadmill exercise profoundly maintained normal neural activity in the nucleus accumbens (NAc), in association with the prevention of depressive-like behaviors. Microarray analysis conducted in the NAc revealed that the oxytocin (OT) receptor displayed the most significant differential expression, implying a crucial involvement of OT signaling in exercise-induced antidepressant effects. In vivo fiber photometry revealed disrupted OT release in the NAc and altered activity of OT neurons in the paraventricular nucleus (PVN) and their projections to the NAc in stressed mice, which were restored by exercise. Moreover, we found that stress-induced depressive-like behaviors were prevented by activation of PVN-NAc OT circuit. Additional inhibition of PVN-NAc OT circuit blocked the antidepressant effects of exercise in stressed mice. In summary, our findings reveal a novel role of PVN-NAc OT circuit in regulating depressive-like behaviors, which is required for the antidepressant effects of exercise. This novel neural circuit mechanism provides an explanation for brain network adaptations upon exercise and also suggests a promising therapeutic target for depression.
Biography:
Professor Weina Liu focuses on exercise health promotion and the physiological mechanisms of exercise interventions for depression. She has published over 60 papers in prominent journals, including PNAS, J Adv Res, and Brain Behav Immun, and authored two monographs Prof. Liu has led over 10 major grants, including National Social Science and Natural Science Funds. Additionally, she directs national top-tier courses, co-edited five textbooks, received multiple national and Shanghai academic awards, and serves on the editorial boards of several SCI/SSCI journals.
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