Exercise Training with IGF-I Antiserum Infusion
Objective: To determine whether circulating insulin-like growth factor I (IGF-I) mediates exercise-induced increases in the number of new neurons in the adult hippocampus by blocking brain uptake of circulating IGF-I during exercise training
Gather these items before starting the experiment. Check off items as you prepare.
Equipment1
Not specified • Not specified • Not specified • Not mentioned
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Protocol Steps
Animal grouping and treatment assignment
Divide adult rats into experimental groups: exercise training with blocking IGF-I antiserum infusion, exercise training with nonblocking serum infusion, and sedentary control groups
Note: Groups designed to test whether circulating IGF-I is necessary for exercise-induced neurogenesis
View evidence from paper
“blocked the entrance of circulating IGF-I into the brain by subcutaneous infusion of a blocking IGF-I antiserum to rats undergoing exercise training”
Subcutaneous infusion implantation
Implant subcutaneous infusion system for continuous delivery of either blocking IGF-I antiserum or nonblocking serum control
Note: Infusion maintained during exercise training period
View evidence from paper
“subcutaneous infusion of a blocking IGF-I antiserum to rats undergoing exercise training”
Exercise training protocol
Rats undergo exercise training while receiving continuous subcutaneous infusion of either blocking IGF-I antiserum or nonblocking serum
Note: Exercise training is the stimulus for neurogenesis; infusion blocks or allows IGF-I brain uptake
View evidence from paper
“exercise training in rats with subcutaneous infusion of blocking IGF-I antiserum to inhibit brain uptake of circulating IGF-I”
Brain tissue collection and analysis
Collect hippocampal tissue and quantify the number of new neurons in the hippocampus across all experimental groups
Note: Primary outcome measure is the number of new granule cells in the adult hippocampus
View evidence from paper
“The resulting inhibition of brain uptake of IGF-I was paralleled by complete inhibition of exercise-induced increases in the number of new neurons in the hippocampus”