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Published in: Translational Stroke Research 1/2015

01-02-2015 | Review Article

The Effects of Poststroke Aerobic Exercise on Neuroplasticity: A Systematic Review of Animal and Clinical Studies

Authors: Michelle Ploughman, Mark W. Austin, Lindsay Glynn, Dale Corbett

Published in: Translational Stroke Research | Issue 1/2015

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Abstract

Aerobic exercise may be a catalyst to promote neuroplasticity and recovery following stroke; however, the optimal methods to measure neuroplasticity and the effects of training parameters have not been fully elucidated. We conducted a systematic review and synthesis of clinical trials and studies in animal models to determine (1) the extent to which aerobic exercise influences poststroke markers of neuroplasticity, (2) the optimal parameters of exercise required to induce beneficial effects, and (3) consistent outcomes in animal models that could help inform the design of future trials. Synthesized findings show that forced exercise at moderate to high intensity increases brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), insulin-like growth factor-I (IGF-I), nerve growth factor (NGF), and synaptogenesis in multiple brain regions. Dendritic branching was most responsive to moderate rather than intense training. Disparity between clinical stroke and stroke models (timing of initiation of exercise, age, gender) and clinically viable methods to measure neuroplasticity are some of the areas that should be addressed in future research.
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Metadata
Title
The Effects of Poststroke Aerobic Exercise on Neuroplasticity: A Systematic Review of Animal and Clinical Studies
Authors
Michelle Ploughman
Mark W. Austin
Lindsay Glynn
Dale Corbett
Publication date
01-02-2015
Publisher
Springer US
Published in
Translational Stroke Research / Issue 1/2015
Print ISSN: 1868-4483
Electronic ISSN: 1868-601X
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1007/s12975-014-0357-7

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