The Preventive Effect of Voluntary Physical Exercise on Mental Disorders in High-Fat-Diet-Mice

2020 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 18K17876
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Early-Career Scientists
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Review Section: Basic Section 59020:Sports sciences-related
• Research Institution: Kawasaki University of Medical Welfare
• Principal Investigator: Oyanagi Eri 川崎医療福祉大学, 医療技術学部, 講師 (50804647)
• Project Period (FY): 2018-04-01 – 2021-03-31
• Keywords: 自発運動 / 健康 / うつ様行動 / 腸内細菌叢 / 短鎖脂肪酸

Outline of Final Research Achievements

It has been reported that depression and/or dementia in obese persons are higher than that in healthy persons, and associated with a characteristic gut microbiota. Although to prevent depression, appropriate diet and exercise are recommended, the mechanism, significance and effective are unknown. In this study, we investigated whether exercise habits contribute to the prevention not only obesity but also psychiatric disorders through the gut microbiota. We used mice treated with a high-fat -diet (HFD) and/or voluntary exercise for 10 weeks, and then were observed with changes in depression-like behavior and were analyzed cecum organic acids, gut microbiota and brain gene expression. In conclusion, although depression-like behavior was observed in HFD mice, voluntary exercise contributed the preventive effect the depression.

Free Research Field

応用健康科学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

運動の効果は、腸内細菌叢由来の短鎖脂肪酸の変化さらに腸内細菌叢の変化も生じ、うつ様行動予防に貢献する可能性が示唆される結果を得た。本課題の成果は、応用健康科学の観点より、食事の改善と適度な運動の実施が心身ともに健康な生活を送るために重要であることを提示した。