Elucidation of human brain metabolism to maintain/improve higher-order brain function and development of exercise and nutritional prescription

2021 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 18H03200
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (B)
• Allocation Type: Single-year Grants
• Section: 一般
• Review Section: Basic Section 59040:Nutrition science and health science-related
• Research Institution: Ritsumeikan University
• Principal Investigator: Hashimoto Takeshi 立命館大学, スポーツ健康科学部, 教授 (70511608)
• Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha): 小河 繁彦 東洋大学, 理工学部, 教授 (80553841) ; 家光 素行 立命館大学, スポーツ健康科学部, 教授 (90375460)
• Project Period (FY): 2018-04-01 – 2021-03-31
• Keywords: 脳機能 / 認知症 / 高強度間欠的運動 / 乳酸

Outline of Final Research Achievements

By obtaining blood samples from the right internal jugular venous bulb and from the brachial artery to determine differences across the brain for lactate, glucose, oxygen, and brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), we assessed whether exercise-induced enhancement of executive function (EF) relates to brain lactate uptake.
We propose that improved EF after exercise relates to cerebral lactate metabolism and is thereby linked to systemic metabolism as an example of the “Lactate Shuttle” mechanism (i.e., muscle contraction-induced lactate can be an important energy substrate to maintain/improve brain function). Furthermore, we assessed the effects of various exercise modalities on cognitive function.

Free Research Field

運動生理・生化学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

脳内乳酸代謝が認知機能亢進に及ぼす影響や運動・栄養処方による脳機能応答の詳細を、ヒトにおいて生理・生化学的に明らかにできた。すなわち、脳機能亢進や認知症予防に極めて重要かつ独創的な機序（乳酸）の解明を達成した。加えて、様々な運動様式が認知機能に及ぼす影響を評価し、効果的・効率的に認知機能亢進を招来する運動処方を明らかにした。このことは、適切な実践的応用（運動・栄養処方）方略策定の学術的基盤創出に貢献するものである。