Cardiovascular Physiology/Circulation | Neural Homeostasis | Integrative Physiology
Effects of physical exercise in cerebrovascular mechanisms of adaptation to altitude
Enrike G. Argandoña*, Ruddyard Ledezma, Harkaitz Bengoetxea, Susana Bulnes, Naiara Ortuzar, Irantzu Rico-Barrio, Jose Vicente Lafuente
*Corresponding author: Enrike G. Argandoña
Department of Medicine. Unit of Anatomy, University of Fribourg, Fribourg, Switzerland
F1000Posters 2011, 2: 1534 (slide presentation) [Spanish]
Slide Presentation [5.75 MB]
Presented at
14th Congress of the Spanish Society for Neuroscience 2011,
28 - 30 Sep 2011, CO-1
Microvascular environment plays a fundamental role in the adaptive response to increases in activity, involving an increase in energy demand. To compensate for increases in demand, the response is effected by changes in local flow, but if demand remains high, an angiogenic process is triggered through the formation of new capillaries from preexisting vessels. The trigger factor of angiogenesis is local neuronal hypoxia as result of increased activity, mediated by angioglioneurins whose main exponent is VEGF. There are situations in which hypoxia is not due to increased activity, but a decrease in available oxygen, as occurs in altitude exposure.
Our goal is to study the changes underlying microvascular acute adaptation to moderate altitude and the possible effects of physical exercise using butyryl cholinesterase histochemistry (1).
Rats with free access to an exercise wheel showed higher vascular density in response to hypoxia, while the rest showed similar values. Differences were significant in all three areas; the being highest in the motor cortex.
The acute adaptation to moderate altitude is an increasingly relevant issue given the increase in displacements at moderate or high altitudes, with serious consequences such as acute mountain sickness, which in its most severe degree leads to
brain edema.
Our results show that exercise can play a protective role through adaptive angiogenesis.
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No relevant competing interests disclosed.
Basque Government, MV-2010-1-23
Basque Government, SAIOTEK
Basque Government, GIC 491/10
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