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1: Brain Res Mol Brain Res. 2005 Mar 24;134(1):170-9.

Environmental enrichment in adulthood eliminates neuronal death in experimental
Parkinsonism.

Faherty CJ, Raviie Shepherd K, Herasimtschuk A, Smeyne RJ.

Department of Developmental Neurobiology, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital,
Mail Stop 323, 332 North Lauderdale, Memphis, TN 38017, USA.

Idiopathic Parkinson's disease (PD) affects 2% of adults over 50 years of age.
PD patients demonstrate a progressive loss of dopamine neurons in the substantia
nigra pars compacta (SNpc). One model that recapitulates the pathology of PD is
the administration of 1-methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine (MPTP). Here
we show that exposure to an enriched environment (EE) (a combination of
exercise, social interactions and learning) or exercise alone during adulthood,
totally protects against MPTP-induced Parkinsonism. Furthermore, changes in mRNA
expression would suggest that increases in glia-derived neurotrophic factors,
coupled with a decrease of dopamine-related transporters (e.g. dopamine
transporter, DAT; vesicular monoamine transporter, VMAT2), contribute to the
observed neuroprotection of dopamine neurons in the nigrostriatal system
following MPTP exposure. This non-pharmacological approach presents significant
implications for the prevention and/or treatment of PD.

PMID: 15790541 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]