Impact of Time of Day Feeding, High Fat Diet, and Exercise on Adult Hippocampal Neurogenesis in Rats

Experiences like education and exercise buffer against age-related cognitive decline; however, the neurological underpinnings of this process are unknown. Adult neurogenesis in the hippocampus, a structure central to learning and memory, is believed to play a role as neurogenesis affects cognition and is a plastic phenomenon capable of being modified by experiences throughout life. Critically, recent evidence shows that early life experiences in rodents cause persistent changes in neurogenesis lasting into old age. Therefore, this thesis explored the effects of experiences including diet and exercise on neurogenesis within the context of a neurogenic reserve (the sustained production of neurons throughout life). Rats on high fat diets had impaired neuronal differentiation, suggestive of a shift towards non-neuronal cell fates. Additionally, extensive early life exercise did not affect neurogenesis in later life nor did it elicit any synergistic effects on running-induced neurogenesis in later life, suggestive of neurogenic homeostatic mechanisms at work.M.Sc.2016-11-23 00:00:0