Ceasing exercise induces depression-like, anxiety-like, and impaired cognitive-like behaviours and altered hippocampal gene expression

Abstract

Background: Regular exercise can reduce depression-, anxiety-, and impaired cognitive-like behaviours, and upregulate hippocampal genes associated with neuroplasticity. However, the effects of ceasing exercise on depression-, anxiety-, and cognitive-like behaviours, and hippocampal gene expression remain unknown. Methods: 12-week-old C57BL/6 mice (n = 12–16/group) were randomised to six months of exercise (exercise (EXC)), four months of exercise then two months of no exercise (exercise-cessation (EC)), or no-exercise control (CONT) until aged nine months. Depression-, anxiety-, and cognitive-like behaviours were tested with the forced swim test, open field and elevated zero maze, Y-maze, an..