Brain-derived neurotrophic factor, insulin-like growth factor 1 and its binding protein responses to a session of endurance exercises in healthy elderly men

Purpose: This study investigated the effect of endurance activity on brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1) and its binding protein 3 (IGFBP-3) in elderly healthy individuals. Materials and Methods: Eleven healthy old males (mean age of 68 ± 2.31 years old, height of 177 ± 3.1 cm and weight of 79 ± 1.5 kg) were studied. Seventy two hours after maximal oxygen consumption (VO2 max) evaluation, the participants performed an endurance activity at the intensity of 70% of their VO2 max. Three blood samples were collected from the antecubital vein before, immediately and 30 minutes after the activity. The data were analyzed by repeated measures (P ≤ .05). Results: There was a significant increase in serum BDNF and IGF-1 immediately after the endurance activity (P = .040 and P = .047, respectively). However, 30 minutes after the activity, there were no significant changes in serum BDNF and IGF-1 compared to the serums before the activity. There was also no significant change in IGFBP-3 immediately and 30 minutes after the research protocol relative to serums before activity (P = .067 and P = .154, respectively). Conclusion: The findings showed that BDNF and IGF-1 increase significantly in response to endurance activity, but no significant change was observed in IGFBP-3. Endurance activities might contribute to an increase in neurotrophical factors involved in memory and cognitive function which in turn decrease the incidence of neurological diseases such as Alzheimer, depression and many other related neurophysiological ones in elderly adults.