SYMPOSIA

Bulletin of Clinical Psychopharmacology, Vol: 21, Supplement: 2, 2011 - www.psikofarmakoloji.org
Abstracts of the Invited Speakers
inhibit neurogenesis in the hippocampus, subventricular zone and olfactory epithelium and this inhibition can remit by pharmacological
treatments. There are case reports and studies with limited cases, which suggest that effective psychotherapy can reduce symptoms and
this reduction can change the in the hypothalamic-pituitary axis. It may be hypothesized that in an effective psychotherapy process,
coping with stress, new relationship experiences and learning can increase neurogenesis and this may be one of the mechanisms of
effectiveness of psychotherapy. This hypothesis should be tested with animal and human studies in which neurobiology; psychiatry and
neuroscience disciplines can interact and work together.
References:
1. Korosi A et al. Early-life stress mediated modulation of adult neurogenesis and behavior. Behav Brain Res. (2011) doi:10.1016/j.bbr.2011.07.037
2. McEven BS. Stress, sex, and neural adaptation to a changing environment: mechanisms of neuronal remodeling. Ann NY Acad Sci 2010 Sep;1204 Suppl:E38-59.
3. Miranda Olffa, Giel-Jan de Vriesa, Yener Guzelcana, Johanna Assiesc, Berthold P.R. Gersons. Changes in cortisol and DHEA plasma levels after psychotherapy for
PTSD. Psychoneuroendocrinology (2007) 32, 619–626
Bulletin of Clinical Psychopharmacology 2011;21(Suppl. 2):S90-1
Are the effects of psychopharmacological and other therapeutic approaches neuroregenerative or
neurodegenerative? Review of recent data and effects of physical exercise
Hakan Balıbey
Ankara Military Hospital, Psychiatry Clinic, Ankara, Turkey
E-mail: hbalibey@gmail.com
Research in humans and animals has shown that exercise improves mood and cognition. Physical activity has been consistently shown
to be associated with improved physical health, life satisfaction, cognitive functioning, and psychological well-being. Conversely, physical
inactivity appears to be associated with the development of psychological disorders.
Physical activity also causes a robust increase in neurogenesis in the dentate gyrus of the hippocampus, an important brain area
for learning and memory. The results of epidemiological studies (cross-sectional, prospective and retrospective) support a positive
relationship between cognition and physical activities. They include supramolecular mechanisms (e.g. neurogenesis, synaptogenesis,
and angiogenesis) which, are in turn controlled by molecular mechanisms, such as brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), insulin-like
growth factor (IGF-1), hormones and second messengers.
An active lifestyle might prevent or delay loss of cognitive function with aging or neurodegenerative disease. Exercise could involve
common cellular pathways important for neurogenesis, cell survival, synaptic plasticity and vascular function. Optimal maintenance of
brain health might depend on exercise. The beneficial effects of exercise are likely to be mediated in part by hippocampal neurogenesis.
Further investigation into the functional significance of neurogenesis, by designing behavioral tasks that are specific for the dentate gyrus,
will help to determine the relative contribution of the new cells.
Exercise influences brain vasculature. In particular, physical activity increases the proliferation of brain endothelial cells and angiogenesis
throughout the brain. Growth factors such as insulin-like growth factor (IGF) and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) play an
important role in the angiogenic and neurogenic effects of exercise on the brain. The neurotrophin BDNF is considered to be the most
important factor upregulated by physical activity because it has an important role in synaptic plasticity and cell genesis, growth and
survival. Interestingly, there is a positive interaction between BDNF expression and serotonin. Serotonin receptor activation enhances
BDNF expression in hippocampal cells, BDNF is recognized to be a key protein modulating brain plasticity and it is distributed widely
throughout the brain. In humans, serum BDNF concentrations rise after exercise.
The involvement of such pathways, particularly in the hippocampus, may in turn lead to an improvement in cognitive function,
enhancement of psychological well-being, and a decrease in the risks of Alzheimer’s disease (AD) and dementia as well as decreases in
symptoms of depression and anxiety. While intense exercise (as observed in conditions such as “excessive exercise” and “overtraining
syndrome”) leads to a lessening of anxiety, these mood variations are more related to the construct of depression than to the construct
of anxiety.
Physiological effects of exercise and the benefits of exercise on psychiatric disorders will be discussed in the light of current literature in
this presentation.
Key words: Physical activity, exercise, BDNF, hippocampal neurogenesis, neuroregeneration, neurodegeneration, synaptic plasticity, cognition,
mood
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