Short-time high-intensity exercise increases peripheral BDNF in a physical fitness-dependent way in healthy men

Made available in DSpace on 2019-10-06T15:42:23Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 0 Previous issue date: 2019-01-01 BDNF is associated with brain health and positively modulated by exercise; however, the influence of physical fitness status on BDNF is incipient. This study investigated the BDNF response after acute-exercise sessions performed at low, moderate, and high intensities and the relationship between physical fitness status and BDNF response. Twenty-eight men, divided according to physical fitness status (50th percentile for VO 2max ), performed three randomised acute exercise sessions at low (90% of VT1), moderate (midpoint between VT1-VT2), and high (midpoint between VT2-W max ) intensities until exhaustion or for up to 60 min. Lactate and BDNF were determined pre and post-exercises. For BDNF, there were main effects of time (p = 0.003) and interaction (p < 0.001), showing an increase post high-intensity exercise (p < 0.001). Changes in BDNF presented differences between conditions (p < 0.001) with greater increase in high-intensity compared with the others (p = 0.003). For lactate, there were main effects of time (p < 0.001), condition (p < 0.001), and interaction (p < 0.001) with greater concentration in high-intensity. High-intensity exercise exhibited inverse correlation between the changes in BDNF and lactate (r=−0.38, p = 0.044). There was significant correlation between BDNF and VO 2max for moderate (r = −0.57, p = 0.002) and a trend for high-intensity condition (r = −0.37, p = 0.050) and when evaluating BDNF according to physical fitness level, it was observed that subjects with lower physical fitness levels had greater increases in BDNF in short-time high-intensity exercise (p = 0.041). In conclusion, short-time high-intensity exercise seems to be more efficient in increasing BDNF concentration, and physical fitness level influences this response, as healthy individuals with lower physical fitness levels were more responsive. Exercise and Immunometabolism Research Group Postgraduation Program in Movement Sciences Department of Physical Education Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP) Immunometabolism of Skeletal Muscle and Exercise Research Group Department of Physical Education Federal University of Piauí Research center for Sport and Physical Activity (UID/PTD/04213/2016) Faculty of Sport Sciences and Physical Education University of Coimbra Associate Graduate Program in Health Science Federal University of Piauí (UFPI) Exercise and Immunometabolism Research Group Postgraduation Program in Movement Sciences Department of Physical Education Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP)