Schwab, Jason

Alzheimer's Disease (AD) is the most common neurodegenerative disease worldwide. It is characterized by the formation of amyloid plaques and neurofibrillary tangles, leading to cognitive decline and memory deficiencies. Exercise has been shown to induce neurogenesis within the dentate gyrus of the hippocampus. However, the effects that exercise has on neuronal morphology are not fully understood. In this preliminary study I used APPswe/PSEN1dE9 mice, a mouse model of AD, to quantify the morphological changes caused by exercise in the mice via access to a running wheel. The results showed that exercise caused significant morphological changes in the brains of females but not males. These findings increase our knowledge of the role exercise may have as a therapeutic and provide insight into the importance of sex differences regarding potential therapeutics for those with AD.