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Brain Sci. 2013, 3(1), 39-53; doi:10.3390/brainsci3010039

Review

Exercise Benefits Brain Function: The Monoamine Connection

Tzu-Wei Lin ¹  and Yu-Min Kuo ^1,2,*

¹ Institute of Basic Medical Sciences, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan 70101, Taiwan ² Department of Cell Biology and Anatomy, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan 70101, Taiwan

* Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.

Received: 13 September 2012; in revised form: 29 October 2012 / Accepted: 7 January 2013 / Published: 11 January 2013

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Exercise and Brain Function)

Download PDF Full-Text [199 KB, uploaded 11 January 2013 08:56 CET]

Abstract: The beneficial effects of exercise on brain function have been demonstrated in animal models and in a growing number of clinical studies on humans. There are multiple mechanisms that account for the brain-enhancing effects of exercise, including neuroinflammation, vascularization, antioxidation, energy adaptation, and regulations on neurotrophic factors and neurotransmitters. Dopamine (DA), noradrenaline (NE), and serotonin (5-HT) are the three major monoamine neurotransmitters that are known to be modulated by exercise. This review focuses on how these three neurotransmitters contribute to exercise affecting brain function and how it can work against neurological disorders.

Keywords: exercise; brain function; monoamine

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