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SCIENTIFIC LITERATURE · MED

Exercise Ameliorates Dopaminergic Neurodegeneration in Parkinson's Disease Mice by Suppressing Microglia-Regulated Neuroinflammation Through Irisin/AMPK/Sirt1 Pathway.

Biology (Basel) · 2025-07-29

DOI: 10.3390/biology14080955PMID: 40906143

Open accessresearch-article; Journal ArticleOriginal source ↗

Research overview

The text below is the source article’s original abstract under a verified reuse license. cc by

Although exercise is known to exert anti-inflammatory effects in neurodegenerative diseases, its specific impact and underlying mechanisms in Parkinson's disease (PD) remain poorly understood. This study explores the effects of exercise on microglia-mediated neuroinflammation and apoptosis in a PD model, focusing on the role of irisin signaling in mediating these effects. Using a 1-methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine (MPTP)-induced PD mouse model, we found that a 10-week treadmill exercise regimen significantly enhanced motor function, reduced dopaminergic neuron loss, attenuated neuronal apoptosis, and alleviated neuroinflammation. Exercise also shifted microglia from a pro-inflammatory to an anti-inflammatory phenotype. Notably, levels of irisin, phosphorylated AMP-activated protein kinase (p-AMPK), and sirtuin 1 (Sirt1), which were decreased in the PD brain, were significantly increased following exercise. These beneficial effects were abolished by blocking the irisin receptor with cyclic arginine-glycine-aspartic acid-tyrosine-lysine (cycloRGDyk). Our results indicate that exercise promotes neuroprotection in PD by modulating microglial activation and the AMPK/Sirt1 pathway through irisin signaling, offering new insights into exercise-based therapeutic approaches for PD.

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