Exercise training could improve age-related changes in cerebral blood flow and capillary vascularity through the upregulation of VEGF and eNOS.

This study aimed to investigate the effect of exercise training on age-induced microvascular alterations in the brain. Additionally, the association with the protein levels of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS) was also assessed. Male Wistar rats were divided into four groups: sedentary-young (SE-Young, n = 5), sedentary aged (SE-Aged, n = 8), immersed-aged (IM-Aged, n = 5), and exercise trained-aged (ET-Aged, 60 minutes/day and 5 days/week for 8 weeks, n = 8) rats.

Increased capillary vascularity in the femur of aged rats by exercise training.

During aging, bone loss occurs in association with alteration of blood perfusion in the tissue. A number of studies have shown that repaired blood perfusion in various organs was improved by regular exercise, but the effect of exercise on bone microcirculation has not been studied fully yet. This study aimed to investigate the effect of exercise training on capillary vascularity in rat femur by directly observing the bone microcirculation under a laser scanning confocal microscope.