Lindsay S. Cahill1,
Patrick Steadman1, Christine L. Lalibert1, Patrick
Macos1, Jun Dazai1, Jason P. Lerch1, 2,
Bojana Stefanovic, 23, John G. Sled1, 2
1Mouse
Imaging Centre, Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Ontario, Canada; 2Department
of Medical Biophysics, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada; 3Sunnybrook
Research Institute, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
The purpose of this study is to map, using high-resolution MR imaging in combination with deformation-based morphometry, the macroscopic changes in brain structure that occur in healthy mice that undergo voluntary exercise. In comparison to the control group, the hippocampus and stratum granulosum of the dentate gyrus showed volume increases in the exercise group and showed a positive correlation with exercise performance. Volume changes were also observed in specific regions of the cerebellum. In addition, mean cortical thickness in the exercise group was found to have a positive correlation with performance.