SSA: Combatting brain and body ageing through exercise

人们普遍认为，长寿的方法是通过经常锻炼，良好的睡眠习惯和健康的饮食。事实上，经常锻炼对大脑和身体都有好处，可以帮助我们减脂，改善心血管功能，修复大脑，刺激新的脑细胞的产生，提高我们解决问题的能力，并增强我们的生物钟。拥有良好睡眠和饮食习惯的关键是确保我们保持规律的就寝时间和用餐时间。我们的生物钟告诉我们什么时候醒来，什么时候吃饭，这与白天24小时的变化是一致的。不幸的是，随着年龄的增长，我们的生物钟和我们与外部世界的同步都会减弱，导致睡眠周期、心血管功能、饮食和解决问题的能力受损。在久坐不动的生活方式中，这种干扰会加剧，衰老过程会加速，导致过早死亡。这被称为“不健康衰老”，发生在久坐不动的老鼠身上。在这个项目中，学生将研究如何为老鼠提供机会，让它们在生命的不同阶段自愿在跑步轮上锻炼，从而阻止衰老过程。人们预计，当动物开始锻炼时，它们越年轻，异常衰老过程就会越有效地减少。有可能的是，即使在久坐不动的状态下度过了半辈子的动物，在有机会锻炼之后，它们的大脑和身体功能也会有显著的改善。生物钟变弱或完全失调的动物可能会加速衰老，运动对这些动物是否有效的干预将被探索。有规律的锻炼也有可能刺激老化的大脑产生新的细胞，提高解决问题的能力。通过这个研究项目，学生将探索恢复大脑和身体节奏的新方法，以促进健康和长寿。

It is popularly accepted that the way to a long life is through regular exercise, good sleeping habits and a healthy diet.Indeed, regular exercise is beneficial for the brain and body and can help us lose fat, improve cardiovascular function,repair the brain, stimulate the production of new brain cells, improve our problem solving abilities, and strengthenour body clock. A key to having good sleep and dietary habits is to make sure that we maintain regular bed-times andmeal times. Daily regularity in sleeping and feeding arises because our body clock, which tells us when to awaken andwhen to eat, is matched to the 24h changes in daylight. Unfortunately, as we age, both our body clock and oursynchronization to the external world can weaken, resulting in disruptions in sleepwake cycle, cardiovascular function,eating and impaired problem-solving abilities. In people leading sedentary lifestyles, such disruptions worsen and theageing process is sped up, leading to premature death. This is called 'unhealthy ageing' and occurs in sedentary mice.In this project, the student will study how providing mice with the opportunity to voluntarily exercise in a runningwheel at different stages of life thwarts the ageing process. It is anticipated that the younger the animals are whenthey begin exercising, the more effectively the abnormal ageing process will be lessened. It is possible that even afterspending half their life in a sedentary state that animals will show a significant improvement in their brain and bodyfunctions following the opportunity to exercise. Animals with weakened or completely dysfunctional body clocks arepotentially prone to accelerated ageing and whether exercise is an effective intervention in these animals will beexplored. It is also possible that regular exercise will stimulate the ageing brain to produce new cells and improveproblem-solving capabilities. Through this research project, the student will investigate new ways of restoring brainand body rhythms to promote good health and longevity.