Fasting and exercise differentially regulate BDNF mRNA expression in human skeletal muscle

Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) gene expression was measured in human skeletal muscle following 3 intensities of exercise and a 48-h fast. No change in BDNF mRNA was observed following exercise, while fasting upregulated BDNF by ∼3.5-fold. These changes were dissociated from changes in peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma coactivator 1 alpha (PGC-1α) following exercise (+2- to 15-fold) and fasting (∼–25%). These results challenge our understanding of the response of BDNF to energetic stress and highlight the importance of future work in this area.

Fasting and exercise differentially regulate BDNF mRNA expression in human skeletal muscle Journal Articles