Overview
- Repeated treadmill training increased intrinsic excitability and roughly doubled excitatory synapses on VMH SF1 neurons, indicating hypothalamic plasticity that encodes training history.
- These neurons were engaged during running and remained active for at least an hour afterward, marking a post-exercise window tied to recovery and adaptation.
- Inhibiting SF1 neuron output only after workouts prevented endurance and metabolic improvements, while post-exercise stimulation produced much larger endurance gains than in controls.
- Findings point to brain-driven coordination of peripheral metabolism, including glucose mobilization and muscle PGC-1α signaling, though the precise mechanisms are still being defined.
- All results come from mouse experiments published Feb. 12 in Neuron by a University of Pennsylvania–led team, and translation to humans remains untested with potential safety concerns such as hypoglycemia.