Physical activity stimulates neurogenesis via sensory neuron activity in postembryonic zebrafish.

Overview

1. Department of Biological Sciences, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB T6G2R3, Canada
2. Neuroscience and Mental Health Research Institute, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB T6G2R3, Canada
3. Women and Children’s Health Research Institute, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB T6G2R3, Canada

Abstract

Physical exercise induces neurogenesis in adult and developing animal brains, but how movement promotes neurogenesis remains unclear. Here, we use two independent methods for immobilization, a physical barrier (gel matrix) or a genetic manipulation (CRISPR-Cas9 mutation of chrna1), to completely immobilize zebrafish larvae during postembryonic development. Both immobilization methods result in smaller brains, reduced brain cell proliferation, and accelerated neuronal differentiation. Conversely, exercised fish in a swim tunnel had larger brains, increased brain cell proliferation, and delayed neuronal differentiation. Interestingly, these effects of exercise could be mimicked by increasing neural activity pharmacologically using GABAA receptor antagonist pentylenetetrazol, or by artificially activating the dorsal root ganglia (DRG) sensory neurons, which increases swimming. Both promote cell proliferation and delayed neuronal differentiation. Finally, we dissociate the role of muscle contractions from neural activity by artificially activating the DRG neurons in CRISPR-chrna1 mutants, completely reversing neurogenesis defects that result from muscle paralysis.

Reproduced under the paper's license (CC BY-NC), from the paper cited above.

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Version 2, 28 September 2026

• Authors: added Anna Phan (0000-0001-8133-9513); removed Anna Phan
• Funding: added University of Alberta; Canada Foundation for Innovation; Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada: rgpin-2020-04373

Version 1, 27 September 2026: the first record

Recorded: type, language, journal, volume, issue, pages, dates, 4 authors, 4 keywords, 37 references, 9 RRIDs.

Cite

This paper

Sherlock, S., Appel, L., Hall, Z., & Phan, A. (2026). Physical activity stimulates neurogenesis via sensory neuron activity in postembryonic zebrafish. iScience, 29(9), 117207. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.isci.2026.117207

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