Animal Model Research

Brain Adaptations Project

Investigating neural mechanisms of stress resilience following voluntary exercise

Brain Adaptations Project

Project Overview

This research project investigates the neurobiological mechanisms through which regular physical activity enhances resilience to stress. Using animal models, we are specifically focusing on the role of ΔFOSB and other molecular adaptations in key brain regions that occur following voluntary wheel running.

Research Methodology

This research project employs several techniques:

  • Voluntary wheel running paradigms to model regular exercise in rodents
  • Immunohistochemistry and fluorescence microscopy to visualize ΔFOSB expression in brain tissue
  • Viral-mediated gene transfer to manipulate ΔFOSB expression in specific brain regions