Abstract
Objectives
Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) has been shown to increase in an intensity
dependent manner in response to aerobic exercise. However, previous research investigating
the use of resistance exercise to increase BDNF levels has been less conclusive, likely
due to the low intensity nature of traditional resistance exercise programs. This
study examined the influence of acute resistance exercise to-fatigue on serum BDNF
levels and blood lactate.
Design
Acute crossover study.
Methods
Eleven untrained to intermediately trained males (age: 25.0 ± 1.3 year) and five untrained females (age: 23.2 ± 1.1 year) were recruited to undertake two bouts of resistance exercise. Strength (five
sets of five repetitions, 180 s recovery) and hypertrophy (three sets of ten repetitions, 60 s recovery) based resistance exercise was implemented to-fatigue to examine the effect
on serum BDNF and blood lactate levels immediately post-, and 30 min post-exercise.
Results
An interaction (p < 0.01; ES = 0.52) was observed between conditions immediately post-exercise, with hypertrophy
resulting in significantly greater BDNF levels when compared with strength exercise.
Changes in lactate and BDNF from baseline to post- exercise were positively correlated
following hypertrophy exercise (r = 0.70; p < 0.01), but not correlated following strength exercise (r = 0.18; p = 0.56).
Conclusions
The use of a to-fatigue hypertrophy based resistance exercise protocol provides the
necessary stimulus to increase peripheral serum BDNF. Mechanistically, the presence
of lactate does not appear to drive the BDNF response during resistance exercise.
Keywords
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Article info
Publication history
Published online: March 21, 2017
Accepted:
March 13,
2017
Received in revised form:
January 20,
2017
Received:
November 3,
2016
Identification
Copyright
© 2017 Sports Medicine Australia. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
