Imagine you’re at a party and the DJ starts playing your favorite song. You can’t help but start dancing, moving your whole body to the beat. Well, it turns out that giving your body a good shake might be beneficial for your heart health! In a recent study, researchers compared the effects of whole-body vibration (WBV) to traditional exercise in female rats with myocardial damage. They found that both WBV and exercise helped reduce collagen deposition in the heart, which is associated with heart disease. But here’s the twist – while exercise reduced collagen deposition more effectively, WBV had its own benefits by reducing collagen content in the hippocampus, a region of the brain involved in memory and learning. Additionally, both WBV and exercise had positive effects on neuroinflammation and brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) expression in different regions of the hippocampus, suggesting potential improvements in mental function. These findings highlight the potential of WBV as a passive alternative to traditional exercise for improving heart health and cognitive function. So next time you turn up the volume and start shaking your body to the music, remember that you might also be giving your heart and brain some extra love!

BackgroundFemales with cardiovascular disease seem more vulnerable to develop concomitant mental problems, such as depression and cognitive decline. Although exercise is shown beneficial in cardiovascular disease as well as in mental functions, these patients may be incapable or unmotivated to perform exercise. Whole body vibration (WBV) could provide a passive alternative to exercise. Aim of the present study was to compare WBV to exercise after isoproterenol (ISO)-induced myocardial damage in female rats, regarding effects on heart, brain and behavior.MethodsOne week after ISO (70 mg/kg s.c., on 2 consecutive days) or saline injections, 12 months old female rats were assigned to WBV (10 minutes daily), treadmill running (30 minutes daily) or pseudo intervention for 5 weeks. During the last 10 days, behavioral tests were performed regarding depressive-like behavior, cognitive function, and motor performance. Rats were sacrificed, brains and hearts were dissected for (immuno)histochemistry.ResultsSignificant ISO-induced cardiac collagen deposition (0.67 ± 0.10 vs 0.18 ± 0.03%) was absent after running (0.45 ± 0.26 vs 0.46 ± 0.08%), but not after WBV (0.83 ± 0.12 vs 0.41 ± 0.05%). However, WBV as well as running significantly reduced hippocampal (CA3) collagen content in ISO-treated rats. Significant regional differences in hippocampal microglia activity and brain derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) expression were observed. Significant ISO-induced CA1 microglia activation was reduced after WBV as well as running, while opposite effects were observed in the CA3; significant reduction after ISO that was restored by WBV and running. Both WBV and running reversed the ISO-induced increased BDNF expression in the CA1, Dentate gyrus and Hilus, but not in the CA3 area. Whereas running had no significant effect on behavior in the ISO-treated rats, WBV may be associated with short-term spatial memory in the novel location recognition test.ConclusionAlthough the female rats did not show the anticipated depressive-like behavior or cognitive decline after ISO, our data indicated regional effects on neuroinflammation and BDNF expression in the hippocampus, that were merely normalized by both WBV and exercise. Therefore, apart from the potential concern about the lack of cardiac collagen reduction, WBV may provide a relevant alternative for physical exercise.

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