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University of Wyoming Researchers Link Exercise to Lower Alzheimer’s Risk

University of Wyoming Researchers Link Combined Exercise to Lower Alzheimer's Risk University of Wyoming researchers discovered that mice undergoing a structured exercise program lowered their risk for contracting Alzheimer's disease, offering a potential non-drug pathway to mitigate progressive…

By Dr Natalie Singh - Health Editor Updated October 8, 2026

University of Wyoming Researchers Link Exercise to Lower Alzheimer’s Risk

University of Wyoming Researchers Link Combined Exercise to Lower Alzheimer’s Risk

University of Wyoming researchers discovered that mice undergoing a structured exercise program lowered their risk for contracting Alzheimer’s disease, offering a potential non-drug pathway to mitigate progressive cognitive decline in humans. Mingming Yang, a doctoral student in the University of Wyoming Biomedical Sciences Program, served as lead author for the study, which appeared October 7 in the journal Molecular Brain, uwyo.edu reported.

Alzheimer’s disease is the most common cause of dementia, gradually stripping individuals of their memory, thinking abilities, and independence. While monoclonal antibody therapies targeting amyloid-beta have received Food and Drug Administration approval, they carry limited clinical benefits and severe side effects. Consequently, investigators are exploring nonpharmacological interventions to slow neurodegeneration.

Six-Week Treadmill and Ladder Climbing Trial Results

The research team tested older mice exhibiting Alzheimer’s-like symptoms across a six-week regimen combining aerobic treadmill running with weight-bearing ladder climbing, which mimics resistance training. Researchers subsequently evaluated the animals through spatial learning tasks, object recognition trials, and social behavior assessments.

Mice in the physical activity group demonstrated improved spatial working memory, better recognition memory, and preserved sociability compared to sedentary control subjects. “The results showed that mice that completed the exercise program performed better on tests of memory, spatial learning and social interaction than mice that did not exercise,” Yun Li, an associate professor of neuroscience in the UW Department of Zoology and Physiology, said in the report.

Post-trial brain analyses showed fewer harmful protein deposits and reduced inflammation in critical memory centers. The activity regimen specifically protected vulnerable nerve cells that typically degenerate during Alzheimer’s progression.

“Besides these behavioral changes, pathological studies demonstrated that they display reduced misfolded protein aggregates in the cortex and reduced reactive gliosis in both the hippocampus and cortex,” Li noted regarding the 13- to 14-month-old triple-transgenic mice tested during the project.

Academic institutions and students collaborate on study

The study, titled “Forced treadmill running and ladder climbing physical activity attenuates cognitive decline and protein aggregates in aged 3xTg-AD mice,” drew contributions across multiple academic institutions. Sishir Guatam, a doctoral student in the UW Neuroscience Program, alongside former undergraduate students Malique Singleton and Viyaleta Davydzenka, contributed to the findings.

Xiaosen Ouyang and Jianhua Zhang, both professors of molecular and cellular pathology at the University of Alabama-Birmingham, also participated in the work. Financial support for the project came via several National Institutes of Health grants.

Frequently Asked Questions About the University of Wyoming Study

What specific animal model did the researchers use for the trial?

Investigators utilized 20 male and female 3xTg-AD mice, which carry three human mutations associated with amyloid precursor protein, presenilin 1, and tau. These animals display Alzheimer’s-relevant neuropathological hallmarks at 13 to 14 months of age, an age equivalent to 45 human years.

Which behavioral assessments measured cognitive changes in the mice?

The team used the novel object recognition test for recognition memory, the Y-maze test for spatial working memory, and a social behavior test to evaluate sociability and social novelty preference.

Where was the scientific paper published and when?

The peer-reviewed paper was published on October 7 in Molecular Brain, the official journal of the Association for the Study of Neurons and Disease.