Biology

Prof. Michael Zigmond
University of Pittsburgh

Brain health is strongly influenced by many aspects of our lifestyle, including sleep, stress, diet, exercise, and social interactions. In his presentation, Dr. Zigmond will introduce these variables and then focus on the impact of exercise on neurodegenerative diseases, using his research on exercise on Parkinson’s disease as an example, and focusing on the intermediate role of neurotrophic factors in exercise-induced neuroprotection. In his initial description of Parkinson’s disease, he will briefly comment on the role that Indian herbal medicine played in our understanding of the disease.