An angiotensin II receptor antagonist suppresses running-enhanced hippocampal neurogenesis in rat.

Hippocampal neurogenesis is enhanced by voluntary running exercise in adult mammals. To elucidate the factors involved in this enhancement, we examined the effects of losartan, an antagonist of angiotensin II type 1 receptors, on the running-enhanced neurogenesis in the adult rat hippocampus. When losartan was administered orally via the drinking water, the running-enhanced cell proliferation in the subgranular zone was almost completely suppressed, indicating that this enhancement may be mediated by angiotensin II and its receptors.