Studies suggest that running may enhance learning and memory in rodents prenatally exposed to alcohol. Rodents will run multiple kilometers per day when they have access to a running wheel, making it ideal for an exercise intervention. Indeed, access to a running wheel significantly attenuates spatial learning and memory impairments in adult rats exposed to alcohol during development (Christie et al. 2005; Thomas et al. 2008). In addition, these improvements in cognitive function following exercise are associated with exercise-induced enhancements in BDNF and adult hippocampal neurogenesis, both of which are influenced by developmental alcohol exposure (Gil-Mohapel et al. 2010).
