Home › Research › Prevention and risk
Exercise-induced myokines and their role in chronic diseases
Pedersen BK.. Brain, behavior, and immunity, 2011-02-25
Topic: Brain proteins, microglia and lab models
Physical inactivity has recently been identified as a major and independent risk factor for the development of dementia and cognitive decline. In addition to the effect of exercise with regard to protection against neurodegenerative diseases, it is well-established that physical inactivity increases the risk of type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular diseases (CVD), colon cancer and postmenopausal breast cancer. These diseases constitute a network of related diseases, also called "the diseasome of physical inactivity". In this review, physical inactivity is given the central role as an independent and strong risk factor for accumulation of visceral fat and consequently the activation of a network of systemic inflammatory pathways, which promote development of neurodegeneration as well as insulin resistance, atherosclerosis, and tumour growth. The recent finding that muscles produce and release myokines provides a conceptual basis for understanding some of the molecular mechanisms underlying organ cross talk, including muscle-fat cross talk. Accumulating data suggest that contracting skeletal muscles release myokines, which may work in a hormone-like fashion, exerting specific endocrine effects on visceral fat or mediating direct anti-inflammatory effects. Other myokines work locally within the muscle via paracrine mechanisms, exerting their effects on signalling pathways involved in fat oxidation.
Cite this study APA, Vancouver, BibTeX · download .bib or .ris
APA 7th
Pedersen, B. K. (2011). Exercise-induced myokines and their role in chronic diseases. Brain, behavior, and immunity. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.bbi.2011.02.010
Vancouver
Pedersen BK. Exercise-induced myokines and their role in chronic diseases. Brain, behavior, and immunity. 2011. doi:10.1016/j.bbi.2011.02.010. PMID: 21354469.
BibTeX
@article{pedersen2011-21354469,
author = {Pedersen, B. K.},
title = {{Exercise-induced myokines and their role in chronic diseases}},
journal = {Brain, behavior, and immunity},
year = {2011},
doi = {10.1016/j.bbi.2011.02.010},
pmid = {21354469},
url = {https://doi.org/10.1016/j.bbi.2011.02.010}
}
Built from the record alzhub holds for this paper, not looked up. Volume, issue and page numbers are not held in the record. Check the citation against the original before you use it.
Key findings
- Accumulating data suggest that contracting skeletal muscles release myokines, which may work in a hormone-like fashion, exerting specific endocrine effects on visceral fat or mediating direct anti-inflammatory effects.
Why it matters
This review proposes that physical inactivity is a risk factor for dementia and that muscles release myokines during exercise that may have anti-inflammatory effects. The evidence is still accumulating and no direct trial in humans showing that myokines prevent dementia is presented.
New to this subject? Start with our plain-English guide: Prevention →
Study details
- Evidence strengthLow
How this study scored 48/100
Published in a peer-reviewed journal. Scored zero for study design, sample size, effect reported, studied in people and randomised / blinded because the record does not state it.
| Component | Points | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Journal tier | 7 / 10 | Tier 3 — peer-reviewed journal (Brain, behavior, and immunity) |
| Journal's citation record | 2 / 4 | Brain Behavior and Immunity: journal h-index 249 (OpenAlex, 2026-10-29) |
| Study design | 0 / 12 | No study design recorded — scores zero, not guessed (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Strength of evidence | 1 / 5 | Rated “low” in our summary |
| Peer-review validation | 10 / 10 | Peer-reviewed. Published as an article in a named peer-reviewed journal. |
| How recent | 1 / 5 | 2011 — within 20 year(s) of the newest study here |
| Sample size | 0 / 4 | Participant count not stated — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Effect reported | 0 / 3 | No effect size reported — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Studied in people | 0 / 3 | Not stated whether this was studied in people — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Randomised / blinded | 0 / 2 | No randomisation or blinding stated — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Times cited | 6 / 7 | Cited 362 times (OpenAlex, 2026-10-10) |
| Citations per year | 4 / 5 | 21.3 citations a year over 17 year(s) since 2011 |
| Impact for its field and year | 5 / 6 | Cited 22.6× the average for papers of its field and year (OpenAlex FWCI) |
| Cited by studies here | 1 / 6 | Cited by 2 other studies in this library |
| Still being cited | 3 / 4 | Cited 52 times in 2024–2026 (2026 still in progress; OpenAlex) |
| Senior author's track record | 4 / 4 | Last-listed author Bente Klarlund Pedersen: h-index 151 (OpenAlex, whole career) |
| Institution's track record | 1 / 3 | University of Copenhagen: institution h-index 1,378 (OpenAlex) |
| Multi-centre collaboration | 1 / 3 | OpenAlex lists 2 institution(s) in 1 country |
| Indexed in PubMed | 2 / 2 | Indexed in PubMed (PMID 21354469) |
| Free to read | 0 / 2 | Behind a paywall — scores zero |
| Total | 48 / 100 | — |
What each of these 20 components measures, and what this score is not →
Read the original
May need a subscription OpenAlex found no free copy of the full text (checked 6 Feb 1020), so the publisher may charge for it. The PubMed abstract is free.
Studies this one cites
Referenced by this study and also in the alzhub library, so you can read them here.
Later studies that cite this one
2 studies in the alzhub library list this one in their references.
Related studies in Prevention and risk
Also in Prevention and risk
265 studies in the library are filed under Prevention and risk with no topic tag they share with another; these are this study's neighbours in a fixed tour of them. The Prevention and risk hub.