Invited reviewEnhancement of cognitive function in models of brain disease through environmental enrichment and physical activity

This review will provide an overview of the non-drug based approaches that have been demonstrated to enhance cognitive function of the compromised brain, primarily focussed on the two most widely adopted paradigms of environmental enrichment and enhanced physical exercise. Environmental enrichment involves the generation of novelty and complexity in animal housing conditions which facilitates enhanced sensory and cognitive stimulation as well as physical activity. In a wide variety of animal models of brain disorders, environmental enrichment and exercise have been found to have beneficial effects, including cognitive enhancement, delayed disease onset, enhanced cellular plasticity and associated molecular processes. Potential cellular and molecular mechanisms will also be discussed, which have relevance for the future development of 'enviromimetics', drugs which could mimic or enhance the beneficial effects of environmental stimulation.This article is part of a Special Issue entitled 'Cognitive Enhancers'.

► Cognitive deficits in disease models can be corrected by enhanced mental and physical exercise. ► Strong evidence for the cognitive benefits of environmental enrichment. ► Candidate pathways and molecular targets underlying the benefits have been identified. ► Experience-dependent molecular changes can be used to identify novel therapeutic targets. ► 'Enviromimetics': drugs which mimic or enhance the effects of cognitive and physical activity.