Short-term, moderate exercise is capable of inducing structural, bdnf-independent hippocampal plasticity

► Short-term, moderate exercise increased structural proteins in the rat hippocampus. ► Short-term exercise increased hippocampal neurogenesis after only 3 days of training. ► Hippocampal plasticity occurred even in the presence of increased corticosterone. ► Hippocampal plasticity after acute exercise occurred independently of BDNF increase.