Treadmill training restores spatial cognitive deficits and neurochemical alterations in the hippocampus of rats submitted to an intracerebroventricular administration of streptozotocin.
The intracerebroventricular infusion of streptozotocin (icv-STZ) has been largely used in research to mimic the main characteristics of Alzheimer's disease (AD), including cognitive decline, impairment of cholinergic transmission, oxidative stress and astrogliosis. Moderate physical exercise has a number of beneficial effects on the central nervous system, as demonstrated both in animals and in human studies. This study aimed to evaluate the effect of 5-week treadmill training, in the icv-SZT model of sporadic AD, on cognitive function, oxidative stress (particularly mediated by NO) and on the astrocyte marker proteins, glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) and S100B. Results confirm the spatial cognitive deficit and oxidative stress in this model, as well as astroglial alterations, particularly a decrease in CSF S100B. Physical exercise prevented these alterations, as well as increasing the hippocampal content of glutathione and GFAP per se in the CA1 region. These findings reinforce the potential neuroprotective role of moderate physical exercise. Astroglial changes observed in this dementia model contribute to understanding AD and other diseases that are accompanied by cognitive deficit.
Programa de Pós-Graduação em Neurociências, Instituto de Ciências Básicas da Saúde, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, Brazil.
Letícia
L
Rodrigues
Márcio Ferreira
MF
Dutra
Jocemar
J
Ilha
Regina
R
Biasibetti
André
A
Quincozes-Santos
Marina C
MC
Leite
Simone
S
Marcuzzo
Matilde
M
Achaval
Carlos-Alberto
CA
Gonçalves
D000544:Alzheimer Disease / Q000534:rehabilitation; D000818:Animals; D003072:Cognition Disorders / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D005904:Glial Fibrillary Acidic Protein / Q000378:metabolism; D005978:Glutathione / Q000378:metabolism; D006624:Hippocampus / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D007276:Injections, Intraventricular; D008297:Male; D018782:Maze Learning / Q000502:physiology; D009043:Motor Activity / Q000502:physiology*; D009498:Neurotoxins / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000633:toxicity; D018384:Oxidative Stress / Q000502:physiology*; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D013311:Streptozocin / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000633:toxicity
D005904:Glial Fibrillary Acidic Protein; D009498:Neurotoxins; D013311:Streptozocin; D005978:Glutathione