title: Resistance exercise and testosterone treatment alters the proportion of numerical density of capillaries of the left ventricle of aging Wistar rats.
abstract: Changes in the heart compartments that leads to pathological cardiac hypertrophy can be related to testosterone reduction in aging males since heart cells are susceptible to androgens. Resistance exercise delays the changes of aging.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  This study aimed to analyze alterations of the left ventricle of aged rats subjected to resistance exercise with administration of testosterone.
  
  
  METHODS
  Wistar rats were divided into five groups: C Group (control), S Group (sedentary), ST Group (sedentary treated with testosterone), T Group (trained) and TT Group (trained and treated with testosterone), strength training protocol and testosterone treatment were 16 weeks long. All groups were sacrificed at 16 months except for C group, sacrificed at 13 months.
  
  
  RESULTS
  There was no change in the weight of the heart or the left ventricle between the groups. ST group showed increase in Nv [cap] density of capillaries and collagen, with no differences in interstitial space. Both trained groups (T and TT) showed increase in the numerical density of capillaries (Nv [cap]) and in the interstitial space, with no changes in collagen.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Resistance exercise combined with testosterone triggered a response of compensatory adjustment in the increase of Nv [cap], collagen and interstitial space, increasing perfusion and nutrition to the heart.
authors.affiliation: Physical Education Department, São Judas Tadeu University , São Paulo , Brazil .
authors.forename: Leandro
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Gonçalves
authors.forename: Romeu Rodrigues
authors.initials: RR
authors.lastname: de Souza
authors.forename: Laura Beatriz Messiano
authors.initials: LB
authors.lastname: Maifrino
authors.forename: Érico Chagas
authors.initials: ÉC
authors.lastname: Caperuto
authors.forename: Patrícia Oliva
authors.initials: PO
authors.lastname: Carbone
authors.forename: Bruno
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Rodrigues
authors.forename: Eliane Florêncio
authors.initials: EF
authors.lastname: Gama
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002196:Capillaries / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology; D006352:Heart Ventricles / Q000187:drug effects*; D008297:Male; D010805:Physical Conditioning, Animal / Q000502:physiology; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D055070:Resistance Training; D013739:Testosterone / Q000494:pharmacology*; D016277:Ventricular Function, Left / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology
chemical_list: D013739:Testosterone
keywords: Aging and exercise; heart capillaries; testosterone supplementation