title: Physical training improves non-spatial memory, locomotor skills and the blood brain barrier in diabetic rats.
abstract: Type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM) progressively affects cognitive domains, increases blood-brain barrier (BBB) permeability and promotes neurovascular impairment in specific brain areas. Physical exercise, on the other hand, has beneficial effects on brain functions, improving learning and memory. This study investigated the effects of treadmill training on cognitive and motor behavior, and on the expression of proteins related to BBB integrity, such as claudin-5 and aquaporin-4 (AQP4) in the hippocampus and striatum in diabetic rats. For this study, 60 Wistar rats were divided into four groups (n=15 per group): non-trained control (NTC), trained control (TC), non-trained diabetic (NTD), trained diabetic (TD). After diabetic induction of 30 days by streptozotocin injection, the exercise groups were submitted to 5 weeks of running training. After that, all groups were assessed in a novel object-recognition task (NOR) and the rotarod test. Additionally, claudin-5 and AQP4 levels were measured using biochemical assays. The results showed that exercise enhanced NOR task performance and rotarod ability in the TC and TD animals. Diabetes produced a decrease in claudin-5 expression in the hippocampus and striatum and reduced AQP4 in the hippocampus. Exercise preserved the claudin-5 content in the striatum of TD rats, but not in the hippocampus. The reduction of AQP4 levels produced by diabetes was not reversed by exercise. We conclude that exercise improves short-term memory retention, enhances motor performance in diabetic rats and affects important structural components of the striatal BBB. The results obtained could enhance the knowledge regarding the neurochemical benefits of exercise in diabetes.
authors.affiliation: Programa de Pós-Graduação em Neurociências, Instituto de Ciências Básicas da Saúde, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil; Laboratório de Biologia Celular e Tecidual, Departamento de Ciências Morfofisiológicas, Pontifícia Universidade Católica do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil.
authors.forename: Priscylla Nunes
authors.initials: PN
authors.lastname: de Senna
authors.affiliation: Laboratório de Biologia Celular e Tecidual, Departamento de Ciências Morfofisiológicas, Pontifícia Universidade Católica do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil.
authors.forename: Léder Leal
authors.initials: LL
authors.lastname: Xavier
authors.affiliation: Programa de Pós-Graduação em Neurociências, Instituto de Ciências Básicas da Saúde, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil.
authors.forename: Pamela Brambilla
authors.initials: PB
authors.lastname: Bagatini
authors.affiliation: Laboratório de Biologia Celular e Tecidual, Departamento de Ciências Morfofisiológicas, Pontifícia Universidade Católica do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil.
authors.forename: Lisiani
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Saur
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Bioquímica, Instituto de Ciências Básica da Saúde, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil.
authors.forename: Fabiana
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Galland
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Bioquímica, Instituto de Ciências Básica da Saúde, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil.
authors.forename: Caroline
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Zanotto
authors.affiliation: Universidade Federal de Ciências da Saúde de Porto Alegre, Porto Alegre, Brazil.
authors.forename: Caren
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Bernardi
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Bioquímica, Instituto de Ciências Básica da Saúde, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil.
authors.forename: Patrícia
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Nardin
authors.affiliation: Programa de Pós-Graduação em Neurociências, Instituto de Ciências Básicas da Saúde, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil; Departamento de Bioquímica, Instituto de Ciências Básica da Saúde, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil.
authors.forename: Carlos Alberto
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: Gonçalves
authors.affiliation: Programa de Pós-Graduação em Neurociências, Instituto de Ciências Básicas da Saúde, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil. Electronic address: machaval@pq.cnpq.br.
authors.forename: Matilde
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Achaval
mesh_terms: D000704:Analysis of Variance; D000818:Animals; D051401:Aquaporin 4 / Q000378:metabolism; D001786:Blood Glucose / Q000187:drug effects; D001812:Blood-Brain Barrier / Q000187:drug effects / Q000503:physiopathology*; D001835:Body Weight / Q000187:drug effects; D062507:Claudin-5 / Q000378:metabolism; D003921:Diabetes Mellitus, Experimental / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000150:complications / Q000628:therapy; D005080:Exercise Test; D005106:Exploratory Behavior / Q000502:physiology; D008297:Male; D008569:Memory Disorders / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D009048:Motor Skills / Q000502:physiology*; D010805:Physical Conditioning, Animal / Q000379:methods*; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D011930:Reaction Time / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D021641:Recognition, Psychology / Q000502:physiology; D013311:Streptozocin / Q000633:toxicity
chemical_list: C496032:Aqp4 protein, rat; D051401:Aquaporin 4; D001786:Blood Glucose; D062507:Claudin-5; C491510:Cldn5 protein, rat; D013311:Streptozocin
keywords: Aquaporin-4; Blood–brain barrier; Claudin-5; Diabetes; Exercise; Non-spatial memory