title: Effects of Low-Intensity Treadmill Exercise on Sciatic Nerve in Experimental Diabetic Neuropathy.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate the potential beneficial effects of low-intensity exercise on histopathological changes of sciatic nerves in streptozotocin (STZ)-induced diabetic rats.
  
  
  METHODS
  The rats were allotted randomly into 3 experimental groups: A (control), B (diabetic untreated), and C (diabetic treated with low-intensity exercise); each group contained 8 animals. Groups B and C received STZ. Diabetes was induced in 2 groups by a single intraperitoneal injection of STZ (40 mg/kg, freshly dissolved in 0.1 M citrate buffer, pH 4.2). Two days after STZ treatment, diabetes in 2 experimental groups was confirmed by measuring blood glucose levels. Rats with blood glucose levels ≥ 250 mg/dL were considered to be diabetic. Animals in the exercise group were made to run the treadmill once a day for 4 consecutive weeks. Exercise started 3 days prior to STZ administration.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The treatment of low-intensity exercise caused a sharp decrease in the elevated serum glucose and an increase in the lowered serum insulin concentrations in STZ-induced diabetic rats. STZ induced a significant decrease in the area of insulin-immunoreactive β cells. Low-intensity exercise treatment resulted in increased area of insulin-immunoreactive β cells signficantly. Myelin breakdown decreased significantly after treatment with low intensity exercise. The ultrastructural features of degenerated axons also showed remarkable improvement.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  We believe that further preclinical research into low-intensity exercise may indicate its usefulness as a potential treatment for peripheral neuropathy in STZ-induced diabetic rats.
authors.forename: Ismail
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Gulsen
authors.forename: Murat
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Demiroglu
authors.forename: Abdurrahman
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Aycan
authors.forename: Rifki
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Ucler
authors.forename: Ilker
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Alaca
authors.forename: Zeynep Nur
authors.initials: ZN
authors.lastname: Orhon
authors.forename: Mehmet
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kanter
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D001786:Blood Glucose / Q000378:metabolism; D003921:Diabetes Mellitus, Experimental / Q000097:blood / Q000150:complications*; D003929:Diabetic Neuropathies / Q000209:etiology / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D005081:Exercise Therapy / Q000379:methods*; D007328:Insulin / Q000097:blood; D008297:Male; D009186:Myelin Sheath / Q000378:metabolism; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D012420:Running; D012584:Sciatic Nerve / Q000378:metabolism / Q000648:ultrastructure; D020426:Sciatic Neuropathy / Q000209:etiology / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D001786:Blood Glucose; D007328:Insulin