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Background & objectives: Exercise, with beneficial effects on brain health and cognitive function reduces the destructive effects of some neurological diseases such as Alzheimer's. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of four weeks of aerobic exercise on cognitive function and expression of Sirt1, CREB and BDNF genes in the hippocampus of male Wistar rats with Alzheimer's disease.
Methods: The statistical population included 18 male Wistar rats from the Pasteur Institute. Rats were randomly divided into three groups including Alzheimer's group, Alzheimer's disease-exercise group and a healthy control group. Alzheimer's disease group was induced by injecting Aβ42 into the hippocampus. Seven days after surgery, the rats performed the aerobic exercise for four weeks (five sessions per week at a speed of 10-15 m/min). They underwent behavioral tests 48 hours after the last training session. Twenty four hours later, rat hippocampal tissue was extracted. Sirt1, CREB and BDNF mRNAs were measured using Real time-PCR.
Results: Learning and spatial memory performance decreased in rats of Alzheimer's disease group compared to a healthy control group (p˂0.001). Decreased mRNA expression of Sirt1, CREB and BDNF genes was observed in the hippocampal tissue of Alzheimer's disease group compared with the healthy control group (p˂0.001). Alzheimer's rats with intermittent aerobic exercise had improved learning function, spatial memory and increased mRNA expression levels of Sirt1, CREB and BDNF genes in comparison with Alzheimer's disease group (p˂0.001).
Conclusions: Periodic aerobic exercise in rats with Alzheimer's disease can improve spatial learning and memory by positively regulating the Sirt1/ CREB/ BDNF signaling pathway in hippocampal tissue.