BackgroundMultiple Sclerosis (MS) is a disease of the central nervous system that results in many symptoms including mobility limitation and fatigue.Patients and MethodsThirty-one MS patients, all female with mean of age of 36.75 years and Expanded Disability Status Scale scores (EDSS) of 1.0 to 4.0 were recruited. Subjects were randomly assigned to one of the three groups: treadmill training, yoga or control groups. Treadmill training and yoga practice consisted of 8 weeks (24 sessions, thrice weekly). The control group followed their own routine treatment program. Balance, speed and endurance of walking, fatigue, depression and anxiety were measured by Berg Balance scores, time for 10m walk and distance for a two minute walk, Fatigue Severity Scale (FFS), Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) and Beck Anxiety Inventory (BAI), respectively.ResultsComparison of results have shown that pre- and post-interventions produced significant improvements in the balance score, walking endurance, FFS score, BDI score and BAI score in the treadmill training group and yoga group. However, 10m walk time decreased in the treadmill training group but did not show any clear change in the yoga group. Moreover, the analysis showed significant differences between the treadmill training group and yoga group for BAI score.ConclusionsThese results suggest that treadmill training and yoga practice improved ambulatory function, fatigue and mood status in the individuals with mild to moderate MS.

Background: Obesity is a multi-factorial physical disorder that can lead to motor disorders and muscle mass loss. On the other hand, regular exercises and crocin consumption can exert anti-apoptotic effects. Objectives: The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of eight weeks of swimming training along with crocin consumption on the intrinsic apoptosis pathway in muscle tissue of obese rats. Methods: In this experimental study, 35 obese male Sprague Dawley rats (age: 16 weeks; weight: 390.12 ± 38.11) were selected and randomly divided into five groups of 7 mice including (1) control, (2) sham, (3) swimming training, (4) crocin consumption, and (5) swimming training and crocin consumption. During eight weeks, groups 3 and 5 performed swimming training three sessions per week and each session lasted 30-60 min, and groups 4 and 5 received 25 mg/kg of crocin (peritoneal) daily. Results: Swimming training had a significant effect on decreased Bcl-2-associated X (Bax) gene expression (P = 0.001) and increased P53 (P = 0.001) in the muscle tissue of obese rats while crocin consumption significantly decreased the Bax gene expression (P = 0.001). Moreover, swimming training with crocin consumption had interaction effects on decreased Bax gene expression in the muscle tissue of obese rats (P = 0.001). Conclusions: It seems that crocin consumption along with training can modify and prevent the progression of apoptosis induced by obesity.

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Background: Studies have shown that physical activity and the consumption of the medicinal herb saffron affect patients who have testicular problems and those who are prone to apoptosis. In this study, the effects of simultaneous eight-week exercise and crocin usage on the oxidation and anti-oxidation indices of male rats' testicles subjected to apoptosis were investigated. Methods: In this experimental study, 56 Wistar rats were randomly divided into 7 groups. The groups receiving supplement, exercise, and supplement received oral doses of 10 and 50 mg per kg of body weight for 8 weeks. The control group received only normal saline and the same amount of supplement as gavage. Fourty-eight hours after the last exercise session and after 10-12 hours of fasting overnight, blood samples were collected from animals after anesthesia and measured by dye-matase and catalase activity and the concentration of malondialdehyde in testicular tissue was measured. Statistical analysis was performed using SPSS software version 20 (P < 0.05). Results: The results showed that in all groups except the sick group through exercise and receiving a dose of 10 and 50 mg per kg crocin, dismutase and catalase indices increase, and the malondialdehyde index decreased and the T4 (doxorubicine + 10 mg crocin) group significantly increased in the antioxidant index and decreased in oxidative index (P < 0.05). Conclusions: The findings of this study showed that endurance training and crocin dose-dependent injections by decreasing the toxicity of doxorubicin reduced the oxidative stress and free radicals and made good compatibility in the antioxidant system of testicular tissue in male rats.

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Objective: Aging is one of the stages of life that needs special attention due to the special conditions of this period of life. Inactivity and myasthenia due to aging are important factors in reducing the physical and functional activities in the elderly, which can affect their quality of life. On the other hand, electromyostimulation (EMS) is one of the modern training methods that can be suitable for disabilities in the elderly. Also, the training sequence in concurrent training is one of the variables of training that can affect its adaptations. This study aimed to compare the effect of exercise sequence in concurrent training with EMS on the motor performance of elderly women. Materials & Methods: In this semi-experimental single-blinded study, 50 healthy elderly female volunteers, age range of 60-70 years, were selected by random sampling divided randomly into the following groups (each group of 10 people): Aerobic-resistance training with EMS, resistance-aerobic exercise with EMS, rotational exercise (change of priority periodically in training sessions) with EMS, and rotational and control (without training) groups. The training protocol consisted of twelve weeks of exercise, three sessions per week, and each session three stages of warm-up (10-15 minutes), main exercises (20 minutes) and cooling (10 minutes). The main training program consisted of 20 minutes of parallel combination exercises, which were two 10-minute steps with a 3-5 minute intervals. Aerobic exercises were performed with the intensity of 70%-50% of maximum oxygen consumption and resistance exercises using body weight and elastic bands for different muscle groups. The training schedule was the same for all groups in terms of volume and intensity, with the only difference being in the exercise sequence and EMS presentation. Strength of the upper and lower torso muscles were measured with chest press and seated leg extension, respectively, maximum oxygen consumption (VO2 max) with a one-mile Rockport walking test, muscular endurance with a 2-minute marching on a spot-test and lower torso strength with a walking test on the slope in two stages before and after the intervention. Statistical analysis was performed using dependent t-tests and Covariance Analysis (ANCOVA) and Bonferroni post hoc test using SPSS software V. 22 and P≥0.05 was considered statistically significant. Results: Significant increase was observed in all measured dependent variables relative to the baseline values (P<0.001). In the study of intergroup changes, a significant increase was observed in VO2 max level, upper and lower torso strength, and muscular endurance in all of the intervention groups compared to the control group (P<0.001), but lower torso strength was significant only in the intervention groups with EMS compared to the control group (P<0.001). VO2 max changes and the lower torso strength in training groups with EMS were significantly higher than the groups without EMS (P<0.01). Also, the upper torso strength and the endurance of the lower torso muscles in the group with the priority of resistance training with EMS were higher than the combination group without EMS (P<0.01). Conclusion: Based on the results, it can be said that combined concurrent exercises are a useful method in promoting physical fitness and physical performance of elderly women, and the use of EMS can increase the effectiveness of adaptations resulting from exercise, especially lower torso strength in the elderly and can prevent complications associated with myasthenia. On the other hand, the training sequence with the priority of resistance training can be effective in increasing the effect of exercise on the variables of upper torso muscle strength and muscular endurance, but it does not have a significant effect on lower torso strength, cardiorespiratory endurance and lower torso strength.

Objectives: Physical activity, one of the most important factors affecting energy metabolism, plays an important role against obesity and being overwight. Brain-derived neurotrophic factor, in addition to its role in the differentiation of neurons and synaptic plasticity, has a key role in controlling body weight and energy homeostasis through hypothalamus pathway. Therefore, this study addressed acute and chronic effects of combined training on brain-derived neurotrophic factor levels. It also probed the relationship between brain-derived neurotrophic factors and anthropometric variables including body mass index and fat percentage in overweight young men.Methods: Participants of the study included 20 overweight men aging 20 -25 with a body mass index of 25 -30. Having been selected randomly, they were equally divided into control and experimental groups. Three times of blood samplings were done: before the start of training, after the first session of training (acute), and 48 hours after the end of the 8 week training (chronic). Combined endurance and strength trainings were carried out 3days/week for 8 weeks, as training in the first session started at 50% of intensity and it was progressively increased by 5% each week.Results: There were increases in brain-derived neurotrophic factor levels in the training group after both acute and chronic exercise training. However, the concentrations of brain-derived neurotrophic factor levels and anthropometric characteristics of the subjects were not correlated. Conclusions:It seems that brain-derived neurotrophic factor levels are affected by physical activity. An increase in brain-derived neurotrophic factors may result in metabolic and physiological changes within the body and have a protective role against inactivity-related diseases such as obesity.Brain-derived neurotrophic factor in the neural system exerts its biological effects via 2 types of receptors including the pan-neurotropin receptor p75 and the tyrosine kinase receptor B receptor (10). Brain-derived neurotrophic factor expression has been reported in various parts of the human brain including the hippocampus, amygdala, cerebral cortex, cerebellum, septum, and the nucleus of the solitary tract. It also is found in other body tissues such as