Aerobic exercise attenuates inhibitory avoidance memory deficit induced by paradoxical sleep deprivation in rats

Abstract

The deleterious effects of paradoxical sleep deprivation (SD) on memory processes are well documented. Physical exercise improves many aspects of brain functions and induces neuroprotection. In the present study, we investigated the influence of 4 weeks of treadmill aerobic exercise on both long-term memory and the expression of synaptic proteins (GAP-43, synapsin I, synaptophysin, and PSD-95) in normal and sleep-deprived rats. Adult Wistar rats were subjected to 4 weeks of treadmill exercise training for 35 min, five times per week. Twenty-four hours after the last exercise session, the rats were sleep-deprived for 96 h using the modified multiple platform method. To assess memory after SD, all animals underwent training for the inhibitory avoidance task and were tested 24h later. The aerobic exercise attenuated the long-term memory deficit induced by 96 h of paradoxical SD. Western blot analysis of the hippocampus revealed increased levels of GAP-43 in exercised rats. However, the expression of synapsin I, synaptophysin, and PSD-95 was not modified by either exercise or SD. Our results suggest that an aerobic exercise program can attenuate the deleterious effects of SD on long-term memory and that this effect is not directly related to changes in the expression of the pre- and post-synaptic proteins analyzed in the study.

Prior regular exercise prevents synaptic plasticity impairment in sleep deprived female rats

“…Other studies suggested that treadmill exercise had neuroprotective effects on deleterious behavioral, synaptic and molecular changes induced by paradoxical sleep deprivation (Fernandes et al, 2013;Zagaar et al, 2012a,b). These investigations revealed that the benefits of exercise at the cellular level may be due to its capability to increase the production of BDNF and other signaling molecules in sleep-deprived male rats (Zagaar et al, 2012a,b).…”

The compensatory effect of regular exercise on long-term memory impairment in sleep deprived female rats

“…Other studies offered that treadmill exercise had neuroprotective effects on detrimental behavioral, synaptic and molecular changes induced by sleep deprivation (Fernandes et al, 2013;Zagaar et al, 2013;Zagaar et al, 2012).…”

Modulation of synaptic plasticity by short-term aerobic exercise in adult mice

“…Moreover physical exercise improves many aspects of brain functions as well as induces neuroprotection [6].…”