Effect of 8-Week Aquatic Training and Resistance Training on Plasma NT-4 Levels and NT-4 Expression in Peripheral Blood Mononuclear Cells in Women with Multiple Sclerosis

Abstract

Background and Objectives: The present study aimed to investigate effects of eight weeks of aquatic exercise and resistance training on plasma neurotrophin-4 (NT-4) levels and NT-4 expression in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) of women with multiple sclerosis (MS). Methods: Thirty women with MS were randomly assigned to a resistance-training group, an aquatic exercise group and a control group. After separating plasma and PBMCs from blood samples, level of plasma NT-4 and NT-4 expression was measured after eight weeks of exercise via ELISA and Real-time PCR, respectively. Results: The level of plasma NT-4 and NT-4 expression increased significantly following eight weeks of aquatic training and resistance training. Conclusion: Based on the results of the present study, both resistance training and aquatic exercise can increase the level of plasma NT-4 and NT-4 expression in female MS patients. It can be concluded that such trainings could have protective and positive effects on the nervous system of MS patients.

Effects of Exercise Training on Neurotrophic Factors and Subsequent Neuroprotection in Persons with Multiple Sclerosis—A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

“…Figure 1 presents a PRISMA flowchart of the study selection and screening process. Of the N = 337 studies identified from databases, N = 14 studies fulfilled the inclusion criteria [ 6 , 13 , 38 , 39 , 40 , 41 , 42 , 43 , 44 , 45 , 46 , 47 , 48 , 49 ]. No additional studies were found through reference lists of the included studies.…”

“…Based on the TESTEX scores, the identified N = 14 studies obtained a median score of 8.5 (range 3–12) ( Table 1 ), with N = 7 studies being considered higher quality (TESTEX scores > median) [ 13 , 39 , 40 , 44 , 45 , 47 , 48 ] and N = 7 studies being considered lower quality (TESTEX scores ≤ median) [ 6 , 38 , 41 , 42 , 43 , 46 , 49 ]. Two of the criteria items were not met in any of the studies: “intention-to-treat analyses” and “activity monitoring in control group”.…”

“…In addition, only N = 4 studies were specific on the randomization method being used [ 40 , 41 , 44 , 45 ], and only N = 7 studies had groups (i.e., exercise vs. control) that were comparable at baseline [ 6 , 13 , 38 , 44 , 45 , 47 , 49 ]. As for the training interventions, the relative intensity was held constant as progression was applied in N = 11 studies [ 13 , 38 , 39 , 40 , 41 , 42 , 44 , 45 , 46 , 47 , 48 ], and N = 13 studies provided specific details on the intervention parameters (training modality, session frequency and duration, intensity) [ 6 , 13 , 38 , 39 , 40 , 41 , 42 , 43 , 44 , 45 , 46 , 47 , 48 ].…”

Effects of exercise training on multiple sclerosis biomarkers of central nervous system and disease status: a systematic review of intervention studies

“…Results of BBB markers studies revealed a positive effect of exercise, particularly where s100 calcium‐binding protein B was investigated. Nine studies focused on neurotrophic factors (Table ) including brain‐derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) , nerve growth factor , neurotrophin‐4 (one study), platelet‐derived growth factor and ciliary neurotrophic factor in pwMS. Among eight studies that investigated the effects of exercise training on BDNF, four studies reported a significant increase (see Appendix S1).…”

“…The sample size of some studies was very low (especially imaging markers) and four of six studies on magnetic resonance scan included only three to seven subjects per condition. Some studies of neurotrophic factors also had small sample sizes (<16 in each condition). These small samples increase the risk of a type II error.…”