Effect of Eight Weeks of High-Intensity Intermittent Swimming Training on the Biochemical Factors of Lipid Metabolism and Hippocampal Memory Function of Male Rats with Non-Alcoholic Steatohepatitis (NASH)

Abstract

Introduction: The molecular mechanisms of the improvement of exercise on memory are in the aura of ambiguity.Therefore, the aim of this research was studying the effect of eight weeks of high-intensity intermittent swimming training (HIIST) on the biochemical factors of lipid metabolism and hippocampal memory function of male rats with non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH).
 Methods: The present study was experimental. 40 male Sprague-Dawley rats were divided into two groups: healthy (n=20) and high-fat HFD (n=20) groups. Rats in the HFD group were fed a high-fat diet for eight weeks with the aim of inducing NASH. After proving the disease in HFD group rats, the remaining rats were randomly divided into four groups: healthy-sedentary (n=9), healthy-swimming (n=9), sedentary disease (n=9) and diseased-swimming (n=9). The exercise groups performed eight weeks of HIIST (three sessions/week, each session lasting 30 minutes). At the end, FNDC5 protein was evaluated by western blot method and brain hippocampal irisin and serum FFA by ELISA method. Memory performance was measured by the water Maz-Morris behavioral test. One-way ANOVA test was used to determine the difference between groups, and Bonferroni's post hoc test was used to determine the difference between two groups (p<0.05).
 Results: The findings showed that there was a significant difference in the FNDC5 protein and irisin of the brain hippocampus and serum FFA and in memory function variables between the groups (p<0.05).
 Conclusion: HIIST in NASH model can activate lipid metabolism in the hippocampus of the brain and improve memory function. However, more research is needed in this field.