Effect of Running Training on Growth Factors and Astrogliosis and Cell Injury of the Hippocampus in Stressed Rats

Abstract

The aim of this study was evaluating the effect of running training (RT) on brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) and its receptor TrKB, glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP), dark neurons and thickness of CA1 and dentate gyrus (DG), corticosterone and spatial memory performance in adult male rats exposed to chronic stress. Adult male wistar rats were randomly assigned to five groups: RT; exposure to chronic mild stress (CS); exposure to chronic mild stress followed by running training, (CS + RT), (CS + Recovery); control group. Findings indicated that the lowest expression of GFAP, number of dark neurons and corticosterone level, the highest thickness of CA1, DG, BDNF and TrKB and spatial memory performance were observed in the RT group. In the CS + RT group, expression of GFAP, the number of dark neurons and corticosterone level were lower, while thickness of CA1 and DG, BDNF, TrKB and spatial memory performance were higher compared to control and CS + Recovery. In the CS group, the expression of GFAP, the number of dark neurons and corticosterone level were highest and thickness of CA1 and DG, BDNF, TrKB and spatial memory performance were lowest among the study groups. In the CS + Recovery group, the expression of GFAP, the number of dark neurons and corticosterone level were lower, compared to the CS group. The study revealed that running training could attenuate the expression of GFAP, the number of dark neurons, corticosterone level and improve stress-induced reduction of BDNF, TrKB and spatial memory.