Effects of Treadmill Training on Limb Motor Function and Acetylcholinesterase Activity in Rats with Stroke

Abstract

[Purpose] In the present study, we investigated the effects of treadmill training on limb motor function and acetylcholinesterase activity following focal cerebral ischemia injury. [Methods] Focal cerebral ischemia was examined in adult male Sprague-Dawley rats by using a middle cerebral artery occlusion model. Rats were randomly divided into 3 groups. Group I included untreated normal rats (n=12), Group II included untreated rats with focal cerebral ischemia (n=12), and Group III included rats that performed treadmill exercise (20 m/min) training after focal cerebral ischemia (n=12). We determined the limb placement test score for each rat on days 1,7, 14, and 21; acetylcholinesterase activity in the hippocampus was examined at the end of the experiment. [Results] We observed that the motor behavior index improved in the treadmill group, and hippocampal acetylcholinesterase activity was decreased. [Conclusion] These results indicated that treadmill training after focal cerebral ischemia exerts a neuroprotective effects against ischemic brain injury by improving motor performance and decreasing the levels of acetylcholinesterase activity. Furthermore, these results suggest that treadmill training at an appropriate intensity is critical for post-stroke rehabilitation.

Exercise Improves Recognition Memory and Acetylcholinesterase Activity in the Beta Amyloid-Induced Rat Model of Alzheimer’s Disease

“…Somani et al [42] showed that chemical and physical stressors decrease choline acetyltransferase and AChE enzymes in the brain. Kim et al [43] showed a decreased hippocampal AChE activity after 21 days of treadmill training in the rat model of stroke. Our data show that the reduction of AChE activity in rats is parallel to the improvement in NOR task, which was used in this study for recognitional memory assessment.…”

Modulation of Key Biochemical Markers Relevant to Stroke by Antiaris Africana Leaf Extract Following Cerebral Ischemia/Reperfusion Injury

“…AChE, a membrane-bound enzyme found mainly in the brain, muscles, erythrocytes, lymphocytes, and cholinergic neurons, is considered another valuable therapeutic target for several neurological disorders (Mukherjee et al, 2007;Spanevello et al, 2010;Mekinić et al, 2013;Okoshi et al, 2014). The cholinergic system performs important roles in many functions of both the CNS and peripheral nervous system and acetylcholine (ACh), the main neurotransmitter of the cholinergic system, plays vital functions in processes including movement control and modulation of cerebral blood flow (Parton et al, 2005;Kim and Kim, 2013). The hydrolytic enzyme, cholinesterase, regulates ACh levels by breaking down this neurotransmitter in many tissues.…”

Physiological Adaptations Following Endurance Exercises after Stroke: Focus on the Plausible Role of High-Intensity Interval Training

“…In addition, the hind-limb muscle atrophy was attenuated just after 6 sessions of daily low-intensity endurance exercise in both the type I and II fiber cross-sectional area (both in affected and nonaffected limbs) [35]. Moreover, it was shown that aerobic treadmill training (20min/day, during 21 days) improved cholinergic system regulation/homeostasis and it was suggested that such adaptation allowing better limb motor function [36]. The muscle electromyographic activity returned to normal activity only after 10 days of treadmill training, optimizing balance and motor coordination during locomotion [37].…”