Treadmill exercise ameliorates intracerebral hemorrhage-induced depression in rats

Abstract

Intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH) is a severe type of stroke causing neurological dysfunction with high mortality rate. Depression is one of the most common complications of ICH. In the present study, the effects of treadmill exercise on ICH-induced depressive symptoms in relation with apoptosis were investigated using rats. ICH rat model was induced by injection of collagenase into the hippocampus using stereotaxic instrument. Open field test for activity and forced swimming test for depressive symptoms were conducted. Apoptosis in the hippocampus was detected using terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase-mediated dUTP nick end labeling assay, immunohistochemistry for caspase-3, and western blot for Bcl-2 and Bax. Western blot analysis for 5-hydroxy-tryptamine (5-HT, serotonin) and tryptophan hydroxylase (TPH) in the dorsal raphe was also conducted for biomarkers of depression. In the present results, immobility time was increased and climbing time was decreased by induction of ICH and treadmill exercise inhibited immobility time and increased climbing time in ICH rats. DNA fragmentation and caspase-3 expression in the hippocampal dentate gyrus were enhanced by induction of ICH and treadmill exercise suppressed ICH-induced DNA fragmentation and caspase-3 expression. Bax expression in the hippocampus was increased by induction of ICH and treadmill exercise inhibited Bax expression in the ICH rats. Expressions of 5-HT and TPH in the dorsal raphe were decreased by induction of ICH and treadmill exercise increased expressions of 5-HT and TPH in the ICH rats. In the present study, treadmill exercise ameliorated depressive symptoms through inhibiting apoptosis.

Effects of exercise on depressive behavior and striatal levels of norepinephrine, serotonin and their metabolites in sleep-deprived mice

“…In the present study, mice submitted to exercise showed higher levels of serotonin turnover. This is in agreement with a previous report showing an improvement of depressive symptoms and high striatal serotonin turnover after aerobic exercise [17,46]. Clinical study shows that unmedicated patients with major depression show higher serotonin turnover levels [47].…”

“…Physical exercise positively modifies mood symptoms and mobility [16,17]. Moreover, exercise improves sleep quality [18], memory [19] and influences anti-inflammatory activity [20].…”

Treadmill Exercise Improves Motor Function by Suppressing Purkinje Cell Loss in Parkinson Disease Rats

“…Two molecules, known as Bax (pro-apoptotic molecule) and Bcl-2 (anti-apoptotic molecule), regulate the process of apoptotic cell death. During the apoptosis process, Bax is largely expressed and then promotes cell death, in contrast, Bcl-2 exerts a protective effect against cell death [ 20 , 21 ].…”

Long-term chemical castration induces depressive symptoms by suppressing serotonin expression in rats

“…The forced swimming test was performed to evaluate the rats' depressive state, according to a previously described method (Sung et al 2010;Roh et al 2016). On the day after the sexual behavior test, the rats were exposed to a 6-minute test, in which they were placed individually in a vertical Plexiglas cylinder (height, 45 cm; diameter, 19 cm) filled to a height of 30 cm with water at 26°C ± 1°C.…”

“…To detect 5-HT-positive and TPH-positive cells in the dorsal raphe, immunohistochemistry was performed, following a previously described method (Seo et al 2013;Roh et al 2016). On average, 6 sections were selected in each brain.…”