The Effect of Treadmill Running on Passive Avoidance Learning in Animal Model of Alzheimer Disease

BACKGROUND: Alzheimer's disease was known as a progressive neurodegenerative disorder in the elderly and is characterized by dementia and severe neuronal loss in the some regions of brain such as nucleus basalis magnocellularis. It plays an important role in the brain functions such as learning and memory. Loss of cholinergic neurons of nucleus basalis magnocellularis by ibotenic acid can commonly be regarded as a suitable model of Alzheimer's disease. Previous studies reported that exercise training may slow down the onset and progression of memory deficit in neurodegenerative disorders. This research investigates the effects of treadmill running on acquisition and retention time of passive avoidance deficits induced by ibotenic acid nucleus basalis magnocellularis lesion. METHODS: Male Wistar rats were randomly selected and divided into five groups as follows: Control, sham, Alzheimer, exercise before Alzheimer, and exercise groups. Treadmill running had a 21 day period and Alzheimer was induced by 5 μg/μl bilateral injection of ibotenic acid in nucleus basalis magnocellularis. RESULTS: Our results showed that ibotenic acid lesions significantly impaired passive avoidance acquisition (P < 0.01) and retention (P < 0.001) performance, while treadmill running exercise significantly (P < 0.001) improved passive avoidance learning in NBM-lesion rats. CONCLUSION: Treadmill running has a potential role in the prevention of learning and memory impairments in NBM-lesion rats.