Benefit effect of REM-sleep deprivation on memory impairment induced by intensive exercise in male wistar rats: with respect to hippocampal BDNF and TrkB

BACKGROUND: Many factors affect our learning and memory quality, but according to different studies, having a positive or negative impact pertains to their characteristics like intensity or the amount. PURPOSE: The present study was conducted to investigate the effect of 24-hour REM-sleep deprivation on continuous-high intensity forced exercise-induced memory impairment and its effect on Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor (BDNF) and Tyrosine kinase B (TrkB) levels in the hippocampus and Prefrontal Cortex area (PFC). MATERIAL AND METHODS: Animals were conditioned to run on treadmills for 5 weeks then, were deprived of sleep for 24 h using the modified multiple platforms. The effect of intensive exercise and/or 24-h REM-SD was studied on behavioral performance using Morris Water Maze protocol for 2 days, and BDNF/TrkB levels were assessed in hippocampus and PFC after behavioral probe test using western blotting. RESULTS: After 5 weeks of intensive exercise and 24-h REM-SD, spatial memory impairment and reduction of BDNF and TrkB levels were found in hippocampus and PFC. 24-h REM-SD improved memory impairment and intensive exercise-induced downregulation of BDNF and TrkB protein levels. CONCLUSION: The results of the study suggested that sleep deprivation might act as a compensatory factor to reduce memory impairment when the animal is under severe stressful condition.