PURPOSE: This study aimed to investigate the effect of 8 weeks of endurance exercise and MitoQ intake on tau hyperphosphorylation, oxidative stress, antioxidant modulating factors, mitochondrial function, and cognitive function in an AlCl3-induced Alzheimer’s disease animal model.METHODS: For the experimental animals, 40 mg/kg of aluminum chloride (AlCl3) was diluted with physiological saline for 60 days and intraperitoneally injected to create an Alzheimer’s disease animal model. In addition, endurance exercise was performed at a speed of 12 m/min using a treadmill for laboratory animals for 8 weeks, and MitoQ was applied with a 100 μm concentration of negative water. The rats were randomly divided into five groups: a saline control group (NC, n=6), an AlCl3 injection group (AC, n=6), an AlCl3 injection and treadmill exercise group (AE, n=6), an AlCl3 injection and MitoQ group (AM, n=6), and an AlCl3 injection and treadmill exercise and MitoQ intake group (AEM, n=6). The SPSS program was used for statistical analyses. Differences between the groups in each variable were analyzed using the one-way ANOVA.RESULTS: Endurance exercise and MitoQ intake for 8 weeks showed positive results in cognitive function and decreased tau hyperphosphorylation in the animal model with Alzheimer’s disease. In addition, they reduced oxidative stress (4-HNE, MDA) and had a positive effect on antioxidant indicators (catalase, SOD-1, SOD-2). Finally, they exhibited a positive effect on factors related to mitochondrial function (PGC-1, Tfam).CONCLUSIONS: Eight weeks of endurance exercise and MitoQ intake are thought to have a positive effect in alleviating Alzheimer’s disease in terms of improving cognitive function through AlCl3 accumulation, tau hyperphosphorylation, oxidative stress, antioxidant modulating factors, and mitochondrial function.
