Treadmill exercise prevents GABAergic neuronal loss with suppression of neuronal activation in the pilocarpine-induced epileptic rats

Abstract

Epilepsy is a common neurological disorder characterized by seizure and loss of neuronal cells by abnormal rhythmic firing of neurons in the brain. In the present study, we investigated the effect of treadmill exercise on gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA)ergic neuronal loss in relation with neuronal activation using pilocarpine-induced epileptic rats. The rats were divided into four groups: control group, control and treadmill exercise group, pilocarpine-induced epilepsy group, and pilocarpine-induced epilepsy and treadmill exercise group. Epilepsy was induced by intraperitoneal injection of 320 mg/kg pilocarpine hydrochloride. The rats in the exercise groups were forced to run on a motorized treadmill for 30 min once a day for 2 weeks. In the present results, neuronal loss in the hippocampal CA1 region was increased after pilocarpine-induced seizure. Treadmill exercise inhibited hippocampal neuronal loss in the epileptic rats. Glutamic acid decarboxylase (GAD67) expression in the hippocampal CA1 region was reduced by pilocarpine-induced seizure. Treadmill exercise increased GAD67 expression in the epileptic rats. c-Fos expression in the hippocampal CA1 region was increased in response to epileptic seizure. Treadmill exercise inhibited c-Fos expression in the epileptic rats. Epileptic seizure increased brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) and tyrosine kinase receptor B (TrkB) expressions in the hippocampus. Treadmill exercise suppressed BDNF and TrkB expressions in the epileptic rats. In the present study, treadmill exercise prevented GABAergic neuronal loss and inhibited neuronal activation in the hippocampal CA1 region through the down-regulation of BDNF-TrkB signaling pathway.

Treadmill exercise improves memory function by inhibiting hippocampal apoptosis in pilocarpine-induced epileptic rats

“…Physical exercise can ameliorate memory deficits induced by early-life status epilepticus ( Córdova et al, 2013 ). Treadmill exercise prevented gamma-aminobutyric acid-ergic neuronal loss and inhibited neuronal activation in the hippocampal CA1 region through down-regulation of brain-derived neurotrophic factor-tyrosine kinase receptor B signaling pathway in the pilocarpine-induced epileptic rats ( Lim et al, 2015 ).…”

“…According to the previously described method ( Blanco et al, 2009 ; Lim et al, 2015 ), epilepsy was initiated by intraperitoneal injection of 320 mg/kg pilocarpine hydrochloride (Sigma Chemical Co.). To minimize peripheral autonomic effect, scopolamine methyl nitrate (Sigma Chemical Co.) was injected 30 min prior to pilocarpine injection.…”

Physical exercise alters the activation of downstream proteins related to BDNF‐TrkB signaling in male Wistar rats with epilepsy

“…To our knowledge, only a small number of studies have investigated the possible molecular mechanisms by which exercise impacts positively on epilepsy. For instance, Lim and colleagues observed a reduction in BDNF and TrkB expression in exercised animals that received an injection of pilocarpine (Lim, Shin, Lee, & Seo, ). Sartori and collaborators found a significant increase in mature BDNF and TrkB expression in rats that performed voluntary exercise after SE (Sartori et al, ).…”

Effects of Combination Treatment of Alpha 1-Adrenergic Receptor Antagonists on Voiding Dysfunction: Study on Target Organs in Overactive Bladder Rats

“…Immunohistochemistry was conducted to evaluate the expressions of c-Fos and NGF in the central micturition centers (MPA, vlPAG, PMC, and spinal cord L4–L5) in accordance with the previously described method [7]. Free-floating slices were cultivated with rabbit anti-c-Fos antibody and mouse antiNGF antibody (1:1,000; Santa Cruz Biotechnology, Santa Cruz, CA, USA) at a dilution of 1:1,000 overnight.…”