Taguchi S, Choudhury ME, Mikami K, Utsunomiya R, Yano H, Tanaka J. Treadmill Exercise as a Preventive Measure Against Age-Related Anxiety and Social Behavioral Disorders in Rats: When Is It Worth Starting?
Ann Rehabil Med 2022;
46:320-328. [PMID:
36588447 PMCID:
PMC9810656 DOI:
10.5535/arm.22105]
[Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/25/2022] [Accepted: 10/31/2022] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVE
To determine the appropriate time points to start regular exercise which could reduce age-related anxiety and impaired social behavior.
METHODS
For this study, 8-week-old male Wistar rats were divided into three groups: no exercise (NoEX), short-term exercise (S-Ex), and long-term exercise (L-Ex) groups. S-Ex-group rats started treadmill exercise at 12 months of age, while L-Ex rats started from at 2 months of age. Exercise rats were forced to walk on the treadmill three times per week, with 1- to 2-day intervals for 10 minutes during the first 2 weeks, at 10 m/min until 17 months of age, and at 8 m/min thereafter. At 19 months of age, behavioral tests were performed to assess the effects of exercise on age-induced behavioral change as well as quantitative polymerase chain reaction were done to uncover the mechanism behind the behavioral changes.
RESULTS
Anxiety-like behavior was improved by long-term exercise. Additionally, rats belonging to the S-Ex and L-Ex groups showed improved social behavior and increased curiosity about interesting objects. The qPCR data showed that treadmill exercise suppressed the expression of immediate-early genes in the prefrontal cortex of the aged rats.
CONCLUSION
This study suggests that long-term exercise represses early response genes, and in this way, it increases resistance to stress, diminishes anxiety-related behavior, and improves social behavior. These findings underscore the need to consider appropriate time to start exercise to prevent stress induced anxiety related behavior.
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