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The role of mild treadmill exercise on spatial learning and memory and motor activity in animal models of ibotenic acid-induced striatum lesion

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Abstract

Purpose

The basal ganglia have long been implicated in motor and cognitive function. Previous research has shown that regular forced treadmill running improves cognitive performance especially learning and memory. In this study, we examined the role of mild forced treadmill exercise on spatial learning and memory, and motor activity.

Methods

56 male Wistar rats were randomly split into seven groups. Animals received ibotenic acid infusions into striatum bilaterally. Spatial learning and memory for all rats were evaluated by Morris water maze test. On the following day, visible and probe tests were performed for all groups. Motor activity of rats was assessed by open-field apparatus.

Results

Our results showed that animals with striatal lesion were much slower at finding the platform. Mild treadmill exercise during training could decrease the distance traveled to find the hidden platform. While exercise has shown to improve learning/memory, it has not been able to completely treat the impairment caused by ibotenic acid injection into the striatum. Results of open-field test were congruent with the Morris water maze test, with exercise animals displaying higher levels of motor activity.

Conclusions

The present results suggest that striatum has a critical role in spatial learning and memory. However, mild treadmill exercise could not improve impaired spatial learning and memory in rats with striatum lesion.

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Acknowledgements

The experiments were supported by grants from Pasteur Institute of Iran, and Tehran University.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Motor Learning and Control, Sport Science and Physical Education, University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran

    Shaghayegh Modaberi & Mehdi Shahbazi

  2. Laboratory of Neuro-organic Chemistry, Institute of Biochemistry and Biophysics (IBB), University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran

    Marzieh Dehghan

  3. Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Pasteur Institute of Iran, Tehran, Iran

    Nasser Naghdi

Authors
  1. Shaghayegh Modaberi
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  2. Mehdi Shahbazi
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  3. Marzieh Dehghan
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  4. Nasser Naghdi
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Nasser Naghdi.

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Conflict of interest

The authors have declared no conflict of interest.

Ethical standard

These animal experiments were carried out in accordance with the recommendations of the Declaration of Helsinki and the internationally accepted principles for the use of experimental animals. All efforts were made to minimize animal suffering.

Informed Consent

For this type of study, formal consent is not required.

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Modaberi, S., Shahbazi, M., Dehghan, M. et al. The role of mild treadmill exercise on spatial learning and memory and motor activity in animal models of ibotenic acid-induced striatum lesion. Sport Sci Health 14, 587–596 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11332-018-0467-9

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11332-018-0467-9

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