Effects of exercise training on memory capacity and synaptic plasticity in the hippocampus of rats with vascular cognitive impairment
10.3969/j.issn.1001-1242.2025.05.001
- VernacularTitle:运动训练对血管性认知障碍大鼠记忆能力及海马突触可塑性的影响
- Author:
Fansi GAO
1
;
Yadan LIU
;
Jianping HUANG
Author Information
1. 华中科技大学协和深圳医院,广东省 深圳市,518052
- Publication Type:Journal Article
- Keywords:
vascular cognitive impairment;
exercise;
memory capacity;
hippocampus;
synaptic plasticity
- From:
Chinese Journal of Rehabilitation Medicine
2025;40(5):641-651
- CountryChina
- Language:Chinese
-
Abstract:
Objective:To observe the effects of exercise training on the memory ability of rats with vascular cognitive im-pairment(VCI)and to explore the possible mechanisms of action.Method:Rat models of VCI were constructed by permanently ligating bilateral common carotid arteries,and were randomly divided into sham-operated groups(Sham,n=8),exercise-training groups(VCI+Ex,n=8),and control groups(VCI,n=8)according to the randomized numerical table method.The exercise training group started moderate-intensity aerobic exercise training on a small animal treadmill at 48 hours postoperatively,and the intensity of the exercise was increased day by day(5m/min—11m/min)in the first week,and was per-formed at a constant speed of 11m/min for 30 min per day,5 days per week in the second to fourth weeks.Rats in the sham-operated group and the control group were placed in the small animal treadmill at the same time points,but not turned on,for 30 min per day,5 days per week for 4 weeks.For the rest of the time,rats in each group were put back into the rearing cages and were free to eat,drink and move around.After completing the above experiments,the memory ability of rats in each group was evaluated by Novel Object Recognition(NOR)and Y-maze experiments;then the rats were euthanized by overdose anesthesia,and the hip-pocampal tissues were isolated and extracted from the brain.The distribution of N-methyl-d-aspartate receptor(NMDAR)and α-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methyl-4-isoxazolepropionic acid receptor(AMPAR)in the hippocampal re-gion was observed by immunofluorescence staining,and the expression levels of PlexinA4 and neuropilin-2 in the hippocampal region were detected by Western Blot.Result:In the Y-maze experiment,rats in the VCI+Ex group explored the novel arm more frequently than the VCI group,as well as explored for a longer period of time than the VCI group,with significant differences(P<0.05,P<0.001);in the NOR experiment,the cognitive index of novelty of rats in the VCI+Ex group was significantly higher than that of rats in the VCI group,and the difference was significant(P<0.001).Immunoflu-orescence results showed that compared with the VCI group,the expression levels of NMDAR,PlexinA4,and neuropilin-2 in the hippocampal region of the VCI+Ex group were significantly higher(P<0.01,P<0.05,P<0.05,respectively),while there was a tendency for the expression of AMPAR and the ratio of NMDAR/AM-PAR to be elevated.Western Blot results showed that PlexinA4 expression in the hippocampus of VCI+Ex rats was higher than that of the VCI group,and the results were significantly different(P<0.05).Conclusion:Exercise training can improve the memory ability of VCI rats,and the possible mechanism is to promote the expression of NMDAR,PlexinA4 and neuropilin-2 in the hippocampus,which in turn enhances the synaptic plasticity in the hippocampus.
