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Published on: August 22, 2014
Combined Exercise and Ursolic Acid Improve Hippocampal Neuronal Markers and Exploratory-Locomotor Behavior in Aged
Safoura Alizade1, Abbas Ali Gaeini2, Mohammad Faramarzi1
1Department of Exercise Physiology, Faculty of Sport Sciences, University of Isfahan, Isfahan, Iran.
Combined exercise and ursolic acid (UA) supplementation reduced neurodegenerative markers and improved behavior in aged diabetic rats. This intervention mitigated elevated neuronal biomarkers, including neurofilament light chain (NFL), neurogranin (Ng), and visinin-like protein 1 (VILIP-1), suggesting a neuroprotective effect.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Endocrinology
- Exercise Physiology
Background:
- Diabetes mellitus is associated with cognitive decline and motor deficits, particularly in aging populations.
- Neuronal biomarkers like neurofilament light chain (NFL), neurogranin (Ng), and visinin-like protein 1 (VILIP-1) indicate neurodegeneration.
- Early detection of neurodegeneration in diabetes is crucial for managing associated behavioral changes.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the impact of combined endurance and resistance exercise with ursolic acid (UA) supplementation on hippocampal neuronal biomarkers in aged diabetic rats.
- To assess the effects of these interventions on exploratory-locomotor behavior in the same animal model.
Main Methods:
- Aged male Wistar rats (21 months old) were induced with diabetes using streptozotocin (STZ) and a high-fat diet.
- Interventions included endurance training, resistance training, and daily oral UA (250 mg/kg) administration for eight weeks.
- Hippocampal levels of NFL, Ng, and VILIP-1 were quantified using western blot; behavior was assessed via the open-field test.
Main Results:
- Ursolic acid (UA) supplementation combined with resistance training significantly reduced NFL (p < 0.001), Ng (p < 0.01), and VILIP-1 (p < 0.001) levels in diabetic rats.
- These interventions demonstrated a significant reduction in neuronal biomarker levels compared to untreated diabetic controls.
- Behavioral assessments indicated improvements in exploratory-locomotor outcomes following the combined intervention.
Conclusions:
- Diabetes significantly elevates hippocampal levels of NFL, Ng, and VILIP-1 proteins.
- Combined exercise (specifically resistance training) and UA supplementation effectively mitigated diabetes-induced neurodegenerative changes.
- The intervention improved exploratory-locomotor behavior, highlighting its potential therapeutic benefits for diabetic neuropathy.
