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Intermittent exercise improves working memory and locomotor activity by attenuating oxidative stress in the prefrontal cortex and cerebellum of ovariectomized rats

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Abstract

Objectives

The aim of the present study was to investigate the effects of moderate- or high-intensity intermittent exercise (MIIE/HIIE) on the oxidative status of the prefrontal cortex and cerebellum, locomotor activities, as well as working memory performances of rats.

Materials and Methods

Twenty female rats were divided into four groups: (1) sham-operated (Sham), (2) ovariectomy (OVX), (3) OVX + MIIE, and (4) OVX + HIIE groups. The OVX + MIIE and OVX + HIIE groups exercised on a rat treadmill for 7 weeks. The assessment on the working memory performances and locomotor activities were conducted on the last day of the exercise period. Levels of superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), and glutathione peroxidase (GPX) enzyme activities, as well as levels of hydrogen peroxidase (H2O2), and malondialdehyde (MDA) in the prefrontal cortex and cerebellum were determined using a spectrophotometer.

Results

Ovariectomy depressed the working memory, locomotor activities, the levels of SOD, CAT, and GPX enzyme activities, and elevated the levels of H2O2, and MDA in the prefrontal cortex and cerebellum.

Conclusion

MIIE and HIIE exert their neuroprotective effects by reducing oxidative stress in the brain of ovariectomized rats. HIIE has more potent effects than MIIE in suppressing the levels of oxidants in the prefrontal cortex and cerebellum by increasing the levels of SOD and CAT activities more than MIIE.

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Acknowledgements

This study was funded by a grant from the Indonesia Endowment Fund for Education, Ministry of Finance, the Republic of Indonesia (Grant number: PRJ-956/LPDP/2014). The authors would like to thank Suparno (Department of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, Universitas Gadjah Mada) and Yulianto (Department of PAU, Universitas Gadjah Mada) for their technical assistance, as well as Erik C Hookom for the language editing.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Doctoral Programme, Faculty of Medicine, Public Health, and Nursing, Universitas Gadjah Mada, Yogyakarta, Indonesia

    Saidah Rauf

  2. Masohi Nursing Study Program, Maluku Health Polytechnic of Ministry of Health, Maluku, Indonesia

    Saidah Rauf

  3. Department of Histology and Cell Biology, Faculty of Medicine, Public Health, and Nursing, Universitas Gadjah Mada, Yogyakarta, Indonesia

    Marsetyawan Soesatyo

  4. Department of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, Public Health, and Nursing, Universitas Gadjah Mada, Yogyakarta, 55281, Indonesia

    Denny Agustiningsih & Ginus Partadiredja

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  1. Saidah Rauf
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  2. Marsetyawan Soesatyo
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  3. Denny Agustiningsih
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  4. Ginus Partadiredja
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Ginus Partadiredja.

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Conflict of interest

The authors declare that there is no conflict of interest.

Ethical approval

All procedures performed in studies involving animals were in accordance with the ethical standards of the institution or practice at which the studies were conducted. The Ethics Committee of the Faculty of Medicine, Universitas Gadjah Mada has approved all experimental procedures in this study (approval number: KE/FK/217/EC/2016).

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There is no informed consent for this study since the study was not conducted on humans.

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Rauf, S., Soesatyo, M., Agustiningsih, D. et al. Intermittent exercise improves working memory and locomotor activity by attenuating oxidative stress in the prefrontal cortex and cerebellum of ovariectomized rats. Sport Sci Health 14, 615–624 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11332-018-0470-1

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11332-018-0470-1

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