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Coenzyme Q10 and exercise training reinstate middle cerebral artery occlusion-induced behavioral deficits and hippocampal long-term potentiation suppression in aging rats

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Abstract

Rational

Patients experience post-stroke cognitive impairment during aging. To date, no specific treatment solution has been reported for this disorder.

Objective

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effects of exercise training and coenzyme Q10 supplementation on middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO) induced behavioral impairment, long-term potentiation inhibition and cerebral infarction size in aging rats.

Methods

Fifty aging male rats underwent MCAO surgery and were randomly distributed in to the following groups: 1-Sham, 2- control, 3- Coenzyme Q10, 4- Exercise training and 5- Exercise training with Q10 supplementation (Ex + Q10). Aerobic training groups were allowed to run on a treadmill for 12 weeks. Q10 (50 mg/kg) was administered intragastrically by gavage. Morris water maze, shuttle box and elevated plus maze tests were used to evaluate cognitive function. The population spike (PS) amplitude and slope of excitatory postsynaptic potentials (EPSP) in the dentate gyrus area were recorded as a result of perforant pathway electrical stimulation.

Results

Our study showed that Q10 and aerobic training alone ameliorate spatial memory in the acquisition phase, but have no effect on spatial memory in the retention phase. Q10 and exercise training synergistically promoted spatial memory in the retention phase. Q10 and exercise training separately and simultaneously mitigated cerebral ischemia-induced passive avoidance memory impairment in acquisition and retention phases. The EPSP did not differ between the groups, but exercise training and Q10 ameliorate the PS amplitude in hippocampal responses to perforant path stimulation. Exercising and Q10 simultaneously reduced the cerebral infarction volume.

Conclusion

Collectively, the findings of the present study imply that 12 weeks of aerobic training and Q10 supplementation alone can simultaneously reverse cerebral ischemia induced neurobehavioral deficits via amelioration of synaptic plasticity and a reduction in cerebral infarction volume in senescent rats.

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Data availability

Data will be made available on request.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Physical Education and Sport Science, Bandar Abbas Branch, Islamic Azad University, Bandar Abbas, Iran

    Kamal Ranjbar

  2. Neurophysiology Research Center, Hamedan University of Medical Sciences, Hamedan, Iran

    Alireza Komaki

  3. Department of Physical Education and Sport Science, Razi University, Kermanshah, Iran

    Bayan Fayazi

  4. Department of Physical Education and Sport Science, Hamedan Branch, Islamic Azad University, Hamedan, Iran

    Ebrahim Zarrinkalam

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  1. Kamal Ranjbar
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  2. Alireza Komaki
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  3. Bayan Fayazi
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  4. Ebrahim Zarrinkalam
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Contributions

K. R. conceptualization, methodology and data collection, Corresponding author, A. K. supervision, B. F. writing- original draft preparation, E. Z. data collection and writing- reviewing and editing

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Correspondence to Kamal Ranjbar or Ebrahim Zarrinkalam.

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Ranjbar, K., Komaki, A., Fayazi, B. et al. Coenzyme Q10 and exercise training reinstate middle cerebral artery occlusion-induced behavioral deficits and hippocampal long-term potentiation suppression in aging rats. Psychopharmacology (2024). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00213-024-06583-z

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00213-024-06583-z

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