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Resistance Exercise Reduces Seizure Occurrence, Attenuates Memory Deficits and Restores BDNF Signaling in Rats with Chronic Epilepsy

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Abstract

Epilepsy is a disease characterized by recurrent, unprovoked seizures. Cognitive impairment is an important comorbidity of chronic epilepsy. Human and animal model studies of epilepsy have shown that aerobic exercise induces beneficial structural and functional changes and reduces the number of seizures. However, little is yet understood about the effects of resistance exercise on epilepsy. We evaluated the effects of a resistance exercise program on the number of seizures, long-term memory and expression/activation of signaling proteins in rats with epilepsy. The number of seizures was quantified by video-monitoring and long-term memory was assessed by an inhibitory avoidance test. Using western blotting, multiplex and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays, we determined the effects of a 4-week resistance exercise program on IGF-1 and BDNF levels and ERK, CREB, mTOR activation in the hippocampus of rats with epilepsy. Rats with epilepsy submitted to resistance exercise showed a decrease in the number of seizures compared to non-exercised epileptic rats. Memory deficits were attenuated by resistance exercise. Rats with epilepsy showed an increase in IGF-1 levels which were restored to control levels by resistance exercise. BDNF levels and ERK and mTOR activation were decreased in rats with epilepsy and resistance exercise restored these to control levels. In conclusion, resistance exercise reduced seizure occurrence and mitigated memory deficits in rats with epilepsy. These resistance exercise-induced beneficial effects can be related to changes in IGF-1 and BDNF levels and its signaling protein activation. Our findings indicate that the resistance exercise might be included as complementary therapeutic strategy for epilepsy treatment.

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Acknowledgements

This research study was supported by Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq; #300605/2013-07); Fundacão de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo/ Programa Núcleos de Excelência (FAPESP/PRONEX; #14/00035-1; #2013/12692-4; #2011/50680-2).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Departamento de Fisiologia, Universidade Federal de São Paulo, Rua Botucatu 862, Ed. Ciências Biomédicas, 5° andar. Vila Clementino, São Paulo, SP, 04023-900, Brazil

    Alexandre Aparecido de Almeida, Glauber Menezes Lopim, Diego Vannucci Campos, Jansen Fernandes & Ricardo Mario Arida

  2. Hospital Israelita Albert Einstein, São Paulo, SP, Brazil

    Sérgio Gomes da Silva & Francisco Romero Cabral

  3. Núcleo de Pesquisas Tecnológicas, Programa Integrado em Engenharia Biomédica, Universidade de Mogi das Cruzes, Mogi das Cruzes, SP, Brazil

    Sérgio Gomes da Silva

  4. Faculdade de Ciências Médicas da Santa Casa de São Paulo, São Paulo, SP, Brazil

    Francisco Romero Cabral

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  1. Alexandre Aparecido de Almeida
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  2. Sérgio Gomes da Silva
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  3. Glauber Menezes Lopim
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  7. Ricardo Mario Arida
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Correspondence to Ricardo Mario Arida.

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de Almeida, A.A., Gomes da Silva, S., Lopim, G.M. et al. Resistance Exercise Reduces Seizure Occurrence, Attenuates Memory Deficits and Restores BDNF Signaling in Rats with Chronic Epilepsy. Neurochem Res 42, 1230–1239 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11064-016-2165-9

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