Document Type : Research Paper I Open Access I Released under (CC BY-NC 4.0) license
Authors
1
M. Sc of Exercise Physiology, Faculty of Psychology and Education Science, Azarbaijan Shahid Madani University, Tabriz, Iran
2
Associate Professor of Exercise Physiology, Department of Exercise Sciences, Faculty of Psychology and Education Science, Azarbaijan Shahid Madani University, Tabriz, Iran.
3
Assistant Professor, Department of Biology, Faculty of Basic Sciences, Azarbaijan Shahid Madani University, Tabriz, Iran.
Abstract
Alzheimer's disease is one of the most common neurodegenerative disorders, characterized by amyloid-beta accumulation, neuroinflammation, and cognitive decline. Neuroinflammation, mediated by the activation of microglia and the release of pro-inflammatory cytokines, plays a key role in disease progression. Aerobic exercise, as a non-pharmacological intervention, can effectively improve brain function by modulating immune responses and increasing anti-inflammatory cytokines. The aim of the present study was to investigate the effect of eight weeks of aerobic exercise on serum levels of Interleukin-4 (IL-4) and Interleukin-10 (IL-10) and cognitive function in a rat model of Alzheimer's disease induced by scopolamine. This study is the first to show that aerobic exercise can simultaneously increase two key anti-inflammatory cytokines, IL-4 and IL-10, thereby restoring immune balance in favor of an anti-inflammatory and neuroprotective environment in an Alzheimer's disease model. Methods: Thirty male Wistar rats were randomly assigned to three groups: healthy control, Alzheimer's, and Alzheimer's with aerobic exercise. In the Alzheimer's groups, an Alzheimer's-like model for inducing memory and learning impairment was created via intraperitoneal injection of scopolamine (3 mg per kg of body weight) for 14 days. The exercise group trained on a treadmill for eight weeks (five sessions per week), with weekly gradual increases in both speed and running duration. After the intervention, cognitive function was assessed using the Morris water maze test, and serum levels of IL-4 and IL-10 were measured by ELISA. Results: The results showed that aerobic exercise led to a significant increase in the levels of IL-4 and IL-10 in the trained Alzheimer's group (p<0.05), and the cognitive function of these animals improved compared to the non-trained Alzheimer's group (p<0.001). Conclusion: Aerobic exercise, by increasing anti-inflammatory cytokines and improving cognitive function, can be used as an effective non-pharmacological strategy to reduce neuroinflammation and protect the brain against Alzheimer's-related degeneration
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