The Effect of Forced and Voluntary Exercises as a Non-Pharmacologic Factor on Modified Behaviors Due to Stress of Separation from Mother in Wistar Rats

The aim of this study was to examine the positive effects of forced and voluntary exercises as a non-pharmacological factor on modified behaviors due to stress of separation from mother. In the present study, 48 male baby rats were selected and separated from their mothers from day 2 to 14 for 180 minutes. On the 21st day, these rats were randomly divided into 4 groups. The groups included maternal stress, control, treadmill, running wheel (RW). The first group experienced stress of separation from their mothers from day 2 to 14 and the control group was kept from the beginning with their mothers. The exercise groups also began to exercise since their 21st birth day. Then, the groups conducted behavioral anxiety and rodent depression tests including EPM, Splash, FST, and Open Field. The obtained data were statistically analyzed by t and ANOVA methods at a significance level (P<0.05). Behavioral tests showed that the stress of separation from the mother caused depression behaviors. On the other hand, voluntary exercise caused antidepressant effects compared with the stress group while no significant changes were observed between the effect of forced exercise and the stress group. The results showed that exercise, especially voluntary exercise, reduces stress during adolescence, and reduces depression and anxiety behaviors in adulthood.