The Effect of Endurance Training and Crocin Consumption on Anxiety-like Behaviors and Aerobic Power in Rats with Alzheimer’s

Anxiety, depression, and physical problems are the problems of patients with Alzheimer’s disease (AD). It has been reported that exercises and crocin consumption can improve the anxiety-like behaviors and aerobic power in patients with AD.

The present study aimed to investigate the interactive effect of endurance training and crocin on anxiety-like behaviors and aerobic power of rats with AD.

In this experimental study, 40 male rats with AD (with mean age of eight weeks) were divided into five groups, including (1) control (C), (2) endurance training (ET), (3) endurance training and crocin (ETCR), (4) crocin (CR), and (5) sham (Sh). During eight weeks, the rats in groups 2 and 3 ran on treadmill for three sessions per week and groups 3 and 4 received 25 mg/kg of crocin peritoneally each day. Anxiety-like behaviors were assessed by elevated plus-maze and aerobic power test using rats’ treadmill test.

Endurance training significantly decreased weight and anxiety-like behaviors as well as increased aerobic power (P≤0.05); crocin significantly decreased anxiety-like behaviors and increased aerobic power (P≤0.05); however, the interaction of endurance training and crocin consumption were not significant in the reduction of weight and anxiety-like behaviors and increase of aerobic power (P ≤ 0.05).

It seems that endurance training and crocin consumption distinctly function and from different pathways effective in decreasing anxiety and increasing aerobic power in rats with AD.