THE EFFECT OF ENDURANCE TRAINING ON GENE EXPRESSION OF NERVE AND FIBROBLAST GROWTH FACTORS IN THE HIPPOCAMPUS OF RATS AFTER BRAIN STROKE

Neurotrophic and growth factors are known to have positive effects on neuronal proliferation. However, findings on the effects of exercise training on these factors following brain stroke are limited. Thus, the aim of the present study was to investigate the effect of endurance training on gene expression of nerve growth factor (NGF) and fibroblast growth factor (FGF) in the hippocampus of rats after brain stroke.

Twenty and one adult male Wistar rats (weighing 210-252 gr) were purchased and randomly divided into three groups: control, stroke, and stroke+ training groups. Stroke was induced by the occlusion of both common carotid arteries (CCA) for 45 minutes. The rats in the training group were run on a treadmill at speeds ranging from 18 to 30 meters per minute for 20 to 50 minutes per session, 5 days a week for 8 weeks. Forty eight hours after the last training session, rats were sacrificed and gene expression of NGF and FGF in the hippocampus were measured with the Real Time-PCR technique.

In comparison to the control group, stroke led to a significant decrease in gene expression of NGF (p=0.0001) and FGF (p=0.0001). Also, after brain stroke, endurance training resulted in a significant increase in gene expression of NGF (p=0.001) and FGF (p=0.023) in the hippocampus of rats.

Based on the findings of this study, endurance training probably via up-regulation of neurotrophic and angiogenic factors could have therapeutic effects against ischemia-reperfusion induced injuries and decreased impairments induced by cerebral ischemia.