短期跑步训练对中老年及老年大鼠空间学习能力的作用

Effects of short-term running exercise on spatial learning capacity of middle-aged and aged rats

目的:探讨跑步训练对中老年及老年雌、雄性大鼠空间学习能力的作用.方法:将14mo龄和24mo龄的雌、雄性SD大鼠随机分为跑步训练组与空白对照组,前者进行跑步训练4mo,后者在普通环境中饲养4mo后,测试其在Morris水迷宫中的表现.结果:跑步训练至18mo龄的雌性大鼠空间学习能力显著强于同月龄的空白对照组,但跑步训练至18mo龄的雄性大鼠空间学习能力与空白对照组相比并无显著性的差异.跑步训练至28mo龄的雌、雄性大鼠空间学习能力与空白对照组相比均不存在显著性的差异.结论:短期跑步训练可使中老年雌性大鼠的空间学习能力显著提高,这一结论为今后运用跑步锻炼等手段来延缓老年人大脑功能下降的进程提供了重要的理论依据.

AIM： To investigate the effects of short-term running exercise on the spatial learning capacity of middle-aged and aged rats. METHODS： Fourteen months and twenty-four months aged male and female SD rats were randomly assigned to running group and control group. The rats in running group took treadmill exer- cise for 4 months. The rats in control group were housed under standard condition for 4 months without running. The spatial learning capacity of animals in both running group and in control group was then assessed using Morris Water Maze. RESULTS： The running exercise significantly improved the spatial learning capacity of the 18-month female rats, but the difference in the spatial learning capacity of the 18-month male rats between running group and control group was not statistically significant. The spatial learning capacity of the 28-month male and female rats between running group and control group was not significantly dif- ferent. CONCLUSION： Short-term running exercise remarkably improves the spatial learning capacity of middle-aged female rats. This result provides an important theoretical basis for the application of similar strategy to delay the progress of brain function decline with aging.