Neuroprotective effects of endurance training in 6-hydroxydopamine rat model of Parkinson’s disease

Introduction: Parkinson’s disease (PD) is characterized by progressive dopamine depletion in the striatum, and leads to mitochondrial and motor disorders. The present study investigated the effect of moderate endurance training on motor disorder and mRNA expression of PPAR-γ, PGC-1α and BDNF in 6-hydroxydopamine (6-OHDA) rat model of PD Materials and Methods: Thirty two male Wistar rats were divided into 4 eqaul groups: 1. Vehicle (Sham), 2. Vehicle + endurance training, 3. 6-OHDA and 4. 6-OHDA + endurance training. The PD model obtained by unilateral injection of 6-OHDA (8µg/2µl) into the medial forebrain bundle, and the sham group recevied vehicle alone. Two weeks after the surgery, endurance training groups ran on a treadmill 30 min per day for 30 days. Six weeks after the surgery, the rat’s rotations due to apomorphine injection and hippocampal mRNA expression of PPAR-γ, PGC-1α and BDNF were analyzed using Real Time-PCR. Results: 6-OHDA lesioned rats showed increased rotations (P≤0.001), decreased expression of PPAR-γ and BDNF mRNA and compensatory increased in PGC-1α mRNA. Edurance training improved both behavioural and molecular changes. Conclusion: It seems that endurance training can reduce motor disorder and defects in expression of the mitochondrial factors in Parkinson’s disease.