Cerebellum and reelin under chronic treadmill exercise conditions in male rats

Reelin is an extracellular matrix neuroprotein which plays important roles during development and maturation of cerebellum. In the postnatal cerebellum, Reelin is synthesized by cerebellar granule cells and secreted to extracellular matrix. This secreted protein modulates adult synaptic function, neurotransmitter release and regulates plasticity. Exercise has beneficial effects on central nervous system. This study investigated the effects of short and long-term training program on Reelin protein levels in the cerebellum. Forty male rats divided into four main groups; test 1 (15 days exercise-trained rats) and test 2 (60 days exercise-trained rats), and control 1 (rats were kept alive for 15 days) and control 2 (rats were kept alive for 60 days). At the end of the training period, Reelin levels in the cerebellum were measured by ELISA assay. Results showed that short and long-term regular exercise had no effect on Reelin protein levels in the cerebellum. Present study showed that regular exercise could not change Reelin protein concentration which mediated plasticity, dendritogenesis and synaptogenesis in the cerebellar neurons. Results of this study could correlate with unaffected plasticity, dendritogenesis and synaptogenesis in the cerebellum under exercise conditions as reported in previous studies.