Time-dependent effects of treadmill exercise on aversive memory and cyclooxygenase pathway function

• Published in: Neurobiology of learning and memory 2012-09, Vol.98 (2), p.182-187
• Main Authors: Lovatel, Gisele Agustini, Bertoldi, Karine, Elsner, Viviane Rostirola, Vanzella, Cláudia, Moysés, Felipe dos Santos, Spindler, Christiano, Funck, Vinicius Rafael, Pereira, Leticia Meier, de Oliveira, Clarissa Vasconcelos, Oliveira, Mauro Schneider, Netto, Carlos Alexandre, Siqueira, Ionara Rodrigues
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Animals; Avoidance Learning - physiology; Behavioral psychophysiology; Biological and medical sciences; Cyclooxygenase 2 - metabolism; Cyclooxygenase-2; Dinoprostone - metabolism; E-prostanoid receptors; Enzymes; Exercise; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Hippocampus; Hippocampus - metabolism; Male; Memory; Memory - physiology; Neurobiology; Physical Conditioning, Animal - physiology; Physical exercise; Prostaglandin E2; Psychology. Psychoanalysis. Psychiatry; Psychology. Psychophysiology; Rat; Rats; Rats, Wistar; Receptors, Prostaglandin E - metabolism; Time Factors
• ISSN: 1074-7427; 1095-9564
• DOI: 10.1016/j.nlm.2012.06.002

► The exercise effects have a temporal profile with acute and delayed outcomes. ► Treadmill exercise protocol transiently improves aversive memory performance. ► The exercise acutely increases COX-2 and EP4 receptor contents in hippocampus. ► There is a positive correlation between memory performance and COX-2 levels. Exercise induces brain function adaptations and improves learning and memory; however the time window of exercise effects has been poorly investigated. Studies demonstrate an important role for cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) pathway function in the mechanisms underlying memory formation. The aim of present work was to investigate the effects of treadmill exercise on aversive memory and COX-2, PGE2 and E-prostanoid receptors contents in the rat hippocampus at different time points after exercise has ended. Adult male Wistar rats were assigned to non-exercised (sedentary) and exercised (running daily for 20min, for 2weeks) groups. The inhibitory avoidance task was used to assess aversive memory and the COX-2, PGE2 and E-prostanoid receptors (EP1, EP2, EP3 and EP4) levels were determined 1h, 18h, 3days or 7days after the last training session of treadmill exercise. The step down latency in the inhibitory avoidance, COX-2 and EP4 receptors levels were acutely increased by exercise, with a significant positive correlation between aversive memory performance and COX-2 levels. Increased EP2 content decreased PGE2 levels were observed 7days after the last running session. The treadmill exercise protocol facilitates inhibitory avoidance memory and induces time-dependent changes on COX-2 pathways function (COX-2, PGE2 and EP receptors).