Enhancing effect of aerobic training on learning and memory performance in rats after long-term treatment with Lacosamide via BDNF-TrkB signaling pathway

Abstract

Aerobic training has a neuroprotective effect, reduces the risk of developing neurodegenerative diseases and facilitates functional recovery. The present study assesses the effect of aerobic training on cognitive functions, hippocampal BDNF/TrkB ligand receptor system expression and serum levels of BDNF and corticosterone in intact rats after chronic treatment with Lacosamide (LCM). Male Wistar rats were randomly divided into two groups. One group was exercised on a treadmill (Ex) and the other one was sedentary (Sed). Half of the rats from each group received saline (veh) while the other half – LCM. The rats underwent a month-long training and LCM treatment before being subjected to one active and two passive avoidance tests. Both trained groups increased significantly the number of avoidances compared with the sedentary animals during the learning session and on memory retention tests, while the number of avoidances of the LCM-treated rats was significantly lower in comparison with the saline-treated animals. Both passive avoidance tests revealed that trained animals spent more time in the lighted compartment or caused longer stay on the platform than did the sedentary rats during acquisition and short- and long-term memory retention tests. Aerobic training increased BDNF and TrkB hippocampal immunoreactivity. We found no significant difference between BDNF serum levels but corticosterone levels of the Sed-LCM rats were lower than those of the Sed-veh animals. Our results show that aerobic training increases the hippocampal BDNF/TrkB expression suggesting a role in preventing the negative effect of Lacosamide on cognitive functions in rats.