Purpose/aim of the study: To investigate the effect and molecular mechanism of endurance and resistance training on synaptic plasticity in chronic stressed depression rats. Materials and methods: Chronic unpredictable mild stress (CUMS) was used to establish depressive rats model. Healthy male SD rats were randomly divided into 4 groups (control, CUMS, AE, and RT). The animals in AE and RT groups were respectively subjected to continuous treadmill running and intermittent weight-bearing treadmill training for 8 weeks after CUMS. Forced swimming test (FST) was used to evaluate behavior of rats. The flow cytometry was used to detect the hippocampal neuronal apoptosis. LTP in hippocampal CA1 region were analyzed by electrophysiology. The expressions of various mRNA and proteins related to synaptic function were measured using RT-PCR, Western blot or immunohistochemistry in the hippocampus. Results: Results shown that rats exhibited depressive behavior after CUMS stimulation, specifically immobility time was increased and swimming time and climbing time were reduced in rats during FST. After training, AE and RT all attenuated CUMS-induced depressive behavior of rats. AE and RT reduced apoptosis rate of hippocampal neuron and increased PS amplitude and fEPSPs slope after CUMS stimulation. After CUMS stimulation, AE promoted mRNA expressions, including BDNF, mTOR, TrkB, Syn, Syp, CaMKIIβ, and DRD5, and increased protein expressions, including IGF-1, PGC-1α, ERRβ, and FNDC5. While RT promoted mRNA expressions, including IGF-1, mTOR, Akt, Syn, and Syp, and improved protein expressions, including IGF-1, IGF-1R, and p-Akt. Conclusions: In conclusion, AE and RT for 8 weeks improved CUMS-induced depressive behavior, neuron injury and synaptic plasticity through regulating different signaling pathways.

(1) Background: Depression is one of the overwhelming public health problems. Alleviating hippocampus injury may prevent depression development. Herein, we established the chronic unpredictable mild stress (CUMS) model and aimed to investigate whether aerobic exercise (AE) could alleviate CUMS induced depression-like behaviors and hippocampus injury. (2) Methods: Forty-eight healthy male Sprague-Dawley rats (200 ± 20 g) were randomly divided into 4 groups (control, CUMS, CUMS + 7 days AE, CUMS + 14 days AE). Rats with AE treatments were subjected to 45 min treadmill per day. (3) Results: AE intervention significantly improved CUMS-induced depressive behaviors, e.g., running square numbers and immobility time assessed by the open field and forced swimming test, suppressed hippocampal neuron apoptosis, reduced levels of phosphorylation of NMDA receptor and homocysteine in hippocampus, as well as serum glucocorticoids, compared to the CUMS rats. In contrast, AE upregulated phosphorylation of AMPAR receptor and brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) hippocampus in CUMS depression rats. The 14 day-AE treatment exhibited better performance than 7 day-AE on the improvement of the hippocampal function. (4) Conclusion: AE might be an efficient strategy for prevention of CUMS-induced depression via ameliorating hippocampus functions. Underlying mechanisms may be related with glutamatergic system, the neurotoxic effects of homocysteine, and/or influences in glucocorticoids-BDNF expression interaction.

Based on functional imaging methods of resting state DTI (Diffusion tensor imaging), this study reveals the structural changes and functional abnormalities of white matter fibers in patients with stroke from two levels of structure and function, and analyzes the effects of exercise on brain function remodeling in patients with stroke. The effects of the process, explore the central effect mechanism of scalp acupuncture to promote the recovery of motor function, and provide ideas for optimizing the rehabilitation treatment after stroke. There was no statistically significant difference in the general situation of the motion observation group and the conventional rehabilitation treatment group based on DTI technology at the time of enrollment, the NIHS S score, the fugl-meyerassessmenta score, the modified ashworth scale score, and the Brunnstrom staging assessment (P>0.05). After the week, 8 weeks, and 12 weeks of follow-up, the national institutes of health stroke scale, fugl-meyerassessmenta score, modified ashworth scale score, and Brunnstrom motor function staging score of the two groups of patients were significantly improved over time before treatment. The difference was statistically significant (P> 0.05); the comparison between groups, the scores of patients in the action observation group and the difference before and after treatment were significantly higher than those in the conventional rehabilitation treatment group, and the difference was statistically significant (P> 0.05). Conclusion: Action observation therapy can improve the degree of neurological deficits and promote the recovery of neurological function in patients with stroke. It can improve the score of motor function, reduce the muscle tension of key muscles in patients with stroke, and promote the recovery of motor function in patients.