Objectives: Diabetes is known as a brain-specific metabolic disorder and plays a vital role in diabetic neuronal destruction. Lifestyle modification improves and controls the disorders of this progressive and prevalent disease. In this study, the effect of four weeks of aerobic exercise and Spirulina supplementation on the BDNF/p75 signaling pathway in streptozocin diabetic rats was investigated.
Materials and Methods: Twenty-eight male Wistar rats were divided into four groups after intraperitoneal injection of 50 mg/kg streptozocin and fasting blood glucose assessment to confirm the establishment of the diabetes model: 1. Diabetes control group, 2. Diabetes + Spirulina group, 3. Diabetes + Exercise group and 4. Diabetes + Exercise + Spirulina group. Fasting blood glucose was also examined at two and four weeks after diabetes induction, and seventy-two hours after the last training session, BDNF and p75 gene expression in the hippocampus of rats was examined by RT-PCR, and statistical analyses were performed using one-way ANOVA and SPSS software.
Findings: After six weeks, intervention methods significantly reduced blood glucose and P75 expression compared to the diabetic control group, and BDNF expression significantly increased (p≤0.01). Although the difference between single intervention groups was not significant (p≤0.05), the difference in the factors studied in the combined intervention group was significant compared to other groups (p≤0.01).
Conclusion: Metabolic control and improved neuronal protection following exercise and Spirulina supplementation in diabetic rats can improve disorders.