Skip to main content
Log in

Passive Movement Improves the Learning and Memory Function of Rats with Cerebral Infarction by Inhibiting Neuron Cell Apoptosis

  • Published:
Molecular Neurobiology Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Passive movement has been found to improve evidently ischemic stroke patients’ impaired capacity of learning and memory, but the optimal time window of initiating the therapy and the underlying mechanism are not fully understood. In this study, the effect of passive movement at different time windows on learning and memory of rats with cerebral infarction was detected. The results showed that the expression of caspase-3 and escape latency in the passive movement group were all considerably lower than those in the model group (P < 0.05), while the expression of Bcl-2 mRNA was significantly higher than those in the model group (P < 0.05). Moreover, we found that there were most significant changes of escape latency and expressions of Bcl-2 mRNA and caspase-3 when the therapy started at 24 h after focal cerebral infarction. These results suggest that passive movement is able to contribute to the recovery of learning and memory of rats with cerebral infarction, which is partially mediated by inhibiting neuron cell apoptosis, and the optimal therapeutic time is at 24 h after cerebral infarction.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Lloyd-Jones D, Adams R et al (2009) Heart disease and stroke statistics—2009 update: a report from the American Heart Association Statistics Committee and Stroke Statistics Subcommittee. Circulation 119(3):480–486

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  2. Saxena SK, Ng TP et al (2007) Is improvement in impaired cognition and depressive symptoms in post-stroke patients associated with recovery in activities of daily living? Acta Neurol Scand 115(5):339–346

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  3. Tatemichi TK, Desmond DW et al (1992) Dementia after stroke: baseline frequency, risks, and clinical features in a hospitalized cohort. Neurology 42(6):1185–1193

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  4. Dromerick AW, Lang CE et al (2009) Very early constraint-induced movement during stroke rehabilitation (VECTORS): a single-center RCT. Neurology 73(3):195–201

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  5. Zhao S, Zhao M et al (2013) Constraint-induced movement therapy overcomes the intrinsic axonal growth-inhibitory signals in stroke rats. Stroke 44(6):1698–1705

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  6. Ang E-T, Dawe GS et al (2006) Alterations in spatial learning and memory after forced exercise. Brain Res 1113(1):186–193

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  7. Lou SJ, Liu JY et al (2008) Hippocampal neurogenesis and gene expression depend on exercise intensity in juvenile rats. Brain Res 1210:48–55

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  8. Radak Z, Toldy A et al (2006) The effects of training and detraining on memory, neurotrophins and oxidative stress markers in rat brain. Neurochem Int 49(4):387–392

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  9. van Praag H, Christie BR et al (1999) Running enhances neurogenesis, learning, and long-term potentiation in mice. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 96(23):13427–13431

    Article  PubMed Central  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  10. Liao W, Liu S et al (2002) Modification of the preparation of models of focal ischemic brain injury with suture occlusion in rats. Chin J Phys Med Rehabil 24(6):345–348

    Google Scholar 

  11. Longa EZ, Weinstein PR et al (1989) Reversible middle cerebral artery occlusion without craniectomy in rats. Stroke 20:84–91

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  12. Houle JD, Morris K et al (1999) Effects of fetal spinal cord tissue transplants and cycling exercise on the soleus muscle in spinalized rats. Muscle Nerve 22:846–856

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  13. Petajan JH, Songster G et al (1981) Effects of passive movement on neurogenic atrophy in rabbit limb muscles. Exp Neurol 71:92–103

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  14. Morris R (1984) Developments of a water-maze procedure for studying spatial learning in the rat. J Neurosci Methods 11(1):47–60

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  15. Okada M, Tamura A et al (1995) Long-term spatial cognitive impairment following middle cerebral artery occlusion in rats. A behavioral study. J Cereb Blood Flow Metab 15(3):505–512

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  16. Yonemori F, Yamada H et al (1996) Spatial memory disturbance after focal cerebral ischemia in rats. J Cereb Blood Flow Metab 16(5):973–980

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  17. Man LI, Peng J et al (2012) Electro-acupuncture combined with transcranial magnetic stimulation improves learning and memory function of rats with cerebral infarction by inhibiting neuron cell apoptosis. J Huazhong Univ Sci Technol Med Sci 32(5):746–749

    Article  Google Scholar 

  18. Ni B, Wu X et al (1998) Transient global forebrain ischemia induces a prolonged expression of the caspase-3 mRNA in rat hippocampal CA1 pyramidal neurons. J Cereb Blood Flow Metab 18(3):248–256

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  19. Swanton E, Savory P et al (1999) Bcl-2 regulates a caspase-3/caspase-2 apoptotic cascade in cytosolic extracts. Oncogene 18(10):1781–1787

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  20. Zhang R, Xue Y-Y et al (2006) Bcl-2 enhances neurogenesis and inhibits apoptosis of newborn neurons in adult rat brain following a transient middle cerebral artery occlusion. Neurobiol Dis 24(2):345–356

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  21. Sim Y-J, Kim S-S et al (2004) Treadmill exercise improves short-term memory by suppressing ischemia-induced apoptosis of neuronal cells in gerbils. Neurosci Lett 372(3):256–261

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  22. Luo CX, Jiang J et al (2007) Voluntary exercise-induced neurogenesis in the postischemic dentate gyrus is associated with spatial memory recovery from stroke. J Neurosci Res 85(8):1637–1646

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  23. Zhang P, Yu H et al (2013) Early exercise improves cerebral blood flow through increased angiogenesis in experimental stroke rat model. J Neuroeng Rehabil 10:43

    Article  CAS  PubMed Central  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  24. Ma Y, He M et al (2013) Exercise therapy downregulates the overexpression of TLR4, TLR2, MyD88 and NF-κB after cerebral ischemia in rats. Int J Mol Sci 14(2):3718–3733

    Article  CAS  PubMed Central  PubMed  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgment

This work was supported by grants 30640010 from the Program of National Natural Science Foundation of China (to YF).

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Yuan Fang.

Additional information

Man Li and Jun Peng contributed equally to this project.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Li, M., Peng, J., Wang, MD. et al. Passive Movement Improves the Learning and Memory Function of Rats with Cerebral Infarction by Inhibiting Neuron Cell Apoptosis. Mol Neurobiol 49, 216–221 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12035-013-8512-9

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12035-013-8512-9

Keywords

Navigation