국소적 뇌허혈 백서 모델에서 조기재활의 운동강도가 신경학적 회복에 미치는 영향

Abstract

Background: Rehabilitation including exercise therapy has improved the functional outcome following focal cerebral ischemia, and it is common practice to start training programs for patients at an early stage after cerebral ischemia. However, optimal exercise intensity for early rehabilitation strategy is still unclear. The present investigation aimed at examining neurological changes of various exercise intensities after middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO) in rats and comparing the extent of the astrocytic response of various exercise intensities. Methods: The male Sprague-Dowley rats (N=115) were subjected to 120-minute left MCAO. All rats were randomly assigned to one of four groups: no exercise group (Group I), mild exercise intensity group (Group II), moderate exercise intensity group (Group III), and severe exercise intensity group (Group IV). Three different treadmill training conditions were set; mild, moderate or severe intensity respectively. Rats were trained for 30 minutes per day, a period of one week or 2 weeks. A five-point neurological evaluation scale was used to measure neurological deficits at post-ischemia 1-day, 4-day, 7-day, 10-day and 14-day. Infarct volume was measured after the brain was stained by 2% 2,3,4- Triphenyltetrazolium chloride. The immunohistochemistry of the brain was done to observe reactive astrocytosis at the peri-infarct area. Results: Group II and III for 1 week and 2 weeks in MCAO rats improved in neurological examination rather than Group I for 1 week and 2 weeks (p Conclusions: This study demonstrates that the neurological recovery in cerebral ischemia can be modulated by the intensity of exercise in early rehabilitation training and the reactions of astrocytes may play an important role for the modulation. Further studies are needed to clarify the precise role of astrocytes in improving neurological recovery in cerebral ischemia.