The Effect of Aerobic Exercise-induced Chronic Fatigue on Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor as well as Memory and Learning in Male Wistar Rats

Introduction: Chronic fatigue caused by intense exercise can negatively affect cognitive function.Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor (BDNF) is essential for the processes of memory formation and learning; however, its influence on fatigue remains inadequately understood.The objective of this study was to examine the impact of intense aerobic exercise (conducted until exhaustion) on hippocampal BDNF levels, as well as on the performance of spatial and avoidance memory in male Wistar rats.Materials and Methods: This experimental study was conducted with 16 male Wistar rats randomly divided into two groups: control (n=8) and exercise (n=8).The aerobic exercise was conducted on a treadmill over a period of 8 weeks, with three sessions each week.The intensity was maintained at 65-90% of the maximum speed required to achieve VOmax, continuing until the rats reached a state of exhaustion during each session.At the end of the experiment, changes in BDNF protein levels and spatial and avoidance memory performance were evaluated using the Morris water maze and shuttle box tests, respectively.Results: The results revealed that chronic fatigue induced by aerobic exercise significantly affected hippocampal BDNF levels in the exercise group.However, the impact of fatigue on spatial memory and learning alterations did not show a significant difference when compared to the control group.Additionally, this type of exercise had a significant impact on passive avoidance memory performance.Conclusion: These findings suggest that aerobic exercise, even at high intensity and duration, can improve some cognitive functions.Through appropriate exercise programming, it is possible to mitigate the effects of fatigue.