The effect of endurance training and curcumin supplement on oxidative stress and memory in Alzheimer's disease

Introduction: Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is the leading cause of dementia worldwide. One of its main pathophysiological mechanisms involves neuronal damage induced by oxidative stress. The present study aimed to investigate the effects of endurance training and curcumin supplementation on oxidative stress and memory function in a rat model of AD. Material & Methods: In this experimental study, forty rats were randomly divided into six groups: healthy control, sham, AD control, exercise, curcumin, and exercise + curcumin. The experimental groups underwent eight weeks of endurance training and/or received curcumin injections. Memory performance, glutathione peroxidase (GPX) activity, and malondialdehyde (MDA) levels were assessed. Data were analyzed using two-way ANOVA and independent t-tests. Results: Both exercise and curcumin significantly improved memory performance (p=0.006 and p=0.008), decreased MDA levels (p<0.001), and increased GPX activity (p=0.01 and p<0.001) compared with the AD control group. Conclusion: These findings suggest that curcumin supplementation and endurance exercise can mitigate oxidative stress and cognitive decline in Alzheimer’s disease rat models.