Investigation of the effects of treadmill exercise before and during pregnancy and vitamin D administration on pregnant rats with vitamin D deficiency on spatial memory, protein expression of vitamin D receptor and BDNF in the hippocampus of male offspring

Abstract

Vitamin D deficiency and sedentary lifestyle in mothers are associated with cognitive and metabolic disorders in children. The protective effect of vitamin D and exercise alone has been reported on the central nervous system of offspring. Objective: The aim of this study was to investigate the combined effect of vitamin D and exercise on spatial memory and changes in the expression of vitamin D and receptor and BDNF proteins in the hippocampus of male offspring fed a diet containing vitamin D with exercise. Materials and Methods: Forty three-week-old female Wistar rats were randomly divided into five groups of eight animals, including: control group (receiving standard diet containing vitamin D), Vitamin D deficiency group (receiving diet without vitamin D), group, Vitamin D deficiency +standard diet containing vitamin D , Vitamin D deficiency and treadmill exercise, and Vitamin D deficiency and concamitent standard diet containing vitamin D and treadmill exercise. Both vitamin D deficiency (VDD) or standard vitamin D (SD) diets were prescribed for 6 weeks before pregnancy until the end of lactation. In the treated groups, vitamin D or exercise wre continued one week before pregnancy until the end of breastfeeding. Six weeks after receiving the respective diets, the mother rats were placed in a cage with the male rats receiving the standard diet for mating. Following the end of lactation, male offspring were separated from their respective mothers and fed a standard diet. On postnatal day 90, spatial memory in the male offspring was assessed by Morris water maze. Also, protein expressions of vitamin D receptor and BDNF were measure in the hippocampus. Results: our results showed that time spent in the target quadrant was significantly increased in the offspring of dams received vitamin D containing diet and treadmill exercise at the same time. Also, protein expressions of vitamin D receptor and BDNF protein in the hippocampus of male offspring were significantly higher than that in the vitamin D deficency group.