Physical exercise during the adolescent period of life increases hippocampal parvalbumin expression

In order to investigate whether physical exercise during development would promote changes the calcium-binding protein parvalbumin (PV) expression in the hippocampal formation, we performed an immunostaining Study after an aerobic exercise program in rats during adolescent period of life. Wistar rats were submitted to daily exercise program in a treadmill between postnatal day 21 and 60. Running time and speed were gradually increased during the subsequent days until 18 m/min for 60 min. After the aerobic exercise program, animals of all groups were killed and PV immunostaining procedures were performed. the results showed significant increase of protein level in the hippocampal formation and PV-immunoreactive neurons in CA1 and CA2/CA3 regions of rats submitted to exercise when compared with control rats. This finding indicates that aerobic exercise program during adolescent period promotes neuroplastic changes in hippocampal formation. (C) 2008 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)ClnAPCeUniversidade Federal de São Paulo, Dept Physiol, BR-04023900 São Paulo, BrazilUniversidade Federal de São Paulo, Dept Neurol & Neurosurg, BR-04023900 São Paulo, BrazilUniversidade Federal de São Paulo, Dept Physiol, BR-04023900 São Paulo, BrazilUniversidade Federal de São Paulo, Dept Neurol & Neurosurg, BR-04023900 São Paulo, BrazilWeb of Scienc