Analysis of Effect of Intensity of Aerobic Exercise on Cognitive and Motor Functions and Neurotrophic Factor Expression Patterns in an Alzheimer’s Disease Rat Model

The effect of aerobic exercise at different intensities on Alzheimer’s disease (AD) still remains unclear. We investigated the effect of aerobic exercise at different intensities on cognitive and motor functions and neurotrophic factor expression. Thirty-two AD-induced rats were randomly assigned to control (CG), low-intensity (Group I), medium-intensity (Group II), and high-intensity (Group III) exercise groups. Each group, except for the CG, performed aerobic exercise for 20 min a day five times a week. After performing aerobic exercise for 4 weeks, their cognitive and motor functions and neurotrophic factor expression patterns were analyzed and compared between the groups. All variables of cognitive and motor functions and neurotrophic factor expression were significantly improved in Groups I, II, and III compared to those in the CG (p p p < 0.05). Aerobic exercise improved the cognitive and motor functions and neurotrophic factor expression patterns in the AD-induced rat model, with high-intensity aerobic exercise having greater effects on cognitive function and BDNF expression