Effects of resistance exercise on behavioral and molecular changes in transgenic female mice for Alzheimer's disease in early and advanced stages

Abstract

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a neurodegenerative condition that affects memory and cognition, with a higher prevalence in women. Given the lack of effective treatment, physical activity stands out as a complementary approach to prevent or delay disease progression. While numerous studies on humans and animals indicate that aerobic exercise induces brain changes, the impact of resistance exercise (RE) on AD is not fully understood. Objective: This study aimed to investigate the behavioral and molecular changes induced by RE in female transgenic mice with AD at the early and advanced stages of the disease. Materials and Methods: Adult (initial phase - 7 to 8 months of age, n = 32) and adult/elderly (advanced phase – 22 to 23 months of age, n = 32) female mice (2xTg-AD) for the APPSWE/PS1dE9 mutation were subjected to a four-week RE protocol. Mobility, anxiety-like behavior, long-term memory (LTM), and depressive-like behavior were assessed. Beta-amyloid (βA) and cytokines were quantified using the ELISA technique. Results: There was a progressive increase in strength in both trained groups at different ages. RE reversed memory deficits only in adult AD animals and the anxiety-like behavior only in adult/elderly AD animals. RE reversed depressive-like behavior in adult and adult/elderly AD animals. RE reduced βA only in adult AD animals. RE modified the expression of several cytokines in animals in the early and advanced stage of AD. Conclusion: RE can be a promising strategy to minimize the deleterious effects of AD; however, its effectiveness may be more limited to the early stages of the disease.