Enriched rehabilitation training can improve the cognitive dysfunction of chronic cerebral hypoperfusion rats

Objective: To investigate the molecular mechanism of enriched rehabilitation training in improving cognitive dysfunction of ischemic stroke.

Material and method: We established a rat model of cerebral ischemia with cognitive impairment and then carried out them to 4 groups according to different treatments. The all groups were performed Water maze training and cognitive function assessment. Western blot and Immunofluorescence were used to analyze the expression of synaptic plasticity-related proteins, regulatory proteins, and PKMζ in hippocampus. The patch clamp technique was used to record the field potential changes in the hippocampus and analyze the induction of LTP, and to observe the changes in field potential and LTP after the addition of PKMζ inhibitors.

Results: The results showed that enriched rehabilitation training improved cognitive function in stroke rats, increased the PKMζ and SYN protein levels, and enhanced LTP in the ischemia hippocampus. The enhanced LTP for the rats after enriched rehabilitation training was attenuated by ZIP.

Conclusion: We discuss this enriched rehabilitation training adaptive response to stroke as a potential underlying mechanism, which may play a role in improving synaptic plasticity and cognitive dysfunction.