Effects of swimming training on spatial learning-memory of rats and on expressions of c-fos and c-jun mRNA in rat' s hippocampi and striatum

Objective: To explore effects of 8-week swimming training on spatial learning-memory of rats and on expressions of c-fos, c-jun mRNA in rat's hippocampi and striatum, and to study the molecular mechanism of this process. Method: Thirty -two rats were used as subjects in the experiment. The effects of 8 -week swimming training on the capacity of rats' learning-memory were detected by Morris maze and the influence on c-fos and cjun mRNA in rats' hippocampi and striatum were detected by RT-PCR. Result: (1)Comparing with control group, according to the data of location-navigation and spatial probe test in Morris maze, after 8-week swimming training the capacity of rats' spatial learning-memory improved significantly. (2)Comparing with control group, after 8-week swimming training up regulates in hippocampi the expressions of c-fos mRNA up-regulated 17%, and c-jun mRNA up-regulated 28%. There was no significant effect on the expressions of c -fos mRNA and c -jun mRNA in striatum. Conclusion: Optimal exercises training can up-regulate the expressions of c-fos mRNA and c-jun mRNA in hippocampis thereby improve the capacity of learing-memory. It shows the molecular mechanism of this process partially.