The Effects of Physical Exercise on Spatial Learning and Serotonin Levels in the Brain of Adult Rats

Physical exercise can enhance tryptophan transport into the brain so that it will also increase serotonin levels in the brain. Therefore, it may influence many brain functions, such as learning and memory. This study aimed to determine the effect of physical exercise on spatial learning and serotonin levels in the brain of adult male Wistar rats. Biochemistry Laboratory of Department of Biochemistry & Molecular Biology, Faculty of Medicine, Universitas Indonesia was the study place which conducted in January–April 2013. Sixteen adult male rats randomly divided into two groups, the control group, and the treatment group. Physical exercise for the treatment group for four weeks using the animal treadmill at 15 m/min in speed for 15 minutes in the 1st week and 25 minutes for the next three weeks. Learning and memory test using water-E maze apparatus once a week. At the end of the exercised period, animals were sacrificed, and the brains were isolated. The measurement of serotonin and tryptophan levels was done using high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). The results showed that physical exercise improved animals performance in learning and memory test, exercised group made fewer errors at third and fourth week (p