The effect of sprint interval training with short repetitions on hippocampal Brain-derived neurotrophic factor levels, learning and spatial memory in adult Wistar rats

Background: Different intensities of exercise may have a different effect on the level of brain-derived neurogenic factor (BDNF). Hence, this study aimed to determine the effect of sprint interval training with short repetitions on hippocampal BDNF level, spatial learning and memory in adult rats. Materials and Methods: Sixteen Wistar rats were randomly divided into the control (CO, n=8) and exercise (EX, n=8) groups. The exercise was performed for 8 weeks, 3 sessions per week, 4-9 repetitions of 10 seconds sprints, and 1-minute rest. At the end of the training period, the learning and memory of the animals were evaluated by Y maze and shuttle box tests. 48 hours after the test, the rats were anesthetized and the hippocampal tissue was isolated. BDNF levels were measured in hippocampal tissue homogeneity. The independent t-test was used to analyze the data at the alpha level of 0.05. Results: Statistical analysis of the data showed that the level of BDNF in EX hippocampus was significantly higher than that of CO (P