High Intensity Physical Exercise before the Brain Ischemia Promotes Increase in Brain Injury

Studies have demonstrated the beneficial effects of light- and moderate-intensity physical exercise on the nervous system of animals with cerebral ischemia. To investigate the effects of two high-intensity physical exercise protocols, standardized for resistance and strength gain, in rats trained before cerebral ischemia induced by Bilateral Common Carotid Artery Occlusion (BCCAO). Forty-eight male Wistar rats were divided into two groups: with ischemia and without ischemia (sham). Both groups were subdivided into animals that performed high-intensity exercises in the muscle strength modality (I+Ex2; Sham+Ex2; n=16); animals submitted to high-intensity exercises in the aerobic modality (I+Ex1; Sham+Ex1; n=16), and animals that did not practice physical exercises - sedentary (I+Sed; Sham+Sed, n=16). Cerebral ischemia was induced using the BCCAO model. The physical training program used before the procedure was of high intensity, in the aerobic and muscular strength modalities, and was performed using a vertical ladder, for 4 weeks, 5 days per week. In order to process and stain the brain tissue, the Nissl method was used for neuron labeling and quantification in the cortex, striatum, and hippocampus. As for the animals’ body weight and the heart weight differences were found between the groups I+Ex2 and Sham+Ex2 (p<0.05). Data on neuron quantification in the cerebral cortex, dentate gyrus, and right and left striatum revealed significant differences between groups. High-intensity physical training in the strength gain modality promotes significant damage to the animal's brain when performed prior to BCCAO-induced cerebral ischemia.