Swimming training and Plantago psyllium ameliorate cognitive impairment and glucose tolerance in streptozotocin–nicotinamide-induced type 2 diabetic rats

Brain malfunction is common in diabetic patients. On the other hand, a growing body of research points to the beneficial effect of medicinal plants and exercise training on insulin sensitivity and brain function. Therefore, the aim of the present study was to investigate the effect of co-administration of swimming training and Plantago psyllium (mixed with standard pelleted food at a weight ratio of 5%) on learning and memory impairment and glucose tolerance in type 2 diabetic rats. For this purpose, 10 healthy and 40 rats with type 2 diabetes were randomly allocated to five groups: healthy sedentary control group (Con), sedentary diabetic group (D), diabetic group subjected to swimming training (D + Tr), diabetic group receiving P. psyllium (D + Ps), and diabetic group subjected to swimming training and receiving P. psyllium (D + Ps + Tr). Diabetes was induced by a single intraperitoneal injection of nicotinamide (120 mg/kg) and streptozotocin (65 mg/kg) separately with 15 min intervals. Experimental groups were treated with swimming training and P. psyllium independently and simultaneously for 12 weeks. Lipid profile and food intake were measured and also, glucose tolerance was evaluated by glucose area under the curve (AUCg) using an oral glucose tolerance test. Passive avoidance learning (PAL) and memory were evaluated by shuttle box test and cognitive memory was assessed by novel object recognition (NOR) and elevated plus-maze (EPM) tests. Diabetic rats exhibited a significant increase in food intake, lipid profile, and AUCg compared to healthy rats. Step-through latency in the PAL acquisition trial (STL-a) and retention test (STL-r) were significantly lower in diabetic rats than in the control group. In the diabetic group without treatment, time spent in the dark compartment increased compared to the control group in the shuttle box test. Discrimination index and distance traveled reduced in diabetic rats. On the other hand, swimming training and P. psyllium alleviated food intake, lipid profile, and glucose tolerance in diabetic rats. Also, the STL-a, STL-r, discrimination index, and distance travelled in the D + Ps + Tr group were significantly more than the diabetic group. Results showed that 12 weeks of swimming training and receiving P. psyllium improved memory deficit in streptozotocin–nicotinamide-induced type 2 diabetic rats possibly through hypolipidemic and hypoglycemic effects. These results suggest that the administration of swimming training and P. psyllium simultaneously might be an effective intervention for the treatment of diabetes-induced behavioral deficits.

The Effects of Swimming Training Program on Serum Minerals and Oxidative Stress in Men Aged 20-25 Years

In this study, the effects of 8-week swimming training applied to men aged 20-25 on sodium, potassium, magnesium, calcium, unsaturated iron binding capacity (UIBC), iron, CRP, creatinine, bilirubin, albumin parameters were investigated. Ten men with a mean age of 23.07±1.76 years participated in the study. A swimming training program was applied to the participants for 10 weeks/3 days. All tests and measurements were performed before starting the 8-week training program and after completing the 8-week program. The data obtained from the study were analyzed using the SPSS 15.0 package program. The normality distribution of the data was made using the shapiro-wilk test. Participants’ pre-post test measurements were analyzed with the Wilcoxon signed-rank test. According to the results of the data, there was a statistically significant difference between pre-post test data for body weight (BW), sodium, magnesium, creatinine, albumin and bilirubin (p < 0.05). As a result, it can be said that the changes in the minerals and some biochemical parameters necessary for the body with the training programs applied regularly can affect the performance.

The Effect of Swimming Training on Bone Mineral Metabolism in Female Swimmers

In this study, the effects of 8-week swimming training applied to swimmers aged 19-25 on bone alkaline phosphatase (bALP), magnesium, calcium, Unsaturated Iron Binding Capacity (UIBC), iron and ferritin parameters were investigated. Mean age of 23.12±5.46 years, 12 swimmers participated in the study. A swimming training program was applied to the participants for 8 weeks/3 days. All tests and measurements were performed before starting the 8-week training program and after the program was completed. The data obtained from the study were analyzed using the SPSS 15.0 package program. The normality distribution of the data was made with the shapiro-wilk test, and the pre-post-test measurements of the participants were analyzed with the Wilcoxon signed-rank test. According to the results of the data, it was determined that there was a statistically significant difference between the metabolic rate, iron, UIBC pre-post test data. (p<0.05). As a result, it can be said that the 8-week swimming training program, which is applied regularly, can positively affect performance with the changes in bone mineral metabolism. Keywords: Ferritin, alkaline phosphatase, calcium, magnesium, metabolic rate

Aerobic exercise training prevents impairment in renal parameters and in body composition of rats fed a high sucrose diet

Objective This study aimed to evaluate the effect of swimming training (T) on the renal system and body composition parameters in young animals treated with a high sucrose diet (SUD) during 12 weeks. Results The SUD impaired the physical performance, increased the body adiposity index (BAI), Lee index (LI) and retroperitoneal adipose tissue (RAT) weight, plasma creatinine and number renal cells nuclei, decreased urinary volume and urinary creatinine excretion besides creatinine clearance. The T reversed the increased the BAI, LI, RAT weight, plasma and urinary creatinine, creatinine clearance and number renal cells nuclei in addition to promoting decrease in urinary protein excretion. This study found that eight weeks of swimming physical training protected renal function and restored normal glomerular filtration rate (GFR) values. Swimming training also contributed to prevention of the onset of a renal inflammatory process and caused a decrease in the risk of development of obesity promoted by SUD decreasing the body composition parameters (BAI, LI, and RAT weight).

Changes in the Functional Indicators of Female Students Based on the Implementation of Individual and Motivational Levels of the Swimming Training System

The lack of qualitative justification of organizational and methodical support of swimming training process from the standpoint of objective criteria ensuring of health and functional preparedness of student youth determines the relevance of the proposed area of research. The purpose of the study was to establish changes in indicators of functional preparedness of higher educational institutions students based on the implementation of training programs at different individual and motivational levels of the swimming training system. Materials and methods. The study involved girls aged 18-20 years old of Kherson State University. There were four experimental groups representing different individual and motivational levels of swimming (experimental group 1, n=23 girls; experimental group 2, n=26; experimental group 3, n=23; experimental group 4, n=21 respectively) and the control group (n=29) with general lessons. All programs (experimental and control) were designed for 18 lessons during the first semester, the duration of a single lesson was 60 minutes. Changes in body length and weight, heart rate at rest, blood pressure and pulse pressure, Robinson’s, Cardu’s, Kettle’s, Skibinsky’s, Hildenbrant’s, Stange’s and Genche’s indices, Life index and Rosenthal’s test were studied. Results and discussion. Determining the initial level of functional indicators of female students of all experimental groups and control groups gave grounds to the confirmation that the indicator of their values is within the age norm for people who do not do sport. Slightly higher indicators of heart rates at rest for experimental group representatives were obtained. This is due to higher requirements for the cardiovascular and oxygen and transport system of girls in performance of physical activity and specifics of swimming means. Preliminary assumptions, that the absence of maximum physical loads is not able to significantly affect blood pressure, heart rate at rest, a number of indices for both experimental and control training programs, have been confirmed. Conclusion. The qualitative content of physical culture and sports lessons before entering the higher educational institutions forms a certain basis of functional preparedness. It is expressed in indicators at rest and is characterized by optimization of the activity of vital organs and systems of students and can be slightly corrected due to the use of training programs at various individual and motivation levels of the swimming training system for students of higher educational institutions

Changes in psychophysiological indicators of students due to implementation of individual and motivational levels of the swimming training system

The reliability of the scientific research results is largely determined by the level of adequacy of selection and the complexity of the application of methods and means that provide pedagogical influences on the students‟ body. Purpose: to establish changes in the psychophysiological indicators of higher educational institution students (boys and girls) based on the results of the implementation of training programs at different individual and motivational levels of the swimming training system. Material and methods. To the study involved students (boys and girls) aged 18-20 years old, who studied at Kherson State University during 2020-2021 academic year. The contingent of students was: 1EG, n = 28 boys and 23 girls; 2EG, n = 25 boys and 26 girls; 3EG, n = 21 boys and 23 girls; 4EG, n = 23 boys and 21 girls; CG, n = 32 boys and 29 girls. Results. During the implementation of classes program of different methodological content at different individual and motivational levels of swimming training system of higher educational institution students (boys and girls) in all groups without exception recorded statistically significant internal changes in psychophysiological indicators, mostly in percentage values and statistical probability (boys and girls) of the control group. Conclusions. Improving the strength of nervous processes in the structure of psychophysiological readiness of student youth indicates the promotion of domestic and professional activities. This also indicates a fact that the implementation of training programs at different individual and motivational levels of swimming training system has a positive effect on psychophysiological qualities, reactions, variants of complex visual and motor reaction and tapping test indirectly indicates the acquisition of abilities to general performance.

Morphological Study of the Effect of Aerobic Exercise on Organs and Arteries in Spontaneously Hypertensive Rats

Hypertension is usually accompanied by the impairment of organs and arteries, and seriously threatens human health. Aerobic exercise can effectively prevent and treat hypertension. However, the mechanism of exercise therapy in hypertension is still unclear. In this study, we explored how aerobic exercise effectively reversed the impairment of the heart, kidney, and arteries caused by hypertension through a pathomorphological perspective. Spontaneously hypertensive rats were subjected to fifteen weeks of 45 min and 90 min swimming training without weight, and we then tested the effect of exercise on the morphology and structure of the heart, kidney, iliac artery, and branch of the mesenteric artery. We found that the myocardial fibers became thinner, the cross-sectional area of myocardial cells decreased, and cardiomyocyte edema disappeared after 45 min of aerobic exercise. Additionally, the pathological microstructure of glomeruli and renal tubules were improved. At the same time, aerobic exercise could also reverse the morphology and structure of arteries and mesenteric artery branches in spontaneously hypertensive rats.

Swimming Training Modifies Stress-induced Changes in the Hippocampal Morphology and Spatial Memory in Rats

This study assessed the effect of swimming training on morphology (Glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP), dark cells and thickness of CA1 and DG) of the hippocampus and spatial memory performance in young male rats exposed to chronic stress. Adult male wistar rats were randomly assigned to five groups: swimming training (ST); exposure to chronic mild stress (CS); exposure to chronic mild stress followed by swimming training (CS + ST); exposure to chronic mild stress followed by a recovery period (CS + recovery); control group with no exercise or stress intervention. Spatial memory was measured by Morris Water Maze (MWM). Results: The lowest GFAP and number of dark cells, the highest thickness of CA1, DG, and spatial memory performance were observed in the ST group. In the CS + ST group, swimming training reduced GFAP and the number of dark cells, increased thickness of CA1 and DG, and memory performance, compared to control and CS + Recovery. In the CS group, GFAP and the number of dark cells were highest and thickness of CA1 and DG were lowest among the study groups. In the CS + Recovery group, GFAP, and the number of dark cells were lower, compared to the CS group. Conclusion: swimming training could attenuate astrogliosis and the number of dark cells in both stressed and non-stressed rats and its effect on non-stressed rats was more prominent than in stressed rats. Among young male rates, swimming training could improve stress-induced spatial memory performance and hippocampal morphology.