Compare the Effect of Involuntary Exercise to Anxiety in Male and Female Rats with PTSD (As a Neurodegenerative Disease)

Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a complex syndrome resulting from the exposure to a life-threatening event. These mental illnesses have detrimental effects on anxiety, cognitive abilities, and extinction. The risk of psychosis in women is twice that of men. The severity and durability of symptoms are also higher in women. There are differences in emotional related neuronal circuits between two sexes. Symptomsof anxiety disorders in women in different phase’s reproductive life (puberty, postpartum and menopause) exacerbated. In this study we investigated difference in response to involuntary exercise in treatment of anxiety in male and female PTSD rats. Materials and Methods:We used to single prolonged stress (SPS) model as animal model for PTSD. The rats divided two groups; SPS and Sham groups. Rats in SPS group were exposed to (restraint for 2 h, forced swimming for 20 min and ether anesthesia) and were then kept undisturbed for14 days. After that, all of animals were subjected to moderate treadmill running (4 weeks, 5 days per week) followed by EPM task for anxiety Survey. Results: SPS male and female rats exhibited increased anxiety levels in the elevated plus maze but anxiety levels in female rats were more than male rats. Moderate treadmill exercise alleviated the SPS-induced alterations in terms of anxiety levels. Female SPS rats in exercise group had better responses in EPM test than male group. Female rats had higher resilience to treatment in anxiety test.Conclusion: Probability is given better response in female rats to exercise is as a result of the impact of exercise on the serotonergic system and interaction between serotonergic system and gonadotropic system.