The effects of swimming exercise and Nepeta menthoides on obsessive-compulsive disorder induced by reserpine in male rats

Physical activity has long been associated with mental health through several physiological pathways, potential contribution to antioxidant defense mechanism and general mood alleviation. Nepeta menthoides is an Iranian herb recently acknowledged for its medicinal effects against anxiety and depression which share many pathophysiological grounds with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). OCD is a common, chronic, and long-lasting disorder in which a person has uncontrollable, reoccurring thoughts (obsessions) and/or behaviors (compulsions) that he or she feels the urge to repeat over and over. This study attempts to determine and compare the effects of swimming exercise and Nepeta menthoides on reserpine induced OCD in male rats for the very first time.Male rats (n=۸۰) were assigned to ۸ groups: ۱-Saline, ۲-Reserpine (۰.۲ mg/kg, i.p for ۱۴ days) ۳-Swimmig Exercise( ۳۰ min swimming sessions ۵ days a week for ۱۴ days) ۴-Nepeta (۲۰۰ mg/kg, i.p for ۱۴ days), ۵ Reserpine+Nepeta, ۶ Reserpine+Swimming exercise, ۷ Reserpine+Nepeta+Swimming exercise, ۸-Reserpine+Fluoxetine. After the two week trial, the rats went through marble burying task for OCD like behavior to be evaluated.Obtained data showed that reserpine significantly increased the number of buried marbles compared to the control group indicating the OCD like behavior and while exercise and Nepeta groups showed some improvement in behavior it was only the combined treatment group in which the effects of reserpine was significantly antagonized as evidenced by the reduced number of buried marbles.Combined treatment with exercise and Nepeta was able to alleviate OCD like behavior induced by reserpine in male rats.

کلیدواژه ها:

OCD ، Swimming Exercise ، Physical activity ، Nepeta menthoides