Fig. 5. Treadmill exercise increases synapse numbers of hippocampus in
VD rats. A). Representative electron microscope images in each group.
B). The number of hippocampal synapse (red arrowhead) in each group. The
synapses are marked by the red arrowheads.#P<0.05 and&P<0.05 vs. C group;**P<0.01 vs. VD group.
Treadmill exercise rescued dendritic damage of synapse caused by VD.
To further confirm the neuroprotective effect of treadmill exercise on
recognition in VD rats was associated with structural synaptic
plasticity, we next analyzed spine density. The results demonstrated
that the spine numbers of the hippocampus were significantly decreased
in the VD group compared to the control group (P<0.05; Fig.
6B). Meanwhile, compared with VD group, hippocampal spine numbers were
significantly increased in Exe-VD group (P<0.05; Fig. 6B).
Thus, treadmill exercise blocked a decrease in the spine density of
hippocampus in VD rats.