为了探讨跑台运动对幼龄大鼠学习能力的影响,实验采用5周龄Sprague-Dawley大鼠,随机分为安静对照组和跑台运动组,其中跑台运动组大鼠以低强度进行为期一周的跑台运动;然后使用Morris水迷宫,对两组大鼠的定位航行和空间探索能力进行分析。在定位航行实验中,运动组大鼠寻找到平台的潜伏期明显短于对照组(P〈0.05);并且随着训练次数的增加,运动组大鼠的游泳速度明显高于对照组(P〈0.01);另外,运动轨迹的弯曲度表明运动组大鼠还表现出了较强的寻找平台的动机以及对平台位置较为准确的空间定位能力。在空间探索实验中,两组大鼠的游泳速度并没有明显差异,从大鼠在各象限内穿越平台相应位置的次数来看,运动组大鼠在D象限穿越的次数高于对照组,但无统计学差异(P〉0.05)。上述结果提示,低强度的跑台运动在短时间内便可以明显提高幼龄大鼠的学习能力。
To investigate the effect of treadmill running on the ability of learning in young rats, male Sprague-Dawley rats (5 weeks of age) were used for the experiment. Animals were randomly divided into the control and running groups (n= 15 in each group). The rats in running group were made run on a motor-driven treadmill for 1 week at a speed of 2m/min for the first 5 min, at a speed of 5m/min for the next 5 min, then at a speed of 8m/min for the last 20 min. Then the Morris water maze was used to observe learning and memory ability of rats in both groups. The tests consisted of place navigation and spatial probe test. We found that, in place navigation training, the latency of rats in running group was less than that in control group (P〈0.05); and from the third training session on, there was significant difference between the rats in control and running groups in swimming velocity (P〈0.01); furthermore, it was observed that the rats in running group had stronger motivation and more exact orientation in searching for platform, which could be indicated by the index of turn angle and angular velocity. In spatial probe test, there was no significant difference between the two groups in swimming velocity, percentage of swimming distance and frequency of crossing platform in D quadrant, where the platform situated (P〉0.05). These findings suggest that low speed treadmill running can enhance the ability of learning in young rats.