THE EFFECT OF SWIMMING EXERCISE WITH INJECTIONS OF VITAMIN D SUPPLEMENTATION ON THE LEVELS OF NERVE GROWTH FACTOR (NGF) IN THE BRAIN TISSUE OF FEMALE RATS WITH EXPERIMENTAL AUTOIMMUNE ENCEPHALOMYELITIS

This study aimed to determine the pretreatment effect of 6 week swimming
exercise with injections of vitamin D supplementation on the levels of Nerve Growth Factor (NGF) in
female Lewis rats.
Materials & Methods: This experimental in vitro study that was conducted on female Lewis rats. In this
study, animals were randomly divided into 9 groups (n=5 per group), including sham, EAE control,
vitamin D healthy, EAE vitamin D, healthy swimming, EAE swimming, EAE combination and healthy
combination. Swimming training program included one hour daily for 6 weeks and 5 days a week. In
addition, supplementary groups received vitamin D supplementation (2ng/0.2mg sesame oil/every two
days) intraperitoneally for 2 weeks. NGF levels were measured by ELISA.
Results: The results of this study indicated that NGF levels in each group of EAE vitamin D and EAE
swimming significantly increased compared with control group (respectively P= 0.049, P= 0.006). Also
NGF levels in EAE combination group significantly increased compared with control group (p=0.004).
Furthermore, the weight of EAE vitamin D group, EAE swimming training group and EAE combination
group increased compared with control that these only in EAE vitamin D group were not significant
(respectively P= 0.164, P=0.001, P= 0.016).
Conclusion: From the results it can be concluded the factors effective in neuroprotection are pretreatment
with medium-term training, swimming and injection of vitamin D, and increasing the levels of NGF.
Hence, it seems that swimming is a good way to enhance the protection of nerve cells in the brain against
MS risk factors and promotion of brain health