Déficits de memória e estresse oxidativo na isquemia e reperfusão cerebral: papel neuroprotetor do exercício físico e da suplementação com chá verde

Abstract

Ischemic stroke is a major cause of morbidity and mortality all over the world. Among impairments observed in survivors is a significant cognitive learning and memory deficit. It is believed that these deficits are due to oxidative stress caused by ischemia-reperfusion. Neuroprotective strategies are investigated to minimize such deficits after an ischemic event, especially those strategies that modulate oxidative stress by improving the antioxidant activity or decreasing the production of reactive oxygen species. Here we investigated the neuroprotective potential of physical exercise and green tea in an animal model of ischemia-reperfusion. Eighty male Wistar rats were divided into 8 groups and subjected to 8 weeks of exercise and / or supplementation with green tea before submission to a surgery and transient cerebral ischemia or a sham operation. The physical exercise was treadmill running performed 5 times per week during 30 minutes and the green tea was put in place of drinking water and daily changed. Ischemia-reperfusion was performed by occlusion of the bilateral common carotid arteries during 30 min. Later, memory was evaluated in aversive and in a non-aversive tasks. Hippocampus and prefrontal cortex were removed for biochemical analyses of possible oxidative stress effects. Ischemia-reperfusion impaired learning and memory and reactive oxygen species were increased in the hippocampus and prefrontal cortex. Eight weeks of physical exercise and/or green tea supplementation before the ischemia-reperfusion event showed a neuroprotective effect; both treatments by separate or together reduced the cognitive deficits and were able to maintain the functional level of antioxidant enzymes and glutathione.