Effects of Aerobic Training on Sex Hormones in A Cuprizone Rat Model of Multiple Sclerosis

Abstract

Background: Central nervous system damage in multiple sclerosis (MS) leads to severe physical disability andneurological defects. Sexual dysfunction and infertility in patients with MS have often been neglected in previousstudies. Aerobic exercise is suggested to improve circulating testosterone levels and sexual function. Therefore,the purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of aerobic exercise on sex hormone levels in a cuprizone ratmodel of MS.Materials and Methods: In this experimental study, 30 male rats (aged 70 days, 154.55 ± 18.1 g) were randomlydivided into five groups: MS, exercise-MS (EX-MS), MS-EX, EX-MS-EX, and normal control (control). MS wasinduced by feeding cuprizone pellets (0.2%) to the rats for six weeks. The exercise groups performed an aerobicexercise protocol on a treadmill five days/week for six weeks before and during the induction of the MS model.Serum testosterone, follicle stimulating hormone (FSH), and luteinising hormone (LH) levels were measured usingthe ELISA method with standard kits (ZellBio Germany). Luxol fast blue staining (LFB) of the corpora collosawere performed.Results: The results showed a significant decrease in the serum levels of testosterone, FSH, and LH in the MS groupscompared to the control group (P<0.05). There was a significant increase in the serum levels of testosterone, FSH, andLH in the EX-MS-EX, and EX-MS groups compared to the MS group (P<0.05).Conclusion: Aerobic exercise could improve the level of sex hormones in the cuprizone rat model of MS and may beused to attenuate sexual dysfunction in patients with MS.

Keywords

• aerobic exercise
• follicle stimulating hormone
• luteinising hormone
• multiple sclerosis
• testosterone