Rehabilitation Training and Resveratrol Improve the Recovery of Neurological and Motor Function in Rats after Cerebral Ischemic Injury through the Sirt1 Signaling Pathway

Abstract

This study was conducted to investigate the recovery of motor function in rats through the silent information regulator factor 2-related enzyme 1 (Sirt1) signal pathway-mediated rehabilitation training. Middle cerebral artery occlusion (MACO) was used to induce ischemia/reperfusion injury. The rats were subjected to no treatment (model), rehabilitation training (for 21 days), resveratrol (5 mg/kg for 21 days), and rehabilitation training plus resveratrol treatment. 24 h later, They were assessed for neurobehavioral score and motor behavior score and expression of brain derived-nerve neurotrophic factor (BDNF) and tyrosine kinase receptor B (TrkB). Compared with sham group, models had significantly higher neurobehavioral scores, balance beam, and rotary stick scores. Compared with the model group, rats in rehabilitation training and resveratrol groups had significantly reduced scores. Compared with rehabilitation training or resveratrol treatment alone, rehabilitation plus resveratrol further reduced the scores significantly. The percentage of cells expressing BDNF and TrkB and expression levels of BDNF and TrkB were similar between the model and sham groups, significantly increased in rehabilitation training and resveratrol groups, and further increased in rehabilitation training plus resveratrol group. These results indicate that rehabilitation raining plus resveratrol can significantly improve the recovery of motor function in rats after cerebral ischemic injury, which is likely related to the upregulation of the BDNF/TrkB signaling pathway.