Objective: To investigate the effects of exercise preconditioning with different durations on the expression of cerebral neovascularization related proteins HIF-lα. VEGF and HO-1 in rats with vascular dementia (VD). Method: One hundred and twenty SD male rats were randomly divided into sham group, model group. 2- week exercise preconditioning sham and model group, 4- week exercise preconditioning sham and model group, with 20 rats in each group. The 4-week exercise preconditioning rats received 30 minutes of non-weight-bearing swimming training 5 times a week for 4 weeks before modeling, while the 2-week exercise pre conditioning rats lasted for 2 weeks. After training, in the model group. 2-week and 4-week exercise precondi tioning model groups, the bilateral carotid artery was ligated to establish the VD model, whereas in the sham group. 2-week and 4-week exercise preconditioning sham group, only bilateral carotid artery was separated without ligation. At 14 days after modeling. Morris water maze was performed, immunohistochemical stain technique was used to detect the hippocampus microvessel density. Nissl's stain method was used to detect the damage of hippocampus neurons. Western Blot was used to detect the expression of hypoxia-inducible factor a (HIF-In), vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and heme oxygenase 1(HO-1)protein in the hippocampus of VD rats at 3. 7 and 14 days after modeling Result: At 14 days after modeling, compared with the sham group, the escape latency was prolonged and the times of crossing the platform was reduced in the model group P < 0.001 P = 0.018 ) Compared with the model group, the escape latency of the 4-week exercise preconditioning model group was decreased (P 0.023). The number of neurons in hippocampal CAI region decreased in the model group compared with the sham group ( P r0.001). Compared with the model group, the number of neurons in hippocampal CAI region in the 2-week and 4-week exercise preconditioning model groups increased ( P 0.011. P < 1) . Compared. with the 2-week exercise preconditioning model group, the number of neurons in the hippocampus CAI region was increased in the 4-week exercise preconditioning model group (P-0.046). Compared with the sham group, HIF-14. VEGF and HO-1 proteins in the hippocampus of the model group were increased after modeling (P 0.013. P = 0.037 P sim 0.044 ) Compared with the model group, the expressions of HIF-1n, VEGF, HO-1 proteins in the hippocampus of the 4- week exercise preconditioning model group were increased after modeling ( P = 0.013, P = 0.012 P = 0.002 ) . Compared with 3 and 14 days after modeling. the expression of VEGF pro tein increased at 7 days after modeling (P = 0.001) P r0.001). Compared with 3 days after modeling, the ex-pression of HO-1 protein was increased at 7 days after modeling (P = 0.001) Compared with sham group, the MVD in hippocampal CAI region was increased in model group (P - 0.002) Compared with the model group and 2-week exercise preconditioning model group, the MVD hippocampal CAI region of the 4 week exercise preconditioning model group was increased (P<0.001,P=0.003). Conclusion: Exercise preconditioning for 4 weeks can promote angiogenesis, increase microvacular density, re-duce neuron damage, and delay the development of cognitive impairment in VD rats by regulating the expres sion of hippocampal angiogenesis related proteins. The effect of exercise preconditioning on the expression of cerebral angiogenesis proteins in VD rats may have a certain time rule. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]