Working memory and hippocampal expression of BDNF, ARC, and P-STAT3 in rats: effects of diet and exercise

Mounting evidence suggests diet and exercise influence learning and memory (LM). We compared a high-fat, high-sucrose Western diet (WD) to a plant-based, amylose/amylopectin blend, lower-fat diet known as the Daniel Fast (DF) in rats with and without regular aerobic exercise on a task of spatial working memory (WM).Rats were randomly assigned to the WD or DF at 6 weeks of age. Exercised rats (WD-E, DF-E) ran on a treadmill 3 times/week for 30 min while the sedentary rats did not (WD-S, DF-S). Rats adhered to these assignments for 12 weeks, inclusive ofDF-E rats exhibited the best DSA performance. Surprisingly, the WD-S group outperformed the WD-E group, but had significantly lower BDNF and ARC relative to the DF-S group, with a similar trend from the WD-E group. P-STAT3 expression was also significantly elevated in the WD-S group compared to both the DF-S and WD-E groups.These results support previous research demonstrating negative effects of the WD on spatial LM, demonstrate the plant-based DF regimen combined with chronic aerobic exercise produces measurable WM and neuroprotective benefits, and suggest the need to carefully design exercise prescriptions to avoid over-stressing individuals making concurrent dietary changes.