Physical training reverts submitted hippocampal electrophysiological changes in rats to the pilocarpine model of epilepsy

Physical exercise and fitness programs in patients with epilepsy are still a matter of controversy. Effects of physical exercise in animals with epilepsy have been demonstrated. To further investigate the possible mechanisms by which physical activity interferes with epileptogenesis, the present work was aimed to study the effect of aerobic exercise on "in vitro" hippocampal electrophysiological parameters observed in rats submitted to the pilocarpine model of epilepsy. Electrophysiological changes were monitored by extracellular field potentials recorded from CA1 area. Control rats and rats with epilepsy were submitted to an aerobic exercise program. The number of population spikes (PS) and slope of field excitatory postsynaptic potentials (fEPSP) were analyzed. Trained rats with epilepsy exhibited a reduction in PS when compared with nontrained rats with epilepsy in different concentrations of extracellular potassium or bicuculline. Physical training also enhanced the late phase of LTP in rats with epilepsy. Our results indicate that physical training reduces CA1 hyperresponsiveness and can modify synaptic plasticity in rats submitted to the pilocarpine model of limbic epilepsy. (C) 2004 Published by Elsevier Inc.