earticle

영어

Adolescence is a critical period for neurodevelopment, neuronal plas-ticity, and cognitive function. Experiences of adolescence can be exert-ed positive and negative effects on brain development. Physical exer-cise has a positive effect on brain function, which is characterized by improving memory function and increased neural plasticity. High fat diet (HFD)-induced obesity has a negative effect on brain function, which is characterized by insulin resistance and neuroinflammation and re-duced microvessel constructure. Although the positive effect of exer-cise and negative effect of obesity on cognitive function have been documented, it has not been well whether comparison of the effects of exercise and obesity on cognitive function in adolescent rats. In the present study, we evaluated the behavioral changes related to cogni-tive function induced by exercise and obesity in adolescent rats. Male Wistar rats were randomly divided into three groups: the control group (CON), the exercise group (Ex), the high fat diet group (HFD). The HFD containing fat 60% was freely provided. The present results showed that spatial learning ability and short-term memory did not show signifi-cant effect exercise as compared to the control group. The present re-sults showed that spatial learning ability and short-term memory was significantly decreased HFD-induced obesity group as compared to the control group. These results suggest that positive effect of physical ex-ercise in adolescence rats may be exerted no significant effect on cog-nitive function. But, negative effect of HFD-induced obesity might in-duce cognitive impairment. HFD-induced obesity in adolescent rats may be used as an animal model of neurodevelopmental disorders.