Effect of Ischemic Conditioning on Some Motor and Cognitive Factors in the Ovariectomy-Induced Aged Rats

Abstract

Introduction: During menopause, which is a part of the aging process in women, the level of sex hormones decreases, which causes problems such as memory impairment and cognitive functions. One of the treatment options for these disorders is hormone therapy, which has several side effects. The present study investigated the effect of remote ischemic conditioning (RIC) technique on memory improvement, muscle strength, motor and balance function in ovariectomized rats.

Methods: In the present experimental study, 24 Wistar female rats with an approximate weight of (170-220 g) were divided into three groups (n = 8) including, 1: control group, 2: ovariectomy group and 3: ovariectomy+ treatment group. Initially, the animals in the second and third groups underwent ovariectomy surgery. The RIC techniques were performed on treatment group of rats for two months. After that, memory, muscle strength, and motor and balance function were assessed in all groups. SPSS software (V21) and one-way analysis of variance were used for statistical analysis.

Results: The result of this study showed that RIC technique significantly improved memory in the ovariectomy+treatment group in comparison with the ovariectomy group (P <0.04). The results of forced swim test showed that RIC technique significant increase muscle strength in the ovariectomy+treatment group compared to the ovariectomy group (P <0.0281).The result of motor and balance performance did not show any significant improvement.

Conclusion: RIC technique can have beneficial effects on menopausal-related disorders and ovariectomy.