Background and aims: The aim of the present study was to investigate the effect of aerobic training on consolidation of spatial memory and CREB protein index in the hippocampal tissue of sleep deprived young rats.
Methods: Forty Wistar young male rats were randomly assigned to four groups: sedentary/normal sleep control group (Cr), sedentary/sleep deprived (Sd), physical activity/normal sleep (Ph/Ns) and physical activity/ sleep deprived (Ph/Sd). Physical activity was included four weeks aerobic training by running on treadmill. Rats performed aerobic training 5 days/week for 4 weeks by running on a treadmill with a zero-degree slope. In the first and second weeks rats ran for 2 sets of 15 min with speed of 10 m/min. In the third week, 3 sets of 15 min with speed of 15 m/min was performed. In the fourth week, 4 sets of 15 min with speed of 15 m/min was done.  After aerobic training, the memory acquisition was asesseded by Morris water maze.  Then, sleep deprivation was induced in rats of Sd and Ph/Sd groups for 24 h by a multiple platform device. The spatial memory consolidation was tested 24 h after sleep deprivation. Western blot technique was used to measure the CERB protein index in the hippocampus.
Results: Aerobic training improved acquisition and consolidation of spatial memory while sleep deprivation destroyed the spatial memory (p ˂ 0.05). However, aerobic training prevented the destruction of spatial memory consolidation induced by sleep deprivation. Aerobic training also increased expression of CERB but sleep deprivation had no significant effect on the expression of CERB.  However, the effect of aerobic training on the expression of CERB in the sleep deprived rats was significant (p < 0.05).
Conclusion: It seems that aerobic training on treadmill is able to prevent the adverse effects of sleep deprivation on the spatial memory consolidation in rats.