Journal of Research in Medical Sciences1735-1995161020111015Treadmill running improves spatial learning and memory in the rats with intracerebroventricular injection of streptozotocin75287528ENMahdiehYosefiParhamReisiAssistant Professor, Biosensor Research Center and Department of Physiology, School of Medicine, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran.. p_reisi@med.mui.ac.irHojjatallahAlaeiAli AsgharPilehvarianBahmanRashidi2011080320110927Exercise has positive effects on central nervous system, especially when there is a context of disorder.1 Considering the prevalence of Alzheimer’s disease and lack of a decisive treatment, this study aimed to evaluate the effect of exercise on learning and memory in rats after intracerebroventricular injection of streptozotocin (ICV-STZ), a well defined model for Alzheimer’s disease .2Experimental groups consisted of sham-rest, sham-exercise, lesion-rest and lesion–exercise groups. Rats in lesion group received ICV-STZ. In the exercise group, rats were made to run on a treadmill (20 m/min, 0-degree inclination, 50 min/day, 4 weeks). Morris water maze test was used to evaluate spatial learning and memory.The results showed that spatial learning and memory indices were significantly impaired in the rats with ICV-STZ (Figure 1). However, exercise prevented impairments as there was a significant difference between lesion–exercise and lesion–rest groups.The findings of this study suggested that similar to Alzheimer’s disease, ICV-STZ severely impairs cognitive process, but exercise prevents this damage. Therefore, exercise probably is helpful in prevention and alleviation of cognitive disorders in Alzheimer’s disease.KEYWORDS: Alzheimer, Treadmill Running, Streptozotocin, Spatial Learning and Memory, Morris Water Maze.