Comparing the Effects of Swimming and Running Wheel on Clinical Symptoms and Myelin Basic Protein in Mice with Experimental Autoimmune Encephalomyelitis

Background: Degradation of Myelin Basic Protein (MBP) is among the causes of Multiple Sclerosis (MS); MBP plays a vital role in the myelination in the nervous system. Purpose The present study was conducted to compare the effects of aerobic swimming and running wheel on clinical symptoms and brain MBP in mice with Experimental Autoimmune Encephalomyelitis (EAE). Methods The samples of this study consisted of 96 female C57BL/6 mice; after the EAE induction, Mice were divided into two groups of swimming and running wheel and in each protocol into 8 groups (healthy and EAE). The animals implemented two protocols. Then, the brain tissue was isolated and levels of the mentioned variables were measured via ELISA method. The data were analyzed statistically through one-way ANOVA (P ≤ 0.05). Results Results showed lesion scores, in both exercise protocols RW = 0/857, SW = 0/420 were lower in EAE mice than those in the control groups, con = 5/00 (p < 0.001); swimming and receiving interferon-beta-1 reduced MBP degradation, but the decrease was not significant (p = 0.09); running wheel reduced MBP degradation, which was statistically significant (p = 0.001). Conclusion Results suggested that the utilization of voluntary running wheel might be a more effective exercise method than swimming in preventing MBP degradation in the brain tissues of mice with EAE.