A strength exercise program in rats with epilepsy is protective against seizures

The beneficial effects of physical exercise on epilepsy, such as a decreased seizure frequency, have been observed following aerobic exercise programs in both clinical and experimental studies. However, it is not well clarified whether other types of exercise, including strength exercise, can provide similar benefits for epilepsy. Forty four animals with epilepsy were continuously monitored 24 h a day for 60 days and divided into two periods of 30 days. The first period was used to determine the number of seizures before beginning the physical exercise program, and the second period was utilized to determine the number of seizures during the strength training. The mean frequency of seizures in the control and SHAM groups increased significantly from period 1 to period 2. Although the frequency of seizures did not change significantly between the two periods of 30 days of observation in the strength exercise group, a significant reduction in the seizure frequency was observed compared with the control and SHAM groups in period 2. Our study demonstrated that a strength exercise program exerted a significant influence on the seizure frequency in animals with epilepsy and strengthens the observed beneficial effect of exercise on epilepsy that has been demonstrated in animal studies. The finding of this nonclinical study can open a new window to verify the beneficial contribution of strength exercise in epilepsy. Further experimental and clinical investigations are necessary to explore the extent to which strength exercise interferes with the epileptic condition. (c) 2012 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.