Exercise protects impairments in memory recognition in the iron-deficient male rat model of Restless Legs Syndrome.

Restless Legs Syndrome (RLS) is a neurological disorder characterized by an irresistible urge to move the legs and is associated with decreased quality of life and sleep, and may result in cognitive changes. Physical exercise generates cognitive improvements and improves RLS symptoms. Our objective is to analyze recognition memory in the iron-deficient rodent model of RLS, and the effect of exercise. The animals (male Wistar rats) were distributed at 21 days of age into a control group (CTRL) (standard diet) or an ID group (iron-deficient diet). After performance classification (at 77 days of age), the animals were redistributed into CTRL (no exercise), CTRL EX (exercise), ID (no exercise) and ID EX (exercise), totaling 9 animals per group. The exercise groups performed treadmill exercise for four weeks. In the 14th week of the diet, the sleep recording of CTRL and ID animals was carried out to validate the RLS model. The Novel Object Recognition Memory test (NOR) was performed before the start of exercise (8th week of diet) and after the end (14th week) in all groups. The ID group demonstrated worsening sleep parameters and increased paw movements compared to the control group. The ID group demonstrated impairment of recognition memory after 14 weeks of diet compared to the CTRL group, and, the CTRL improved recognition memory in the 14th week compared to the 8th week. No differences were found for the exercise groups. Our findings indicate that the RLS animal model exhibited cognitive alterations associated with recognition memory, and long-term aerobic exercise intervention demonstrated a protective influence against these effects.