Type 2 diabetes mellitus, a prevalent chronic disease, is associated with multi-organ dysfunction due to hyperglycemia (
2). The most impressive finding of the current study was that physical exercise, when applied before the induction of diabetes, significantly reduced spatial learning and memory impairments, and mitochondrial dysfunction in the brain of diabetic rats. As evidenced by MWM parameters compared to the control group, physical exercise ameliorated spatial memory retention and acquisition (
Figure 2A and
D). The negative impact of diabetes on memory can be due to several reasons, including decreased neuroplasticity and changes in neuronal metabolism, especially in the hippocampus (
5,
6). Another important reason may be the destructive effect of diabetes on the function of the mitochondria, which increases ROS production, which leads to oxidative stress. The effect of mitochondria on the learning process is important because of its contribution to the plasticity of neurons. It supplies large ATP needed by neurons and regulates calcium-dependent signaling and redox regulation (
22-
24). Our physical exercise protocol and duration periods from 2 to 4 weeks have been used repeatedly in previous studies (
38,
39). Also, the findings of our pilot showed that the duration of 2 or 4 weeks could have a significant impression on improving spatial memory parameters as well as mitochondrial parameters (
40). Also, studies have shown that exercise at low or moderate intensity is more beneficial than exercise at high intensity in improving spatial memory. The reason is the impression of exercise intensity on the production of BDNF. Also, the increase in ROS production is due to the increase in cellular respiration (
13,
15). Therefore, this protocol and duration of physical exercise were chosen. Based on our current result and our previous study (
41), as well as the pilot groups of 2, 4, and 6 weeks duration conducted at the beginning of this study, the best duration was observed in the 4-week groups. Therefore, we studied four weeks of exercise for mitochondrial parameters evaluation. Physical exercise also has neuroprotective properties (
21). Physical exercise can raise the activity of neurons in the brain, especially in the hippocampus (
13,
15,
16), and communicates with different tissues by stimulating the secretion of myokines, including BDNF and VEGF (
17). Increasing BDNF can increase cell proliferation and hippocampal neurogenesis (
13,
42). Exercise stimulates angiogenesis in the brain by increasing VEGF (
21). Physical exercise slows the decrease in hippocampus volume due to aging (
19,
43). Exercise also increases synaptic plasticity and neurogenesis, which is significant in the learning and memory process (
16,
44). Physical exercise has anti-neuro-inflammatory properties (
39). Furthermore, reducing BAD and Bax (as apoptosis markers) and increasing BcL2 (an anti-apoptosis marker) can reduce apoptosis and increase the survival of neurons (
45). Finally, physical exercise, besides affecting mitochondrial content, is also a strong stimulus for mitochondrial biogenesis (
46). The current study indicated that T2DM increased ROS production in the diabetic brain mitochondria (
Figure 3A). Also, Torabi et al. (
47), Raza et al. (
48), and Pintana et al. (
49) reported increased ROS production in the mitochondria isolated from the brain in STZ-induced early T2DM rat model including a genetic model of T2DM, and a HFD-induced T2DM model, respectively. Increased ROS levels can cause mitochondrial dysfunction by damaging DNA and, thus, decreasing the expression of membrane proteins, especially mitochondrial electron transfer chain (ETC) complexes, and simultaneously increase in permeability of the mitochondria by opening the mitochondrial permeability transition pore (MPTP) (
9,
11,
50-
52). Conversely, the present study showed that physical exercise applied before the induction of diabetes significantly reduced mitochondrial ROS production in the diabetic rat's brain. These findings can be explained as follows exercise could increase the activity of complexes 1 and 3 in the ETC, leading to less ROS production (
9,
16,
21). It is shown that exercise raises the mitochondrial antioxidant enzyme activity (
44). In line with prior studies (
47,
49), current results presented that MMP decreased in the brain of diabetic groups (
Figure 3B). Mitochondrial ETC complexes cause MMP by pumping hydrogen ions into the inter-membrane space to continue ATP synthase and produce ATP with energy from this potential difference. Thus, the dysfunction of the ETC can lead to MMP collapse. Large amounts of ROS have been shown to trigger MPTP opening, which causes hydrogen ions to return to the matrix, leading to MMP collapse (
50-
53). Further, pre-exercise inhibited MMP collapse in the brain mitochondria of diabetic rats. A possible explanation for this result is that exercise improves mitochondrial ETC function, which may increase proton ion pumping into the inter-membrane space. Moreover, exercise may reduce MPTP opening by reducing ROS production, thereby preventing hydrogen ions from returning to the matrix (
54).
The findings of our study showed more mitochondrial swelling in the diabetic groups, while exercise decreased mitochondrial swelling in these groups (
Figure 3C). Brain mitochondrial swelling has also been found in T2DM induced by the high-fat diet (
49). Swelling in the mitochondria occurs due to increased membrane permeability, damage to the membrane integrity due to lipid peroxidation, and opening of MPTP, all due to increased ROS levels in the mitochondria (
50,
51). Therefore, exercise applied before the induction of diabetes may inhibit mitochondrial swelling by reducing ROS levels and membrane damage.
Also, this study indicated that brain mitochondrial outer membrane damage increased in the diabetic groups (
Figure 3D). This increase in ROS production may cause oxidative stress and membrane lipid peroxidation, resulting in damage to the mitochondrial membrane (
11). Further, our results revealed that exercise meaningfully reduced outer membrane damage in the brain. By reducing ROS production, exercise reduces membrane lipid peroxidation and decreases the severity of the membrane damage of mitochondria.
Our results showed that cytochrome c release significantly increased in diabetic groups, while exercise decreased cytochrome c release in these groups (
Figure 3E). Increased cytochrome c release in diabetic rats may occur due to increased mitochondrial membrane permeability caused by increased ROS levels. Conversely, increased inhibition of ROS levels in diabetic rats who received exercise in the past may result in decreased mitochondrial membrane damage that causes reduced cytochrome c release.
Lastly, this study’s results showed, ATP production decreased in the brain mitochondria of diabetic rats as evidenced by an increased ADP to ATP ratio (
Figure 3F). Reduced ATP production has also been reported previously in the brain mitochondria of a genetic model T2DM (
48). The brain is the largest energy user among the body's organs in proportion to weight. Continuous and abundant production of ATP is essential for proper brain function. Neuroplasticity required for learning and memory can be altered by changing the amount of produced or released ATP (
23). The primary function of mitochondria is to produce ATP by oxidative phosphorylation through ETC. The decrease in MMP and increase in the permeability of the membrane of mitochondria with the simultaneous and destructive effect of ROS observed in the brain mitochondria of diabetic rats in the current study may result in decreased ATP production, which is seen as an increase in the ADP to ATP ratio. Our study also showed that exercise increased ATP production and, thus, reduced ADP to ATP ratio in the brain of diabetic rats, which can be explained by the increased efficiency of ATP production in mitochondrial ETC by improving the function of mitochondrial ETC enzymes due to exercise.
Figure 4 shows a summary of the relationship between mitochondrial parameters measured in this study and diabetes.