Effects of physical exercise on chronic psychological stress in rats

ObjectiveTo investigate the effect of exercise on the cortisol,interleukin-2 and inter leukin-6 in rats of chronic psychological stress.MethodsTo construct chronic psychological stress model and carry out swim for 6 weeks in rats.The contents of cortisol,IL-2 and IL-6 were detected.Result(1)The plasma IL-2 and IL-6 levels in chronic psychological stress group was significantly lower than that in control group(P<0.01),while their cortisol level was significantly higher than that in control group(P<0.01).(2)The plasma IL-2 levels in 30 min exercise group were significantly higher than that in control group(P<0.01);the plasma IL-2 and I L-6 levels in 60 min exercise group were significantly higher than that in control group(P<0.01)while their cortisol level was significantly lower than that in control group(P<0.05);(3)The plasma IL-2 and IL-6 levels in both stress plus 30 min exercise group and stress plus 60 min exercise group were significantly higher than that in stress group(P<0.01),while their cortisol level was signficantly lower than that in stress group(P<0.01).ConclusionChronic psychological stress depressed the immune function of rats,and exercise could effectively protect the immune system;Exercise could regulate the adaptation of hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenocortical (HPA)axle and the excretion of the hormone,which could be the possible mechanism that maintained the stability of the immune.