the effect of moderate-intensity endurance training with genistein on brain-derived neurotrophic factor and tumor necrosis factor-α in diabetic rats

Introduction: diabetes is a metabolic disease that affects the neural and immune system, causing long-term health complications such as neuropathy and nephropathy. considering that physical education and nutrition are foremost influential factors in the management of diabetes, the present study aimed to investigate the effects of moderate-intensity endurance training and genistein on the serum levels of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (bdnf) and tumor necrosis factor-α (tnf-α) in diabetic rats. methods: this experimental study was conducted on 40 diabetic rats, which were selected and divided into five groups of control, moderate-intensity endurance training, genistein consumption, moderate-intensity endurance training with genistein, and sham. the animals in groups two and four ran on a treadmill for eight weeks in three sessions per week (each session: 60 minutes) within the speed range of 10-17 m/min, and the rats in groups three and four received genistein with the daily dose of 30 mg/kg via intraperitoneal injection. data analysis was performed using the kolmogorov-smirnov test, independent samples t-test, and two-way analysis of variance (anova) at the significance level of ≤0.05. results: endurance training significantly increased the serum level of bdnf (p=0.002; effect size: 0.34), while it reduced serum tnf-α (p=0.003; effect size: 0.31). similarly, genistein consumption significantly increased the serum level of bdnf (p=0.01; effect size: 0.24), while it decreased serum tnf-α (p=0.001; effect size: 0.37). moreover, endurance training with genistein consumption had interactive effects on increasing serum bdnf (p=0.04; effect size: 0.15) and decreasing serum tnf-α (p=0.019; effect size: 0.20). conclusion: according to the results, moderate-intensity training and genistein consumption alone could improve the serum levels of bdnf and tnf-α in diabetic rats. however, the simultaneous consumption of genistein may enhance the effects of moderate-intensity training on bdnf and tnf-α in diabetic rats.