RESUMEN
Objective To investigate how mobility training affects the synapses and their functioning in the region around a cerebral infarct.Methods One hundred and fifty rats were randomly divided into 5 groups:a mo- tor training group,a normal saline group,an Ara-c inhibition group,a mevastatin group and a control group.Cere- bral infarcts were surgically induced in all 150 rats,and the level of either glial fibrillary acidic protein(GFAP)or synaptophysin,and the cholesterol content around the infarct were observed at 7,21 and 42 days using immunohisto- chemical staining and high performance liquid chromatography.Results At 7,21 and 42 days after the infarct model was induced,significant differences in the optical density of either GFAP or synaptophysin and in cholesterol levels were noted between the motor training group and the control group.Ara-c inhibition was also significantly high- er in the controls.The optical density of synaptophysin and the cholesterol levels were significantly lower in the me- vastatin group than in the motor training group.Conclusion Motor skill training can improve synapse redefinition in rats with a model of acute cerebral infarct.Astrocytes may play a crucial role by means of the secretion of choles- terol in the region around the infarct.