The Effects of Swimming Exercise on Adrenal Gland Weight and the Differential Count of Peripheral Blood in Albino Rats

Authors: Sait BİLGİÇ, Davut ALBAYRAK, Adnan KORKMAZ, Bünyamin ŞAHİN, Süleyman KAPLAN, Ünsal ÖZGEN

Abstract: The effects of acute and chronic swimming exercise on leukocyte counts, the cortisole level, and the thymus, spleen and adrenal glands were studied in 30 female albino rats. There were 10 animals in each of three groups: the control, acute and chronic exercise groups. The test rats in the acute group were made to swim for ten minutes those in the chronic group, 10 minutes a day for 8 days. Total white blood cell (WBC) counts, differential counts and the weights of the thymus, spleen and adrenal glands were measured. In the acute exercise group, the WBC, lymphocyte, neutrophil and monocyte counts and the ratios of adrenal gland weight/body weight were lower than those in the control group (P<0.01-P<0.001). Except for the erytrocyte count and MCV, there were no differences between the chronic exercise group and the control group. Likewise, there were no differences in the thymus and spleen weight/body weight ratios.

Keywords: Exercise, lmmune system, Adrenal gland.