The Effect Of Eight Weeks Circuit Resistance Training On Serum Levels BDNF And TNF-α In Sedentary Postmenopausal Women

Shakoor, Elham; Amani, Sadegh; GHasemian, Ahmad; Mehrez, Ahmad

Volume 23, Issue 30 (1-2026) RSMT 2026, 23(30): 80-97 | Back to browse issues page

Mendeley

Zotero

RefWorks

Shakoor E, Amani S, GHasemian A, Mehrez A. The Effect Of Eight Weeks Circuit Resistance Training On Serum Levels BDNF And TNF-α In Sedentary Postmenopausal Women. RSMT 2026; 23 (30) :80-97
URL: http://jsmt.khu.ac.ir/article-1-669-en.html

The Effect Of Eight Weeks Circuit Resistance Training On Serum Levels BDNF And TNF-α In Sedentary Postmenopausal Women

Elham Shakoor

, Sadegh Amani

, Ahmad GHasemian

, Ahmad Mehrez

Department of Exercise Physiology. Faculty of Sport Sciences. Alzahra University. Tehran, Iran. , Eli_shakoor@yahoo.com

Abstract: (3338 Views)

Aim: Resistance exercises are suggested as a non-drug treatment to improve the complications of menopause (cognitive-nervous and inflammatory problems). The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of eight weeks of Circuit resistance training on the serum levels of BDNF and TNF-α in sedentary postmenopausal women.
methods: In this semi-experimental research, 30 postmenopausal women (age 54±3 years, body mass index 27.6±1.97 kg/m2) living in Tehran were randomly selected and assigned to two groups, Circuit resistance training groups (n=15) and control groups (n=15). Circuit Resistance training was performed for eight weeks, three sessions per week including 12 stations for the whole body with an intensity of 40-75%, one maximum repetition in three sets with repetitions between 8-12. 24 hours before and after the intervention, fasting blood was taken to measure BDNF and TNF-a were performed. Repeated measures ANOVA statistical method was used to analyze the data.
Results: In the resistance training group, compared to the control group, there was a significant increase in the levels of BDNF (%13.99) and a significant decrease in the levels of TNF-a (%32.92) (P<0.05).
Conclusion: According to the present study, it seems that low-to-moderate Circuit resistance training with increased BDNF and decreased TNF-a was able to improve cognitive-neural and inflammatory factors in postmenopausal women.

Keywords: Postmenopause, Resistance Training, Physical Inactivity, Nerve Growth Factor

Full-Text [PDF 2112 kb] (68 Downloads)

Type of Study: Research | Subject: sport physiology
Received: 2024/04/22 | Accepted: 2025/10/1 | Published: 2026/01/30

References

1. Lobo RA, Gompel A. Management of menopause: a view towards prevention. The Lancet Diabetes & Endocrinology. 2022;10(6):457-70. [DOI:10.1016/S2213-8587(21)00269-2]

2. Tin Tin S, Reeves GK, Key TJ. Endogenous hormones and risk of invasive breast cancer in pre-and post-menopausal women: findings from the UK Biobank. British journal of cancer. 2021;125(1):126-34. [DOI:10.1038/s41416-021-01392-z]

3. Borrelli F, Ernst E. Black cohosh (Cimicifuga racemosa) for menopausal symptoms: a systematic review of its efficacy. Pharmacological Research. 2008;58(1):8-14. [DOI:10.1016/j.phrs.2008.05.008]

4. Shakoor E, Sortwell A, Ramirez-Campillo R. Lifting More Than Weights: Multi-dimensional Health Benefits of Resistance Training in Children. International Journal of Kinesiology & Sports Science. 2025;13(3):1. http://dx.doi.org/10.7575/aiac.ijkss.v.13n.3p.1 [DOI:10.7575/aiac.ijkss.v.13n.3p.1]

5. Sedighi M, Behpour N, Tadibi V. Increased Serum BDNF Levels in Response to Estrogen and Nitric Oxide Changes in Postmenopausal Women (Effect of Moderate resistance Exercise). Razi Journal of Medical Sciences. 2021;28(9):21-30. [DOI:10.22118/jsmj.2020.213080.1927]

6. Pilc J. The effect of physical activity on the brain derived neurotrophic factor: from animal to human studies. Journal of physiology and pharmacology. 2010;61(5):533-41.

7. Rasmussen P, Brassard P, Adser H, Pedersen MV, Leick L, Hart E, et al. Evidence for a release of brain‐derived neurotrophic factor from the brain during exercise. Experimental physiology. 2009;94(10):1062-9. [DOI:10.1113/expphysiol.2009.048512]

8. Church DD, Hoffman JR, Mangine GT, Jajtner AR, Townsend JR, Beyer KS, et al. Comparison of high-intensity vs. high-volume resistance training on the BDNF response to exercise. Journal of Applied Physiology. 2016. [DOI:10.1152/japplphysiol.00233.2016]

9. de Oliveira SN, Leonel L, Sudatti Delevatti R, Heberle I, Moro ARP. Effect of elastic resistance training on functional capacity in older adults: a systematic review with meta-analysis. Physiotherapy Theory and Practice. 2023;39(12):2553-68. [DOI:10.1080/09593985.2022.2085219]

10. Zuccato C, Cattaneo E. Role of brain-derived neurotrophic factor in Huntington's disease. Progress in neurobiology. 2007;81(5-6):294-330. [DOI:10.1016/j.pneurobio.2007.01.003]

11. Shakoor E, Qassemian A, Shams S, Amani-Shalamzari S. The effect of eight weeks of circuit resistance training on Apo-B/A ratio and inflammatory status of sedentary postmenopausal women. Comparative Exercise Physiology. 2024 Nov 11;21(1):33-42, [DOI:10.1163/17552559-00001065]

12. Conti FF, Brito JdO, Bernardes N, Dias DdS, Malfitano C, Morris M, et al. Positive effect of combined exercise training in a model of metabolic syndrome and menopause: autonomic, inflammatory, and oxidative stress evaluations. American Journal of Physiology-Regulatory, Integrative and Comparative Physiology. 2015;309(12):R1532-R9. [DOI:10.1152/ajpregu.00076.2015]

13. Raval AP, Martinez CC, Mejias NH, de Rivero Vaccari JP. Sexual dimorphism in inflammasome-containing extracellular vesicles and the regulation of innate immunity in the brain of reproductive senescent females. Neurochemistry international. 2019;127:29-37. [DOI:10.1016/j.neuint.2018.11.018]

14. Yaffe K, Lindquist K, Penninx B, Simonsick E, Pahor M, Kritchevsky S, et al. Inflammatory markers and cognition in well-functioning African-American and white elders. Neurology. 2003;61(1):76-80. https://doi.org/10.1212/01.WNL.0000073620.42047.D7 [DOI:10.1212/01.wnl.0000073620.42047.d7]

15. Patanella AK, Zinno M, Quaranta D, Nociti V, Frisullo G, Gainotti G, et al. Correlations between peripheral blood mononuclear cell production of BDNF, TNF‐alpha, IL‐6, IL‐10 and cognitive performances in multiple sclerosis patients. Journal of neuroscience research. 2010;88(5):1106-12. [DOI:10.1002/jnr.22276]

16. Barzegari A, Naghibi S, Safayi S, Dashti Khovidaki M, Salehi A. Compare of Two Aerobic Training Methods on SOD and TNF-α levels in the Heart Tissue of Type 2 Diabetic Rats. RSMT 2023; 20 (24) :43-56.http://jsmt.khu.ac.ir/article-1-536-fa.html

17. Saha RN, Liu X, Pahan K. Up-regulation of BDNF in astrocytes by TNF-α: a case for the neuroprotective role of cytokine. Journal of Neuroimmune Pharmacology. 2006;1:212-22. [DOI:10.1007/s11481-006-9020-8]

18. Schottelius AJ, Mayo MW, Sartor RB, Baldwin AS. Interleukin-10 signaling blocks inhibitor of κB kinase activity and nuclear factor κB DNA binding. Journal of Biological Chemistry. 1999;274(45):31868-74. [DOI:10.1074/jbc.274.45.31868]

19. Beg AA, Finco TS, Nantermet PV, Baldwin Jr AS. Tumor necrosis factor and interleukin-1 lead to phosphorylation and loss of IκBα: a mechanism for NF-κB activation. Molecular and cellular biology. 1993. https://doi.org/10.1128/mcb.13.6.3301-3310.1993 [DOI:10.1128%2Fmcb.13.6.3301]

20. Siamilis S, Jakus J, Nyakas C, Costa A, Mihalik B, Falus A, et al. The effect of exercise and oxidant-antioxidant intervention on the levels of neurotrophins and free radicals in spinal cord of rats. Spinal Cord. 2009;47(6):453-7. [DOI:10.1038/sc.2008.125]

21. Schiffer T, Schulte S, Hollmann W, Bloch W, Strüder HK. Effects of strength and endurance training on brain-derived neurotrophic factor and insulin-like growth factor 1 in humans. Hormone and metabolic research. 2009;41(03):250-4. [DOI:10.1055/s-0028-1093322]

22. Forti LN, Van Roie E, Njemini R, Coudyzer W, Beyer I, Delecluse C, et al. Dose-and gender-specific effects of resistance training on circulating levels of brain derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) in community-dwelling older adults. Experimental gerontology. 2015;70:144-9. [DOI:10.1016/j.exger.2015.08.004]

23. Miller AH, Maletic V, Raison CL. Inflammation and its discontents: the role of cytokines in the pathophysiology of major depression. Biological psychiatry. 2009;65(9):732-41. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.biopsych.2008.11.029 [DOI:10.1016%2Fj.biopsych.2008.11.029]

24. Osali A, Choobineh S, Soori R, Ravasi AA, Mostafavi H. The effect of three months of aerobic exercise with moderate intensity on IL-6, IL-10, and cognitive performance in 50-65 year old women with metabolic syndrome. Journal of Advances in Medical and Biomedical Research. 2017;25(110):1-12.

25. Osali A, Eskandari M. The Effect of three months aerobic exercise with moderate intensity on serum BDNF and TNF-α in women with metabolic syndrome. medical journal of mashhad university of medical sciences. 2016;59(4):242-51. [DOI:10.22038/mjms.2016.8484]

26. Fujimura H, Altar CA, Chen R, Nakamura T, Nakahashi T, Kambayashi J-i, et al. Brain-derived neurotrophic factor is stored in human platelets and released by agonist stimulation. Thrombosis and haemostasis. 2002;87(04):728-34. [DOI:10.1055/s-0037-1613072]

27. Ziegenhorn AA, Schulte-Herbrüggen O, Danker-Hopfe H, Malbranc M, Hartung H-D, Anders D, et al. Serum neurotrophins-a study on the time course and influencing factors in a large old age sample. Neurobiology of aging. 2007;28(9):1436-45. [DOI:10.1016/j.neurobiolaging.2006.06.011]

28. Amrolahi Z, Avandi SM, Khaledi N. The effect of six weeks' progressive resistance training on hippocampus BDNF gene expression and serum changes of TNF-α in diabetic wistar rats. Journal of Sport and Exercise Physiology. 2022;15(1/1):10. [DOI:10.52547/joeppa.15.1.1]

29. Maryam K, Ali H. Aerobic and resistance exercises affect the BDNF/TrkB signaling pathway, and hippocampal neuron density of high-fat diet-induced obese elderly rats. Physiology & Behavior. 2023;264:114140. [DOI:10.1016/j.physbeh.2023.114140]

30. Silveira-Rodrigues JG, Campos BT, de Lima AT, Ogando PH, Gomes CB, Gomes PF, et al. Acute bouts of aerobic and resistance exercise similarly alter inhibitory control and response time while inversely modifying plasma BDNF concentrations in middle-aged and older adults with type 2 diabetes. Experimental Brain Research. 2023;241(4):1173-83. [DOI:10.1007/s00221-023-06588-8]

31. Kim S, Choi J-Y, Moon S, Park D-H, Kwak H-B, Kang J-H. Roles of myokines in exercise-induced improvement of neuropsychiatric function. Pflügers Archiv-European Journal of Physiology. 2019;471:491-505. [DOI:10.1007/s00424-019-02253-8]

32. Nay K, Smiles WJ, Kaiser J, McAloon LM, Loh K, Galic S, et al. Molecular mechanisms underlying the beneficial effects of exercise on brain function and neurological disorders. International Journal of Molecular Sciences. 2021;22(8):4052. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms22084052 [DOI:10.3390%2Fijms22084052]