Working memory and hippocampal expression of BDNF, ARC, and P-STAT3 in rats: effects of diet and exercise.

Objectives: Mounting evidence suggests diet and exercise influence learning and memory (LM). We compared a high-fat, high-sucrose Western diet (WD) to a plant-based, amylose/amylopectin blend, lower-fat diet known as the Daniel Fast (DF) in rats with and without regular aerobic exercise on a task of spatial working memory (WM).

Methods: Rats were randomly assigned to the WD or DF at 6 weeks of age.