Effect of Exercise Training Combined with Zinc Supplementation on Behavioral Symptoms of Anxiety and Depression in Complete Unilateral Ureteral Obstruction: an Experimental Study

Subject Areas : Psychological Models and Methods

Zahra Razmi ¹ , Sirous FARSI ²

1 - MIAU
2 - Assistant, sport physiology, Islamic Azad university , marvdasht branch

Received: 2025-04-28 Accepted : 2025-09-05 Published : 2025-09-22

Keywords: Anxiety, Depression, Resistance Training, Zinc, Nephrectomy.,

Abstract :

Background and purpose: Kidney diseases are recognized as one of the major public health challenges that can lead to psychological consequences such as anxiety and depression. Although the positive effects of exercise training and antioxidant supplements such as zinc have been reported separately on mental and physical health, their simultaneous effect on behavioral symptoms of anxiety and depression caused by complete unilateral ureteral obstruction has not been fully investigated so far. The aim of the present study was to investigate the interactive effect of resistance training combined with zinc supplementation on behavioral symptoms of anxiety and depression in an animal model of complete unilateral renal ureteral obstruction.

Methods: This experimental study was conducted with 32 male Sprague-Dawley rats aged 12 to 16 weeks and weighing 220 to 250 grams. Complete renal ureteral obstruction was created surgically in the rats and then they were randomly divided into four groups: nephrectomy control, zinc supplementation, resistance training, and resistance training combined with zinc supplementation. In addition, 8 healthy rats were included as healthy controls and 8 rats that underwent surgery without kidney damage were also included. The resistance training groups performed ladder climbing activity for eight weeks, three sessions per week, with an intensity of 30 to 100% of body weight. The zinc supplement groups received 30 mg/kg of this supplement orally daily. One-way ANOVA with Tukey's post hoc test and two-way ANOVA with Bonferroni's post hoc test were used to analyze the data.

Findings: The findings showed that resistance training and zinc supplement significantly reduced the duration of immobility (P<0.01), increased the percentage of time spent in the open arm, and increased the percentage of times entered the open arm in rats with unilateral ureteral obstruction (P<0.01). Also, the combination of resistance training and zinc supplement showed a synergistic effect in reducing depressive symptoms in this animal model. However, the interaction between resistance training and zinc supplementation in reducing anxiety symptoms was not significant (P>0.05).

Conclusion: The results of this study indicate that resistance training combined with zinc supplementation has a synergistic effect in reducing depressive symptoms, but further studies are needed to investigate their effect on anxiety symptoms.

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