We evaluated the effects of moderate physical training (MPT) associated with nutritional recovery on the left common carotid artery and horizontal carotid walls in 24 male, Wistar adult male rats submitted to protein malnutrition on the gestational and neonatal phases. The animals were divided in Nourished (N, n=12, casein 17%) and Malnourished (D, n=12, casein 8%). After weaning, all animals received standard diet (Labina®) and at the 60th day of life, both groups were subdivided in 4 groups with 6 animals each: Not-Trained Nourished (NTN), Trained Nourished (TN), Not-Trained Recovery (NTR) and Trained Recovery (TR). The MST was performed on treadmill during eight weeks, five days per week, 60 minutes a day. Histophotometry of both arteries was done with the Scion Image software for Windows (Beta 4.0.2). Arteries walls thickness was obtained by the mean value of 4 different points (0°, 90°, 180°, 270°), and the diameter of the lumen of the vessels from 2 values, starting from 4 opposite points. For the comparison between groups, Student's t test was used and data were shown in mean±standard deviation. Mean thickness of the left common carotid artery (µm) and horizontal aorta (mm) was lower on the NTR group (32.51 ± 5.54; 0.11 ± 0.02, respectively) in comparison with the NTN group (40.91± 3.56; 0.15 ± 0.01). The diameter of the common left carotid artery was higher in the TR animals (724 ± 44.64) when compared with the NTR (630.73 ± 79.67). Therefore, the MPT associated with nutritional recovery was not capable of recovering the structural alterations due to malnutrition on the common left carotid and horizontal aorta arteries wall.
carotid artery; aorta; histomorphometry; moderate physical training
