Aim 1: To investigate the effect of estrogen deprivation on metabolic changes and brain function in obese insulin-resistant condition
Aim 1.1 : To investigate the effect of estrogen deprivation on metabolic parameters in obese insulin-resistant condition
Aim 1.2 : To investigate the effect of estrogen deprivation on brain mitochondrial function, brain oxidative stress, brain apoptosis, amyloid beta production and hippocampal synaptic plasticity in obese insulin-resistant condition
Aim 2: To examine the effects of combined calorie restriction and exercise training on the metabolic changes and brain function in ovariectomized-obese rats
Aim 2.1 : To examine the effects of calorie restriction combined with exercise training on metabolic changes, compared to that of calorie restriction alone or that of exercise training alone in ovariectomized-obese rats, by measuring plasma insulin level, plasma glucose level, lipid profiles level, HOMA index and OGTT test
Aim 2.2 : To examine the effects of calorie restriction combined with exercise training on brain mitochondrial function compared to that of calorie restriction alone or that of exercise training alone in ovariectomized obese rats, by measuring mitochondrial reactive oxygen species (ROS) production, mitochondrial membrane potential change and mitochondrial swelling
Aim 2.3: To examine the effects of calorie restriction combined with exercise training on brain oxidative stress and brain apoptosis compared to that of calorie restriction alone or that of exercise training alone in ovariectomized obese rats, by measuring brain MDA, Bax and Bcl2 levels
Aim 2.4: To examine the effects of calorie restriction combined with exercise training on amyloid beta production compared to that of calorie restriction alone or that of exercise training alone in ovariectomized obese rats, by measuring brain APP and amyloid beta levels
Aim 2.5: To examine the effects of calorie restriction combined with exercise training on hippocampal synaptic plasticity compared to that of calorie restriction alone or that of exercise training alone in ovariectomized obese rats, by measuring long term depression (LTD), long term potentiation (LTP) and dendritic spine density
