This study was designed to investigate the effect of exercise training on defense mechanism of chronic degenerative disease, aging, and memory impairments of senescence-accelerated mouse (SAM)P8 under the hypothesis that "Senile dementia may be prevented by regular exercises".

To evaluate the effects of exercise training on the defense mechanism of aging and memory impairment, SAMP8 were divided into two groups, the control group and exercise training groups. the exercise training group were performed with low (⟇O₂max 25~33%), middle (⟇O₂max 50%) and high (⟇O₂max 66~75%) intensity exercise. All SAMP8 mice were fed experimental diet ad libitum until 4, 8 months, and dead period.

Median lifespan in middle exercise group resulted in a significantly increased (23.5% and 18.7%, respectively), whereas these lifespan in high exercise group resulted in an unexpectedly decreased (13.5% and 12.1%, respectively) compared with control group. Body fat levels in 4 and 8 months of age were significantly decreased 43% to 51% in middle exercise group, whereas were remarkably deceased to 57% in high exercise group compared with control group. It is believed that extended median and maximum lifespan may be effected by calory restriction through the exercise training. Acetylcholine (ACh) levels were significantly increased 6.7% and 8.5% in middle and high exercise groups, and also choline acetyltransferase (ChAT) activities were significantly increased 10.3% and 11.9% in middle and high exercise groups.

These results suggest that proper and regular exercises such as middle group (⟇O₂max 50%) may play an effective role in attenuating an oxygen radicals and may play an important role in improving a learning and memory impairments of senile dementia.