Physical activity decreases anxiety-related behavior in chronic prostatitis/chronic pelvic pain syndrome: Functional behavioral study on the crossroad of experimental exercise physiology and andrology

Introduction: Chronic prostatitis/chronic pelvic pain syndrome (CP/ CPPS) is a inflammatory syndrome, manifested by pain, voiding symptoms, sexual dysfunction, and mental health issues including anxiety. Beneficial effects of exercise are known, but its influence on CP/CPPS has not been investigated. This study aimed to determine the effects of chronic aerobic physical activity on anxiety-related behavior and pain in rats with experimental CP/CPPS. Material and Methods: Adult male Wistar albino rats (n=32) were randomly assigned to 4 groups (n=8 in each): Sham-SED (30-days sedentary-SED protocol on treadmill and intraprostatic injection of 0.9% NaCl); Sham-PA (30-days physically active-PA protocol on treadmill and intraprostatic injection of 0.9% NaCl); CP/CPPS-SED (30-days SED protocol on treadmill and intraprostatic injection of 3% l-carrageenan); CP/CPPSPA (30-days PA protocol on treadmill and intraprostatic injection of 3% l-carrageenan). To establish pain dynamics, scrotal skin pain thresholds were measured by electronic von Frey aesthesiometer (evF) preoperatively: 2 and 1 day, and also postoperatively: 2nd, 3rd, and 7th day. Anxiety-like behavior was estimated by subjectiong the animals to the open field (OF), elevated plus maze (EPM) and light/dark (L/D) tests at the same postoperative days as evF. Results: Rats that developed experimental CP/CPPS showed decreased mechanical pain threshold in the scrotal skin in all postoperative time points, in comparison to the Sham group. Also, in rats with prostatitis increased anxiety-like behavior was observed in OF, EMP and L/D test, compared to corresponding controls. Protocol of 30-day long exercise in rats with CP/CPPS led to reversion of anxiety-like behavior and increased scrotal pain threshold. Conclusion: Results of the present study showed that exercise pretreatment on the treadmill for 30 consecutive days led to the amelioration of anxiety-related and pain-related behavior in rats with CP/CPPS.