Background: Among most prevalent neurological disorders, epilepsy causes seizures and has far-reaching effects on a person's neurobiology, cognition, as well as social life. The present study was designed forassessment of beneficial effects of vitamin D and exercise in a rat model of epilepsy disease.

Methods: Thirty adult healthy male albino rats were studied divided equally into five groups (six rats in each group): control group, epilepsy-induced group by pentylenetetrazol (35 mg/kg, intraperitoneally), epileptic group synchronized with vitamin D (500IU/kg by oral gavage once daily for five weeks), epileptic group synchronized with exercise (started with 15 minutes of swimming till reaching 60 minutes 5 times per day at end of 4th week), and epileptic group synchronized with vitamin D and exercise. The following parameters were assessed in rat brain tissues: brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) and Gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA). Serum levels of interleukin 1β (IL-1β), malondialdehyde (MDA), tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α), glutathione (GSH), and GABA were also assessedز

Results: In epileptic group, statistically significant increases were revealed in IL-1β, TNF-α, and MDA levels (p<0.001 for each) with significant decreases in GSH, GABA, and BDNF levels (p<0.001 for each). The histopathological pictures of epileptic rats' brains, as well as biochemical abnormalities and cognitive dysfunction, were much improved by treatment with either exercise or vitamin D. The group that received combined Vitamin D and exercise showed best results.

Conclusions: The present study findings revealed that combining both vitamin D and exercise could be a potential and efficient treatment line in management of epilepsy