Fig. 4

Effect of mitoxantrone with/without exercise on myelination using luxol fast blue staining. Relative to cerebellum section of A normal control, B EAE sedentary, C EAE exercised untreated groups show light spots of demyelination (black arrows). However, sections of mitoxantrone treated D sedentary/E exercised groups show remyelinated white matter with no evidence of plaques. Similarly, brain stem sections of G EAE sedentary/H exercised groups present pale spots of demyelination (black arrows) compared to F normal control ones. However, sections of mitoxantrone treated I sedentary and J exercised groups show remyelination of plaques (black arrows). The demyelination scores in the cerebellum and brain stem of exercised and sedentary groups are summarized in panels K and L, respectively. Non-parametric data were analyzed using Kruskal–Wallis Test followed by Dunn's Multiple Comparison Test and presented as median values with range (p < 0.05). As compared with CN_SED (*), CN_EX ($), EAE_SED (#) and EAE_EX (%).The median values are presented as CN_SED = 0, CN_EX = 0, EAE_SED = 2.5, EAE_EX = 2.5, MT_SED = 1 and MT_EX = 1.5. EAE experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis; groups of CN_SED = sedentary control; CN_EX exercised control, EAE_SED sedentary untreated EAE; EAE_EX = exercised untreated EAE, MT_SED sedentary mitoxantrone, MT_EX exercised mitoxantrone; (n = 6/group)