Different stimulation methods for the rat treadmill exercise model used in cardiovascular disease research

Objective This paper aims to investigate the effectiveness of different stimulation methods on continuous treadmill exercise in rats, and to provide a rat treadmill exercise model used in cardiovascular disease research. Methods Experimental rats were divided into 3 exercise intensity groups: low-intensity(L-EX), moderate-intensity(M-EX), and high-intensity(H-EX). Different stimulation methods (tactile, auditory, light, and electrical) were used to intervene when rats stopped during treadmill training. The number of successful stimulations was counted, and electrocardiograms (ECG) of the exercise process were recorded. Results The success rate of both tactile stimulation and electrical stimulation was higher in the 3 different exercise intensity groups. The success rate of auditory stimulation was lower in the H-EX group than in the L-EX and M-EX groups. The success rate of light stimulation gradually decreased with the increase in exercise intensity. Overall, the other three stimulation methods were more successful than light stimulation. Furthermore, when electrical stimulation was used, ECG recordings showed marked baseline drift and waveform distortion caused by electrical artifacts, which made reliable interpretation of cardiac signals difficult. Conclusion In constructing a rat treadmill exercise model for cardiovascular disease research, tactile stimulation appears preferable among the tested methods when the rat stops on the treadmill, as it effectively motivates continued running without interfering with ECG recordings.