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Amada N, Sato S, Ishikawa D, Nakamura M, Suzuki M, Futamura T, Maeda K. Brexpiprazole: A new option in treating agitation in Alzheimer's dementia-Insights from transgenic mouse models. Neuropsychopharmacol Rep 2024. [PMID: 38924384 DOI: 10.1002/npr2.12461] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/24/2024] [Revised: 05/23/2024] [Accepted: 06/09/2024] [Indexed: 06/28/2024] Open
Abstract
AIM Brexpiprazole is the first FDA-approved treatment for agitation associated with dementia due to Alzheimer's disease. Agitation in Alzheimer's dementia (AAD) occurs in high prevalence and is a great burden for patients and caregivers. Efficacy, safety, and tolerability of brexpiprazole were demonstrated in the AAD clinical trials. To demonstrate the agitation-ameliorating effect of brexpiprazole in animals, we evaluated brexpiprazole in two AAD mouse models. METHODS The resident-intruder test was conducted in 5- to 6-month-old Tg2576 mice, given vehicle or brexpiprazole (0.01 or 0.03 mg/kg) orally 1 h before the test. Locomotor activity was measured in 6-month-old APPSL-Tg mice given vehicle or brexpiprazole (0.01 or 0.03 mg/kg) orally the evening before the start of locomotor measurement for 3 days. RESULTS In the resident-intruder test, Tg2576 mice showed significantly higher attack number and shorter latency to first attack compared to non-Tg mice. In the Tg mice, brexpiprazole treatment (0.03 mg/kg) significantly delayed the latency to first attack and showed a trend toward a decrease in attack number. APPSL-Tg mice (≧6 months old) showed significantly higher locomotion during dark period Phase II (Zeitgeber time [ZT] 16-20) and Phase III (ZT20-24) compared to non-Tg mice, correlating with the clinical observations of late afternoon agitation in Alzheimer's disease. Brexpiprazole treatment (0.01 and 0.03 mg/kg) significantly decreased hyperlocomotion during the Phase III in APPSL-Tg mice. CONCLUSION The suppression of attack behavior and the reduction of nocturnal hyperlocomotion in these Tg mice may be indicative of the therapeutic effect of brexpiprazole on AAD, as demonstrated in the clinical trials.
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Affiliation(s)
- Naoki Amada
- Otsuka Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd., Tokushima, Japan
| | - Shinji Sato
- Otsuka Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd., Tokyo, Japan
| | - Dai Ishikawa
- Otsuka Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd., Tokushima, Japan
| | - Mai Nakamura
- Otsuka Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd., Tokushima, Japan
| | - Mikio Suzuki
- Otsuka Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd., Tokushima, Japan
| | | | - Kenji Maeda
- Otsuka Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd., Tokyo, Japan
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Tobeh NS, Bruce KD. Emerging Alzheimer's disease therapeutics: promising insights from lipid metabolism and microglia-focused interventions. Front Aging Neurosci 2023; 15:1259012. [PMID: 38020773 PMCID: PMC10630922 DOI: 10.3389/fnagi.2023.1259012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/14/2023] [Accepted: 10/03/2023] [Indexed: 12/01/2023] Open
Abstract
More than 55 million people suffer from dementia, with this number projected to double every 20 years. In the United States, 1 in 3 aged individuals dies from Alzheimer's disease (AD) or another type of dementia and AD kills more individuals than breast cancer and prostate cancer combined. AD is a complex and multifactorial disease involving amyloid plaque and neurofibrillary tangle formation, glial cell dysfunction, and lipid droplet accumulation (among other pathologies), ultimately leading to neurodegeneration and neuronal death. Unfortunately, the current FDA-approved therapeutics do not reverse nor halt AD. While recently approved amyloid-targeting antibodies can slow AD progression to improve outcomes for some patients, they are associated with adverse side effects, may have a narrow therapeutic window, and are expensive. In this review, we evaluate current and emerging AD therapeutics in preclinical and clinical development and provide insight into emerging strategies that target brain lipid metabolism and microglial function - an approach that may synergistically target multiple mechanisms that drive AD neuropathogenesis. Overall, we evaluate whether these disease-modifying emerging therapeutics hold promise as interventions that may be able to reverse or halt AD progression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nour S Tobeh
- Division of Endocrinology, Metabolism and Diabetes, Department of Medicine, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, United States
- Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, United States
| | - Kimberley D Bruce
- Division of Endocrinology, Metabolism and Diabetes, Department of Medicine, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, United States
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Gouveia FV, Lea‐Banks H, Aubert I, Lipsman N, Hynynen K, Hamani C. Anesthetic-loaded nanodroplets with focused ultrasound reduces agitation in Alzheimer's mice. Ann Clin Transl Neurol 2023; 10:507-519. [PMID: 36715553 PMCID: PMC10109287 DOI: 10.1002/acn3.51737] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/03/2022] [Revised: 01/03/2023] [Accepted: 01/16/2023] [Indexed: 01/31/2023] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Alzheimer's disease (AD) is often associated with neuropsychiatric symptoms, including agitation and aggressive behavior. These symptoms increase with disease severity, ranging from 10% in mild cognitive impairment to 50% in patients with moderate-to-severe AD, pose a great risk for self-injury and injury to caregivers, result in high rates of institutionalization and great suffering for patients and families. Current pharmacological therapies have limited efficacy and a high potential for severe side effects. Thus, there is a growing need to develop novel therapeutics tailored to safely and effectively reduce agitation and aggressive behavior in AD. Here, we investigate for the first time the use of focused ultrasound combined with anesthetic-loaded nanodroplets (nanoFUS) targeting the amygdala (key structure in the neurocircuitry of agitation) as a novel minimally invasive tool to modulate local neural activity and reduce agitation and aggressive behavior in the TgCRND8 AD transgenic mice. METHODS Male and female animals were tested in the resident-intruder (i.e., aggressive behavior) and open-field tests (i.e., motor agitation) for baseline measures, followed by treatment with active- or sham-nanoFUS. Behavioral testing was then repeated after treatment. RESULTS Active-nanoFUS neuromodulation reduced aggressive behavior and agitation in male mice, as compared to sham-treated controls. Treatment with active-nanoFUS increased the time male mice spent in social-non-aggressive behaviors. INTERPRETATION Our results show that neuromodulation with active-nanoFUS may be a potential therapeutic tool for the treatment of neuropsychiatric symptoms, with special focus on agitation and aggressive behaviors. Further studies are necessary to establish cellular, molecular and long-term behavioral changes following treatment with nanoFUS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Flavia Venetucci Gouveia
- Biological Sciences PlatformSunnybrook Research InstituteTorontoOntarioM4N 3M5Canada
- Neurosciences and Mental HealthThe Hospital for Sick ChildrenTorontoOntarioM5G 1X8Canada
| | - Harriet Lea‐Banks
- Physical Sciences PlatformSunnybrook Research InstituteTorontoOntarioM4N 3M5Canada
| | - Isabelle Aubert
- Biological Sciences PlatformSunnybrook Research InstituteTorontoOntarioM4N 3M5Canada
- Laboratory Medicine & PathobiologyUniversity of TorontoTorontoOntarioM5S 1A1Canada
- Hurvitz Brain Sciences Program, Sunnybrook Health Sciences CentreTorontoOntarioM4N 3M5Canada
| | - Nir Lipsman
- Biological Sciences PlatformSunnybrook Research InstituteTorontoOntarioM4N 3M5Canada
- Hurvitz Brain Sciences Program, Sunnybrook Health Sciences CentreTorontoOntarioM4N 3M5Canada
- Harquail Centre for Neuromodulation, Sunnybrook Health Sciences CentreTorontoOntarioM4N 3M5Canada
- Division of NeurosurgeryUniversity of TorontoTorontoOntarioM5T 1P5Canada
| | - Kullervo Hynynen
- Physical Sciences PlatformSunnybrook Research InstituteTorontoOntarioM4N 3M5Canada
- Hurvitz Brain Sciences Program, Sunnybrook Health Sciences CentreTorontoOntarioM4N 3M5Canada
- Department of Medical BiophysicsUniversity of TorontoTorontoOntarioM5S 1A1Canada
- Institute of Biomedical Engineering, University of TorontoTorontoOntarioM5S 1A1Canada
| | - Clement Hamani
- Biological Sciences PlatformSunnybrook Research InstituteTorontoOntarioM4N 3M5Canada
- Hurvitz Brain Sciences Program, Sunnybrook Health Sciences CentreTorontoOntarioM4N 3M5Canada
- Harquail Centre for Neuromodulation, Sunnybrook Health Sciences CentreTorontoOntarioM4N 3M5Canada
- Division of NeurosurgeryUniversity of TorontoTorontoOntarioM5T 1P5Canada
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Prent N, Jonker FA, Schouws SNTM, Jonker C. The risk of criminal behavior in the elderly and patients with neurodegenerative disease. HANDBOOK OF CLINICAL NEUROLOGY 2023; 197:181-196. [PMID: 37633709 DOI: 10.1016/b978-0-12-821375-9.00004-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 08/28/2023]
Abstract
Behavioral changes are commonly observed in patients with dementia and can lead to criminal offenses, even without a history of criminal or antisocial behavior. Due to the growth of the aging population, this poses a rising problem to deal with for the criminal justice system and in general for society. Criminal behavior may include minor crimes such as theft or traffic violations, but also serious crimes such as physical abuse, sexual offense, or murder. In the assessment of criminal behavior among elderly (first-time) offenders, it is important to be aware of possible neurodegenerative diseases at the time of the crime. This book chapter provides an overview on criminal behavior in the elderly and specifically discusses existing literature on patients suffering from a neurodegenerative disease, including Alzheimer disease, vascular dementia, frontotemporal dementia, Parkinson disease, and Huntington disease. Each section is introduced by a true case to illustrate how the presence of a neurodegenerative disease may affect the criminal judgment. The chapter ends with a summary, multifactorial model of crime risk, future perspectives, and concluding remarks.
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Affiliation(s)
- Naomi Prent
- Department of Clinical, Neuro-, and Developmental Psychology, Section Clinical Neuropsychology, VU University Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands; Department of Neuropsychiatry, Altrecht Mental Health Institute, Woerden, The Netherlands.
| | - Frank A Jonker
- Department of Clinical, Neuro-, and Developmental Psychology, Section Clinical Neuropsychology, VU University Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands; Department of Neuropsychiatry, Altrecht Mental Health Institute, Woerden, The Netherlands
| | | | - Cees Jonker
- Department Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Amsterdam UMC, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
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La Barbera L, Nobili A, Cauzzi E, Paoletti I, Federici M, Saba L, Giacomet C, Marino R, Krashia P, Melone M, Keller F, Mercuri NB, Viscomi MT, Conti F, D’Amelio M. Upregulation of Ca 2+-binding proteins contributes to VTA dopamine neuron survival in the early phases of Alzheimer's disease in Tg2576 mice. Mol Neurodegener 2022; 17:76. [PMID: 36434727 PMCID: PMC9700939 DOI: 10.1186/s13024-022-00580-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/21/2022] [Accepted: 10/31/2022] [Indexed: 11/27/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Recent clinical and experimental studies have highlighted the involvement of Ventral Tegmental Area (VTA) dopamine (DA) neurons for the early pathogenesis of Alzheimer's Disease (AD). We have previously described a progressive and selective degeneration of these neurons in the Tg2576 mouse model of AD, long before amyloid-beta plaque formation. The degenerative process in DA neurons is associated with an autophagy flux impairment, whose rescue can prevent neuronal loss. Impairments in autophagy can be the basis for accumulation of damaged mitochondria, leading to disturbance in calcium (Ca2+) homeostasis, and to functional and structural deterioration of DA neurons. METHODS In Tg2576 mice, we performed amperometric recordings of DA levels and analysis of dopaminergic fibers in the Nucleus Accumbens - a major component of the ventral striatum precociously affected in AD patients - together with retrograde tracing, to identify the most vulnerable DA neuron subpopulations in the VTA. Then, we focused on these neurons to analyze mitochondrial integrity and Apoptosis-inducing factor (AIF) localization by electron and confocal microscopy, respectively. Stereological cell count was also used to evaluate degeneration of DA neuron subpopulations containing the Ca2+-binding proteins Calbindin-D28K and Calretinin. The expression levels for these proteins were analyzed by western blot and confocal microscopy. Lastly, using electrophysiology and microfluorometry we analyzed VTA DA neuron intrinsic properties and cytosolic free Ca2+ levels. RESULTS We found a progressive degeneration of mesolimbic DA neurons projecting to the ventral striatum, located in the paranigral nucleus and parabrachial pigmented subnucleus of the VTA. At the onset of degeneration (3 months of age), the vulnerable DA neurons in the Tg2576 accumulate damaged mitochondria, while AIF translocates from the mitochondria to the nucleus. Although we describe an age-dependent loss of the DA neurons expressing Calbindin-D28K or Calretinin, we observed that the remaining cells upregulate the levels of Ca2+-binding proteins, and the free cytosolic levels of Ca2+ in these neurons are significantly decreased. Coherently, TUNEL-stained Tg2576 DA neurons express lower levels of Calbindin-D28K when compared with non-apoptotic cells. CONCLUSION Overall, our results suggest that the overexpression of Ca2+-binding proteins in VTA DA neurons might be an attempt of cells to survive by increasing their ability to buffer free Ca2+. Exploring strategies to overexpress Ca2+-binding proteins could be fundamental to reduce neuronal suffering and improve cognitive and non-cognitive functions in AD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Livia La Barbera
- grid.9657.d0000 0004 1757 5329Department of Medicine and Surgery, Università Campus Bio-Medico di Roma, 00128 Rome, Italy ,grid.417778.a0000 0001 0692 3437Department of Experimental Neurosciences, IRCCS Santa Lucia Foundation, 00143 Rome, Italy
| | - Annalisa Nobili
- grid.9657.d0000 0004 1757 5329Department of Medicine and Surgery, Università Campus Bio-Medico di Roma, 00128 Rome, Italy ,grid.417778.a0000 0001 0692 3437Department of Experimental Neurosciences, IRCCS Santa Lucia Foundation, 00143 Rome, Italy
| | - Emma Cauzzi
- grid.417778.a0000 0001 0692 3437Department of Experimental Neurosciences, IRCCS Santa Lucia Foundation, 00143 Rome, Italy ,grid.6530.00000 0001 2300 0941Department of Systems Medicine, University of Rome Tor Vergata, 00133 Rome, Italy
| | - Ilaria Paoletti
- grid.9657.d0000 0004 1757 5329Department of Medicine and Surgery, Università Campus Bio-Medico di Roma, 00128 Rome, Italy
| | - Mauro Federici
- grid.417778.a0000 0001 0692 3437Department of Experimental Neurosciences, IRCCS Santa Lucia Foundation, 00143 Rome, Italy
| | - Luana Saba
- grid.9657.d0000 0004 1757 5329Department of Medicine and Surgery, Università Campus Bio-Medico di Roma, 00128 Rome, Italy ,grid.417778.a0000 0001 0692 3437Department of Experimental Neurosciences, IRCCS Santa Lucia Foundation, 00143 Rome, Italy
| | - Cecilia Giacomet
- grid.6530.00000 0001 2300 0941Department of Systems Medicine, University of Rome Tor Vergata, 00133 Rome, Italy
| | - Ramona Marino
- grid.9657.d0000 0004 1757 5329Department of Medicine and Surgery, Università Campus Bio-Medico di Roma, 00128 Rome, Italy
| | - Paraskevi Krashia
- grid.417778.a0000 0001 0692 3437Department of Experimental Neurosciences, IRCCS Santa Lucia Foundation, 00143 Rome, Italy ,grid.9657.d0000 0004 1757 5329Department of Sciences and Technologies for Humans and Environment, Università Campus Bio-Medico di Roma, 00128 Rome, Italy
| | - Marcello Melone
- grid.7010.60000 0001 1017 3210Section of Neuroscience and Cell Biology, Department of Experimental and Clinical Medicine, Università Politecnica delle Marche (UNIVPM), 60020 Ancona, Italy ,Center for Neurobiology of Aging, IRCCS Istituto Nazionale Ricovero e Cura Anziani (INRCA), 60020 Ancona, Italy
| | - Flavio Keller
- grid.9657.d0000 0004 1757 5329Department of Medicine and Surgery, Università Campus Bio-Medico di Roma, 00128 Rome, Italy
| | - Nicola Biagio Mercuri
- grid.417778.a0000 0001 0692 3437Department of Experimental Neurosciences, IRCCS Santa Lucia Foundation, 00143 Rome, Italy ,grid.6530.00000 0001 2300 0941Department of Systems Medicine, University of Rome Tor Vergata, 00133 Rome, Italy
| | - Maria Teresa Viscomi
- grid.8142.f0000 0001 0941 3192Department of Life Science and Public Health; Section of Histology and Embryology, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, 00168 Rome, Italy ,grid.414603.4Fondazione Policlinico Universitario “A. Gemelli”, IRCCS, 00168 Rome, Italy
| | - Fiorenzo Conti
- grid.7010.60000 0001 1017 3210Section of Neuroscience and Cell Biology, Department of Experimental and Clinical Medicine, Università Politecnica delle Marche (UNIVPM), 60020 Ancona, Italy ,Center for Neurobiology of Aging, IRCCS Istituto Nazionale Ricovero e Cura Anziani (INRCA), 60020 Ancona, Italy ,grid.7010.60000 0001 1017 3210Foundation for Molecular Medicine, Università Politecnica delle Marche, 60020 Ancona, Italy
| | - Marcello D’Amelio
- grid.9657.d0000 0004 1757 5329Department of Medicine and Surgery, Università Campus Bio-Medico di Roma, 00128 Rome, Italy ,grid.417778.a0000 0001 0692 3437Department of Experimental Neurosciences, IRCCS Santa Lucia Foundation, 00143 Rome, Italy
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Bergamini G, Massinet H, Durkin S, Steiner MA. Longitudinal assessment of aggression and circadian rhythms in the APPswe mouse model of Alzheimer`s disease. Physiol Behav 2022; 250:113787. [PMID: 35346733 DOI: 10.1016/j.physbeh.2022.113787] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/26/2021] [Revised: 02/16/2022] [Accepted: 03/23/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Agitation, which comprises verbal or physical aggression and hyperactivity, is one of the most frequent neuropsychiatric symptoms observed in patients with Alzheimer's disease (AD). It often co-occurs with dysregulated circadian rhythms. Current medications are associated with serious adverse effects, and novel therapeutics are therefore needed. Rodent models can be instrumental to provide a first signal for potential efficacy of novel drug candidates. Longitudinal data assessing the face validity of such models for AD-related agitation are largely missing. We employed telemeterized APPswe mice, a frequently used AD transgenic mouse line overexpressing the human beta-amyloid precursor protein (APP) with the Swedish KM670/671NL mutation, to study the occurrence and progression of changes in reactive aggressive behavior as well as the circadian profile of locomotor activity and body temperature. Analysis was conducted between 5 and 11 months of age, at regular 2-months intervals. The aggressivity of all mice was highest at 5 months and waned with increasing age. APPswe mice were more aggressive than WT at 5 and 7 months of age. The locomotor activity and body temperature of WT mice declined with increasing age, while that of APPswe mice remained rather constant. This genotype difference was solely evident during the active, dark phase. APPswe mice did not display a phase shift of their circadian rhythms. We conclude that the APPswe mouse line can recapitulate some of the behavioral disturbances observed in AD, including an agitation-relevant phenotype characterized by active phase hyperactivity and aggressivity. It does not recapitulate the nighttime disturbances (also characterized by hyperactivity) and the shift of circadian rhythms observed in AD patients. Therefore, the APPswe strain could be used at specific ages to model a subset of agitation-relevant behavioral problems and to test the modulatory effects of drugs.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Sean Durkin
- Idorsia Pharmaceuticals Ltd, Allschwil, Switzerland
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Xu L, Pan CL, Wu XH, Song JJ, Meng P, Li L, Wang L, Zhang Z, Zhang ZY. Inhibition of Smad3 in macrophages promotes Aβ efflux from the brain and thereby ameliorates Alzheimer's pathology. Brain Behav Immun 2021; 95:154-167. [PMID: 33737172 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbi.2021.03.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/03/2020] [Revised: 03/09/2021] [Accepted: 03/11/2021] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Impaired amyloid-β (Aβ) clearance is believed to be a primary cause of Alzheimer's disease (AD), and peripheral abnormalities in Aβ clearance have recently been linked to AD pathogenesis and progression. Data from recent genome-wide association studies have linked genetic risk factors associated with altered functions of more immune cells to AD pathology. Here, we first identified correlations of Smad3 signaling activation in peripheral macrophages with AD progression and phagocytosis of Aβ. Then, manipulating the Smad3 signaling regulated macrophage phagocytosis of Aβ and induced switch of macrophage inflammatory phenotypes in our cell cultures. In our mouse models, flag-tagged or fluorescent-dye conjugated Aβ was injected into the lateral ventricles or tail veins, and traced. Interestingly, blocking Smad3 signaling efficiently increased Aβ clearance by macrophages, reduced Aβ in the periphery and thereby enhanced Aβ efflux from the brain. Moreover, in our APP/PS1 transgenic AD model mice, Smad3 inhibition significantly attenuated Aβ deposition and neuroinflammation, and ameliorated cognitive deficits, probably by enhancing the peripheral clearance of Aβ. In conclusion, enhancing Aβ clearance by peripheral macrophages through Smad3 inhibition attenuated AD-related pathology and cognitive deficits, which may provide a new perspective for understanding AD and finding novel therapeutic approaches.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lu Xu
- School of Basic Medical Sciences, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing 211166, China; The Key Laboratory of Antibody Technique of Ministry of Health, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing 211166, China
| | - Cai-Long Pan
- School of Basic Medical Sciences, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing 211166, China; The Key Laboratory of Antibody Technique of Ministry of Health, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing 211166, China
| | - Xiang-Hui Wu
- School of Basic Medical Sciences, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing 211166, China
| | - Jing-Jing Song
- School of Basic Medical Sciences, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing 211166, China
| | - Ping Meng
- School of Basic Medical Sciences, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing 211166, China; Department of Pathology, Zhongda Hospital, Southeast University, Nanjing 210009, China
| | - Lei Li
- School of Basic Medical Sciences, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing 211166, China
| | - Li Wang
- Department of Hygiene Analysis and Detection, School of Public Health, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing 211166, China
| | - Zhiren Zhang
- Institute of Immunology, Army Medical University, 30 Gaotanyan Main Street, Chongqing 400038, China
| | - Zhi-Yuan Zhang
- School of Basic Medical Sciences, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing 211166, China; The Key Laboratory of Antibody Technique of Ministry of Health, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing 211166, China; Department of Neurology, Sir Run Run Hospital, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing 211166, China.
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Mühler C, Mayer B, Bernabei R, Onder G, Lukas A. Sex Differences in Behavioral and Psychological Signs and Symptoms of Dementia Presentation Regarding Nursing Home Residents with Cognitive Impairment Suffering from Pain - Results of the Services and Health for Elderly in Long-Term Care Study. J Am Med Dir Assoc 2021; 22:1442-1448. [PMID: 33957133 DOI: 10.1016/j.jamda.2021.03.030] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/08/2020] [Revised: 03/13/2021] [Accepted: 03/23/2021] [Indexed: 01/19/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Behavioral and psychological symptoms of dementia (BPSD) place a heavy burden on patients as well as caregivers. Recently, pain was identified as an important determinant of BPSD. However, it is not yet known what influence sex has on BPSD and pain. Thus, the present study aimed to identify possible associations between BPSD, pain, and sex. DESIGN A retrospective evaluation of cross-sectional data derived from the Services and Health for Elderly in Long-Term Care (SHELTER) Study database, a cross-national European study on nursing home residents. SETTING AND PARTICIPANTS The study involved 4156 residents who were assessed using the interRAI instrument for Long-Term Care Facilities. Included in the analysis were only patients with cognitive impairment (n = 2822) (67.9%) of which 712 (25.2%) were male and 2110 (74.8%) were female. METHODS Differences in prevalence were tested using the χ2 test while bivariate logistic regression models were used to evaluate factors associated with sex. RESULTS Men showed behavioral symptoms such as wandering, verbal and physical abuse as well as sexual uninhibited behavior significantly more often than women. Regarding psychiatric symptoms, only depression was significantly more frequent in women. Surprisingly, in the presence of pain these differences in BPSD incidence between men and women were no longer detectable. Logistic regression analysis showed that in women with dementia/communication problems, the presence of pain could be indicated by resistance to care, sleeping disorders, and possibly by the presence of delusions and anxiety whereas in men it was related to abnormal thought processes, and in both sexes to depression CONCLUSIONS AND IMPLICATIONS: From a clinical point of view, resistance to care and sleeping disorders in women and abnormal thought processes in men as well as depression in both sexes should be seen as indicators of possible underlying pain in noncommunicative people. Thus, knowledge of sex-specific BPSD presentations can improve pain management in this particularly patient group.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christine Mühler
- Competence Center of Geriatric Medicine, Helios Medical Center Bonn/Rhein-Sieg, Academic Teaching Hospital, University Bonn, Bonn, Germany
| | - Benjamin Mayer
- Institute of Epidemiology and Medical Biometry, University Ulm, Ulm, Germany
| | - Roberto Bernabei
- Fondazione Policlinico Universitario A. Gemelli IRCCS, Università Cattolica del Sacro, Cuore, Rome, Italy
| | - Graziano Onder
- Department of Cardiovascular, Endocrine-Metabolic Diseases and Aging, Instituto, Superiore di Sanità, Rome, Italy
| | - Albert Lukas
- Competence Center of Geriatric Medicine, Helios Medical Center Bonn/Rhein-Sieg, Academic Teaching Hospital, University Bonn, Bonn, Germany; Department of Orthopedics and Trauma Surgery, University Hospital Bonn, Bonn, Germany.
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Evans CE, Miners JS, Piva G, Willis CL, Heard DM, Kidd EJ, Good MA, Kehoe PG. ACE2 activation protects against cognitive decline and reduces amyloid pathology in the Tg2576 mouse model of Alzheimer's disease. Acta Neuropathol 2020; 139:485-502. [PMID: 31982938 PMCID: PMC7035243 DOI: 10.1007/s00401-019-02098-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 94] [Impact Index Per Article: 23.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/29/2019] [Revised: 10/16/2019] [Accepted: 11/08/2019] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Mid-life hypertension and cerebrovascular dysfunction are associated with increased risk of later life dementia, including Alzheimer’s disease (AD). The classical renin–angiotensin system (cRAS), a physiological regulator of blood pressure, functions independently within the brain and is overactive in AD. cRAS-targeting anti-hypertensive drugs are associated with reduced incidence of AD, delayed onset of cognitive decline, and reduced levels of Aβ and tau in both animal models and human pathological studies. cRAS activity is moderated by a downstream regulatory RAS pathway (rRAS), which is underactive in AD and is strongly associated with pathological hallmarks in human AD, and cognitive decline in animal models of CNS disease. We now show that enhancement of brain ACE2 activity, a major effector of rRAS, by intraperitoneal administration of diminazene aceturate (DIZE), an established activator of ACE2, lowered hippocampal Aβ and restored cognition in mid-aged (13–14-month-old) symptomatic Tg2576 mice. We confirmed that the protective effects of DIZE were directly mediated through ACE2 and were associated with reduced hippocampal soluble Aβ42 and IL1-β levels. DIZE restored hippocampal MasR levels in conjunction with increased NMDA NR2B and downstream ERK signalling expression in hippocampal synaptosomes from Tg2576 mice. Chronic (10 weeks) administration of DIZE to pre-symptomatic 9–10-month-old Tg2576 mice, and acute (10 days) treatment in cognitively impaired 12–13-month-old mice, prevented the development of cognitive impairment. Together these data demonstrate that ACE2 enhancement protects against and reverses amyloid-related hippocampal pathology and cognitive impairment in a preclinical model of AD.
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Zerumbone ameliorates behavioral impairments and neuropathology in transgenic APP/PS1 mice by suppressing MAPK signaling. J Neuroinflammation 2020; 17:61. [PMID: 32066466 PMCID: PMC7027354 DOI: 10.1186/s12974-020-01744-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/06/2019] [Accepted: 02/11/2020] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is a major clinical problem, but there is a distinct lack of effective therapeutic drugs for this disease. We investigated the potential therapeutic effects of zerumbone, a subtropical ginger sesquiterpene, in transgenic APP/PS1 mice, rodent models of AD which exhibit cerebral amyloidosis and neuroinflammation. Methods The N9 microglial cell line and primary microglial cells were cultured to investigate the effects of zerumbone on microglia. APP/PS1 mice were treated with zerumbone, and non-cognitive and cognitive behavioral impairments were assessed and compared between the treatment and control groups. The animals were then sacrificed, and tissues were collected for further analysis. The potential therapeutic mechanism of zerumbone and the signaling pathways involved were also investigated by RT-PCR, western blot, nitric oxide detection, enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, immunohistochemistry, immunofluorescence, and flow cytometry analysis. Results Zerumbone suppressed the expression of pro-inflammatory cytokines and induced a switch in microglial phenotype from the classic inflammatory phenotype to the alternative anti-inflammatory phenotype by inhibiting the mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK)/nuclear factor-kappa B signaling pathway in vitro. After a treatment period of 20 days, zerumbone significantly ameliorated deficits in both non-cognitive and cognitive behaviors in transgenic APP/PS1 mice. Zerumbone significantly reduced β-amyloid deposition and attenuated pro-inflammatory microglial activation in the cortex and hippocampus. Interestingly, zerumbone significantly increased the proportion of anti-inflammatory microglia among all activated microglia, potentially contributing to reduced β-amyloid deposition by enhancing phagocytosis. Meanwhile, zerumbone also reduced the expression of key molecules of the MAPK pathway, such as p38 and extracellular signal-regulated kinase. Conclusions Overall, zerumbone effectively ameliorated behavioral impairments, attenuated neuroinflammation, and reduced β-amyloid deposition in transgenic APP/PS1 mice. Zerumbone exhibited substantial anti-inflammatory activity in microglial cells and induced a phenotypic switch in microglia from the pro-inflammatory phenotype to the anti-inflammatory phenotype by inhibiting the MAPK signaling pathway, which may play an important role in its neuroprotective effects. Our results suggest that zerumbone is a potential therapeutic agent for human neuroinflammatory and neurodegenerative diseases, in particular AD.
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Kosel F, Pelley JMS, Franklin TB. Behavioural and psychological symptoms of dementia in mouse models of Alzheimer's disease-related pathology. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2020; 112:634-647. [PMID: 32070692 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2020.02.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 92] [Impact Index Per Article: 23.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/25/2019] [Revised: 02/08/2020] [Accepted: 02/11/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Transgenic mouse models have been used extensively to model the cognitive impairments arising from Alzheimer's disease (AD)-related pathology. However, less is known about the relationship between AD-related pathology and the behavioural and psychological symptoms of dementia (BPSD) commonly presented by patients. This review discusses the BPSD-like behaviours recapitulated by several mouse models of AD-related pathology, including the APP/PS1, Tg2576, 3xTg-AD, 5xFAD, and APP23 models. Current evidence suggests that social withdrawal and depressive-like behaviours increase with progressive neuropathology, and increased aggression and sleep-wake disturbances are present even at early stages; however, there is no clear evidence to support increased anxiety-like behaviours, agitation (hyperactivity), or general apathy. Overall, transgenic mouse models of AD-related pathology recapitulate some of the BPSD-like behaviours associated with AD, but these behaviours vary by model. This reflects the patient population, where AD patients typically exhibit one or more BPSD, but rarely all symptoms at once. As a result, we suggest that transgenic mouse models are an important tool to investigate the pathology underlying BPSD in human AD patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Filip Kosel
- The Social Lab, Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, Dalhousie University, Halifax, B3H 4R2, Canada
| | - Jessica M S Pelley
- The Social Lab, Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, Dalhousie University, Halifax, B3H 4R2, Canada
| | - Tamara B Franklin
- The Social Lab, Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, Dalhousie University, Halifax, B3H 4R2, Canada.
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Kosel F, Hamilton JS, Harrison SL, Godin V, Franklin TB. Reduced social investigation and increased injurious behavior in transgenic 5xFAD mice. J Neurosci Res 2020; 99:209-222. [PMID: 31912571 DOI: 10.1002/jnr.24578] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/15/2019] [Revised: 11/19/2019] [Accepted: 12/09/2019] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
Social withdrawal and agitation/aggression are common behavioral and psychological symptoms of dementia presented by Alzheimer's disease (AD) patients, with males exhibiting more aggressive behaviors than females. Some transgenic mouse models of AD also exhibit social withdrawal and aggression, but many of these models only recapitulate the early stages of the disease. By comparison, the 5xFAD mouse model of AD exhibits rapid, progressive neurodegeneration, and is suitable for modeling cognitive and behavioral deficits at early, mid-, and late-stage disease progression. Anecdotal reports suggest that transgenic 5xFAD males exhibit high levels of aggression compared to wild-type controls, but to date, indirect genetic effects in this strain have not been studied. We measured home-cage behaviors in 5xFAD males housed in three different group-housing conditions (transgenic-only, wild-type only, and mixed-genotype) and social approach behaviors when exposed to a novel free-roaming or restrained, wild-type or transgenic conspecific. Transgenic-only home cages required earlier separation due to injuries arising from aggression compared to wild-type-only or mixed-genotype cages, despite no obvious increase in the frequency of aggressive behaviors. Transgenic 5xFAD males and females also spent less time investigating free-roaming conspecifics compared to wild-type controls, but they showed normal investigation of restrained conspecifics; the genotype of the conspecific did not affect approach behavior, and there was no aggression observed in transgenic males. These findings provide evidence in an animal model that amyloid pathology ultimately leads to avoidance of novel social stimuli, and that frequent interactions between individuals exhibiting an AD phenotype further exacerbates aggressive behaviors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Filip Kosel
- The Social Lab, Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, Dalhousie University, Halifax, NS, Canada
| | - Jacob S Hamilton
- The Social Lab, Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, Dalhousie University, Halifax, NS, Canada
| | - Sarah L Harrison
- The Social Lab, Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, Dalhousie University, Halifax, NS, Canada
| | - Victoria Godin
- The Social Lab, Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, Dalhousie University, Halifax, NS, Canada
| | - Tamara B Franklin
- The Social Lab, Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, Dalhousie University, Halifax, NS, Canada
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Gottesman RT, Stern Y. Behavioral and Psychiatric Symptoms of Dementia and Rate of Decline in Alzheimer's Disease. Front Pharmacol 2019; 10:1062. [PMID: 31616296 PMCID: PMC6768941 DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2019.01062] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/31/2019] [Accepted: 08/20/2019] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Alzheimer’s disease causes both cognitive and non-cognitive symptoms. There is increasing evidence that the presentation and course of Alzheimer’s disease is highly heterogenous. This heterogeneity presents challenges to patients, their families, and clinicians due to the difficulty in prognosticating future symptoms and functional impairment. Behavioral and psychiatric symptoms are emerging as a significant contributor to this clinical heterogeneity. These symptoms have been linked to multiple areas of neurodegeneration, which may suggest that they are representative of network-wide dysfunction in the brain. However, current diagnostic criteria for Alzheimer’s disease focus exclusively on the cognitive aspects of disease. Behavioral and psychiatric symptoms have been found in multiple studies to be related to disease severity and to contribute to disease progression over time. A better understanding of how behavioral and psychiatric symptoms relate to cognitive aspects of Alzheimer’s disease would help to refine the models of disease and hopefully lead to improved ability to develop therapeutic options for this devastating disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Reena T Gottesman
- Division of Aging and Dementia, Department of Neurology, Columbia University Medical Center, New York, NY, United States
| | - Yaakov Stern
- Division of Cognitive Neuroscience, Department of Neurology, Columbia University Medical Center, New York, NY, United States
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Women and Men Presenting to a Rural and Remote Memory Clinic in Saskatchewan, Canada Show Similar Cognitive Findings for Dementia. Alzheimer Dis Assoc Disord 2019; 34:183-187. [PMID: 30958415 DOI: 10.1097/wad.0000000000000307] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION The course of dementia may differ between men and women. Men, for example, are more likely to exhibit aggression. It is unclear if sex differences are present at initial presentation. The present study examines sex differences among patients at initial referral to a memory clinic. MATERIALS AND METHODS Three hundred seventy-five (159 males, 216 females) patients referred to the University of Saskatchewan's Rural and Remote Memory Clinic participated. Data were collected from patients and caregivers at initial assessment. Cognitive, functional, and demographic information were compared between males and females. RESULTS Males and females presented to the clinic at similar ages. Females were more likely to have a son or daughter caregiver and to live alone. Males were more likely to be currently working. No statistically significant differences were found for cognitive or functional assessment scores. DISCUSSION Within this rural and remote sample, there was equivalence between male and female level of cognitive decline, function and neuropsychiatric symptoms at initial referral. Both sexes were of similar ages at the time of initial presentation. These findings may provide reassurance to patients and their family members as it does not appear that patients of one sex were referred later than the other.
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Kosel F, Torres Munoz P, Yang JR, Wong AA, Franklin TB. Age-related changes in social behaviours in the 5xFAD mouse model of Alzheimer's disease. Behav Brain Res 2019; 362:160-172. [PMID: 30659846 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbr.2019.01.029] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/20/2018] [Revised: 01/09/2019] [Accepted: 01/15/2019] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
In addition to memory impairments, patients with Alzheimer's disease (AD) exhibit a number of behavioural and psychological symptoms that can affect social interactions over the course of the disease. While altered social interactions have been demonstrated in a number of mouse models of AD, many models only recapitulate the initial stages of the disease, and these behavioural changes have yet to be examined over the course of disease progression. By performing a longitudinal study using the 5xFAD mouse model, we have demonstrated that transgenic females exhibit progressive alterations in social investigation compared to wild-type controls. Transgenic females exhibited an age-related reduction in interest for social odours, as well as reduced investigative behaviours towards novel conspecifics in a novel environment. However, transgenic mice exhibited no obvious olfactory deficits, nor any changes in scent-marking behaviour compared to wild-type controls, indicating that changes in investigative behaviour were due to motivation to engage with a social stimulus. This evidence suggests that transgenic 5xFAD females exhibit increased social anxiety in novel environments compared to wild-type controls. Overall, transgenic 5xFAD female mice mimic some features of social withdrawal observed in human AD patients suggesting this strain may be suitable for modelling aspects of the social dysfunction observed in human patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Filip Kosel
- The Social Lab, Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, Dalhousie University, Halifax, B3H 4R2, Canada
| | - Paula Torres Munoz
- The Social Lab, Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, Dalhousie University, Halifax, B3H 4R2, Canada
| | - J Renee Yang
- The Social Lab, Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, Dalhousie University, Halifax, B3H 4R2, Canada
| | - Aimee A Wong
- The Social Lab, Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, Dalhousie University, Halifax, B3H 4R2, Canada
| | - Tamara B Franklin
- The Social Lab, Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, Dalhousie University, Halifax, B3H 4R2, Canada.
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Jager A, Maas DA, Fricke K, de Vries RB, Poelmans G, Glennon JC. Aggressive behavior in transgenic animal models: A systematic review. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2018; 91:198-217. [DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2017.09.028] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/14/2017] [Revised: 08/10/2017] [Accepted: 09/19/2017] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
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Ameen-Ali KE, Wharton SB, Simpson JE, Heath PR, Sharp P, Berwick J. Review: Neuropathology and behavioural features of transgenic murine models of Alzheimer's disease. Neuropathol Appl Neurobiol 2018; 43:553-570. [PMID: 28880417 DOI: 10.1111/nan.12440] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/12/2017] [Accepted: 09/04/2017] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Our understanding of the underlying biology of Alzheimer's disease (AD) has been steadily progressing; however, this is yet to translate into a successful treatment in humans. The use of transgenic mouse models has helped to develop our understanding of AD, not only in terms of disease pathology, but also with the associated cognitive impairments typical of AD. Plaques and neurofibrillary tangles are often among the last pathological changes in AD mouse models, after neuronal loss and gliosis. There is a general consensus that successful treatments need to be applied before the onset of these pathologies and associated cognitive symptoms. This review discusses the different types of AD mouse models in terms of the temporal progression of the disease, how well they replicate the pathological changes seen in human AD and their cognitive defects. We provide a critical assessment of the behavioural tests used with AD mice to assess cognitive changes and decline, and discuss how successfully they correlate with cognitive impairments in humans with AD. This information is an important tool for AD researchers when deciding on appropriate mouse models, and when selecting measures to assess behavioural and cognitive change.
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Affiliation(s)
- K E Ameen-Ali
- Department of Psychology, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, UK
| | - S B Wharton
- Sheffield Institute for Translational Neuroscience, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, UK
| | - J E Simpson
- Sheffield Institute for Translational Neuroscience, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, UK
| | - P R Heath
- Sheffield Institute for Translational Neuroscience, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, UK
| | - P Sharp
- Department of Psychology, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, UK
| | - J Berwick
- Department of Psychology, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, UK
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Yang JE, Hong GRS. [Predictors of Behavioral and Psychological Symptoms of Dementia: Based on the Model of Multi-Dimensional Behavior]. J Korean Acad Nurs 2018; 48:143-153. [PMID: 29735875 DOI: 10.4040/jkan.2018.48.2.143] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/06/2017] [Revised: 02/12/2018] [Accepted: 02/14/2018] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
PURPOSE The purpose of this study was to identify factors predicting behavioral and psychological symptoms of dementia (BPSD) in persons with dementia. Factors including the patient, caregiver, and environment based on the multi-dimensional behavioral model were tested. METHODS The subjects of the study were 139 pairs of persons with dementia and their caregivers selected from four geriatric long-term care facilities located in S city, G province, Korea. Data analysis included descriptive statistics, inverse normal transformations, Pearson correlation coefficients, Spearman's correlation coefficients and hierarchical multiple regression with the SPSS Statistics 22.0 for Windows program. RESULTS Mean score for BPSD was 40.16. Depression (β=.42, p<.001), exposure to noise in the evening noise (β=-.20, p=.014), and gender (β=.17, p=.042) were factors predicting BPSD in long-term care facilities, which explained 25.2% of the variance in the model. CONCLUSION To decrease BPSD in persons with dementia, integrated nursing interventions should consider factors of the patient, caregiver, and environment.
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Justice NJ. The relationship between stress and Alzheimer's disease. Neurobiol Stress 2018; 8:127-133. [PMID: 29888308 PMCID: PMC5991350 DOI: 10.1016/j.ynstr.2018.04.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 118] [Impact Index Per Article: 19.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/11/2018] [Revised: 04/03/2018] [Accepted: 04/19/2018] [Indexed: 12/04/2022] Open
Abstract
Stress is critically involved in the development and progression of disease. From the stress of undergoing treatments to facing your own mortality, the physiological processes that stress drives have a serious detrimental effect on the ability to heal, cope and maintain a positive quality of life. This is becoming increasingly clear in the case of neurodegenerative diseases. Neurodegenerative diseases involve the devastating loss of cognitive and motor function which is stressful in itself, but can also disrupt neural circuits that mediate stress responses. Disrupting these circuits produces aberrant emotional and aggressive behavior that causes long-term care to be especially difficult. In addition, added stress drives progression of the disease and can exacerbate symptoms. In this review, I describe how neural and endocrine pathways activated by stress interact with ongoing neurodegenerative disease from both a clinical and experimental perspective.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicholas J. Justice
- Institute of Molecular Medicine, University of Texas Health Sciences Center, Houston, TX, 77030, USA
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Sukoff Rizzo SJ, Crawley JN. Behavioral Phenotyping Assays for Genetic Mouse Models of Neurodevelopmental, Neurodegenerative, and Psychiatric Disorders. Annu Rev Anim Biosci 2017; 5:371-389. [PMID: 28199172 DOI: 10.1146/annurev-animal-022516-022754] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
Animal models offer heuristic research tools to understand the causes of human diseases and to identify potential treatments. With rapidly evolving genetic engineering technologies, mutations identified in a human disorder can be generated in the mouse genome. Phenotypic outcomes of the mutation are then explicated to confirm hypotheses about causes and to discover effective therapeutics. Most neurodevelopmental, neurodegenerative, and psychiatric disorders are diagnosed primarily by their prominent behavioral symptoms. Mouse behavioral assays analogous to the human symptoms have been developed to analyze the consequences of mutations and to evaluate proposed therapeutics preclinically. Here we describe the range of mouse behavioral tests available in the established behavioral neuroscience literature, along with examples of their translational applications. Concepts presented have been successfully used in other species, including flies, worms, fish, rats, pigs, and nonhuman primates. Identical strategies can be employed to test hypotheses about environmental causes and gene × environment interactions.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Jacqueline N Crawley
- MIND Institute, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of California, Davis School of Medicine, Sacramento, California 95817;
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Gender differences in behavioral and psychological symptoms of patients with Alzheimer's disease. Asian J Psychiatr 2017; 26:124-128. [PMID: 28483073 DOI: 10.1016/j.ajp.2017.01.027] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/27/2016] [Revised: 10/22/2016] [Accepted: 01/22/2017] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
Behavioral and psychological symptoms of dementia (BPSD) in patients with Alzheimer's disease have a strong correlation with cognitive impairment and impairment in activities of daily living. Although recent studies have reported that gender may play a role in BPSD, this finding was not evident in several other studies. The present study classified patients with Alzheimer's disease into groups with mild and moderate dementia to examine the gender differences in BPSD in each group. We divided a total of 125 patients diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease according to the criteria of the fifth edition of the Diagnostic and Statistic Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5) into groups with mild and moderate dementia. Then we examined whether the groups showed differences in memory functions, activities of daily living, and BPSD depending on gender. Our results showed a significant gender difference in Depression/Dysphoria symptoms (BPSD) among the patients in the mild dementia group (t=-2.344, p<0.05), but there was no significant gender difference among the patients in the moderate dementia group. For both the mild and moderate dementia groups, there were no significant gender differences in memory functions and activities of daily living. The results of this study indicated that female patients with mild dementia are more vulnerable to depression than male patients. Future studies should more continuously examine a variety of factors that affect BPSD depending on the severity of Alzheimer's disease.
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Behavioural Phenotyping of APPswe/PS1δE9 Mice: Age-Rrelated Changes and Effect of Long-Term Paroxetine Treatment. PLoS One 2016; 11:e0165144. [PMID: 27814403 PMCID: PMC5096719 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0165144] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/28/2016] [Accepted: 10/09/2016] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is a devastating illness characterized by a progressive loss of cognitive, social, and emotional functions, including memory impairments and more global cognitive deficits. Clinical-epidemiological evidence suggests that neuropsychiatric symptoms precede the onset of cognitive symptoms both in humans with early and late onset AD. The behavioural profile promoted by the AD pathology is believed to associate with degeneration of the serotonergic system. Using the APPswe/PS1δE9 model of AD-like pathology starting with 9 months old mice, we characterised long term non-cognitive behavioural changes measured at 9, 12, 15, and 18 months of age and applied principal component analysis on data obtained from open field, elevated plus maze, and social interaction tests. Long-term treatment with the selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI) paroxetine was applied to assess the role of 5-HT on the behavioural profile; duration of treatment was 9 months, initiated when mice were 9 months of age. Treatment with paroxetine delays the decline in locomotion, in exploration and risk assessment behaviour, found in the APP/PS1 mice. APP/PS1 mice also exhibit low social activity and less aggressiveness, both of which are not affected by treatment with paroxetine. The APP/PS1 behavioural phenotype, demonstrated in this study, only begins to manifest itself from 12 months of age. Our results indicate that treatment with SSRI might ameliorate some of the behavioural deficits found in aged APP/PS1 mice.
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Translational Assays for Assessment of Cognition in Rodent Models of Alzheimer’s Disease and Dementia. J Mol Neurosci 2016; 60:371-382. [DOI: 10.1007/s12031-016-0837-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/18/2016] [Accepted: 08/31/2016] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
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Freudenberg F, Carreño Gutierrez H, Post AM, Reif A, Norton WHJ. Aggression in non-human vertebrates: Genetic mechanisms and molecular pathways. Am J Med Genet B Neuropsychiatr Genet 2016; 171:603-40. [PMID: 26284957 DOI: 10.1002/ajmg.b.32358] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/15/2015] [Accepted: 07/28/2015] [Indexed: 11/07/2022]
Abstract
Aggression is an adaptive behavioral trait that is important for the establishment of social hierarchies and competition for mating partners, food, and territories. While a certain level of aggression can be beneficial for the survival of an individual or species, abnormal aggression levels can be detrimental. Abnormal aggression is commonly found in human patients with psychiatric disorders. The predisposition to aggression is influenced by a combination of environmental and genetic factors and a large number of genes have been associated with aggression in both human and animal studies. In this review, we compare and contrast aggression studies in zebrafish and mouse. We present gene ontology and pathway analyses of genes linked to aggression and discuss the molecular pathways that underpin agonistic behavior in these species. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
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Affiliation(s)
- Florian Freudenberg
- Department of Psychiatry, Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy, University Hospital of Frankfurt, Frankfurt am Main, Germany
| | | | - Antonia M Post
- Department of Psychiatry, Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy, University Hospital of Frankfurt, Frankfurt am Main, Germany
| | - Andreas Reif
- Department of Psychiatry, Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy, University Hospital of Frankfurt, Frankfurt am Main, Germany
| | - William H J Norton
- Department of Neuroscience, Psychology and Behaviour, University of Leicester, Leicester, UK
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Liu CS, Chau SA, Ruthirakuhan M, Lanctôt KL, Herrmann N. Cannabinoids for the Treatment of Agitation and Aggression in Alzheimer's Disease. CNS Drugs 2015; 29:615-23. [PMID: 26271310 DOI: 10.1007/s40263-015-0270-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 42] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/08/2023]
Abstract
Alzheimer's disease (AD) is frequently associated with neuropsychiatric symptoms (NPS) such as agitation and aggression, especially in the moderate to severe stages of the illness. The limited efficacy and high-risk profiles of current pharmacotherapies for the management of agitation and aggression in AD have driven the search for safer pharmacological alternatives. Over the past few years, there has been a growing interest in the therapeutic potential of medications that target the endocannabinoid system (ECS). The behavioural effects of ECS medications, as well as their ability to modulate neuroinflammation and oxidative stress, make targeting this system potentially relevant in AD. This article summarizes the literature to date supporting this rationale and evaluates clinical studies investigating cannabinoids for agitation and aggression in AD. Letters, case studies, and controlled trials from four electronic databases were included. While findings from six studies showed significant benefits from synthetic cannabinoids—dronabinol or nabilone—on agitation and aggression, definitive conclusions were limited by small sample sizes, short trial duration, and lack of placebo control in some of these studies. Given the relevance and findings to date, methodologically rigorous prospective clinical trials are recommended to determine the safety and efficacy of cannabinoids for the treatment of agitation and aggression in dementia and AD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Celina S Liu
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada.,Neuropsychopharmacology Research Group, Hurvitz Brain Sciences Program Sunnybrook Research Institute, Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre, 2075 Bayview Ave., Room FG 19, Toronto, ON, M4N 3M5, Canada
| | - Sarah A Chau
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada.,Neuropsychopharmacology Research Group, Hurvitz Brain Sciences Program Sunnybrook Research Institute, Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre, 2075 Bayview Ave., Room FG 19, Toronto, ON, M4N 3M5, Canada
| | - Myuri Ruthirakuhan
- Neuropsychopharmacology Research Group, Hurvitz Brain Sciences Program Sunnybrook Research Institute, Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre, 2075 Bayview Ave., Room FG 19, Toronto, ON, M4N 3M5, Canada
| | - Krista L Lanctôt
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada.,Neuropsychopharmacology Research Group, Hurvitz Brain Sciences Program Sunnybrook Research Institute, Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre, 2075 Bayview Ave., Room FG 19, Toronto, ON, M4N 3M5, Canada.,Department of Psychiatry, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Nathan Herrmann
- Neuropsychopharmacology Research Group, Hurvitz Brain Sciences Program Sunnybrook Research Institute, Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre, 2075 Bayview Ave., Room FG 19, Toronto, ON, M4N 3M5, Canada. .,Department of Psychiatry, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada.
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Kanamaru T, Kamimura N, Yokota T, Nishimaki K, Iuchi K, Lee H, Takami S, Akashiba H, Shitaka Y, Ueda M, Katsura KI, Kimura K, Ohta S. Intravenous transplantation of bone marrow-derived mononuclear cells prevents memory impairment in transgenic mouse models of Alzheimer's disease. Brain Res 2015; 1605:49-58. [PMID: 25698614 DOI: 10.1016/j.brainres.2015.02.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/19/2014] [Revised: 12/24/2014] [Accepted: 02/06/2015] [Indexed: 10/24/2022]
Abstract
Stem cell transplantation therapy is currently in clinical trials for the treatment of ischemic stroke, and several beneficial aspects have been reported. Similarly, in Alzheimer's disease (AD), stem cell therapy is expected to provide an efficient therapeutic approach. Indeed, the intracerebral transplantation of stem cells reduced amyloid-β (Aβ) deposition and rescued memory deficits in AD model mice. Here, we show that intravenous transplantation of bone marrow-derived mononuclear cells (BMMCs) improves cognitive function in two different AD mouse models, DAL and APP mice, and prevents neurodegeneration. GFP-positive BMMCs were isolated from tibiae and femurs of 4-week-old mice and then transplanted intravenously into DAL and APP mice. Transplantation of BMMCs suppressed neuronal loss and restored memory impairment of DAL mice to almost the same level as in wild-type mice. Transplantation of BMMCs to APP mice reduced Aβ deposition in the brain. APP mice treated with BMMCs performed significantly better on behavioral tests than vehicle-injected mice. Moreover, the effects were observed even with transplantation after the onset of cognitive impairment in DAL mice. Together, our results indicate that intravenous transplantation of BMMCs has preventive effects against the cognitive decline in AD model mice and suggest a potential therapeutic effect of BMMC transplantation therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Takuya Kanamaru
- Department of Biochemistry and Cell Biology, Institute of Development and Aging Sciences, Graduate School of Medicine, Nippon Medical School, 1-396 Kosugi-cho, Nakahara-ku, Kawasaki-shi, Kanagawa 211-8533, Japan; Department of Neurological Science, Graduate School of Medicine, Nippon Medical School, 1-1-5 Sendagi, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-8602, Japan
| | - Naomi Kamimura
- Department of Biochemistry and Cell Biology, Institute of Development and Aging Sciences, Graduate School of Medicine, Nippon Medical School, 1-396 Kosugi-cho, Nakahara-ku, Kawasaki-shi, Kanagawa 211-8533, Japan.
| | - Takashi Yokota
- Department of Biochemistry and Cell Biology, Institute of Development and Aging Sciences, Graduate School of Medicine, Nippon Medical School, 1-396 Kosugi-cho, Nakahara-ku, Kawasaki-shi, Kanagawa 211-8533, Japan
| | - Kiyomi Nishimaki
- Department of Biochemistry and Cell Biology, Institute of Development and Aging Sciences, Graduate School of Medicine, Nippon Medical School, 1-396 Kosugi-cho, Nakahara-ku, Kawasaki-shi, Kanagawa 211-8533, Japan
| | - Katsuya Iuchi
- Department of Biochemistry and Cell Biology, Institute of Development and Aging Sciences, Graduate School of Medicine, Nippon Medical School, 1-396 Kosugi-cho, Nakahara-ku, Kawasaki-shi, Kanagawa 211-8533, Japan
| | - Hyunjin Lee
- Department of Biochemistry and Cell Biology, Institute of Development and Aging Sciences, Graduate School of Medicine, Nippon Medical School, 1-396 Kosugi-cho, Nakahara-ku, Kawasaki-shi, Kanagawa 211-8533, Japan
| | - Shinya Takami
- Pharmacology Research Laboratories, Astellas Pharma Inc., 21 Miyukigaoka, Tsukuba-shi , Ibaraki 305-8585, Japan
| | - Hiroki Akashiba
- Pharmacology Research Laboratories, Astellas Pharma Inc., 21 Miyukigaoka, Tsukuba-shi , Ibaraki 305-8585, Japan
| | - Yoshitsugu Shitaka
- Pharmacology Research Laboratories, Astellas Pharma Inc., 21 Miyukigaoka, Tsukuba-shi , Ibaraki 305-8585, Japan
| | - Masayuki Ueda
- Department of Neurological Science, Graduate School of Medicine, Nippon Medical School, 1-1-5 Sendagi, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-8602, Japan
| | - Ken-Ichiro Katsura
- Department of Neurological Science, Graduate School of Medicine, Nippon Medical School, 1-1-5 Sendagi, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-8602, Japan
| | - Kazumi Kimura
- Department of Neurological Science, Graduate School of Medicine, Nippon Medical School, 1-1-5 Sendagi, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-8602, Japan
| | - Shigeo Ohta
- Department of Biochemistry and Cell Biology, Institute of Development and Aging Sciences, Graduate School of Medicine, Nippon Medical School, 1-396 Kosugi-cho, Nakahara-ku, Kawasaki-shi, Kanagawa 211-8533, Japan
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Ahmed T, Blum D, Burnouf S, Demeyer D, Buée-Scherrer V, D'Hooge R, Buée L, Balschun D. Rescue of impaired late-phase long-term depression in a tau transgenic mouse model. Neurobiol Aging 2014; 36:730-9. [PMID: 25443285 DOI: 10.1016/j.neurobiolaging.2014.09.015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/02/2013] [Revised: 09/01/2014] [Accepted: 09/17/2014] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
Cognitive decline, the hallmark of Alzheimer's disease, and accompanying neuropsychiatric symptoms share dysfunctions of synaptic processes as a common cellular pathomechanism. Long-term potentiation has proven to be a sensitive tool for the "diagnosis" of such synaptic dysfunctions. Much less, however, is known about how long-term depression (LTD), an alternative mechanism for the storage of memory, is affected by Alzheimer's disease progression. Here, we demonstrate that impaired late LTD (>3 hours) in THY-Tau22 mice can be rescued by either inhibition of glycogen synthase kinase-3 (GSK3β) activity or by application of the protein-phosphatase 2A agonist selenate. In line with these findings, we observed increased phosphorylation of GSK3β at Y216 and reduced total phosphatase activity in biochemical assays of hippocampal tissue of THY-Tau22 mice. Interestingly, LTD induction and pharmacologic inhibition of GSK3β appeared to downregulate GSK3ß activity via a marked upregulation of phosphorylation at the inhibitory Ser9 residue. Our results point to alterations in phosphorylation and/or dephosphorylation homeostasis as key mechanisms underlying the deficits in LTD and hippocampus-dependent learning found in THY-Tau22 mice.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tariq Ahmed
- Laboratory of Biological Psychology, University of Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - David Blum
- Université Lille-Nord de France, UDSL, Lille, France; Inserm UMR837, Jean-Pierre Aubert Research Centre, Lille, France; CHRU-Lille, Lille, France
| | - Sylvie Burnouf
- Université Lille-Nord de France, UDSL, Lille, France; Inserm UMR837, Jean-Pierre Aubert Research Centre, Lille, France; Max-Planck Institute for Biology of Ageing, Köln, Germany
| | - Dominique Demeyer
- Université Lille-Nord de France, UDSL, Lille, France; Inserm UMR837, Jean-Pierre Aubert Research Centre, Lille, France
| | - Valérie Buée-Scherrer
- Université Lille-Nord de France, UDSL, Lille, France; Inserm UMR837, Jean-Pierre Aubert Research Centre, Lille, France; CHRU-Lille, Lille, France
| | - Rudi D'Hooge
- Laboratory of Biological Psychology, University of Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Luc Buée
- Université Lille-Nord de France, UDSL, Lille, France; Inserm UMR837, Jean-Pierre Aubert Research Centre, Lille, France; CHRU-Lille, Lille, France
| | - Detlef Balschun
- Laboratory of Biological Psychology, University of Leuven, Leuven, Belgium.
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Zhang ZY, Li C, Zug C, Schluesener HJ. Icariin ameliorates neuropathological changes, TGF-β1 accumulation and behavioral deficits in a mouse model of cerebral amyloidosis. PLoS One 2014; 9:e104616. [PMID: 25101849 PMCID: PMC4125230 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0104616] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/06/2014] [Accepted: 07/14/2014] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Icariin, a major constituent of flavonoids from the Chinese medicinal herb Epimedium brevicornum, exhibits multiple biological properties, including anti-inflammatory, neuroregulatory and neuroprotective activities. Therefore, Icariin might be applied in treatment of neurodegenerative disorders, including Alzheimer's disease (AD), which is neuropathologically characterized by β-amyloid aggregation, hyperphosphorylated tau and neuroinflammation. Potential therapeutic effects of Icariin were investigated in an animal model of cerebral amyloidosis for AD, transgenic APP/PS1 mouse. Icariin was suspended in carboxymethylcellulose and given orally to APP/PS1 mice. Therapeutic effects were monitored by behavioral tests, namely nesting assay, before and during the experimental treatment. Following an oral treatment of 10 days, Icariin significantly attenuated Aβ deposition, microglial activation and TGF-β1 immunoreactivity at amyloid plaques in cortex and hippocampus of transgenic mice 5 months of age, and restored impaired nesting ability. Our results suggest that Icariin might be considered a promising therapeutic option for human AD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhi-Yuan Zhang
- Division of Immunopathology of the Nervous System, Institute of Pathology and Neuropathology, University of Tuebingen, Tuebingen, Germany
- * E-mail:
| | - Chaoyun Li
- Division of Immunopathology of the Nervous System, Institute of Pathology and Neuropathology, University of Tuebingen, Tuebingen, Germany
| | - Caroline Zug
- Division of Immunopathology of the Nervous System, Institute of Pathology and Neuropathology, University of Tuebingen, Tuebingen, Germany
| | - Hermann J. Schluesener
- Division of Immunopathology of the Nervous System, Institute of Pathology and Neuropathology, University of Tuebingen, Tuebingen, Germany
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Webster SJ, Bachstetter AD, Nelson PT, Schmitt FA, Van Eldik LJ. Using mice to model Alzheimer's dementia: an overview of the clinical disease and the preclinical behavioral changes in 10 mouse models. Front Genet 2014; 5:88. [PMID: 24795750 PMCID: PMC4005958 DOI: 10.3389/fgene.2014.00088] [Citation(s) in RCA: 492] [Impact Index Per Article: 49.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/21/2014] [Accepted: 04/01/2014] [Indexed: 01/17/2023] Open
Abstract
The goal of this review is to discuss how behavioral tests in mice relate to the pathological and neuropsychological features seen in human Alzheimer's disease (AD), and present a comprehensive analysis of the temporal progression of behavioral impairments in commonly used AD mouse models that contain mutations in amyloid precursor protein (APP). We begin with a brief overview of the neuropathological changes seen in the AD brain and an outline of some of the clinical neuropsychological assessments used to measure cognitive deficits associated with the disease. This is followed by a critical assessment of behavioral tasks that are used in AD mice to model the cognitive changes seen in the human disease. Behavioral tests discussed include spatial memory tests [Morris water maze (MWM), radial arm water maze (RAWM), Barnes maze], associative learning tasks (passive avoidance, fear conditioning), alternation tasks (Y-Maze/T-Maze), recognition memory tasks (Novel Object Recognition), attentional tasks (3 and 5 choice serial reaction time), set-shifting tasks, and reversal learning tasks. We discuss the strengths and weaknesses of each of these behavioral tasks, and how they may correlate with clinical assessments in humans. Finally, the temporal progression of both cognitive and non-cognitive deficits in 10 AD mouse models (PDAPP, TG2576, APP23, TgCRND8, J20, APP/PS1, TG2576 + PS1 (M146L), APP/PS1 KI, 5×FAD, and 3×Tg-AD) are discussed in detail. Mouse models of AD and the behavioral tasks used in conjunction with those models are immensely important in contributing to our knowledge of disease progression and are a useful tool to study AD pathophysiology and the resulting cognitive deficits. However, investigators need to be aware of the potential weaknesses of the available preclinical models in terms of their ability to model cognitive changes observed in human AD. It is our hope that this review will assist investigators in selecting an appropriate mouse model, and accompanying behavioral paradigms to investigate different aspects of AD pathology and disease progression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Scott J Webster
- Sanders-Brown Center on Aging, University of Kentucky Lexington, KY, USA
| | - Adam D Bachstetter
- Sanders-Brown Center on Aging, University of Kentucky Lexington, KY, USA
| | - Peter T Nelson
- Sanders-Brown Center on Aging, University of Kentucky Lexington, KY, USA ; Division of Neuropathology, Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of Kentucky Lexington, KY, USA
| | - Frederick A Schmitt
- Sanders-Brown Center on Aging, University of Kentucky Lexington, KY, USA ; Department of Neurology, University of Kentucky Lexington, KY, USA
| | - Linda J Van Eldik
- Sanders-Brown Center on Aging, University of Kentucky Lexington, KY, USA ; Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, University of Kentucky Lexington, KY, USA
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31
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Zhang ZY, Daniels R, Schluesener HJ. Oridonin ameliorates neuropathological changes and behavioural deficits in a mouse model of cerebral amyloidosis. J Cell Mol Med 2013; 17:1566-76. [PMID: 24034629 PMCID: PMC3914648 DOI: 10.1111/jcmm.12124] [Citation(s) in RCA: 50] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/11/2013] [Accepted: 08/05/2013] [Indexed: 11/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is the most common form of neurodegeneration and the major cause of dementia. This multifactorial disorder is clinically defined by progressive behavioural and cognitive deficits, and neuropathologically characterized by β-amyloid aggregation, hyperphosphorylated tau and neuroinflammation. Oridonin, a diterpenoid isolated from Chinese herb Rabdosia rubescens, has multiple biological properties, especially anti-inflammatory and neuroregulatory activities. Potential therapeutic effects of Oridonin were investigated in an animal model of cerebral amyloidosis for AD, transgenic APP/PS1 mice. Oridonin was suspended in carboxymethylcellulose or loaded with a nanostructured emulsion, and was orally administrated or injected. Before, during and following the experimental treatments, behavioural tests were performed with these transgenic mice and their naive littermates. Following relatively short-term treatments of 10 days, brain tissue of mice were removed for immunohistochemical assays. The results indicate that both oral treatment and injection of Oridonin significantly attenuated β-amyloid deposition, plaque-associated APP expression and microglial activation in brain of transgenic mice. Furthermore, injection of Oridonin-nanoemulsion ameliorated deficits in nesting, an important affiliative behaviour, and in social interaction. Additional in vitro studies indicated that Oridonin effectively attenuated inflammatory reaction of macrophage and microglial cell lines. Our results suggest that Oridonin might be considered a promising therapeutic option for human AD or other neurodegenerative diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhi-Yuan Zhang
- Division of Immunopathology of the Nervous System, Institute of Pathology and Neuropathology, University of Tuebingen, Tuebingen, Germany
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32
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Yan L, Li L, Han W, Pan B, Xue X, Mei B. Age-related neuropsychiatric symptoms in presenilins conditional double knockout mice. Brain Res Bull 2013; 97:104-11. [PMID: 23792007 DOI: 10.1016/j.brainresbull.2013.06.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/03/2012] [Revised: 06/02/2013] [Accepted: 06/05/2013] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Alzheimer's disease (AD) is the most common form of dementia and causes impairments of memory, cognition and behavior. Remarkably, most AD patients exhibit personality changes that often precede other early clinical manifestations. Conditional presenilin1 (PS1) and presenilin2 (PS2) double knockout (DKO) mice have age-related forebrain atrophy, tau hyperphosphorylation, synaptic dysfunction, cognitive deficits and increased inflammatory responses in both the periphery and the brain. Whether these mice have age-related emotional changes have not yet been investigated. In the present study, we used 2-, 6- and 11-month-old DKO and littermate control (CON) mice to examine their age-related emotional conditions. Our results indicate that DKO mice have observable age-related neuropsychiatric symptoms, such as anxiety, irritability, depression, apathy, aggressivity, anhedonia and aberrant motor behavior when compared with other AD-like mouse models. In summary, our results not only indicate that DKO mice may be a valuable model for probing age-related AD diagnoses but also suggest a new pathogenesis of neurodegenerative diseases that is worth further investigation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Li Yan
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Brain Functional Genomics, Key Laboratory of Brain Functional Genomics, Ministry of Education, East China Normal University, Shanghai 200062, China
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Oral administration of histone deacetylase inhibitor MS-275 ameliorates neuroinflammation and cerebral amyloidosis and improves behavior in a mouse model. J Neuropathol Exp Neurol 2013; 72:178-85. [PMID: 23399896 DOI: 10.1097/nen.0b013e318283114a] [Citation(s) in RCA: 88] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Alzheimer disease is the most common neurodegenerative disease and the major cause of dementia. In addition to β-amyloid aggregation and hyperphosphorylated tau, neuroinflammation also plays important roles in the pathophysiology of this multifactorial disorder. Histone deacetylase catalyzes deacetylation of histones and has important roles in the regulation of gene expression. Histone deacetylase inhibitors have been reported to exhibit neuroprotective and anti-neuroinflammatory activities and have therapeutic effects in several animal models of neurodegenerative diseases. Here, an efficient benzamide histone deacetylase inhibitor, MS-275, was orally administered by gavage to transgenic APP/PS1 mice, an animal model of cerebral amyloidosis for Alzheimer disease. After 10 days of treatment, MS-275 significantly ameliorated microglial activation and β-amyloid deposition in cerebral cortex and/or hippocampus. This was associated with improved nesting behavior, an important affiliative/social behavior. MS-275 also attenuated inflammatory activation of a mouse macrophage cell line in vitro. These results suggest that MS-275 may be a therapeutic option for Alzheimer disease and other neuroinflammatory diseases.
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34
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Rodgers SP, Born HA, Das P, Jankowsky JL. Transgenic APP expression during postnatal development causes persistent locomotor hyperactivity in the adult. Mol Neurodegener 2012; 7:28. [PMID: 22709352 PMCID: PMC3457908 DOI: 10.1186/1750-1326-7-28] [Citation(s) in RCA: 45] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/22/2012] [Accepted: 06/06/2012] [Indexed: 01/17/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Transgenic mice expressing disease-associated proteins have become standard tools for studying human neurological disorders. Transgenes are often expressed using promoters chosen to drive continuous high-level expression throughout life rather than temporal and spatial fidelity to the endogenous gene. This approach has allowed us to recapitulate diseases of aging within the two-year lifespan of the laboratory mouse, but has the potential for creating aberrant phenotypes by mechanisms unrelated to the human disorder. Results We show that overexpression of the Alzheimer’s-related amyloid precursor protein (APP) during early postnatal development leads to severe locomotor hyperactivity that can be significantly attenuated by delaying transgene onset until adulthood. Our data suggest that exposure to transgenic APP during maturation influences the development of neuronal circuits controlling motor activity. Both when matched for total duration of APP overexpression and when matched for cortical amyloid burden, animals exposed to transgenic APP as juveniles are more active in locomotor assays than animals in which APP overexpression was delayed until adulthood. In contrast to motor activity, the age of APP onset had no effect on thigmotaxis in the open field as a rough measure of anxiety, suggesting that the interaction between APP overexpression and brain development is not unilateral. Conclusions Our findings indicate that locomotor hyperactivity displayed by the tet-off APP transgenic mice and several other transgenic models of Alzheimer’s disease may result from overexpression of mutant APP during postnatal brain development. Our results serve as a reminder of the potential for unexpected interactions between foreign transgenes and brain development to cause long-lasting effects on neuronal function in the adult. The tet-off APP model provides an easy means of avoiding developmental confounds by allowing transgene expression to be delayed until the mice reach adulthood.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shaefali P Rodgers
- Department of Neuroscience, Baylor College of Medicine, One Baylor Plaza, Houston, TX 77030, USA
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Lalonde R, Fukuchi K, Strazielle C. APP transgenic mice for modelling behavioural and psychological symptoms of dementia (BPSD). Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2012; 36:1357-75. [PMID: 22373961 PMCID: PMC3340431 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2012.02.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 46] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/07/2011] [Revised: 02/10/2012] [Accepted: 02/13/2012] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
The discovery of gene mutations responsible for autosomal dominant Alzheimer's disease has enabled researchers to reproduce in transgenic mice several hallmarks of this disorder, notably Aβ accumulation, though in most cases without neurofibrillary tangles. Mice expressing mutated and wild-type APP as well as C-terminal fragments of APP exhibit variations in exploratory activity reminiscent of behavioural and psychological symptoms of Alzheimer dementia (BPSD). In particular, open-field, spontaneous alternation, and elevated plus-maze tasks as well as aggression are modified in several APP transgenic mice relative to non-transgenic controls. However, depending on the precise murine models, changes in open-field and elevated plus-maze exploration occur in either direction, either increased or decreased relative to controls. It remains to be determined which neurotransmitter changes are responsible for this variability, in particular with respect to GABA, 5HT, and dopamine.
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Affiliation(s)
- R Lalonde
- Département de Psychologie, Faculté des Sciences, Université de Rouen, 76821 Mont-Saint-Aignan Cedex, France.
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Kim JM, Chu K, Jung KH, Lee ST, Choi SS, Lee SK. Criminal manifestations of dementia patients: report from the national forensic hospital. Dement Geriatr Cogn Dis Extra 2011; 1:433-8. [PMID: 22279449 PMCID: PMC3265807 DOI: 10.1159/000330929] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/13/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND/AIMS Some dementia patients have profound behavioral and psychological symptoms which might cause legal violation. We illustrate clinical and criminal characteristics of dementia patients who had been incarcerated because of criminal activity. METHODS The National Forensic Hospital is the only hospital-based correctional facility in the Republic of Korea which incarcerates criminals with psychiatric or neurological disease. Between May 2008 and April 2009, those patients who had been diagnosed with dementia in the National Forensic Hospital were included in the study. We reviewed their medical and legal reports. RESULTS There were 7 dementia patients out of 752 patients, including 2 Alzheimer's disease (AD) patients, 1 vascular dementia patient, and 4 patients with alcohol-related dementia. Criminal behavior included simple larceny by the 2 AD patients, and multiple violent crimes in a drunken state by the other 5 patients. CONCLUSIONS This study reported diverse criminal behaviors among dementia patients. Inebriation may be related to violent criminal behavior among some dementia patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jeong-Min Kim
- Department of Neurology, Seoul National University Hospital, South Korea
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