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Characterization of social behavior in young and middle-aged ChAT-IRES-Cre mouse. PLoS One 2022; 17:e0272141. [PMID: 35925937 PMCID: PMC9352053 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0272141] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/10/2022] [Accepted: 07/13/2022] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
The cholinergic system is an important modulator of brain processes. It contributes to the regulation of several cognitive functions and emotional states, hence altering behaviors. Previous works showed that cholinergic (nicotinic) receptors of the prefrontal cortex are needed for adapted social behaviors. However, these data were obtained in mutant mice that also present alterations of several neurotransmitter systems, in addition to the cholinergic system. ChAT-IRES-Cre mice, that express the Cre recombinase specifically in cholinergic neurons, are useful tools to investigate the role of the cholinergic circuits in behavior. However, their own behavioral phenotype has not yet been fully characterized, in particular social behavior. In addition, the consequences of aging on the cholinergic system of ChAT-IRES-Cre mice has never been studied, despite the fact that aging is known to compromise the cholinergic system efficiency. The aim of the current study was thus to characterize the social phenotype of ChAT-IRES-Cre mice both at young (2–3 months) and middle (10–11 months) ages. Our results reveal an alteration of the cholinergic system, evidenced by a decrease of ChAT, CHT and VAChT gene expression in the striatum of the mice, that was accompanied by mild social disturbances and a tendency towards anxiety. Aging decreased social dominance, without being amplified by the cholinergic alterations. Altogether, this study shows that ChAT-IRES-Cre mice are useful models for studying the cholinergic system‘s role in social behavior using appropriate modulating technics (optogenetic or DREADD).
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McQuail JA, Beas BS, Kelly KB, Hernandez CM, Bizon JL, Frazier CJ. Attenuated NMDAR signaling on fast-spiking interneurons in prefrontal cortex contributes to age-related decline of cognitive flexibility. Neuropharmacology 2021; 197:108720. [PMID: 34273386 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuropharm.2021.108720] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/28/2020] [Revised: 07/08/2021] [Accepted: 07/13/2021] [Indexed: 02/01/2023]
Abstract
Ionotropic glutamate receptors of the NMDA and AMPA subtypes transduce excitatory signaling on neurons in the prefrontal cortex (PFC) in support of cognitive flexibility. Cognitive flexibility is reliably observed to decline at advanced ages, coinciding with changes in PFC glutamate receptor expression and neuronal physiology. However, the relationship between age-related impairment of cognitive flexibility and changes to excitatory signaling on distinct classes of PFC neurons is not known. In this study, one cohort of young adult (4 months) and aged (20 months) male F344 rats were characterized for cognitive flexibility on an operant set-shifting task. Expression of the essential NMDAR subunit, NR1, was correlated with individual differences in set-shifting abilities such that lower NR1 in the aged PFC was associated with worse set-shifting. In contrast, lower expression of two AMPAR subunits, GluR1 and GluR2, was not associated with set-shift abilities in aging. As NMDARs are expressed by both pyramidal cells and fast-spiking interneurons (FSI) in PFC, whole-cell patch clamp recordings were performed in a second cohort of age-matched rats to compare age-associated changes on these neuronal subtypes. Evoked excitatory postsynaptic currents were generated using a bipolar stimulator while AMPAR vs. NMDAR-mediated components were isolated using pharmacological tools. The results revealed a clear increase in AMPA/NMDA ratio in FSIs that was not present in pyramidal neurons. Together, these data indicate that loss of NMDARs on interneurons in PFC contributes to age-related impairment of cognitive flexibility.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joseph A McQuail
- Department of Pharmacology, Physiology and Neuroscience, University of South Carolina School of Medicine, Columbia, SC, 29208, USA.
| | - B Sofia Beas
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Florida College of Medicine, Gainesville, FL, 32610, USA; Unit on the Neurobiology of Affective Memory, National Institute of Mental Health, Bethesda, MD, 20892, USA
| | - Kyle B Kelly
- Department of Pharmacodynamics, University of Florida College of Pharmacy, Gainesville, FL, 32610, USA
| | - Caesar M Hernandez
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Florida College of Medicine, Gainesville, FL, 32610, USA; Department of Cellular, Development, and Integrative Biology, The University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, 35294, USA
| | - Jennifer L Bizon
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Florida College of Medicine, Gainesville, FL, 32610, USA
| | - Charles J Frazier
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Florida College of Medicine, Gainesville, FL, 32610, USA; Department of Pharmacodynamics, University of Florida College of Pharmacy, Gainesville, FL, 32610, USA.
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Odagaki Y, Kinoshita M, Javier Meana J, Callado LF, García-Sevilla JA. Fundamental features of receptor-mediated Gα i/o activation in human prefrontal cortical membranes: A postmortem study. Brain Res 2020; 1747:147032. [PMID: 32745659 DOI: 10.1016/j.brainres.2020.147032] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/23/2020] [Revised: 07/12/2020] [Accepted: 07/23/2020] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
To elucidate possible abnormalities in transmembrane signal transduction in psychiatric diseases, use of autopsy brain is a feasible approach. However, postmortem studies should be interpreted with caution concerning such factors as age, gender, psychotropic drug history, agonal state, postmortem delay (PMD), and storage period. In this study, agonist-induced [35S]GTPγS binding was performed in postmortem dorsolateral prefrontal cortical membranes of 40 control subjects. In addition to the previously reported G protein-coupled receptor (GPCR)-mediated Gi/o activation, κ-opioid receptor-mediated [35S]GTPγS binding was detected by using U-50,448. The responses elicited by 16 different agonists were determined, and the effects of several factors were investigated. Gender difference was negligible. Concentration-response curve of histamine H3 receptor-mediated [35S]GTPγS binding was shifted rightward in the subjects with some drugs detected at toxicological screening. Age-related alterations were minimal, except for the age-dependent supersensitivity of μ-opioid receptor-mediated Gαi/o activation, revealed by endomorphin-1- and DAMGO-stimulated [35S]GTPγS binding. Age-related increase in %Emax values was also detected as to DPDPE-induced [35S]GTPγS binding through δ-opioid receptors. With an exception of NOP receptor/G-protein coupling, GPCR-mediated [35S]GTPγS binding is relatively stable irrespective of PMD or storage period. There were many positive correlations among the %Emax values for different receptor subtypes, which might reflect formation of heterodimer complex of such GPCRs coupled to the same Gi/o proteins. These results provide us with important fundamental data in the future project using human postmortem brains from patients with psychiatric disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuji Odagaki
- Department of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, Saitama Medical University, 38 Morohongo, Moroyama-machi, Iruma-gun, Saitama 350-0495, Japan.
| | - Masakazu Kinoshita
- Department of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, Saitama Medical University, 38 Morohongo, Moroyama-machi, Iruma-gun, Saitama 350-0495, Japan
| | - J Javier Meana
- Department of Pharmacology, University of the Basque Country, UPV/EHU, E-48940 Leioa, Bizkaia, and Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Salud Mental, CIBERSAM, Spain
| | - Luis F Callado
- Department of Pharmacology, University of the Basque Country, UPV/EHU, E-48940 Leioa, Bizkaia, and Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Salud Mental, CIBERSAM, Spain
| | - Jesús A García-Sevilla
- Laboratory of Neuropharmacology, Institut Universitari d'Investigació en Ciències de la Salut (IUNICS), University of the Balearic Islands (UIB), and Institut d'investigació Sanitària Illes Balears (IdISBa), Palma de Mallorca, Spain
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Colon-Perez LM, Turner SM, Lubke KN, Pompilus M, Febo M, Burke SN. Multiscale Imaging Reveals Aberrant Functional Connectome Organization and Elevated Dorsal Striatal Arc Expression in Advanced Age. eNeuro 2019; 6:ENEURO.0047-19.2019. [PMID: 31826916 PMCID: PMC6978920 DOI: 10.1523/eneuro.0047-19.2019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/06/2019] [Revised: 11/30/2019] [Accepted: 12/05/2019] [Indexed: 02/08/2023] Open
Abstract
The functional connectome reflects a network architecture enabling adaptive behavior that becomes vulnerable in advanced age. The cellular mechanisms that contribute to altered functional connectivity in old age, however, are not known. Here we used a multiscale imaging approach to link age-related changes in the functional connectome to altered expression of the activity-dependent immediate-early gene Arc as a function of training to multitask on a working memory (WM)/biconditional association task (BAT). Resting-state fMRI data were collected from young and aged rats longitudinally at three different timepoints during cognitive training. After imaging, rats performed the WM/BAT and were immediately sacrificed to examine expression levels of Arc during task performance. Aged behaviorally impaired, but not young, rats had a subnetwork of increased connectivity between the anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) and dorsal striatum (DS) that was correlated with the use of a suboptimal response-based strategy during cognitive testing. Moreover, while young rats had stable rich-club organization across three scanning sessions, the rich-club organization of old rats increased with cognitive training. In a control group of young and aged rats that were longitudinally scanned at similar time intervals, but without cognitive training, ACC-DS connectivity and rich-club organization did not change between scans in either age group. These findings suggest that aberrant large-scale functional connectivity in aged animals is associated with altered cellular activity patterns within individual brain regions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luis M Colon-Perez
- Department of Neurobiology and Behavior, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, California 92697
| | - Sean M Turner
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida 32610
| | - Katelyn N Lubke
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida 32610
| | - Marjory Pompilus
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida 32610
| | - Marcelo Febo
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida 32610
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida 32610
- Department of McKnight Brain Institute and College of Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida 32610
| | - Sara N Burke
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida 32610
- Department of McKnight Brain Institute and College of Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida 32610
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de Oliveira PG, Ramos MLS, Amaro AJ, Dias RA, Vieira SI. G i/o-Protein Coupled Receptors in the Aging Brain. Front Aging Neurosci 2019; 11:89. [PMID: 31105551 PMCID: PMC6492497 DOI: 10.3389/fnagi.2019.00089] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/13/2018] [Accepted: 04/03/2019] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Cells translate extracellular signals to regulate processes such as differentiation, metabolism and proliferation, via transmembranar receptors. G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) belong to the largest family of transmembrane receptors, with over 800 members in the human species. Given the variety of key physiological functions regulated by GPCRs, these are main targets of existing drugs. During normal aging, alterations in the expression and activity of GPCRs have been observed. The central nervous system (CNS) is particularly affected by these alterations, which results in decreased brain functions, impaired neuroregeneration, and increased vulnerability to neuropathologies, such as Alzheimer's and Parkinson diseases. GPCRs signal via heterotrimeric G proteins, such as Go, the most abundant heterotrimeric G protein in CNS. We here review age-induced effects of GPCR signaling via the Gi/o subfamily at the CNS. During the aging process, a reduction in protein density is observed for almost half of the Gi/o-coupled GPCRs, particularly in age-vulnerable regions such as the frontal cortex, hippocampus, substantia nigra and striatum. Gi/o levels also tend to decrease with aging, particularly in regions such as the frontal cortex. Alterations in the expression and activity of GPCRs and coupled G proteins result from altered proteostasis, peroxidation of membranar lipids and age-associated neuronal degeneration and death, and have impact on aging hallmarks and age-related neuropathologies. Further, due to oligomerization of GPCRs at the membrane and their cooperative signaling, down-regulation of a specific Gi/o-coupled GPCR may affect signaling and drug targeting of other types/subtypes of GPCRs with which it dimerizes. Gi/o-coupled GPCRs receptorsomes are thus the focus of more effective therapeutic drugs aiming to prevent or revert the decline in brain functions and increased risk of neuropathologies at advanced ages.
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Affiliation(s)
- Patrícia G de Oliveira
- Department of Medical Sciences, Institute of Biomedicine (iBiMED) and The Discovery CTR, Universidade de Aveiro, Aveiro, Portugal
| | - Marta L S Ramos
- Department of Medical Sciences, Institute of Biomedicine (iBiMED) and The Discovery CTR, Universidade de Aveiro, Aveiro, Portugal
| | - António J Amaro
- School of Health Sciences (ESSUA), Universidade de Aveiro, Aveiro, Portugal
| | - Roberto A Dias
- Department of Medical Sciences, Institute of Biomedicine (iBiMED) and The Discovery CTR, Universidade de Aveiro, Aveiro, Portugal
| | - Sandra I Vieira
- Department of Medical Sciences, Institute of Biomedicine (iBiMED) and The Discovery CTR, Universidade de Aveiro, Aveiro, Portugal
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Burke SN, Foster TC. Animal models of cognitive aging and circuit-specific vulnerability. HANDBOOK OF CLINICAL NEUROLOGY 2019; 167:19-36. [PMID: 31753133 DOI: 10.1016/b978-0-12-804766-8.00002-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/22/2023]
Abstract
Medial temporal lobe and prefrontal cortical structures are particularly vulnerable to dysfunction in advanced age and neurodegenerative diseases. This review focuses on cognitive aging studies in animals to illustrate the important aspects of the animal model paradigm for investigation of age-related memory and executive function loss. Particular attention is paid to the discussion of the face, construct, and predictive validity of animal models for determining the possible mechanisms of regional vulnerability in aging and for identifying novel therapeutic strategies. Aging is associated with a host of regionally specific neurobiologic alterations. Thus, targeted interventions that restore normal activity in one brain region may exacerbate aberrant activity in another, hindering the restoration of function at the behavioral level. As such, interventions that target the optimization of "cognitive networks" rather than discrete brain regions may be more effective for improving functional outcomes in the elderly.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sara N Burke
- Department of Neuroscience, William L. and Evelyn F. McKnight Brain Institute, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, United States
| | - Thomas C Foster
- Department of Neuroscience, William L. and Evelyn F. McKnight Brain Institute, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, United States.
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Portero-Tresserra M, Martí-Nicolovius M, Tarrés-Gatius M, Candalija A, Guillazo-Blanch G, Vale-Martínez A. Intra-hippocampal D-cycloserine rescues decreased social memory, spatial learning reversal, and synaptophysin levels in aged rats. Psychopharmacology (Berl) 2018; 235:1463-1477. [PMID: 29492616 DOI: 10.1007/s00213-018-4858-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/05/2017] [Accepted: 02/15/2018] [Indexed: 01/08/2023]
Abstract
RATIONALE Aging is characterized by a decrease in N-methyl-D-aspartate receptors (NMDARs) in the hippocampus, which might be one of the factors involved in the age-dependent cognitive decline. D-Cycloserine (DCS), a partial agonist of the NMDAR glycine recognition site, could improve memory deficits associated to neurodegenerative disorders and cognitive deficits observed in normal aging. OBJECTIVES AND METHODS The aim of the present study was to explore whether DCS would reverse age-dependent memory deficits and decreases in NMDA receptor subunits (GluN1, GluN2A, and GluN2B) and the presynaptic protein synaptophysin in Wistar rats. We investigated the effects of pre-training infusions of DCS (10 μg/hemisphere) in the ventral hippocampus on two hippocampal-dependent learning tasks, the social transmission of food preference (STFP), and the Morris water maze (MWM). RESULTS The results revealed that infusions of DCS administered before the acquisition sessions rescued deficits in the STFP retention and MWM reversal learning in old rats. DCS also significantly increased the hippocampal levels of synaptophysin in old rats, which correlated with STFP and MWM performance in all tests. Moreover, although the levels of the GluN1 subunit correlated with the MWM acquisition and reversal, DCS did not enhance the expression of such synaptic protein. CONCLUSIONS The present behavioral results support the role of DCS as a cognitive enhancer and suggest that enhancing the function of NMDARs and synaptic plasticity in the hippocampus may be related to improvement in social memory and spatial learning reversal in aged animals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marta Portero-Tresserra
- Departament de Psicobiologia i Metodologia de les Ciències de la Salut, Institut de Neurociències, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Margarita Martí-Nicolovius
- Departament de Psicobiologia i Metodologia de les Ciències de la Salut, Institut de Neurociències, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain.
| | - Mireia Tarrés-Gatius
- Departament de Psicobiologia i Metodologia de les Ciències de la Salut, Institut de Neurociències, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Ana Candalija
- Departament de Bioquímica i Biologia Molecular, Institut de Neurociències, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Gemma Guillazo-Blanch
- Departament de Psicobiologia i Metodologia de les Ciències de la Salut, Institut de Neurociències, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Anna Vale-Martínez
- Departament de Psicobiologia i Metodologia de les Ciències de la Salut, Institut de Neurociències, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
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Valuskova P, Farar V, Forczek S, Krizova I, Myslivecek J. Autoradiography of 3H-pirenzepine and 3H-AFDX-384 in Mouse Brain Regions: Possible Insights into M 1, M 2, and M 4 Muscarinic Receptors Distribution. Front Pharmacol 2018; 9:124. [PMID: 29515448 PMCID: PMC5826229 DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2018.00124] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/07/2017] [Accepted: 02/05/2018] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Autoradiography helps to determine the distribution and density of muscarinic receptor (MR) binding sites in the brain. However, it relies on the selectivity of radioligands toward their target. 3H-Pirenzepine is commonly believed to label predominantly M1MR, 3H-AFDX-384 is considered as M2MR selective ligand. Here we performed series of autoradiographies with 3H-AFDX-384 (2 nM), and 3H-pirenzepine (5 nM) in WT, M1KO, M2KO, and M4KO mice to address the ligand selectivity. Labeling with 3H-pirenzepine using M1KO, M2KO, and M4KO brain sections showed the high selectivity toward M1MR. Selectivity of 3H-AFDX-384 toward M2MR varies among brain regions and depends on individual MR subtype proportion. All binding sites in the medulla oblongata and pons, correspond to M2MR. In caudate putamen, nucleus accumbens and olfactory tubercle, 77.7, 74.2, and 74.6% of 3H-AFDX-384 binding sites, respectively, are represented by M4MR and M2MR constitute only a minor portion. In cortex and hippocampus, 3H-AFDX-384 labels almost similar amounts of M2MR and M4MR alongside significant amounts of non-M2/non-M4MR. In cortex, the proportion of 3H-AFDX-384 binding sites attributable to M2MR can be increased by blocking M4MR with MT3 toxin without affecting non-M4MR. PD102807, which is considered as a highly selective M4MR antagonist failed to improve the discrimination of M2MR. Autoradiography with 3H-QNB showed genotype specific loss of binding sites. IN CONCLUSION while 3H-pirenzepine showed the high selectivity toward M1MR, 3H-AFDX-384 binding sites represent different populations of MR subtypes in a brain-region-specific manner. This finding has to be taken into account when interpreting the binding data.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paulina Valuskova
- First Faculty of Medicine, Institute of Physiology, Charles University, Prague, Czechia
| | - Vladimir Farar
- First Faculty of Medicine, Institute of Physiology, Charles University, Prague, Czechia
| | - Sandor Forczek
- Institute of Experimental Botany, Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic, Prague, Czechia
| | - Iva Krizova
- First Faculty of Medicine, Institute of Physiology, Charles University, Prague, Czechia
| | - Jaromir Myslivecek
- First Faculty of Medicine, Institute of Physiology, Charles University, Prague, Czechia
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Hernandez CM, Vetere LM, Orsini CA, McQuail JA, Maurer AP, Burke SN, Setlow B, Bizon JL. Decline of prefrontal cortical-mediated executive functions but attenuated delay discounting in aged Fischer 344 × brown Norway hybrid rats. Neurobiol Aging 2017; 60:141-152. [PMID: 28946018 DOI: 10.1016/j.neurobiolaging.2017.08.025] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/15/2017] [Revised: 08/24/2017] [Accepted: 08/25/2017] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
Abstract
Despite the fact that prefrontal cortex (PFC) function declines with age, aged individuals generally show an enhanced ability to delay gratification, as evident by less discounting of delayed rewards in intertemporal choice tasks. The present study was designed to evaluate relationships between 2 aspects of PFC-dependent cognition (working memory and cognitive flexibility) and intertemporal choice in young (6 months) and aged (24 months) Fischer 344 × brown Norway F1 hybrid rats. Rats were also evaluated for motivation to earn rewards using a progressive ratio task. As previously reported, aged rats showed attenuated discounting of delayed rewards, impaired working memory, and impaired cognitive flexibility compared with young. Among aged rats, greater choice of delayed reward was associated with preserved working memory, impaired cognitive flexibility, and less motivation to work for food. These relationships suggest that age-related changes in PFC and incentive motivation contribute to variance in intertemporal choice within the aged population. Cognitive impairments mediated by PFC are unlikely, however, to fully account for the enhanced ability to delay gratification that accompanies aging.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Lauren M Vetere
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA
| | - Caitlin A Orsini
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA
| | - Joseph A McQuail
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA
| | - Andrew P Maurer
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA
| | - Sara N Burke
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA
| | - Barry Setlow
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA; Department of Psychiatry, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA
| | - Jennifer L Bizon
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA; Department of Psychiatry, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA.
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10
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Matamales M, Skrbis Z, Hatch RJ, Balleine BW, Götz J, Bertran-Gonzalez J. Aging-Related Dysfunction of Striatal Cholinergic Interneurons Produces Conflict in Action Selection. Neuron 2017; 90:362-73. [PMID: 27100198 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuron.2016.03.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/10/2015] [Revised: 01/31/2016] [Accepted: 02/25/2016] [Indexed: 10/21/2022]
Abstract
For goal-directed action to remain adaptive, new strategies are required to accommodate environmental changes, a process for which parafascicular thalamic modulation of cholinergic interneurons in the striatum (PF-to-CIN) appears critical. In the elderly, however, previously acquired experience frequently interferes with new learning, yet the source of this effect has remained unexplored. Here, combining sophisticated behavioral designs, cell-specific manipulation, and extensive neuronal imaging, we investigated the involvement of the PF-to-CIN pathway in this process. We found functional alterations of this circuit in aged mice that were consistent with their incapacity to update initial goal-directed learning, resulting in faulty activation of projection neurons in the striatum. Toxicogenetic ablation of CINs in young mice reproduced these behavioral and neuronal defects, suggesting that age-related deficits in PF-to-CIN function reduce the ability of older individuals to resolve conflict between actions, likely contributing to impairments in adaptive goal-directed action and executive control in aging. VIDEO ABSTRACT.
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Affiliation(s)
- Miriam Matamales
- Clem Jones Centre for Ageing Dementia Research, Queensland Brain Institute, University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD 4000, Australia
| | - Zala Skrbis
- Clem Jones Centre for Ageing Dementia Research, Queensland Brain Institute, University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD 4000, Australia
| | - Robert J Hatch
- Clem Jones Centre for Ageing Dementia Research, Queensland Brain Institute, University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD 4000, Australia
| | - Bernard W Balleine
- Brain and Mind Centre, University of Sydney, Camperdown, NSW 2050, Australia; School of Psychology, University of NSW, Kensington, NSW 2033, Australia
| | - Jürgen Götz
- Clem Jones Centre for Ageing Dementia Research, Queensland Brain Institute, University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD 4000, Australia
| | - Jesus Bertran-Gonzalez
- Clem Jones Centre for Ageing Dementia Research, Queensland Brain Institute, University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD 4000, Australia.
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Beas BS, McQuail JA, Ban Uelos C, Setlow B, Bizon JL. Prefrontal cortical GABAergic signaling and impaired behavioral flexibility in aged F344 rats. Neuroscience 2016; 345:274-286. [PMID: 26873002 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroscience.2016.02.014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 42] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/06/2015] [Revised: 02/03/2016] [Accepted: 02/05/2016] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
The prefrontal cortex (PFC) is critical for the ability to flexibly adapt established patterns of behavior in response to a change in environmental contingencies. Impaired behavioral flexibility results in maladaptive strategies such as perseveration on response options that no longer produce a desired outcome. Pharmacological manipulations of prefrontal cortical GABAergic signaling modulate behavioral flexibility in animal models, and prefrontal cortical interneuron dysfunction is implicated in impaired behavioral flexibility that accompanies neuropsychiatric disease. As deficits in behavioral flexibility also emerge during the normal aging process, the goal of this study was to determine the role of GABAergic signaling, specifically via prefrontal cortical GABA(B) receptors, in such age-related deficits. Young and aged rats were trained in a set shifting task performed in operant chambers. First, rats learned to discriminate between two response levers to obtain a food reward on the basis of a cue light illuminated above the correct lever. Upon acquisition of this initial discrimination, the contingencies were shifted such that rats had to ignore the cue light and respond on the levers according to their left/right positions. Both young and aged rats acquired the initial discrimination similarly; however, aged rats were impaired relative to young following the set shift. Among aged rats, GABA(B) receptor expression in the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) was strongly correlated with set shifting, such that lower expression was associated with worse performance. Subsequent experiments showed that intra-mPFC administration of the GABA(B) receptor agonist baclofen enhanced set shifting performance in aged rats. These data directly link GABAergic signaling via GABA(B) receptors to impaired behavioral flexibility associated with normal aging.
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Affiliation(s)
- B S Beas
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Florida College of Medicine, Gainesville, FL, United States.
| | - J A McQuail
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Florida College of Medicine, Gainesville, FL, United States.
| | - C Ban Uelos
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Florida College of Medicine, Gainesville, FL, United States.
| | - B Setlow
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Florida College of Medicine, Gainesville, FL, United States; Department of Psychiatry, University of Florida College of Medicine, Gainesville, FL, United States; Department of Psychology, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, United States.
| | - J L Bizon
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Florida College of Medicine, Gainesville, FL, United States; Department of Psychiatry, University of Florida College of Medicine, Gainesville, FL, United States.
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Paul S, Jeon WK, Bizon JL, Han JS. Interaction of basal forebrain cholinergic neurons with the glucocorticoid system in stress regulation and cognitive impairment. Front Aging Neurosci 2015; 7:43. [PMID: 25883567 PMCID: PMC4382969 DOI: 10.3389/fnagi.2015.00043] [Citation(s) in RCA: 49] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/12/2015] [Accepted: 03/12/2015] [Indexed: 11/28/2022] Open
Abstract
A substantial number of studies on basal forebrain (BF) cholinergic neurons (BFCN) have provided compelling evidence for their role in the etiology of stress, cognitive aging, Alzheimer’s disease (AD), and other neurodegenerative diseases. BFCN project to a broad range of cortical sites and limbic structures, including the hippocampus, and are involved in stress and cognition. In particular, the hippocampus, the primary target tissue of the glucocorticoid stress hormones, is associated with cognitive function in tandem with hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis modulation. The present review summarizes glucocorticoid and HPA axis research to date in an effort to establish the manner in which stress affects the release of acetylcholine (ACh), glucocorticoids, and their receptor in the context of cognitive processes. We attempt to provide the molecular interactive link between the glucocorticoids and cholinergic system that contributes to BFCN degeneration in stress-induced acceleration of cognitive decline in aging and AD. We also discuss the importance of animal models in facilitating such studies for pharmacological use, to which could help decipher disease states and propose leads for pharmacological intervention.
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Affiliation(s)
- Saswati Paul
- Department of Biological Sciences, Konkuk University Seoul, South Korea
| | - Won Kyung Jeon
- Herbal Medicine Research Division, Korea Institute of Oriental Medicine Daejeon, South Korea
| | - Jennifer L Bizon
- Department of Neuroscience, College of Medicine, Evelyn F. and William L. McKnight Brain Institute, University of Florida Gainesville, FL, USA
| | - Jung-Soo Han
- Department of Biological Sciences, Konkuk University Seoul, South Korea
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Forebrain deletion of the vesicular acetylcholine transporter results in deficits in executive function, metabolic, and RNA splicing abnormalities in the prefrontal cortex. J Neurosci 2013; 33:14908-20. [PMID: 24027290 DOI: 10.1523/jneurosci.1933-13.2013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 49] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/19/2023] Open
Abstract
One of the key brain regions in cognitive processing and executive function is the prefrontal cortex (PFC), which receives cholinergic input from basal forebrain cholinergic neurons. We evaluated the contribution of synaptically released acetylcholine (ACh) to executive function by genetically targeting the vesicular acetylcholine transporter (VAChT) in the mouse forebrain. Executive function was assessed using a pairwise visual discrimination paradigm and the 5-choice serial reaction time task (5-CSRT). In the pairwise test, VAChT-deficient mice were able to learn, but were impaired in reversal learning, suggesting that these mice present cognitive inflexibility. Interestingly, VAChT-targeted mice took longer to reach criteria in the 5-CSRT. Although their performance was indistinguishable from that of control mice during low attentional demand, increased attentional demand revealed striking deficits in VAChT-deleted mice. Galantamine, a cholinesterase inhibitor used in Alzheimer's disease, significantly improved the performance of control mice, but not of VAChT-deficient mice on the 5-CSRT. In vivo magnetic resonance spectroscopy showed altered levels of two neurochemical markers of neuronal function, taurine and lactate, suggesting altered PFC metabolism in VAChT-deficient mice. The PFC of these mice displayed a drastic reduction in the splicing factor heterogeneous nuclear ribonucleoprotein A2/B1 (hnRNPA2/B1), whose cholinergic-mediated reduction was previously demonstrated in Alzheimer's disease. Consequently, several key hnRNPA2/B1 target transcripts involved in neuronal function present changes in alternative splicing in VAChT-deficient mice, including pyruvate kinase M, a key enzyme involved in lactate metabolism. We propose that VAChT-targeted mice can be used to model and to dissect the neurochemical basis of executive abnormalities.
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Tacrine improves reversal learning in older rats. Neuropharmacology 2013; 73:284-9. [DOI: 10.1016/j.neuropharm.2013.05.036] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/30/2012] [Revised: 04/02/2013] [Accepted: 05/18/2013] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
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Harati H, Barbelivien A, Herbeaux K, Muller MA, Engeln M, Kelche C, Cassel JC, Majchrzak M. Lifelong environmental enrichment in rats: impact on emotional behavior, spatial memory vividness, and cholinergic neurons over the lifespan. AGE (DORDRECHT, NETHERLANDS) 2013; 35:1027-1043. [PMID: 22592932 PMCID: PMC3705108 DOI: 10.1007/s11357-012-9424-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/05/2012] [Accepted: 04/30/2012] [Indexed: 05/28/2023]
Abstract
We assessed lifelong environmental enrichment effects on possible age-related modifications in emotional behaviors, spatial memory acquisition, retrieval of recent and remote spatial memory, and cholinergic forebrain systems. At the age of 1 month, Long-Evans female rats were placed in standard or enriched rearing conditions and tested after 3 (young), 12 (middle-aged), or 24 (aged) months. Environmental enrichment decreased the reactivity to stressful situations regardless of age. In the water maze test, it delayed the onset of learning deficits and prevented age-dependent spatial learning and recent memory retrieval alterations. Remote memory retrieval, which was altered independently of age under standard rearing conditions, was rescued by enrichment in young and middle-aged, but unfortunately not aged rats. A protected basal forebrain cholinergic system, which could well be one out of several neuronal manifestations of lifelong environmental enrichment, might have contributed to the behavioral benefits of this enrichment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hayat Harati
- Laboratoire d’Imagerie et de Neurosciences Cognitives, UMR 7237 CNRS, Université de Strasbourg, IFR 37 de Neurosciences, GDR 2905 du CNRS, 12 rue Goethe, 67000 Strasbourg, France
| | - Alexandra Barbelivien
- Laboratoire d’Imagerie et de Neurosciences Cognitives, UMR 7237 CNRS, Université de Strasbourg, IFR 37 de Neurosciences, GDR 2905 du CNRS, 12 rue Goethe, 67000 Strasbourg, France
| | - Karine Herbeaux
- Laboratoire d’Imagerie et de Neurosciences Cognitives, UMR 7237 CNRS, Université de Strasbourg, IFR 37 de Neurosciences, GDR 2905 du CNRS, 12 rue Goethe, 67000 Strasbourg, France
| | - Marc-Antoine Muller
- Laboratoire d’Imagerie et de Neurosciences Cognitives, UMR 7237 CNRS, Université de Strasbourg, IFR 37 de Neurosciences, GDR 2905 du CNRS, 12 rue Goethe, 67000 Strasbourg, France
| | - Michel Engeln
- Laboratoire d’Imagerie et de Neurosciences Cognitives, UMR 7237 CNRS, Université de Strasbourg, IFR 37 de Neurosciences, GDR 2905 du CNRS, 12 rue Goethe, 67000 Strasbourg, France
| | - Christian Kelche
- Laboratoire d’Imagerie et de Neurosciences Cognitives, UMR 7237 CNRS, Université de Strasbourg, IFR 37 de Neurosciences, GDR 2905 du CNRS, 12 rue Goethe, 67000 Strasbourg, France
| | - Jean-Christophe Cassel
- Laboratoire d’Imagerie et de Neurosciences Cognitives, UMR 7237 CNRS, Université de Strasbourg, IFR 37 de Neurosciences, GDR 2905 du CNRS, 12 rue Goethe, 67000 Strasbourg, France
| | - Monique Majchrzak
- Laboratoire d’Imagerie et de Neurosciences Cognitives, UMR 7237 CNRS, Université de Strasbourg, IFR 37 de Neurosciences, GDR 2905 du CNRS, 12 rue Goethe, 67000 Strasbourg, France
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Beas BS, Setlow B, Bizon JL. Distinct manifestations of executive dysfunction in aged rats. Neurobiol Aging 2013; 34:2164-74. [PMID: 23601673 DOI: 10.1016/j.neurobiolaging.2013.03.019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 53] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/19/2012] [Revised: 03/07/2013] [Accepted: 03/17/2013] [Indexed: 01/12/2023]
Abstract
Different components of executive function such as working memory, attention, and cognitive flexibility can be dissociated behaviorally and mechanistically; however, the within-subject influences of normal aging on different aspects of executive function remain ill-defined. To better define these relationships, young adult and aged male F344 rats were cross-characterized on an attentional set-shifting task that assesses cognitive flexibility and a delayed response task that assesses working memory. Across tasks, aged rats were impaired relative to young; however, there was significant variability in individual performance within the aged cohort. Notably, performance on the set-shifting task and performance at long delays on the delayed response task were inversely related among aged rats. Additional experiments showed no relationship between aged rats' performance on the set-shifting task and performance on a hippocampal-dependent spatial reference memory task. These data indicate that normal aging can produce distinct manifestations of executive dysfunction, and support the need to better understand the unique mechanisms contributing to different forms of prefrontal cortical-supported executive decline across the lifespan.
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Affiliation(s)
- B Sofia Beas
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Florida College of Medicine, Gainesville, FL 32610-0244, USA
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McQuail JA, Davis KN, Miller F, Hampson RE, Deadwyler SA, Howlett AC, Nicolle MM. Hippocampal Gαq/₁₁ but not Gαo-coupled receptors are altered in aging. Neuropharmacology 2013; 70:63-73. [PMID: 23347951 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuropharm.2013.01.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/18/2012] [Revised: 01/08/2013] [Accepted: 01/10/2013] [Indexed: 10/27/2022]
Abstract
Normal aging may limit the signaling efficacy of certain GPCRs by disturbing the function of specific Gα-subunits and leading to deficient modulation of intracellular functions that subserve synaptic plasticity, learning and memory. Evidence suggests that Gαq/₁₁ is more sensitive to the effects of aging relative to other Gα-subunits, including Gαo. To test this hypothesis, the functionality of Gαq/₁₁ and Gαo were compared in the hippocampus of young (6 months) and aged (24 months) F344 × BNF₁ hybrid rats assessed for spatial learning ability. Basal GTPγS-binding to Gαq/₁₁ was significantly elevated in aged rats relative to young and but not reliably associated with spatial learning. mAChR stimulation of Gαq/₁₁ with oxotremorine-M produced equivocal GTPγS-binding between age groups although values tended to be lower in the aged hippocampus and were inversely related to basal activity. Downstream Gαq/₁₁ function was measured in hippocampal subregion CA₁ by determining changes in [Ca(2+)]i after mAChR and mGluR (DHPG) stimulation. mAChR-stimulated peak change in [Ca(2+)]i was lower in aged CA₁ relative to young while mGluR-mediated integrated [Ca(2+)]i responses tended to be larger in aged. GPCR modulation of [Ca(2+)]i was observed to depend on intracellular stores to a greater degree in aged than young. In contrast, measures of Gαo-mediated GTPγS-binding were stable across age, including basal, mAChR-, GABABR (baclofen)-stimulated levels. Overall, the data indicate that aging selectively modulates the activity of Gαq/₁₁ within the hippocampus leading to deficient modulation of [Ca(2+)]i following stimulation of mAChRs but these changes are not related to spatial learning.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joseph A McQuail
- Neuroscience Program, Wake Forest University Graduate School of Arts & Sciences, Medical Center Boulevard, Winston-Salem, NC 27157, USA.
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Bizon JL, Foster TC, Alexander GE, Glisky EL. Characterizing cognitive aging of working memory and executive function in animal models. Front Aging Neurosci 2012; 4:19. [PMID: 22988438 PMCID: PMC3439637 DOI: 10.3389/fnagi.2012.00019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 115] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/09/2012] [Accepted: 06/21/2012] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Executive functions supported by prefrontal cortical (PFC) systems provide essential control and planning mechanisms to guide goal-directed behavior. As such, age-related alterations in executive functions can mediate profound and widespread deficits on a diverse array of neurocognitive processes. Many of the critical neuroanatomical and functional characteristics of prefrontal cortex are preserved in rodents, allowing for meaningful cross species comparisons relevant to the study of cognitive aging. In particular, as rodents lend themselves to genetic, cellular and biochemical approaches, rodent models of executive function stand to significantly contribute to our understanding of the critical neurobiological mechanisms that mediate decline of executive processes across the lifespan. Moreover, rodent analogs of executive functions that decline in human aging represent an essential component of a targeted, rational approach for developing and testing effective treatment and prevention therapies for age-related cognitive decline. This paper reviews behavioral approaches used to study executive function in rodents, with a focus on those assays that share a foundation in the psychological and neuroanatomical constructs important for human aging. A particular emphasis is placed on behavioral approaches used to assess working memory and cognitive flexibility, which are sensitive to decline with age across species and for which strong rodent models currently exist. In addition, other approaches in rodent behavior that have potential for providing analogs to functions that reliably decline to human aging (e.g., information processing speed) are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jennifer L Bizon
- Department of Neuroscience, Evelyn F. and William L. McKnight Brain Institute, University of Florida Gainesville, FL, USA
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Zeng Y, Lv F, Li L, Yu H, Dong M, Fu Q. 7,8-dihydroxyflavone rescues spatial memory and synaptic plasticity in cognitively impaired aged rats. J Neurochem 2012; 122:800-11. [PMID: 22694088 DOI: 10.1111/j.1471-4159.2012.07830.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 61] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
7,8-dihydroxyflavone (7,8-DHF) has recently been identified as a potential TrkB agonist that crosses the blood-brain barrier after i.p. administration. We previously demonstrated that 7,8-DHF in vitro rescues long-term synaptic plasticity in the hippocampus of aged rats. This study assessed the rescue effect of 7,8-DHF in vivo on aging-related cognitive impairment in rats, and further determined whether the effect of 7,8-DHF is age dependent. Aged rats at 22 and 30 months of age were pretested for spatial memory in Morris water maze. The aged-impaired rats were retested twice during 7,8-DHF or vehicle treatment, which started 3 weeks after the completion of the pretest. In the 22-month-old rats, daily i.p. administration of 7,8-DHF for 2 weeks improved spatial memory. The improvement in behavioral tests was associated with increases in synapse formation and facilitation of synaptic plasticity in the hippocampus, as well as the activation of several proteins crucial to synaptic plasticity and memory. A more extended treatment paradigm with 7,8-DHF was required to achieve a significant memory improvement in the severely impaired 30-month-old rats. Moreover, 7,8-DHF moderately facilitated the synaptic plasticity, modified the density but not number of spines in the hippocampus of the oldest rats. Taken together, our results suggest that 7,8-DHF can act in vivo to counteract aging-induced declines in spatial memory and synaptic plasticity and morphological changes of hippocampal neurons. The effect of 7,8-DHF is more pronounced in relatively younger impaired rats than in those of more advanced age. These findings demonstrate the reversal of age-dependent memory impairment by in vivo 7,8-DHF application and support the benefit of early treatment for cognitive aging.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yan Zeng
- Department of Pathophysiology, School of Medicine, Wuhan University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, China.
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