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Morè L, Privitera L, Lopes M, Arthur JSC, Lauterborn JC, Corrêa SAL, Frenguelli BG. MSK1 is required for the experience- and ampakine-dependent enhancement of spatial reference memory and reversal learning and for the induction of Arc and BDNF. Neuropharmacology 2024:110110. [PMID: 39128584 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuropharm.2024.110110] [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: 02/27/2024] [Revised: 08/08/2024] [Accepted: 08/08/2024] [Indexed: 08/13/2024]
Abstract
There is considerable interest in the development of nootropics, pharmacological agents that can improve cognition across a range of both cognitive modalities and cognitive disabilities. One class of cognitive enhancers, the ampakines, has attracted particular attention by virtue of improving cognition associated with animal models of neurodevelopmental, neurodegenerative, and psychiatric conditions, as well as in age-related cognitive impairment. Ampakines elevate CNS levels of BDNF, and it is through this elevation that their beneficial actions are believed to occur. However, what transduces the elevation of BDNF into long-lasting cognitive enhancement is not known. We have previously shown that MSK1, by virtue of its ability to regulate gene transcription, converts the elevation of BDNF associated with environmental enrichment into molecular, synaptic, cognitive and genomic adaptations that underlie enrichment-induced enhanced synaptic plasticity and learning and memory, a property that MSK1 retains across the lifespan. To establish whether MSK1 similarly converts ampakine-induced elevations of BDNF into cognitive enhancement we tested an ampakine (CX929) in male WT mice and in male mice in which the kinase activity of MSK1 was inactivated. We found that MSK1 is required for the ampakine-dependent improvement in spatial reference memory and cognitive flexibility, and for the elevations of BDNF and the plasticity-related protein Arc associated with ampakines and experience. These observations implicate MSK1 as a key enabler of the beneficial effects of ampakines on cognitive function, and furthermore identify MSK1 as a hub for BDNF-elevating nootropic strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lorenzo Morè
- School of Life Sciences, University of Warwick, Coventry, CV4 7AL, UK; School of Pharmacy and Biomedical Sciences, University of Central Lancashire, Preston, PR1 2HE, UK
| | - Lucia Privitera
- School of Life Sciences, University of Warwick, Coventry, CV4 7AL, UK
| | - Marcia Lopes
- Bradford School of Pharmacy and Medical Sciences, University of Bradford, Bradford, BD7 1DP, UK
| | - J Simon C Arthur
- Division of Cell Signalling and Immunology, University of Dundee, Dundee, DD1 5EH, UK
| | - Julie C Lauterborn
- Department of Anatomy & Neurobiology, University of California, Irvine, USA
| | - Sonia A L Corrêa
- Bradford School of Pharmacy and Medical Sciences, University of Bradford, Bradford, BD7 1DP, UK; Department of Life Sciences, Manchester Metropolitan University, Manchester, M15 6BH, UK
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Alcaráz N, Salcedo-Tello P, González-Barrios R, Torres-Arciga K, Guzmán-Ramos K. Underlying Mechanisms of the Protective Effects of Lifestyle Factors On Age-Related Diseases. Arch Med Res 2024; 55:103014. [PMID: 38861840 DOI: 10.1016/j.arcmed.2024.103014] [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: 12/07/2023] [Revised: 05/15/2024] [Accepted: 05/30/2024] [Indexed: 06/13/2024]
Abstract
The rise in life expectancy has significantly increased the occurrence of age-related chronic diseases, leading to escalating expenses for both society and individuals. Among the main factors influencing health and lifespan, lifestyle takes a forefront position. Specifically, nutrition, mental activity, and physical exercise influence the molecular and functional mechanisms that contribute to the prevention of major age-related diseases. Gaining deeper insights into the mechanisms that drive the positive effects of healthy lifestyles is valuable for creating interventions to prevent or postpone the development of chronic degenerative diseases. This review summarizes the main mechanisms that underlie the positive effect of lifestyle factors in counteracting the major age-related diseases involving brain health, musculoskeletal function, cancer, frailty, and cardiovascular diseases, among others. This knowledge will help to identify high-risk populations for targeted intervention trials and discover new biomarkers associated with healthy aging.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicolás Alcaráz
- Novo Nordisk Foundation Center for Protein Research, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Pamela Salcedo-Tello
- Departamento de Bioquímica, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Mexico City, Mexico
| | - Rodrigo González-Barrios
- Instituto Nacional de Cancerología, Laboratorio de regulación de la cromatina y genómica, Mexico City, México
| | - Karla Torres-Arciga
- Instituto Nacional de Cancerología, Laboratorio de regulación de la cromatina y genómica, Mexico City, México; Posgrado en Ciencias Biológicas, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Mexico City, Mexico
| | - Kioko Guzmán-Ramos
- Departamento de Ciencias de la Salud, Universidad Autónoma Metropolitana, Unidad Lerma, Mexico State, Mexico.
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Khalil MH. Environmental enrichment: a systematic review on the effect of a changing spatial complexity on hippocampal neurogenesis and plasticity in rodents, with considerations for translation to urban and built environments for humans. Front Neurosci 2024; 18:1368411. [PMID: 38919908 PMCID: PMC11196820 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2024.1368411] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/10/2024] [Accepted: 05/21/2024] [Indexed: 06/27/2024] Open
Abstract
Introduction Hippocampal neurogenesis is critical for improving learning, memory, and spatial navigation. Inhabiting and navigating spatial complexity is key to stimulating adult hippocampal neurogenesis (AHN) in rodents because they share similar hippocampal neuroplasticity characteristics with humans. AHN in humans has recently been found to persist until the tenth decade of life, but it declines with aging and is influenced by environmental enrichment. This systematic review investigated the impact of spatial complexity on neurogenesis and hippocampal plasticity in rodents, and discussed the translatability of these findings to human interventions. Methods Comprehensive searches were conducted on three databases in English: PubMed, Web of Science, and Scopus. All literature published until December 2023 was screened and assessed for eligibility. A total of 32 studies with original data were included, and the process is reported in accordance with the PRISMA (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses) statement and checklist. Results The studies evaluated various models of spatial complexity in rodents, including environmental enrichment, changes to in-cage elements, complex layouts, and navigational mazes featuring novelty and intermittent complexity. A regression equation was formulated to synthesize key factors influencing neurogenesis, such as duration, physical activity, frequency of changes, diversity of complexity, age, living space size, and temperature. Conclusion Findings underscore the cognitive benefits of spatial complexity interventions and inform future translational research from rodents to humans. Home-cage enrichment and models like the Hamlet complex maze and the Marlau cage offer insight into how architectural design and urban navigational complexity can impact neurogenesis in humans. In-space changing complexity, with and without physical activity, is effective for stimulating neurogenesis. While evidence on intermittent spatial complexity in humans is limited, data from the COVID-19 pandemic lockdowns provide preliminary evidence. Existing equations relating rodent and human ages may allow for the translation of enrichment protocol durations from rodents to humans.
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Sinclair D, Canty AJ, Ziebell JM, Woodhouse A, Collins JM, Perry S, Roccati E, Kuruvilla M, Leung J, Atkinson R, Vickers JC, Cook AL, King AE. Experimental laboratory models as tools for understanding modifiable dementia risk. Alzheimers Dement 2024; 20:4260-4289. [PMID: 38687209 PMCID: PMC11180874 DOI: 10.1002/alz.13834] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/13/2023] [Revised: 02/29/2024] [Accepted: 03/18/2024] [Indexed: 05/02/2024]
Abstract
Experimental laboratory research has an important role to play in dementia prevention. Mechanisms underlying modifiable risk factors for dementia are promising targets for dementia prevention but are difficult to investigate in human populations due to technological constraints and confounds. Therefore, controlled laboratory experiments in models such as transgenic rodents, invertebrates and in vitro cultured cells are increasingly used to investigate dementia risk factors and test strategies which target them to prevent dementia. This review provides an overview of experimental research into 15 established and putative modifiable dementia risk factors: less early-life education, hearing loss, depression, social isolation, life stress, hypertension, obesity, diabetes, physical inactivity, heavy alcohol use, smoking, air pollution, anesthetic exposure, traumatic brain injury, and disordered sleep. It explores how experimental models have been, and can be, used to address questions about modifiable dementia risk and prevention that cannot readily be addressed in human studies. HIGHLIGHTS: Modifiable dementia risk factors are promising targets for dementia prevention. Interrogation of mechanisms underlying dementia risk is difficult in human populations. Studies using diverse experimental models are revealing modifiable dementia risk mechanisms. We review experimental research into 15 modifiable dementia risk factors. Laboratory science can contribute uniquely to dementia prevention.
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Affiliation(s)
- Duncan Sinclair
- Wicking Dementia Research and Education Centre, University of TasmaniaHobartTasmaniaAustralia
| | - Alison J. Canty
- Wicking Dementia Research and Education Centre, University of TasmaniaHobartTasmaniaAustralia
- Global Brain Health Institute, Trinity CollegeDublinIreland
| | - Jenna M. Ziebell
- Wicking Dementia Research and Education Centre, University of TasmaniaHobartTasmaniaAustralia
| | - Adele Woodhouse
- Wicking Dementia Research and Education Centre, University of TasmaniaHobartTasmaniaAustralia
| | - Jessica M. Collins
- Wicking Dementia Research and Education Centre, University of TasmaniaHobartTasmaniaAustralia
| | - Sharn Perry
- Wicking Dementia Research and Education Centre, University of TasmaniaHobartTasmaniaAustralia
| | - Eddy Roccati
- Wicking Dementia Research and Education Centre, University of TasmaniaHobartTasmaniaAustralia
| | - Maneesh Kuruvilla
- Wicking Dementia Research and Education Centre, University of TasmaniaHobartTasmaniaAustralia
| | - Jacqueline Leung
- Wicking Dementia Research and Education Centre, University of TasmaniaHobartTasmaniaAustralia
| | - Rachel Atkinson
- Wicking Dementia Research and Education Centre, University of TasmaniaHobartTasmaniaAustralia
| | - James C. Vickers
- Wicking Dementia Research and Education Centre, University of TasmaniaHobartTasmaniaAustralia
| | - Anthony L. Cook
- Wicking Dementia Research and Education Centre, University of TasmaniaHobartTasmaniaAustralia
| | - Anna E. King
- Wicking Dementia Research and Education Centre, University of TasmaniaHobartTasmaniaAustralia
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Bow H, Dang C, Hillsbery K, Markowski C, Black M, Strand C. Food for Thought: The Effects of Feeding on Neurogenesis in the Ball Python, Python regius. BRAIN, BEHAVIOR AND EVOLUTION 2024; 99:144-157. [PMID: 38657588 DOI: 10.1159/000539052] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/07/2024] [Accepted: 04/16/2024] [Indexed: 04/26/2024]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Pythons are a well-studied model of postprandial physiological plasticity. Consuming a meal evokes a suite of physiological changes in pythons including one of the largest documented increases in post-feeding metabolic rates relative to resting values. However, little is known about how this plasticity manifests in the brain. Previous work has shown that cell proliferation in the python brain increases 6 days following meal consumption. This study aimed to confirm these findings and build on them in the long term by tracking the survival and maturation of these newly created cells across a 2-month period. METHODS We investigated differences in neural cell proliferation in ball pythons 6 days after a meal with immunofluorescence using the cell-birth marker 5-bromo-12'-deoxyuridine (BrdU). We investigated differences in neural cell maturation in ball pythons 2 months after a meal using double immunofluorescence for BrdU and a reptilian ortholog of the neuronal marker Fox3. RESULTS We did not find significantly greater rates of cell proliferation in snakes 6 days after feeding, but we did observe more new cells in neurogenic regions in fed snakes 2 months after the meal. Feeding was not associated with higher rates of neurogenesis, but snakes that received a meal had higher numbers of newly created nonneuronal cells than fasted controls. We documented particularly high cell survival rates in the olfactory bulbs and lateral cortex. CONCLUSION Consuming a meal stimulates cell proliferation in the brains of ball pythons after digestion is complete, although this effect emerged at a later time point in this study than expected. Higher rates of proliferation partially account for greater numbers of newly created non-neuronal cells in the brains of fed snakes 2 months after the meal, but our results also suggest that feeding may have a mild neuroprotective effect. We captured a slight trend toward higher cell survival rates in fed snakes, and survival rates were particularly high in brain regions associated with olfactory perception and processing. These findings shed light on the relationship between energy balance and the creation of new neural cells in the brains of ball pythons.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hannah Bow
- Biological Sciences Department, California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo, California, USA
| | - Christina Dang
- Biological Sciences Department, California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo, California, USA
| | - Katherine Hillsbery
- Biological Sciences Department, California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo, California, USA
| | - Carly Markowski
- Biomedical Engineering Department, California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo, California, USA
| | - Michael Black
- Biological Sciences Department, California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo, California, USA
| | - Christine Strand
- Biological Sciences Department, California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo, California, USA
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de Vries LE, Huitinga I, Kessels HW, Swaab DF, Verhaagen J. The concept of resilience to Alzheimer's Disease: current definitions and cellular and molecular mechanisms. Mol Neurodegener 2024; 19:33. [PMID: 38589893 PMCID: PMC11003087 DOI: 10.1186/s13024-024-00719-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/23/2023] [Accepted: 03/20/2024] [Indexed: 04/10/2024] Open
Abstract
Some individuals are able to maintain their cognitive abilities despite the presence of significant Alzheimer's Disease (AD) neuropathological changes. This discrepancy between cognition and pathology has been labeled as resilience and has evolved into a widely debated concept. External factors such as cognitive stimulation are associated with resilience to AD, but the exact cellular and molecular underpinnings are not completely understood. In this review, we discuss the current definitions used in the field, highlight the translational approaches used to investigate resilience to AD and summarize the underlying cellular and molecular substrates of resilience that have been derived from human and animal studies, which have received more and more attention in the last few years. From these studies the picture emerges that resilient individuals are different from AD patients in terms of specific pathological species and their cellular reaction to AD pathology, which possibly helps to maintain cognition up to a certain tipping point. Studying these rare resilient individuals can be of great importance as it could pave the way to novel therapeutic avenues for AD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luuk E de Vries
- Department of Neuroregeneration, Netherlands Institute for Neuroscience, Institute of the Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences, 1105 BA, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
| | - Inge Huitinga
- Department of Neuroimmunology, Netherlands Institute for Neuroscience, Institute of the Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences, 1105 BA, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Helmut W Kessels
- Swammerdam Institute for Life Sciences, Amsterdam Neuroscience, University of Amsterdam, 1098 XH, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Dick F Swaab
- Department of Neuropsychiatric Disorders, Netherlands Institute for Neuroscience, an Institute of the Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences, 1105 BA, Amsterdam, Netherlands
| | - Joost Verhaagen
- Department of Neuroregeneration, Netherlands Institute for Neuroscience, Institute of the Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences, 1105 BA, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Neurobiology, Center for Neurogenomics and Cognitive Research, Neuroscience Campus Amsterdam, VU University, Boelelaan 1085, 1081 HV, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
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Fan B, Lin J, Luo Q, Liao W, Hao C. Enriched Environment Inhibits Neurotoxic Reactive Astrocytes via JAK2-STAT3 to Promote Glutamatergic Synaptogenesis and Cognitive Improvement in Chronic Cerebral Hypoperfusion Rats. Neurotox Res 2024; 42:22. [PMID: 38564082 DOI: 10.1007/s12640-024-00704-4] [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] [Accepted: 03/26/2024] [Indexed: 04/04/2024]
Abstract
Chronic cerebral hypoperfusion (CCH) is a primary contributor to cognitive decline in the elderly. Enriched environment (EE) is proved to improve cognitive function. However, mechanisms involved remain unclear. The purpose of the study was exploring the mechanisms of EE in alleviating cognitive deficit in rats with CCH. To create a rat model of CCH, 2-vessel occlusion (2-VO) surgery was performed. All rats lived in standard or enriched environments for 4 weeks. Cognitive function was assessed using the novel object recognition test and Morris water maze test. The protein levels of glutamatergic synapses, neurotoxic reactive astrocytes, reactive microglia, and JAK2-STAT3 signaling pathway were measured using Western blot. The mRNA levels of synaptic regulatory factors, C1q, TNF-α, and IL-1α were identified using quantitative PCR. Immunofluorescence was used to detect glutamatergic synapses, neurotoxic reactive astrocytes, and reactive microglia, as well as the expression of p-STAT3 in astrocytes in the hippocampus. The results demonstrated that the EE mitigated cognitive impairment in rats with CCH and enhanced glutamatergic synaptogenesis. EE also inhibited the activation of neurotoxic reactive astrocytes. Moreover, EE downregulated microglial activation, levels of C1q, TNF-α and IL-1α and phosphorylation of JAK2 and STAT3. Our results suggest that inhibition of neurotoxic reactive astrocytes may be one of the mechanisms by which EE promotes glutamatergic synaptogenesis and improves cognitive function in rats with CCH. The downregulation of reactive microglia and JAK2-STAT3 signaling pathway may be involved in this process.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bin Fan
- Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, China
| | - Junbin Lin
- Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, China
| | - Qihang Luo
- Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, China
| | - Weijing Liao
- Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, China.
| | - Chizi Hao
- Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, China.
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Funabashi D, Tsuchida R, Matsui T, Kita I, Nishijima T. Enlarged housing space and increased spatial complexity enhance hippocampal neurogenesis but do not increase physical activity in mice. Front Sports Act Living 2023; 5:1203260. [PMID: 37822972 PMCID: PMC10562532 DOI: 10.3389/fspor.2023.1203260] [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: 04/10/2023] [Accepted: 09/13/2023] [Indexed: 10/13/2023] Open
Abstract
Introduction Environmental enrichment (EE) improves various health outcomes, such as hippocampal neurogenesis, in rodents, which is thought to be caused, in part, by increased physical activity. However, the specific effect of each enrichment component, such as enlarged housing spaces and increased spatial complexity with a variety of objects, on physical activity remains unclear because of methodological limitations in measuring physical activity. We aimed to examine whether enlarged housing spaces and increased spatial complexity increase physical activity in mice using a body-implantable actimeter. Methods Adult male C57BL/6J mice were assigned to either standard housing or EE groups. The housing environment in the EE mice was gradually enriched by enlarging the housing space and the placement of a variety of objects. Physical activity was measured using a body-implanted actimeter. Hippocampal neurogenesis was immunohistochemically examined. Results Enlarged housing spaces and the placement of a variety of objects did not increase physical activity in mice. In contrast, hippocampal neurogenesis was enhanced in the EE mice, suggesting that environmental interventions successfully provided enriched housing conditions for these mice. Conclusions These results indicate that enlarged housing spaces and increased spatial complexity do not increase physical activity in mice. Furthermore, we found that EE enhanced hippocampal neurogenesis without increasing activity volume. Besides the current understanding that increasing the amount of physical activity is key to improving hippocampal function, our result suggests that the environment in which physical activity takes place is also a crucial contextual factor in determining the impact of physical activity on hippocampal function.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daisuke Funabashi
- Department of Health Promotion Sciences, Graduate School of Human Health Sciences, Tokyo Metropolitan University, Tokyo, Japan
- Exercise Biochemistry & Sport Neurobiology Division, Institute of Health and Sport Sciences, University of Tsukuba, Tsukuba, Japan
| | - Ryuki Tsuchida
- Department of Health Promotion Sciences, Graduate School of Human Health Sciences, Tokyo Metropolitan University, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Takashi Matsui
- Exercise Biochemistry & Sport Neurobiology Division, Institute of Health and Sport Sciences, University of Tsukuba, Tsukuba, Japan
| | - Ichiro Kita
- Department of Health Promotion Sciences, Graduate School of Human Health Sciences, Tokyo Metropolitan University, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Takeshi Nishijima
- Department of Health Promotion Sciences, Graduate School of Human Health Sciences, Tokyo Metropolitan University, Tokyo, Japan
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Kyriazis M, Swas L, Orlova T. The Impact of Hormesis, Neuronal Stress Response, and Reproduction, upon Clinical Aging: A Narrative Review. J Clin Med 2023; 12:5433. [PMID: 37629475 PMCID: PMC10455615 DOI: 10.3390/jcm12165433] [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: 06/29/2023] [Revised: 08/05/2023] [Accepted: 08/17/2023] [Indexed: 08/27/2023] Open
Abstract
INTRODUCTION The primary objective of researchers in the biology of aging is to gain a comprehensive understanding of the aging process while developing practical solutions that can enhance the quality of life for older individuals. This involves a continuous effort to bridge the gap between fundamental biological research and its real-world applications. PURPOSE In this narrative review, we attempt to link research findings concerning the hormetic relationship between neurons and germ cells, and translate these findings into clinically relevant concepts. METHODS We conducted a literature search using PubMed, Embase, PLOS, Digital Commons Network, Google Scholar and Cochrane Library from 2000 to 2023, analyzing studies dealing with the relationship between hormetic, cognitive, and reproductive aspects of human aging. RESULTS The process of hormesis serves as a bridge between the biology of neuron-germ cell interactions on one hand, and the clinical relevance of these interactions on the other. Details concerning these processes are discussed here, emphasizing new research which strengthens the overall concept. CONCLUSIONS This review presents a scientifically and clinically relevant argument, claiming that maintaining a cognitively active lifestyle may decrease age-related degeneration, and improve overall health in aging. This is a totally novel approach which reflects current developments in several relevant aspects of our biology, technology, and society.
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Morè L, Privitera L, Cooper DD, Tsogka M, Arthur JSC, Frenguelli BG. MSK1 is required for the beneficial synaptic and cognitive effects of enriched experience across the lifespan. Aging (Albany NY) 2023; 15:6031-6072. [PMID: 37432063 PMCID: PMC10373962 DOI: 10.18632/aging.204833] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/28/2023] [Accepted: 05/31/2023] [Indexed: 07/12/2023]
Abstract
Positive experiences, such as social interaction, cognitive training and physical exercise, have been shown to ameliorate some of the harms to cognition associated with ageing. Animal models of positive interventions, commonly known as environmental enrichment, strongly influence neuronal morphology and synaptic function and enhance cognitive performance. While the profound structural and functional benefits of enrichment have been appreciated for decades, little is known as to how the environment influences neurons to respond and adapt to these positive sensory experiences. We show that adult and aged male wild-type mice that underwent a 10-week environmental enrichment protocol demonstrated improved performance in a variety of behavioural tasks, including those testing spatial working and spatial reference memory, and an enhancement in hippocampal LTP. Aged animals in particular benefitted from enrichment, performing spatial memory tasks at levels similar to healthy adult mice. Many of these benefits, including in gene expression, were absent in mice with a mutation in an enzyme, MSK1, which is activated by BDNF, a growth factor implicated in rodent and human cognition. We conclude that enrichment is beneficial across the lifespan and that MSK1 is required for the full extent of these experience-induced improvements of cognitive abilities, synaptic plasticity and gene expression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lorenzo Morè
- School of Life Sciences, University of Warwick, Coventry CV4 7AL, UK
- School of Pharmacy and Biomedical Sciences, University of Central Lancashire, Preston PR1 2HE, UK
| | - Lucia Privitera
- School of Life Sciences, University of Warwick, Coventry CV4 7AL, UK
| | - Daniel D. Cooper
- School of Life Sciences, University of Warwick, Coventry CV4 7AL, UK
| | - Marianthi Tsogka
- School of Life Sciences, University of Warwick, Coventry CV4 7AL, UK
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11
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Gros A, Wang SH. Cognitive rescue in aging through prior training in rats. Aging (Albany NY) 2023; 15:5990-6010. [PMID: 37338529 PMCID: PMC10373978 DOI: 10.18632/aging.204808] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/22/2023] [Accepted: 05/23/2023] [Indexed: 06/21/2023]
Abstract
Cognitive decline in spatial memory is seen in aging. Understanding affected processes in aging is vital for developing methods to improve wellbeing. Daily memory persistence can be influenced by events around the time of learning or by prior experiences in early life. Fading memories in young can last longer if a novel event is introduced around encoding, a process called behavioral tagging. Based on this principle, we asked what processes are affected in aging and if prior training can rescue them. Two groups of aged rats received training in an appetitive delayed matching-to-place task. One of the groups additionally received prior training of the same task in young and in mid-life, constituting a longitudinal study. The results showed long-term memory decline in late aging without prior training. This would reflect affected encoding and consolidation. On the other hand, short-term memory was preserved and novelty at memory reactivation and reconsolidation enabled memory maintenance in aging. Prior training improved cognition through facilitating task performance, strengthening short-term memory and intermediate memory, and enabling encoding-boosted long-term memory. Implication of these findings in understanding brain mechanisms in cognitive aging and in beneficial effects of prior training is discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexandra Gros
- Centre for Clinical Brain Sciences, The University of Edinburgh, Chancellor’s Building, Edinburgh, Scotland, UK
| | - Szu-Han Wang
- Centre for Clinical Brain Sciences, The University of Edinburgh, Chancellor’s Building, Edinburgh, Scotland, UK
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12
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Bray EE, Raichlen DA, Forsyth KK, Promislow DEL, Alexander GE, MacLean EL. Associations between physical activity and cognitive dysfunction in older companion dogs: results from the Dog Aging Project. GeroScience 2023; 45:645-661. [PMID: 36129565 PMCID: PMC9886770 DOI: 10.1007/s11357-022-00655-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/20/2022] [Accepted: 09/02/2022] [Indexed: 02/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Canine cognitive dysfunction (CCD) is a form of dementia that shares many similarities with Alzheimer's disease. Given that physical activity is believed to reduce risk of Alzheimer's disease in humans, we explored the association between physical activity and cognitive health in a cohort of companion dogs, aged 6-18 years. We hypothesized that higher levels of physical activity would be associated with lower (i.e., better) scores on a cognitive dysfunction rating instrument and lower prevalence of dementia, and that this association would be robust when controlling for age, comorbidities, and other potential confounders. Our sample included 11,574 companion dogs enrolled through the Dog Aging Project, of whom 287 had scores over the clinical threshold for CCD. In this observational, cross-sectional study, we used owner-reported questionnaire data to quantify dog cognitive health (via a validated scale), physical activity levels, health conditions, training history, and dietary supplements. We fit regression models with measures of cognitive health as the outcome, and physical activity-with several important covariates-as predictors. We found a significant negative relationship between physical activity and current severity of cognitive dysfunction symptoms (estimate = - 0.10, 95% CI: - 0.11 to - 0.08, p < 0.001), extent of symptom worsening over a 6-month interval (estimate = - 0.07, 95% CI: - 0.09 to - 0.05, p < 0.001), and whether a dog reached a clinical level of CCD (odds ratio = 0.53, 95% CI: 0.45 to 0.63, p < 0.001). Physical activity was robustly associated with better cognitive outcomes in dogs. Our findings illustrate the value of companion dogs as a model for investigating relationships between physical activity and cognitive aging, including aspects of dementia that may have translational potential for Alzheimer's disease. While the current study represents an important first step in identifying a relationship between physical activity and cognitive function, it cannot determine causality. Future studies are needed to rule out reverse causation by following the same dogs prospectively over time, and to evaluate causality by administering physical activity interventions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emily E Bray
- Arizona Canine Cognition Center, School of Anthropology, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, USA.
- Canine Companions for Independence, National Headquarters, Santa Rosa, CA, USA.
| | - David A Raichlen
- Human and Evolutionary Biology Section, Department of Biological Sciences, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Kiersten K Forsyth
- College of Veterinary Medicine & Biomedical Sciences, M University, Texas A &, College Station, TX, USA
| | - Daniel E L Promislow
- Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology, University of Washington School of Medicine, Seattle, WA, USA
- Department of Biology, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Gene E Alexander
- Department of Psychology, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, USA
- Evelyn F. McKnight Brain Institute, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, USA
- Arizona Alzheimer's Consortium, Phoenix, AZ, USA
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, USA
- Neuroscience Graduate Interdisciplinary Program, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, USA
- Physiological Sciences Graduate Interdisciplinary Program, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, USA
| | - Evan L MacLean
- Arizona Canine Cognition Center, School of Anthropology, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, USA
- Department of Psychology, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, USA
- Cognitive Science Program, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, USA
- College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, USA
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13
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Environmental Enrichment Protects Offspring of a Rat Model of Preeclampsia from Cognitive Decline. Cell Mol Neurobiol 2023; 43:381-394. [PMID: 35119541 DOI: 10.1007/s10571-022-01192-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/20/2021] [Accepted: 01/07/2022] [Indexed: 01/07/2023]
Abstract
Preeclampsia affects 5-7% of all pregnancies and contributes to adverse pregnancy and birth outcomes. In addition to the short-term effects of preeclampsia, preeclampsia can exert long-term adverse effects on offspring. Numerous studies have demonstrated that offspring of preeclamptic women exhibit cognitive deficits from childhood to old age. However, effective ways to improve the cognitive abilities of these offspring remain to be investigated. The aim of this study was to explore whether environmental enrichment in early life could restore the cognitive ability of the offspring of a rat model of preeclampsia and to investigate the cellular and molecular mechanisms by which EE improves cognitive ability. L-NAME was used to establish a rat model of preeclampsia. The spatial learning and memory abilities and recognition memory of 56-day-old offspring were evaluated by the Morris water maze and Novel object recognition (NOR) task. Immunofluorescence was performed to evaluate cell proliferation and apoptosis in the DG region of the hippocampus. qRT-PCR was performed to examine the expression levels of neurogenesis-associated genes, pre- and postsynaptic proteins and inflammatory cytokines. An enzyme-linked immune absorbent assay was performed to evaluate the concentration of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and inflammatory cytokines in the hippocampus. The administration of L-NAME led to increased systolic blood pressure and urine protein levels in pregnant rats. Offspring in the L-NAME group exhibited impaired spatial learning ability and memory as well as NOR memory. Hippocampal neurogenesis and synaptic plasticity were impaired in offspring from the L-NAME group. Furthermore, cell apoptosis in the hippocampus was increased in the L-NAME group. The hippocampus was skewed to a proinflammatory profile, as shown by increased inflammatory cytokine levels. EE improved the cognitive ability of offspring in the L-NAME group and resulted in increased hippocampal neurogenesis and synaptic protein expression levels and decreased apoptosis and inflammatory cytokine levels. Environmental enrichment resolves cognitive impairment in the offspring of a rat model of preeclampsia by improving hippocampal neurogenesis and synaptic plasticity and normalizing the apoptosis level and the inflammatory balance.
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Restoring Age-Related Cognitive Decline through Environmental Enrichment: A Transcriptomic Approach. Cells 2022; 11:cells11233864. [PMID: 36497123 PMCID: PMC9736066 DOI: 10.3390/cells11233864] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/30/2022] [Revised: 11/15/2022] [Accepted: 11/22/2022] [Indexed: 12/03/2022] Open
Abstract
Cognitive decline is one of the greatest health threats of old age and the maintenance of optimal brain function across a lifespan remains a big challenge. The hippocampus is considered particularly vulnerable but there is cross-species consensus that its functional integrity benefits from the early and continuous exercise of demanding physical, social and mental activities, also referred to as environmental enrichment (EE). Here, we investigated the extent to which late-onset EE can improve the already-impaired cognitive abilities of lifelong deprived C57BL/6 mice and how it affects gene expression in the hippocampus. To this end, 5- and 24-month-old mice housed in standard cages (5mSC and 24mSC) and 24-month-old mice exposed to EE in the last 2 months of their life (24mEE) were subjected to a Barnes maze task followed by next-generation RNA sequencing of the hippocampal tissue. Our analyses showed that late-onset EE was able to restore deficits in spatial learning and short-term memory in 24-month-old mice. These positive cognitive effects were reflected by specific changes in the hippocampal transcriptome, where late-onset EE affected transcription much more than age (24mSC vs. 24mEE: 1311 DEGs, 24mSC vs. 5mSC: 860 DEGs). Remarkably, a small intersection of 72 age-related DEGs was counter-regulated by late-onset EE. Of these, Bcl3, Cttnbp2, Diexf, Esr2, Grb10, Il4ra, Inhba, Rras2, Rps6ka1 and Socs3 appear to be particularly relevant as key regulators involved in dendritic spine plasticity and in age-relevant molecular signaling cascades mediating senescence, insulin resistance, apoptosis and tissue regeneration. In summary, our observations suggest that the brains of aged mice in standard cage housing preserve a considerable degree of plasticity. Switching them to EE proved to be a promising and non-pharmacological intervention against cognitive decline.
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15
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Sah A, Rooney S, Kharitonova M, Sartori SB, Wolf SA, Singewald N. Enriched Environment Attenuates Enhanced Trait Anxiety in Association with Normalization of Aberrant Neuro-Inflammatory Events. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:13052. [PMID: 36361832 PMCID: PMC9657487 DOI: 10.3390/ijms232113052] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/26/2022] [Revised: 10/14/2022] [Accepted: 10/20/2022] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Neuroinflammation is discussed to play a role in specific subgroups of different psychiatric disorders, including anxiety disorders. We have previously shown that a mouse model of trait anxiety (HAB) displays enhanced microglial density and phagocytic activity in key regions of anxiety circuits compared to normal-anxiety controls (NAB). Using minocycline, we provided causal evidence that reducing microglial activation within the dentate gyrus (DG) attenuated enhanced anxiety in HABs. Besides pharmacological intervention, "positive environmental stimuli", which have the advantage of exerting no side-effects, have been shown to modulate inflammation-related markers in human beings. Therefore, we now investigated whether environmental enrichment (EE) would be sufficient to modulate upregulated neuroinflammation in high-anxiety HABs. We show for the first time that EE can indeed attenuate enhanced trait anxiety, even when presented as late as adulthood. We further found that EE-induced anxiolysis was associated with the attenuation of enhanced microglial density (using Iba-1 as the marker) in the DG and medial prefrontal cortex. Additionally, EE reduced Iba1 + CD68+ microglia density within the anterior DG. Hence, the successful attenuation of trait anxiety by EE was associated in part with the normalization of neuro-inflammatory imbalances. These results suggest that pharmacological and/or positive behavioral therapies triggering microglia-targeted anti-inflammatory effects could be promising as novel alternatives or complimentary anxiolytic therapeutic approaches in specific subgroups of individuals predisposed to trait anxiety.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anupam Sah
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Institute of Pharmacy and Center for Molecular Biosciences Innsbruck (CMBI), University of Innsbruck, Innrain 80-82/III, A-6020 Innsbruck, Austria
| | - Sinead Rooney
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Institute of Pharmacy and Center for Molecular Biosciences Innsbruck (CMBI), University of Innsbruck, Innrain 80-82/III, A-6020 Innsbruck, Austria
| | - Maria Kharitonova
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Institute of Pharmacy and Center for Molecular Biosciences Innsbruck (CMBI), University of Innsbruck, Innrain 80-82/III, A-6020 Innsbruck, Austria
| | - Simone B. Sartori
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Institute of Pharmacy and Center for Molecular Biosciences Innsbruck (CMBI), University of Innsbruck, Innrain 80-82/III, A-6020 Innsbruck, Austria
| | - Susanne A. Wolf
- Cellular Neurocience, Max-Delbrueck-Center for Molecular Medicine in the Helmholtz Association, 13125 Berlin, Germany
- Department of Experimental Ophthalmology, Charité-Universitätsmedizin Berlin, 13353 Berlin, Germany
| | - Nicolas Singewald
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Institute of Pharmacy and Center for Molecular Biosciences Innsbruck (CMBI), University of Innsbruck, Innrain 80-82/III, A-6020 Innsbruck, Austria
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16
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Changes in Stereotypies: Effects over Time and over Generations. Animals (Basel) 2022; 12:ani12192504. [PMID: 36230246 PMCID: PMC9559266 DOI: 10.3390/ani12192504] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/31/2022] [Revised: 09/06/2022] [Accepted: 09/16/2022] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Simple Summary Herein, we propose that there should be discussion about the function and effects of stereotypies in relation to the time during which they are shown. In the first stages, stereotypies may help animals deal with challenges. However, behavior can potentially alter the brain, impairing its function due the absence of a diverse repertory, and change brain connections, neurophysiology and later neuroanatomy. The neuroanatomical changes in individuals showing stereotypies could be an effect rather than a cause of the stereotypy. As a consequence, studies showing different outcomes for animal welfare from stereotypy expression could be due to variation in a timeline of expression. Stereotypies are widely used as an animal welfare indicator, and their expression can tell us about psychological states. However, there are questions about the longer-term consequences if animals express stereotypies: do the stereotypies help in coping? During the prenatal period, stereotypic behavior expressed by the mother can change the phenotype of the offspring, especially regarding emotionality, one mechanism acting via methylation in the limbic system in the brain. Are individuals that show stereotypies for shorter or longer periods all better adjusted, and hence have better welfare, or is the later welfare of some worse than that of individuals that do not show the behavior? Abstract Stereotypies comprise a wide range of repeated and apparently functionless behaviors that develop in individuals whose neural condition or environment results in poor welfare. While stereotypies are an indicator of poor welfare at the time of occurrence, they may have various consequences. Environmental enrichment modifies causal factors and reduces the occurrence of stereotypies, providing evidence that stereotypies are an indicator of poor welfare. However, stereotypy occurrence and consequences change over time. Furthermore, there are complex direct and epigenetic effects when mother mammals that are kept in negative conditions do or do not show stereotypies. It is proposed that, when trying to deal with challenging situations, stereotypies might initially help animals to cope. After further time in the conditions, the performance of the stereotypy may impair brain function and change brain connections, neurophysiology and eventually neuroanatomy. It is possible that reported neuroanatomical changes are an effect of the stereotypy rather than a cause.
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Gattas S, Collett HA, Huff AE, Creighton SD, Weber SE, Buckhalter SS, Manning SA, Ryait HS, McNaughton BL, Winters BD. A rodent obstacle course procedure controls delivery of enrichment and enhances complex cognitive functions. NPJ SCIENCE OF LEARNING 2022; 7:21. [PMID: 36057661 PMCID: PMC9440923 DOI: 10.1038/s41539-022-00134-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/21/2021] [Accepted: 06/13/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Enrichment in rodents affects brain structure, improves behavioral performance, and is neuroprotective. Similarly, in humans, according to the cognitive reserve concept, enriched experience is functionally protective against neuropathology. Despite this parallel, the ability to translate rodent studies to human clinical situations is limited. This limitation is likely due to the simple cognitive processes probed in rodent studies and the inability to control, with existing methods, the degree of rodent engagement with enrichment material. We overcome these two difficulties with behavioral tasks that probe, in a fine-grained manner, aspects of higher-order cognition associated with deterioration with aging and dementia, and a new enrichment protocol, the 'Obstacle Course' (OC), which enables controlled enrichment delivery, respectively. Together, these two advancements will enable better specification (and comparisons) of the nature of impairments in animal models of complex mental disorders and the potential for remediation from various types of intervention (e.g., enrichment, drugs). We found that two months of OC enrichment produced substantial and sustained enhancements in categorization memory, perceptual object invariance, and cross-modal sensory integration in mice. We also tested mice on behavioral tasks previously shown to benefit from traditional enrichment: spontaneous object recognition, object location memory, and pairwise visual discrimination. OC enrichment improved performance relative to standard housing on all six tasks and was in most cases superior to conventional home-cage enrichment and exercise track groups.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sandra Gattas
- Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, University of California, Irvine, CA, USA.
- Medical Scientist Training Program, University of California, Irvine, CA, USA.
| | - Heather A Collett
- Department of Psychology and Collaborative Neuroscience Program, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON, Canada
| | - Andrew E Huff
- Department of Psychology and Collaborative Neuroscience Program, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON, Canada
| | - Samantha D Creighton
- Department of Psychology and Collaborative Neuroscience Program, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON, Canada
| | - Siobhon E Weber
- Department of Psychology and Collaborative Neuroscience Program, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON, Canada
| | | | - Silas A Manning
- Department of Psychology and Collaborative Neuroscience Program, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON, Canada
| | - Hardeep S Ryait
- Canadian Centre for Behavioural Neuroscience, University of Lethbridge, Lethbridge, AB, Canada
| | - Bruce L McNaughton
- Canadian Centre for Behavioural Neuroscience, University of Lethbridge, Lethbridge, AB, Canada.
- Department of Neurobiology and Behavior, University of California, Irvine, CA, USA.
| | - Boyer D Winters
- Department of Psychology and Collaborative Neuroscience Program, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON, Canada.
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18
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Córneo E, Michels M, Abatti M, Vieira A, Gonçalves RC, Gabriel FF, Borges H, Goulart A, da Silva Matos N, Dominguini D, Varela R, Valvassori S, Dal-Pizzol F. Enriched environment causes epigenetic changes in hippocampus and improves long-term cognitive function in sepsis. Sci Rep 2022; 12:11529. [PMID: 35798809 PMCID: PMC9262921 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-14660-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/18/2021] [Accepted: 06/10/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Sepsis is defined as a life-threatening organ dysfunction caused by an inappropriate host response to infection. The presence of oxidative stress and inflammatory mediators in sepsis leads to dysregulated gene expression, leading to a hyperinflammatory response. Environmental conditions play an important role in various pathologies depending on the stimulus it presents. A standard environment condition (SE) may offer reduced sensory and cognitive stimulation, but an enriched environment improves spatial learning, prevents cognitive deficits induced by disease stress, and is an important modulator of epigenetic enzymes. The study evaluated the epigenetic alterations and the effects of the environmental enrichment (EE) protocol in the brain of animals submitted to sepsis by cecal ligation and perforation (CLP). Male Wistar rats were divided into sham and CLP at 24 h, 72 h, 10 days and 30 days after sepsis. Other male Wistar rats were distributed in a SE or in EE for forty-five days. Behavioral tests, analysis of epigenetic enzymes:histone acetylase (HAT), histone deacetylase (HDAC) and DNA methyltransferase (DNMT), biochemical and synaptic plasticity analyzes were performed. An increase in HDAC and DNMT activities was observed at 72 h, 10 days and 30 days. There was a positive correlation between epigenetic enzymes DNMT and HDAC 24 h, 10 days and 30 days. After EE, HDAC and DNMT enzyme activity decreased, cognitive impairment was reversed, IL1-β levels decreased and there was an increase in PSD-95 levels in the hippocampus. Interventions in environmental conditions can modulate the outcomes of long-term cognitive consequences associated with sepsis, supporting the idea of the potential benefits of EE.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emily Córneo
- Laboratory of Experimental Pathophysiology, Graduate Program in Health Sciences, University of Southern Santa Catarina (UNESC), Av. Universitária, 1105, Criciúma, SC, 88806000, Brazil.
| | - Monique Michels
- Laboratory of Experimental Pathophysiology, Graduate Program in Health Sciences, University of Southern Santa Catarina (UNESC), Av. Universitária, 1105, Criciúma, SC, 88806000, Brazil
| | - Mariane Abatti
- Laboratory of Experimental Pathophysiology, Graduate Program in Health Sciences, University of Southern Santa Catarina (UNESC), Av. Universitária, 1105, Criciúma, SC, 88806000, Brazil
| | - Andriele Vieira
- Laboratory of Experimental Pathophysiology, Graduate Program in Health Sciences, University of Southern Santa Catarina (UNESC), Av. Universitária, 1105, Criciúma, SC, 88806000, Brazil
| | - Renata Casagrande Gonçalves
- Laboratory of Experimental Pathophysiology, Graduate Program in Health Sciences, University of Southern Santa Catarina (UNESC), Av. Universitária, 1105, Criciúma, SC, 88806000, Brazil
| | - Filipe Fernandes Gabriel
- Laboratory of Experimental Pathophysiology, Graduate Program in Health Sciences, University of Southern Santa Catarina (UNESC), Av. Universitária, 1105, Criciúma, SC, 88806000, Brazil
| | - Heloisa Borges
- Laboratory of Experimental Pathophysiology, Graduate Program in Health Sciences, University of Southern Santa Catarina (UNESC), Av. Universitária, 1105, Criciúma, SC, 88806000, Brazil
| | - Amanda Goulart
- Laboratory of Experimental Pathophysiology, Graduate Program in Health Sciences, University of Southern Santa Catarina (UNESC), Av. Universitária, 1105, Criciúma, SC, 88806000, Brazil
| | - Natan da Silva Matos
- Laboratory of Experimental Pathophysiology, Graduate Program in Health Sciences, University of Southern Santa Catarina (UNESC), Av. Universitária, 1105, Criciúma, SC, 88806000, Brazil
| | - Diogo Dominguini
- Laboratory of Experimental Pathophysiology, Graduate Program in Health Sciences, University of Southern Santa Catarina (UNESC), Av. Universitária, 1105, Criciúma, SC, 88806000, Brazil
| | - Roger Varela
- Translational Psychiatry Laboratory, Graduate Program in Health Sciences, University of Southern Santa Catarina (UNESC), Criciúma, SC, Brazil
| | - Samira Valvassori
- Translational Psychiatry Laboratory, Graduate Program in Health Sciences, University of Southern Santa Catarina (UNESC), Criciúma, SC, Brazil
| | - Felipe Dal-Pizzol
- Laboratory of Experimental Pathophysiology, Graduate Program in Health Sciences, University of Southern Santa Catarina (UNESC), Av. Universitária, 1105, Criciúma, SC, 88806000, Brazil
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19
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de Siqueira Mendes FDCC, de Almeida MNF, Falsoni M, Andrade MLF, Felício APG, da Paixão LTVB, Júnior FLDA, Anthony DC, Brites D, Diniz CWP, Sosthenes MCK. The Sedentary Lifestyle and Masticatory Dysfunction: Time to Review the Contribution to Age-Associated Cognitive Decline and Astrocyte Morphotypes in the Dentate Gyrus. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:ijms23116342. [PMID: 35683023 PMCID: PMC9180988 DOI: 10.3390/ijms23116342] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/29/2022] [Revised: 05/15/2022] [Accepted: 05/16/2022] [Indexed: 02/01/2023] Open
Abstract
As aging and cognitive decline progresses, the impact of a sedentary lifestyle on the appearance of environment-dependent cellular morphologies in the brain becomes more apparent. Sedentary living is also associated with poor oral health, which is known to correlate with the rate of cognitive decline. Here, we will review the evidence for the interplay between mastication and environmental enrichment and assess the impact of each on the structure of the brain. In previous studies, we explored the relationship between behavior and the morphological features of dentate gyrus glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP)-positive astrocytes during aging in contrasting environments and in the context of induced masticatory dysfunction. Hierarchical cluster and discriminant analysis of GFAP-positive astrocytes from the dentate gyrus molecular layer revealed that the proportion of AST1 (astrocyte arbors with greater complexity phenotype) and AST2 (lower complexity) are differentially affected by environment, aging and masticatory dysfunction, but the relationship is not straightforward. Here we re-evaluated our previous reconstructions by comparing dorsal and ventral astrocyte morphologies in the dentate gyrus, and we found that morphological complexity was the variable that contributed most to cluster formation across the experimental groups. In general, reducing masticatory activity increases astrocyte morphological complexity, and the effect is most marked in the ventral dentate gyrus, whereas the effect of environment was more marked in the dorsal dentate gyrus. All morphotypes retained their basic structural organization in intact tissue, suggesting that they are subtypes with a non-proliferative astrocyte profile. In summary, the increased complexity of astrocytes in situations where neuronal loss and behavioral deficits are present is counterintuitive, but highlights the need to better understand the role of the astrocyte in these conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fabíola de Carvalho Chaves de Siqueira Mendes
- Laboratório de Investigações em Neurodegeneração e Infecção, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Hospital Universitário João de Barros Barreto, Universidade Federal do Pará, Belém 66073-005, PA, Brazil; (F.d.C.C.d.S.M.); (M.N.F.d.A.); (M.F.); (M.L.F.A.); (A.P.G.F.); (L.T.V.B.d.P.); (F.L.d.A.J.); (C.W.P.D.)
- Curso de Medicina, Centro Universitário do Estado do Pará, Belém 66613-903, PA, Brazil
| | - Marina Negrão Frota de Almeida
- Laboratório de Investigações em Neurodegeneração e Infecção, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Hospital Universitário João de Barros Barreto, Universidade Federal do Pará, Belém 66073-005, PA, Brazil; (F.d.C.C.d.S.M.); (M.N.F.d.A.); (M.F.); (M.L.F.A.); (A.P.G.F.); (L.T.V.B.d.P.); (F.L.d.A.J.); (C.W.P.D.)
| | - Manoela Falsoni
- Laboratório de Investigações em Neurodegeneração e Infecção, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Hospital Universitário João de Barros Barreto, Universidade Federal do Pará, Belém 66073-005, PA, Brazil; (F.d.C.C.d.S.M.); (M.N.F.d.A.); (M.F.); (M.L.F.A.); (A.P.G.F.); (L.T.V.B.d.P.); (F.L.d.A.J.); (C.W.P.D.)
| | - Marcia Lorena Ferreira Andrade
- Laboratório de Investigações em Neurodegeneração e Infecção, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Hospital Universitário João de Barros Barreto, Universidade Federal do Pará, Belém 66073-005, PA, Brazil; (F.d.C.C.d.S.M.); (M.N.F.d.A.); (M.F.); (M.L.F.A.); (A.P.G.F.); (L.T.V.B.d.P.); (F.L.d.A.J.); (C.W.P.D.)
| | - André Pinheiro Gurgel Felício
- Laboratório de Investigações em Neurodegeneração e Infecção, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Hospital Universitário João de Barros Barreto, Universidade Federal do Pará, Belém 66073-005, PA, Brazil; (F.d.C.C.d.S.M.); (M.N.F.d.A.); (M.F.); (M.L.F.A.); (A.P.G.F.); (L.T.V.B.d.P.); (F.L.d.A.J.); (C.W.P.D.)
| | - Luisa Taynah Vasconcelos Barbosa da Paixão
- Laboratório de Investigações em Neurodegeneração e Infecção, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Hospital Universitário João de Barros Barreto, Universidade Federal do Pará, Belém 66073-005, PA, Brazil; (F.d.C.C.d.S.M.); (M.N.F.d.A.); (M.F.); (M.L.F.A.); (A.P.G.F.); (L.T.V.B.d.P.); (F.L.d.A.J.); (C.W.P.D.)
| | - Fábio Leite do Amaral Júnior
- Laboratório de Investigações em Neurodegeneração e Infecção, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Hospital Universitário João de Barros Barreto, Universidade Federal do Pará, Belém 66073-005, PA, Brazil; (F.d.C.C.d.S.M.); (M.N.F.d.A.); (M.F.); (M.L.F.A.); (A.P.G.F.); (L.T.V.B.d.P.); (F.L.d.A.J.); (C.W.P.D.)
| | - Daniel Clive Anthony
- Laboratory of Experimental Neuropathology, Department of Pharmacology, University of Oxford, Oxford OX1 3QT, UK;
| | - Dora Brites
- Research Institute for Medicines (iMed.ULisboa), Faculty of Pharmacy, Universidade de Lisboa, 1649-004 Lisbon, Portugal;
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences and Medicines, Faculty of Pharmacy, Universidade de Lisboa, 1649-004 Lisbon, Portugal
| | - Cristovam Wanderley Picanço Diniz
- Laboratório de Investigações em Neurodegeneração e Infecção, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Hospital Universitário João de Barros Barreto, Universidade Federal do Pará, Belém 66073-005, PA, Brazil; (F.d.C.C.d.S.M.); (M.N.F.d.A.); (M.F.); (M.L.F.A.); (A.P.G.F.); (L.T.V.B.d.P.); (F.L.d.A.J.); (C.W.P.D.)
| | - Marcia Consentino Kronka Sosthenes
- Laboratório de Investigações em Neurodegeneração e Infecção, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Hospital Universitário João de Barros Barreto, Universidade Federal do Pará, Belém 66073-005, PA, Brazil; (F.d.C.C.d.S.M.); (M.N.F.d.A.); (M.F.); (M.L.F.A.); (A.P.G.F.); (L.T.V.B.d.P.); (F.L.d.A.J.); (C.W.P.D.)
- Correspondence:
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Maran T, Hoffmann A, Sachse P. Early lifetime experience of urban living predicts social attention in real world crowds. Cognition 2022; 225:105099. [PMID: 35334252 DOI: 10.1016/j.cognition.2022.105099] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/05/2021] [Revised: 02/14/2022] [Accepted: 03/15/2022] [Indexed: 11/03/2022]
Abstract
More than half of the world's population is currently living in cities, with more and more people moving to densely populated areas. The experience of growing up and living in crowded environments might influence the way we explore our social environment, mainly how we attend to others. Yet, we know little about how urbanicity affects this vital function of our social life. In two studies, we use mobile eye-tracking to measure participants' social attention, while walking through a shopping mall. Results show that social density of participants' native place impacts how frequently they look at passing strangers. People who experienced more city living from birth to early adolescence, attend more to strangers' faces than their rural counterparts. Our findings demonstrate that the early experience of urban upbringing configures social attention in adulthood. The urbanicity-related bias towards social gazing might reflect a more efficient processing of social information in urban natives.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thomas Maran
- University of Innsbruck, Department of Strategic Management and Leadership, Universitätsstraße 15, 6020 Innsbruck, Austria; LeadershipWerk, 9490 Vaduz, Liechtenstein.
| | - Alexandra Hoffmann
- University of Innsbruck, Department of Psychology, Innrain 52a, 6020 Innsbruck, Austria.
| | - Pierre Sachse
- University of Innsbruck, Department of Psychology, Innrain 52a, 6020 Innsbruck, Austria.
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21
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de León-Guerrero SD, Salazar-León J, Meza-Sosa KF, Valle-Garcia D, Aguilar-León D, Pedraza-Alva G, Pérez-Martínez L. An enriched environment reestablishes metabolic homeostasis by reducing obesity-induced inflammation. Dis Model Mech 2022; 15:274225. [PMID: 35112705 PMCID: PMC9227715 DOI: 10.1242/dmm.048936] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/24/2021] [Accepted: 12/09/2021] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Obesity can lead to chronic inflammation in different tissues, generating insulin and leptin resistance and alterations in glucose and lipid metabolism, favoring the development of degenerative diseases, including type II diabetes. Congruently, the inflammatory signaling inhibition prevents the development of obesity and restores insulin sensitivity. Via the enhancement of central nervous system activity, an enriched environment (EE) has beneficial effects on learning and memory as well as on immune cell functions and inflammation in different disease models. Here, we explored whether an EE can restore energy balance in obese mice that previously presented metabolic alterations. We discovered that an EE improved glucose metabolism, increased insulin signaling in liver, and reduced hepatic steatosis and inflammation, and increased lipolysis and browning in the white adipose tissue of high-fat diet (HFD)-fed mice. Finally, we found reduced inflammatory signaling and increased anorexigenic signaling in the hypothalamus of HFD-fed mice exposed to an EE. These data indicate that an EE is able to restore the metabolic imbalance caused by HFD feeding. Thus, we propose EE as a novel therapeutic approach for treating obesity-related metabolic alterations. This article has an associated First Person interview with the first author of the paper. Summary: A series of physiological, histochemical and molecular analyses reveal that enriched environment decreases inflammation in adipose tissue and in hypothalamus, re-establishing glucose metabolism in metabolically compromised mice.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sol Díaz de León-Guerrero
- Laboratorio de Neuroinmunobiología, Departamento de Medicina Molecular y Bioprocesos, Instituto de Biotecnología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México (UNAM), Cuernavaca, Morelos, CP 62210, México
| | - Jonathan Salazar-León
- Laboratorio de Neuroinmunobiología, Departamento de Medicina Molecular y Bioprocesos, Instituto de Biotecnología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México (UNAM), Cuernavaca, Morelos, CP 62210, México
| | - Karla F Meza-Sosa
- Laboratorio de Neuroinmunobiología, Departamento de Medicina Molecular y Bioprocesos, Instituto de Biotecnología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México (UNAM), Cuernavaca, Morelos, CP 62210, México
| | - David Valle-Garcia
- Laboratorio de Neuroinmunobiología, Departamento de Medicina Molecular y Bioprocesos, Instituto de Biotecnología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México (UNAM), Cuernavaca, Morelos, CP 62210, México
| | - Diana Aguilar-León
- Departamento de Patología, Instituto Nacional de Ciencias Médicas y Nutrición "Salvador Zubirán", Tlalpan, Ciudad de México, CP 14000, México
| | - Gustavo Pedraza-Alva
- Laboratorio de Neuroinmunobiología, Departamento de Medicina Molecular y Bioprocesos, Instituto de Biotecnología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México (UNAM), Cuernavaca, Morelos, CP 62210, México
| | - Leonor Pérez-Martínez
- Laboratorio de Neuroinmunobiología, Departamento de Medicina Molecular y Bioprocesos, Instituto de Biotecnología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México (UNAM), Cuernavaca, Morelos, CP 62210, México
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22
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Scabia G, Testa G, Scali M, Del Turco S, Desiato G, Berardi N, Sale A, Matteoli M, Maffei L, Maffei M, Mainardi M. Reduced ccl11/eotaxin mediates the beneficial effects of environmental stimulation on the aged hippocampus. Brain Behav Immun 2021; 98:234-244. [PMID: 34418501 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbi.2021.08.222] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/18/2020] [Revised: 07/15/2021] [Accepted: 08/13/2021] [Indexed: 02/08/2023] Open
Abstract
A deterioration in cognitive performance accompanies brain aging, even in the absence of neurodegenerative pathologies. However, the rate of cognitive decline can be slowed down by enhanced cognitive and sensorimotor stimulation protocols, such as environmental enrichment (EE). Understanding how EE exerts its beneficial effects on the aged brain pathophysiology can help in identifying new therapeutic targets. In this regard, the inflammatory chemokine ccl11/eotaxin-1 is a marker of aging with a strong relevance for neurodegenerative processes. Here, we demonstrate that EE in both elderly humans and aged mice decreases circulating levels of ccl11. Interfering, in mice, with the ccl11 decrease induced by EE ablated the beneficial effects on long-term memory retention, hippocampal neurogenesis, activation of local microglia and of ribosomal protein S6. On the other hand, treatment of standard-reared aged mice with an anti-ccl11 antibody resulted in EE-like improvements in spatial memory, hippocampal neurogenesis, and microglial activation. Taken together, our findings point to a decrease in circulating ccl11 concentration as a key mediator of the enhanced hippocampal function resulting from exposure to EE.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gaia Scabia
- Institute of Clinical Physiology, National Research Council (IFC-CNR), Pisa, Italy; Obesity and Lipodystrophies Center at Pisa University Hospital, Pisa, Italy
| | - Giovanna Testa
- Laboratory of Biology "Bio@SNS", Scuola Normale Superiore, Pisa, Italy
| | - Manuela Scali
- Institute of Neuroscience, National Research Council (IN-CNR), Pisa, Italy
| | - Serena Del Turco
- Institute of Clinical Physiology, National Research Council (IFC-CNR), Pisa, Italy
| | - Genni Desiato
- Institute of Neuroscience, National Research Council (IN-CNR), Milan, Italy; Humanitas Clinical and Research Center - IRCCS, Rozzano, Milan, Italy
| | - Nicoletta Berardi
- Institute of Neuroscience, National Research Council (IN-CNR), Pisa, Italy; Department of Neuroscience, Psychology, Drug Research and Child Health, NEUROFARBA University of Florence, Florence, Italy
| | - Alessandro Sale
- Institute of Neuroscience, National Research Council (IN-CNR), Pisa, Italy
| | - Michela Matteoli
- Institute of Neuroscience, National Research Council (IN-CNR), Milan, Italy; Humanitas Clinical and Research Center - IRCCS, Rozzano, Milan, Italy
| | - Lamberto Maffei
- Laboratory of Biology "Bio@SNS", Scuola Normale Superiore, Pisa, Italy; Institute of Neuroscience, National Research Council (IN-CNR), Pisa, Italy
| | - Margherita Maffei
- Institute of Clinical Physiology, National Research Council (IFC-CNR), Pisa, Italy; Obesity and Lipodystrophies Center at Pisa University Hospital, Pisa, Italy.
| | - Marco Mainardi
- Laboratory of Biology "Bio@SNS", Scuola Normale Superiore, Pisa, Italy; Institute of Neuroscience, National Research Council (IN-CNR), Pisa, Italy.
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23
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Virtual Reality (VR)-Based Environmental Enrichment in Older Adults with Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI) and Mild Dementia. Brain Sci 2021; 11:brainsci11081103. [PMID: 34439723 PMCID: PMC8392435 DOI: 10.3390/brainsci11081103] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/23/2021] [Revised: 08/16/2021] [Accepted: 08/18/2021] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Background: Despite an alarming rise in the global prevalence of dementia, the available modalities for improving cognition and mental wellbeing of dementia patients remain limited. Environmental enrichment is an experimental paradigm that has shown promising anti-depressive and memory-enhancing effects in pre-clinical studies. However, its clinical utility has remained limited due to the lack of effective implementation strategies. Objective: The primary objective of this study was to evaluate the usability (tolerability and interactivity) of a long-term virtual reality (VR)- based environmental enrichment training program in older adults with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) and mild dementia. A secondary objective was to assess the effect of VR-based environmental enrichment on stabilization of cognitive functioning and improvement of mental wellbeing in older adults with MCI and mild dementia. Methods: A total of seven participants (four patients with MCI and three with mild dementia) received biweekly VR-based environmental enrichment over a course of 6 months. The tolerability and interactivity of the participants in the VR training was serially assessed via virtual reality sickness questionnaire (VRSQ) and recording of input-error ratio. Cognitive functioning was assessed through Montreal cognitive assessment (MoCA) before and after the study. Mental wellbeing was assessed through Warwick-Edinburgh Mental Well Being Scale (WEMWBS). Results: VR-based environmental enrichment was well-tolerated by the patients with significant decrease in VRSQ scores (p < 0.01) and input-error ratio (p < 0.001) overtime. VR training was also effective in stabilization of MoCA scores over the course of therapy (non-significant difference in the MoCA scores before and after the therapy) and was associated with a trend (p < 0.1) towards improvement in WEMWBS scores between the first and the last assessments. Qualitative observations by the care-givers further corroborated a noticeable improvement in mental wellbeing of patients. Conclusions: This pilot study shows that VR can be a feasible, tolerable, and potentially effective tool in long-term support of older adults with MCI and mild dementia.
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24
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Lambert CT, Guillette LM. The impact of environmental and social factors on learning abilities: a meta-analysis. Biol Rev Camb Philos Soc 2021; 96:2871-2889. [PMID: 34342125 DOI: 10.1111/brv.12783] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/20/2020] [Revised: 07/12/2021] [Accepted: 07/16/2021] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
Since the 1950s, researchers have examined how differences in the social and asocial environment affect learning in rats, mice, and, more recently, a variety of other species. Despite this large body of research, little has been done to synthesize these findings and to examine if social and asocial environmental factors have consistent effects on cognitive abilities, and if so, what aspects of these factors have greater or lesser impact. Here, we conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis examining how different external environmental features, including the social environment, impact learning (both speed of acquisition and performance). Using 531 mean-differences from 176 published articles across 27 species (with studies on rats and mice being most prominent) we conducted phylogenetically corrected mixed-effects models that reveal: (i) an average absolute effect size |d| = 0.55 and directional effect size d = 0.34; (ii) interventions manipulating the asocial environment result in larger effects than social interventions alone; and (iii) the length of the intervention is a significant predictor of effect size, with longer interventions resulting in larger effects. Additionally, much of the variation in effect size remained unexplained, possibly suggesting that species differ widely in how they are affected by environmental interventions due to varying ecological and evolutionary histories. Overall our results suggest that social and asocial environmental factors do significantly affect learning, but these effects are highly variable and perhaps not always as predicted. Most notably, the type (social or asocial) and length of interventions are important in determining the strength of the effect.
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Affiliation(s)
- Connor T Lambert
- Department of Psychology, University of Alberta, P217 Biological Sciences Building, Edmonton, AB, T6G 2R3, Canada
| | - Lauren M Guillette
- Department of Psychology, University of Alberta, P217 Biological Sciences Building, Edmonton, AB, T6G 2R3, Canada
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25
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Molz P, de Freitas BS, Uberti VH, da Costa KM, Kist LW, Bogo MR, Schröder N. Effects of lipoic acid supplementation on age- and iron-induced memory impairment, mitochondrial DNA damage and antioxidant responses. Eur J Nutr 2021; 60:3679-3690. [PMID: 33738535 DOI: 10.1007/s00394-021-02541-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/07/2020] [Accepted: 03/11/2021] [Indexed: 01/17/2023]
Abstract
PURPOSE To investigate the effects of lipoic acid (LA) supplementation during adulthood combined with supplementation later in life or LA administration only at old age on age-induced cognitive dysfunction, mitochondrial DNA deletions, caspase 3 and antioxidant response enzymes expression in iron-treated rats. METHODS Male rats were submitted to iron treatment (30 mg/kg body wt of Carbonyl iron) from 12 to 14th post-natal days. Iron-treated rats received LA supplementation (50 mg/kg, daily) in adulthood and old age or at old age only for 21 days. Memory, mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) complex I deletions, caspase 3 mRNA expression and antioxidant response enzymes mRNA expression were analyzed in the hippocampus. RESULTS LA administration in adulthood combined with treatment later in life was able to reverse age-induced effects on object recognition and inhibitory avoidance memory, as well as on mtDNA deletions, nuclear factor (erythroid-derived 2)-like 2 (Nrf2) expression, and antioxidant enzymes disruption induced by iron in aged rats. LA treatment only at old age reversed iron-induced effects to a lesser extent when compared to the combined treatment. CONCLUSION The present findings support the view that LA supplementation may be considered as an adjuvant against mitochondrial damage and cognitive decline related to aging and neurodegenerative disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Patrícia Molz
- Laboratory of Genomics and Molecular Biology, School of Health and Life Sciences, Pontifical Catholic University of Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, Brazil.,Neurobiology and Developmental Biology Laboratory, Faculty of Biosciences, Pontifical Catholic University of Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, Brazil.,Graduate Program in Medicine and Health Sciences, School of Medicine, Pontifical Catholic University of Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, Brazil
| | - Betânia Souza de Freitas
- Neurobiology and Developmental Biology Laboratory, Faculty of Biosciences, Pontifical Catholic University of Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, Brazil
| | - Vanise Hallas Uberti
- Neurobiology and Developmental Biology Laboratory, Faculty of Biosciences, Pontifical Catholic University of Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, Brazil
| | - Kesiane Mayra da Costa
- Laboratory of Genomics and Molecular Biology, School of Health and Life Sciences, Pontifical Catholic University of Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, Brazil.,Graduate Program in Medicine and Health Sciences, School of Medicine, Pontifical Catholic University of Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, Brazil
| | - Luiza Wilges Kist
- Laboratory of Genomics and Molecular Biology, School of Health and Life Sciences, Pontifical Catholic University of Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, Brazil
| | - Maurício Reis Bogo
- Laboratory of Genomics and Molecular Biology, School of Health and Life Sciences, Pontifical Catholic University of Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, Brazil.,Graduate Program in Medicine and Health Sciences, School of Medicine, Pontifical Catholic University of Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, Brazil.,National Institute of Science and Technology for Brain Diseases, Excitotoxicity and Neuroprotection (INCT-EN), Porto Alegre, Brazil
| | - Nadja Schröder
- National Institute of Science and Technology for Translational Medicine (INCT-TM), Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Cientifico e Tecnologico (CNPq), Brasília, Brazil. .,Department of Physiology, Institute for Basic Health Sciences, Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul, Rua Sarmento Leite, 500, Porto Alegre, Brazil.
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26
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Fairley LH, Wong JH, Barron AM. Mitochondrial Regulation of Microglial Immunometabolism in Alzheimer's Disease. Front Immunol 2021; 12:624538. [PMID: 33717134 PMCID: PMC7947196 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2021.624538] [Citation(s) in RCA: 44] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/31/2020] [Accepted: 01/21/2021] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is an age-associated terminal neurodegenerative disease with no effective treatments. Dysfunction of innate immunity is implicated in the pathogenesis of AD, with genetic studies supporting a causative role in the disease. Microglia, the effector cells of innate immunity in the brain, are highly plastic and perform a diverse range of specialist functions in AD, including phagocytosing and removing toxic aggregates of beta amyloid and tau that drive neurodegeneration. These immune functions require high energy demand, which is regulated by mitochondria. Reflecting this, microglia have been shown to be highly metabolically flexible, reprogramming their mitochondrial function upon inflammatory activation to meet their energy demands. However, AD-associated genetic risk factors and pathology impair microglial metabolic programming, and metabolic derailment has been shown to cause innate immune dysfunction in AD. These findings suggest that immunity and metabolic function are intricately linked processes, and targeting microglial metabolism offers a window of opportunity for therapeutic treatment of AD. Here, we review evidence for the role of metabolic programming in inflammatory functions in AD, and discuss mitochondrial-targeted immunotherapeutics for treatment of the disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lauren H Fairley
- Neurobiology of Aging and Disease Laboratory, Lee Kong Chian School of Medicine, Nanyang Technological University Singapore, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Jia Hui Wong
- Neurobiology of Aging and Disease Laboratory, Lee Kong Chian School of Medicine, Nanyang Technological University Singapore, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Anna M Barron
- Neurobiology of Aging and Disease Laboratory, Lee Kong Chian School of Medicine, Nanyang Technological University Singapore, Singapore, Singapore
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27
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Zhuang ZQ, Zhang ZZ, Zhang YM, Ge HH, Sun SY, Zhang P, Chen GH. A Long-Term Enriched Environment Ameliorates the Accelerated Age-Related Memory Impairment Induced by Gestational Administration of Lipopolysaccharide: Role of Plastic Mitochondrial Quality Control. Front Cell Neurosci 2021; 14:559182. [PMID: 33613195 PMCID: PMC7886998 DOI: 10.3389/fncel.2020.559182] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/06/2020] [Accepted: 10/27/2020] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Studies have shown that gestational inflammation accelerates age-related memory impairment in mother mice. An enriched environment (EE) can improve age-related memory impairment, whereas mitochondrial dysfunction has been implicated in the pathogenesis of brain aging. However, it is unclear whether an EE can counteract the accelerated age-related memory impairment induced by gestational inflammation and whether this process is associated with the disruption of mitochondrial quality control (MQC) processes. In this study, CD-1 mice received daily intraperitoneal injections of lipopolysaccharide (LPS, 50 μg/kg) or normal saline (CON group) during gestational days 15–17 and were separated from their offspring at the end of normal lactation. The mothers that received LPS were divided into LPS group and LPS plus EE (LPS-E) treatment groups based on whether the mice were exposed to an EE until the end of the experiment. At 6 and 18 months of age, the Morris water maze test was used to evaluate spatial learning and memory abilities. Quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction and Western blot were used to measure the messenber RNA (mRNA) and protein levels of MQC-related genes in the hippocampus, respectively. The results showed that all the aged (18 months old) mice underwent a striking decline in spatial learning and memory performances and decreased mRNA/protein levels related to mitochondrial dynamics (Mfn1/Mfn2, OPA1, and Drp1), biogenesis (PGC-1α), and mitophagy (PINK1/parkin) in the hippocampi compared with the young (6 months old) mice. LPS treatment exacerbated the decline in age-related spatial learning and memory and enhanced the reduction in the mRNA and protein levels of MQC-related genes but increased the levels of PGC-1α in young mice. Exposure to an EE could alleviate the accelerated decline in age-related spatial learning and memory abilities and the accelerated changes in MQC-related mRNA or protein levels resulting from LPS treatment, especially in aged mice. In conclusion, long-term exposure to an EE can counteract the accelerated age-related spatial cognition impairment modulated by MQC in CD-1 mother mice that experience inflammation during pregnancy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhan-Qiang Zhuang
- Department of Neurology (Sleep Disorders), The Affiliated Chaohu Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei, China.,Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, Department of Neurology, The First Affiliated Hospital of USTC, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, China
| | - Zhe-Zhe Zhang
- Department of Neurology (Sleep Disorders), The Affiliated Chaohu Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei, China
| | - Yue-Ming Zhang
- Department of Neurology (Sleep Disorders), The Affiliated Chaohu Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei, China
| | - He-Hua Ge
- Department of Neurology (Sleep Disorders), The Affiliated Chaohu Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei, China
| | - Shi-Yu Sun
- Department of Neurology (Sleep Disorders), The Affiliated Chaohu Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei, China
| | - Ping Zhang
- Department of Neurology (Sleep Disorders), The Affiliated Chaohu Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei, China
| | - Gui-Hai Chen
- Department of Neurology (Sleep Disorders), The Affiliated Chaohu Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei, China.,Institute of Sleep Medicine of Anhui Medical University, Hefei, China
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28
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McQuail JA, Dunn AR, Stern Y, Barnes CA, Kempermann G, Rapp PR, Kaczorowski CC, Foster TC. Cognitive Reserve in Model Systems for Mechanistic Discovery: The Importance of Longitudinal Studies. Front Aging Neurosci 2021; 12:607685. [PMID: 33551788 PMCID: PMC7859530 DOI: 10.3389/fnagi.2020.607685] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/24/2020] [Accepted: 12/30/2020] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
The goal of this review article is to provide a resource for longitudinal studies, using animal models, directed at understanding and modifying the relationship between cognition and brain structure and function throughout life. We propose that forthcoming longitudinal studies will build upon a wealth of knowledge gleaned from prior cross-sectional designs to identify early predictors of variability in cognitive function during aging, and characterize fundamental neurobiological mechanisms that underlie the vulnerability to, and the trajectory of, cognitive decline. Finally, we present examples of biological measures that may differentiate mechanisms of the cognitive reserve at the molecular, cellular, and network level.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joseph A. McQuail
- Department of Pharmacology, Physiology and Neuroscience, University of South Carolina School of Medicine, Columbia, SC, United States
| | - Amy R. Dunn
- The Jackson Laboratory, Bar Harbor, ME, United States
| | - Yaakov Stern
- Cognitive Neuroscience Division, Department of Neurology, Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons, Columbia University, New York, NY, United States
| | - Carol A. Barnes
- Departments of Psychology and Neuroscience, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, United States
- Evelyn F. McKnight Brain Institute, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, United States
| | - Gerd Kempermann
- CRTD—Center for Regenerative Therapies Dresden, Technische Universität Dresden, Dresden, Germany
- German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE), Helmholtz Association of German Research Centers (HZ), Dresden, Germany
| | - Peter R. Rapp
- Laboratory of Behavioral Neuroscience, Neurocognitive Aging Section, National Institute on Aging, Baltimore, MD, United States
| | | | - Thomas C. Foster
- Department of Neuroscience, McKnight Brain Institute, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, United States
- Genetics and Genomics Program, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, United States
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29
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Rizzolo L, Leger M, Corvaisier S, Groussard M, Platel H, Bouet V, Schumann-Bard P, Freret T. Long-Term Music Exposure Prevents Age-Related Cognitive Deficits in Rats Independently of Hippocampal Neurogenesis. Cereb Cortex 2021; 31:620-634. [PMID: 32959057 DOI: 10.1093/cercor/bhaa247] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/10/2020] [Revised: 08/05/2020] [Accepted: 08/11/2020] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Cognitive decline appears across aging. While some studies report beneficial effects of musical listening and practice on cognitive aging, the underlying neurobiological mechanisms remain unknown. This study aims to determine whether chronic (6 h/day, 3 times/week) and long-lasting (4-8 months) music exposure, initiated at middle age in rats (15 months old), can influence behavioral parameters sensitive to age effects and reduce age-related spatial memory decline in rats. Spontaneous locomotor, circadian rhythmic activity, and anxiety-like behavior as well as spatial working and reference memory were assessed in 14-month-old rats and then after 4 and 8 months of music exposure (19 and 23 months old, respectively). Spatial learning and reference memory data were followed up by considering cognitive status of animals prior to music exposure (14 months old) given by K-means clustering of individual Z-score. Hippocampal cell proliferation and brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) level in the hippocampus and frontal cortex were measured. Results show that music exposure differentially rescues age-related deficits in spatial navigation tasks according to its duration without affecting spontaneous locomotor, circadian rhythmic activity, and anxiety-like behavior. Hippocampal cell proliferation as well as hippocampal and frontal cortex BDNF levels was not affected by music across aging. Cognitive improvement by music in aging rats may require distinct neurobiological mechanisms than hippocampal cell proliferation and BDNF.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lou Rizzolo
- Normandie University, Unicaen, INSERM, COMETE, CHU de Caen, Cyceron, 14000 Caen, France
| | - Marianne Leger
- Normandie University, Unicaen, INSERM, COMETE, CHU de Caen, Cyceron, 14000 Caen, France
| | - Sophie Corvaisier
- Normandie University, Unicaen, INSERM, COMETE, CHU de Caen, Cyceron, 14000 Caen, France
| | - Mathilde Groussard
- Normandie University, Unicaen, PSL Research University, EPHE, INSERM U1077, CHU de Caen, Cyceron, 14000 Caen, France
- PSL Research University, EPHE, Paris, France
| | - Hervé Platel
- Normandie University, Unicaen, PSL Research University, EPHE, INSERM U1077, CHU de Caen, Cyceron, 14000 Caen, France
- PSL Research University, EPHE, Paris, France
| | - Valentine Bouet
- Normandie University, Unicaen, INSERM, COMETE, CHU de Caen, Cyceron, 14000 Caen, France
| | - Pascale Schumann-Bard
- Normandie University, Unicaen, INSERM, COMETE, CHU de Caen, Cyceron, 14000 Caen, France
| | - Thomas Freret
- Normandie University, Unicaen, INSERM, COMETE, CHU de Caen, Cyceron, 14000 Caen, France
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30
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Exercise alters LPS-induced glial activation in the mouse brain. Neuronal Signal 2020; 4:NS20200003. [PMID: 33304620 PMCID: PMC7711064 DOI: 10.1042/ns20200003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/17/2020] [Revised: 10/23/2020] [Accepted: 11/05/2020] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Experimental and epidemiological evidence suggest that modifiable lifestyle factors, including physical exercise, can build structural and cognitive reserve in the brain, increasing resilience to injury and insult. Accordingly, exercise can reduce the increased expression of proinflammatory cytokines in the brain associated with ageing or experimentally induced neuroinflammation. However, the cellular mechanisms by which exercise exerts this effect are unknown, including the effects of exercise on classic or alternative activation of astrocytes and microglia. In the present study, we assess the effects of nine consecutive days of treadmill running on the glial cell response to a single systemic injection of lipopolysaccharide (LPS) and, in parallel, the effects on spatial learning and memory. We show that prior exercise protects against LPS-induced impairment of performance in the object displacement task concomitant with attenuation of IL-1β, TNFα and IL-10 mRNA expression in the hippocampus. Assessment of isolated astrocytes and microglia revealed that LPS induced a proinflammatory response in these cells that was not observed in cells prepared from the brains of mice who had undergone prior exercise. The results suggest that exercise modulates neuroinflammation by reducing the proinflammatory microglial response, suggesting a mechanism by which exercise may be neuroprotective.
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31
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Effects of Gestational Inflammation with Postpartum Enriched Environment on Age-Related Changes in Cognition and Hippocampal Synaptic Plasticity-Related Proteins. Neural Plast 2020. [DOI: 10.1155/2020/9082945] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Increasing evidence indicates that exposure to inflammation during pregnancy intensifies the offspring’s cognitive impairment during aging, which might be correlated with changes in some synaptic plasticity-related proteins. In addition, an enriched environment (EE) can significantly exert a beneficial impact on cognition and synaptic plasticity. However, it is unclear whether gestational inflammation combined with postnatal EE affects the changes in cognition and synaptic plasticity-related proteins during aging. In this study, pregnant mice were intraperitoneally injected with lipopolysaccharides (LPS, 50 μg/kg) or normal saline at days 15–17 of pregnancy. At 21 days after delivery, some LPS-treated mice were randomly selected for EE treatment. At the age of 6 and 18 months, Morris water maze (MWM) and western blotting were, respectively, used to evaluate or measure the ability of spatial learning and memory and the levels of postsynaptic plasticity-related proteins in the hippocampus, including postsynaptic density protein 95 (PSD-95), α-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methyl-4-isoxazolepropionic acid receptor (AMPAR) GluA1 subunit, and Homer-1b/c. The results showed that 18-month-old control mice had worse spatial learning and memory and lower levels of these synaptic plasticity-related proteins (PSD-95, GluA1, and Homer-1b/c) than the 6-month-old controls. Gestational LPS exposure exacerbated these age-related changes of cognition and synaptic proteins, but EE could alleviate the treatment effect of LPS. In addition, the performance during learning and memory periods in the MWM correlated with the hippocampal levels of PSD-95, GluA1, and Homer-1b/c. Our results suggested that gestational inflammation accelerated age-related cognitive impairment and the decline of PSD-95, GluA1, and Homer-1b/c protein expression, and postpartum EE could alleviate these changes.
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Pritchett-Corning KR. Environmental Complexity and Research Outcomes. ILAR J 2020; 60:239-251. [PMID: 32559304 DOI: 10.1093/ilar/ilaa007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/29/2019] [Revised: 01/28/2020] [Accepted: 02/04/2020] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Environmental complexity is an experimental paradigm as well as a potential part of animals' everyday housing experiences. In experimental uses, researchers add complexity to stimulate brain development, delay degenerative brain changes, elicit more naturalistic behaviors, and test learning and memory. Complexity can exacerbate or mitigate behavioral problems, give animals a sense of control, and allow for expression of highly driven, species-typical behaviors that can improve animal welfare. Complex environments should be designed thoughtfully with the animal's natural behaviors in mind, reported faithfully in the literature, and evaluated carefully for unexpected effects.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kathleen R Pritchett-Corning
- Office of Animal Resources, Faculty of Arts and Sciences, Harvard University, Cambridge, Massachusetts.,Department of Comparative Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington
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Environmental regulation of the chloride transporter KCC2: switching inflammation off to switch the GABA on? Transl Psychiatry 2020; 10:349. [PMID: 33060559 PMCID: PMC7562743 DOI: 10.1038/s41398-020-01027-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/23/2020] [Revised: 09/08/2020] [Accepted: 09/14/2020] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Chloride homeostasis, the main determinant factor for the dynamic tuning of GABAergic inhibition during development, has emerged as a key element altered in a wide variety of brain disorders. Accordingly, developmental disorders such as schizophrenia, Autism Spectrum Disorder, Down syndrome, epilepsy, and tuberous sclerosis complex (TSC) have been associated with alterations in the expression of genes codifying for either of the two cotransporters involved in the excitatory-to-inhibitory GABA switch, KCC2 and NKCC1. These alterations can result from environmental insults, including prenatal stress and maternal separation which share, as common molecular denominator, the elevation of pro-inflammatory cytokines. In this review we report and systemize recent research articles indicating that different perinatal environmental perturbations affect the expression of chloride transporters, delaying the developmental switch of GABA signaling, and that inflammatory cytokines, in particular interleukin 1β, may represent a key causal factor for this phenomenon. Based on literature data, we provide therefore a unifying conceptual framework, linking environmental hits with the excitatory-to-inhibitory GABA switch in the context of brain developmental disorders.
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Levy BR, Slade MD, Pietrzak RH, Ferrucci L. When Culture Influences Genes: Positive Age Beliefs Amplify the Cognitive-Aging Benefit of APOE ε2. J Gerontol B Psychol Sci Soc Sci 2020; 75:e198-e203. [PMID: 32835364 DOI: 10.1093/geronb/gbaa126] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/01/2019] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVES Most studies of aging cognition have focused on risk factors for worse performance and on either genetic or environmental factors. In contrast, we examined whether 2 factors known to individually benefit aging cognition may interact to produce better cognition: environment-based positive age beliefs and the APOE ε2 gene. METHOD The sample consisted of 3,895 Health and Retirement Study participants who were 60 years or older at baseline and completed as many as 5 assessments of cognition over 8 years. RESULTS As predicted, positive age beliefs amplified the cognitive benefit of APOE ε2. In contrast, negative age beliefs suppressed the cognitive benefit of APOE ε2. We also found that positive age beliefs contributed nearly 15 times more than APOE ε2 to better cognition. DISCUSSION This study provides the first known evidence that self-perceptions can influence the impact of a gene on cognition. The results underscore the importance of combined psychosocial and biological approaches to understanding cognitive function in older adults.
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Affiliation(s)
- Becca R Levy
- Social and Behavioral Sciences Department, Yale School of Public Health, New Haven, Connecticut.,Psychology Department, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut
| | - Martin D Slade
- Department of Internal Medicine, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut
| | - Robert H Pietrzak
- U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs National Center for Posttraumatic Stress Disorder, West Haven, Connecticut.,Department of Psychiatry, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut
| | - Luigi Ferrucci
- Longitudinal Studies Section, National Institute on Aging, National Institutes of Health, Baltimore, Maryland
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Andreotti DZ, Silva JDN, Matumoto AM, Orellana AM, de Mello PS, Kawamoto EM. Effects of Physical Exercise on Autophagy and Apoptosis in Aged Brain: Human and Animal Studies. Front Nutr 2020; 7:94. [PMID: 32850930 PMCID: PMC7399146 DOI: 10.3389/fnut.2020.00094] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/29/2019] [Accepted: 05/22/2020] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The aging process is characterized by a series of molecular and cellular changes over the years that could culminate in the deterioration of physiological parameters important to keeping an organism alive and healthy. Physical exercise, defined as planned, structured and repetitive physical activity, has been an important force to alter physiology and brain development during the process of human beings' evolution. Among several aspects of aging, the aim of this review is to discuss the balance between two vital cellular processes such as autophagy and apoptosis, based on the fact that physical exercise as a non-pharmacological strategy seems to rescue the imbalance between autophagy and apoptosis during aging. Therefore, the effects of different types or modalities of physical exercise in humans and animals, and the benefits of each of them on aging, will be discussed as a possible preventive strategy against neuronal death.
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Affiliation(s)
- Diana Zukas Andreotti
- Laboratory of Molecular and Functional Neurobiology, Department of Pharmacology, Institute of Biomedical Sciences, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Josiane do Nascimento Silva
- Laboratory of Molecular and Functional Neurobiology, Department of Pharmacology, Institute of Biomedical Sciences, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Amanda Midori Matumoto
- Laboratory of Molecular and Functional Neurobiology, Department of Pharmacology, Institute of Biomedical Sciences, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Ana Maria Orellana
- Laboratory of Molecular Neuropharmacology, Department of Pharmacology, Institute of Biomedical Sciences, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Paloma Segura de Mello
- Laboratory of Molecular Neuropharmacology, Department of Pharmacology, Institute of Biomedical Sciences, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Elisa Mitiko Kawamoto
- Laboratory of Molecular and Functional Neurobiology, Department of Pharmacology, Institute of Biomedical Sciences, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
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Mela V, Mota BC, Milner M, McGinley A, Mills KHG, Kelly ÁM, Lynch MA. Exercise-induced re-programming of age-related metabolic changes in microglia is accompanied by a reduction in senescent cells. Brain Behav Immun 2020; 87:413-428. [PMID: 31978523 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbi.2020.01.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 52] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/20/2019] [Revised: 01/16/2020] [Accepted: 01/17/2020] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Microglial activation and neuroinflammatory changes are characteristic of the aged brain and contribute to age-related cognitive impairment. Exercise improves cognitive function in aged animals, perhaps because of a modulatory effect on microglial activation. Recent evidence indicates that inflammatory microglia are glycolytic, driven by an increase in 6-phosphofructo-2-kinase/fructose-2,6-biphosphatase 3 (PFKFB3), an enzyme that is described as the master regulator of glycolysis. Here we investigated whether microglia from aged animals exhibited a glycolytic signature and whether exercise exerted a modulatory effect on this metabolic profile. Young (4 month-old) and aged (18 month-old) mice were trained for 10 days on a treadmill. One day before sacrifice, animals were assessed in the novel object recognition and the object displacement tests. Animals were sacrificed after the last bout of exercise, microglial cells were isolated, cultured for 5 days and assessed for metabolic profile. Performance in both behavioural tests was impaired in sedentary aged animals and exercise attenuated this age-related effect. A significant increase in glycolysis, glycolytic capacity and PFKFB3 was observed in microglia from aged animals and exercise ameliorated these effects, while it also increased the phagocytic capacity of cells. The senescent markers, β-galactosidase and p16INK4A, were increased in microglia from sedentary aged mice, and expression of these markers was significantly decreased by exercise. The data demonstrate that the exercise-related improved cognition is orchestrated by a normalization of the metabolic profile and functionality of microglia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Virginia Mela
- Trinity College Institute for Neuroscience, Trinity College, Dublin 2, Ireland
| | - Bibiana C Mota
- Trinity College Institute for Neuroscience, Trinity College, Dublin 2, Ireland
| | - Mark Milner
- Trinity College Institute for Neuroscience, Trinity College, Dublin 2, Ireland
| | - Aoife McGinley
- Trinity Biomedical Sciences Institute, Trinity College, Dublin 2, Ireland
| | - Kingston H G Mills
- Trinity Biomedical Sciences Institute, Trinity College, Dublin 2, Ireland
| | - Áine M Kelly
- Trinity College Institute for Neuroscience, Trinity College, Dublin 2, Ireland
| | - Marina A Lynch
- Trinity College Institute for Neuroscience, Trinity College, Dublin 2, Ireland.
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Morè L, Lauterborn JC, Papaleo F, Brambilla R. Enhancing cognition through pharmacological and environmental interventions: Examples from preclinical models of neurodevelopmental disorders. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2020; 110:28-45. [PMID: 30981451 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2019.02.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/25/2018] [Revised: 02/04/2019] [Accepted: 02/05/2019] [Indexed: 12/29/2022]
Abstract
In this review we discuss the role of environmental and pharmacological treatments to enhance cognition with special regards to neurodevelopmental related disorders and aging. How the environment influences brain structure and function, and the interactions between rearing conditions and gene expression, are fundamental questions that are still poorly understood. We propose a model that can explain some of the discrepancies in findings for effects of environmental enrichment on outcome measures. Evidence of a direct causal correlation of nootropics and treatments that enhanced cognition also will be presented, and possible molecular mechanisms that include neurotrophin signaling and downstream pathways underlying these processes are discussed. Finally we review recent findings achieved with a wide set of behavioral and cognitive tasks that have translational validity to humans, and should be useful for future work on devising appropriate therapies. As will be discussed, the collective findings suggest that a combinational therapeutic approach of environmental enrichment and nootropics could be particularly successful for improving learning and memory in both developmental disorders and normal aging.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lorenzo Morè
- School of Pharmacy and Biomedical Sciences, University of Central Lancashire, PR1 2XT, Preston, UK.
| | - Julie C Lauterborn
- Department of Anatomy & Neurobiology, School of Medicine, University of California, Irvine, CA, 92617, USA.
| | - Francesco Papaleo
- Genetics of Cognition Laboratory, Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, Via Morego, 30, 16163, Genova, Italy.
| | - Riccardo Brambilla
- Neuroscience and Mental Health Research Institute (NMHRI), Division of Neuroscience, School of Biosciences, Cardiff University, CF24 4HQ, Cardiff, UK.
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Grimm JW, Sauter F. Environmental enrichment reduces food seeking and taking in rats: A review. Pharmacol Biochem Behav 2020; 190:172874. [PMID: 32084492 PMCID: PMC7100331 DOI: 10.1016/j.pbb.2020.172874] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/02/2019] [Revised: 01/21/2020] [Accepted: 02/17/2020] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
Environmental enrichment (EE) for rodents is generally defined as providing subjects with an environment enhanced with access to conspecifics, novel and tactile stimuli, and in many preparations, more space. EE exposure, in particular as an "intervention" in adult rodents, decreases food and drug seeking and taking. This review focuses on the reduction of sucrose seeking and taking in rats assessed in operant-based procedures. The operant-based model provides a means to evaluate addiction-related behaviors. Findings using the model might translate to clinically-relevant addiction behaviors directed towards both drugs and food. Both overnight (acute) and one month (chronic) EE effects on behavior are described, including a recent evaluation of the persistence of EE effects following its removal. EE effects on neurobiology related to sucrose seeking using the model are outlined, with a special emphasis on meso-cortico-limbic terminals. Overall, our working hypothesis for how EE reduces sucrose seeking and taking is that EE alters processing of incentive valence. This may also be accompanied by changes in learning and affect. Anti-seeking and anti-taking effects of EE have translational implications for the prevention and treatment of both drug addiction and food-focused behaviors ("food addiction").
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Affiliation(s)
- Jeffrey W Grimm
- Department of Psychology and Program in Behavioral Neuroscience, Western Washington University, Bellingham, WA, USA.
| | - Frances Sauter
- Department of Psychology and Program in Behavioral Neuroscience, Western Washington University, Bellingham, WA, USA
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Delgado M, Bain MJ, Buffington CAT. A survey of feeding practices and use of food puzzles in owners of domestic cats. J Feline Med Surg 2020; 22:193-198. [PMID: 30912700 PMCID: PMC10814572 DOI: 10.1177/1098612x19838080] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES Food puzzles may provide enrichment to domestic cats. The purpose of our survey was to determine: (1) how respondents fed their cat (type[s] of food, amount and mode of delivery); (2) how many people used food puzzles to provide food for their cats; and (3) owner attitudes about food puzzles. METHODS We conducted an online survey from January to April of 2018 to ask cat owners (n = 3192) questions related to their cat feeding practices and use of food puzzles. RESULTS Most cat owners fed their cats dry food, with half of those owners offering it ad libitum. Thirty percent of participants offered food puzzles to their cats; another 18% had tried food puzzles but were no longer using them. The remaining participants had never used a food puzzle with their cat. Reasons for not using food puzzles included perceptions about the cat (eg, being too lazy), multiple pets in the home, pets fed different diets, health issues and feeding an exclusively wet food diet. Many participants did not know how to choose or introduce a food puzzle to their cat, and many non-users saw no need or benefit to their cat. CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE This survey provided information about the feeding habits of cat owners and why they do and do not use food puzzles with their cats. Because of the scarcity of empirical evidence about the effects of food puzzles on pet cat welfare, more research is needed to determine the role of food puzzles as part of an overall enrichment plan.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mikel Delgado
- Department of Medicine and Epidemiology, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California-Davis, Davis, CA, USA
| | - Melissa J Bain
- Department of Medicine and Epidemiology, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California-Davis, Davis, CA, USA
| | - CA Tony Buffington
- Department of Medicine and Epidemiology, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California-Davis, Davis, CA, USA
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Silva BA, Leal MC, Farías MI, Erhardt B, Galeano P, Pitossi FJ, Ferrari CC. Environmental enrichment improves cognitive symptoms and pathological features in a focal model of cortical damage of multiple sclerosis. Brain Res 2020; 1727:146520. [PMID: 31669283 DOI: 10.1016/j.brainres.2019.146520] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/06/2019] [Revised: 09/27/2019] [Accepted: 10/20/2019] [Indexed: 10/25/2022]
Abstract
Multiple Sclerosis (MS) is a neuroinflammatory disease affecting white and grey matter, it is characterized by demyelination, axonal degeneration along with loss of motor, sensitive and cognitive functions. MS is a heterogeneous disease that displays different clinical courses: relapsing/remitting MS (RRMS), and MS progressive forms: primary progressive (PPMS) and secondary progressive (SPMS). Cortical damage in the progressive MS forms has considerable clinical relevance due to its association with cognitive impairment and disability progression in patients. One treatment is available for the progressive forms of the disease, but none are specific for cognitive deficits. We developed an animal model that reflects most of the characteristics of the cortical damage, such as cortical neuroinflammation, demyelination, neurodegeneration and meningeal inflammation, which was associated with cognitive impairment. Cognitive rehabilitation, exercise and social support have begun to be evaluated in patients and animal models of neurodegenerative diseases. Environmental enrichment (EE) provides exercise as well as cognitive and social stimulation. EE has been demonstrated to exert positive effects on cognitive domains, such as learning and memory, and improving anxiety-like symptoms. We proposed to study the effect of EE on peripherally stimulated cortical lesion induced by the long term expression of interleukin IL-1β (IL-1β) in adult rats. Here, we demonstrated that EE: 1) reduces the peripheral inflammatory response to the stimulus, 2) ameliorates cognitive deficits and anxiety-like symptoms, 3) modulates neurodegeneration, demyelination and glial activation, 4) regulates neuroinflammation by reducing the expression of pro-inflammatory cytokines and enhancing the expression of anti-inflammatory ones. Our findings correlate with the fact that EE housing could be considered an effective non- pharmacological therapeutic agent that can synergistically aid in the rehabilitation of the disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Berenice Anabel Silva
- Institute of Translational Medicine and Biomedical Engineering of the Italian Hospital (IMTIB, CONICET), Potosí 4240, Buenos Aires, Argentina; Leloir Institute Foundation, Institute for Biochemical Investigations of Buenos Aires, (IIBBA, CONICET), Patricias Argentinas 435, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - María Celeste Leal
- Leloir Institute Foundation, Institute for Biochemical Investigations of Buenos Aires, (IIBBA, CONICET), Patricias Argentinas 435, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - María Isabel Farías
- Leloir Institute Foundation, Institute for Biochemical Investigations of Buenos Aires, (IIBBA, CONICET), Patricias Argentinas 435, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Brenda Erhardt
- Leloir Institute Foundation, Institute for Biochemical Investigations of Buenos Aires, (IIBBA, CONICET), Patricias Argentinas 435, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Pablo Galeano
- Leloir Institute Foundation, Institute for Biochemical Investigations of Buenos Aires, (IIBBA, CONICET), Patricias Argentinas 435, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Fernando Juan Pitossi
- Leloir Institute Foundation, Institute for Biochemical Investigations of Buenos Aires, (IIBBA, CONICET), Patricias Argentinas 435, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Carina Cintia Ferrari
- Institute of Translational Medicine and Biomedical Engineering of the Italian Hospital (IMTIB, CONICET), Potosí 4240, Buenos Aires, Argentina; Leloir Institute Foundation, Institute for Biochemical Investigations of Buenos Aires, (IIBBA, CONICET), Patricias Argentinas 435, Buenos Aires, Argentina.
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Schuch CP, Balbinot G, Jeffers MS, McDonald MW, Dykes A, Kuhl LM, Corbett D. An RFID-based activity tracking system to monitor individual rodent behavior in environmental enrichment: Implications for post-stroke cognitive recovery. J Neurosci Methods 2019; 324:108306. [DOI: 10.1016/j.jneumeth.2019.05.015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/12/2019] [Revised: 05/13/2019] [Accepted: 05/28/2019] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
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Rossetti MF, Schumacher R, Lazzarino GP, Gomez AL, Varayoud J, Ramos JG. The impact of sensory and motor enrichment on the epigenetic control of steroidogenic-related genes in rat hippocampus. Mol Cell Endocrinol 2019; 485:44-53. [PMID: 30721712 DOI: 10.1016/j.mce.2019.01.025] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/25/2018] [Revised: 01/15/2019] [Accepted: 01/29/2019] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
In the present study, we analyzed the effects of a short-term environmental enrichment on the mRNA expression and DNA methylation of steroidogenic enzymes in the hippocampus. Thus, young adult (80-day-old) and middle-aged (350-day-old) Wistar female rats were exposed to sensory (SE) or motor (ME) enrichment during 10 days and compared to animals housed under standard conditions. SE was provided by an assortment of objects that included plastic tubes and toys; for ME, rodent wheels were provided. In young adult animals, SE and ME increased the mRNA expression of cytochrome P450 17α-hydroxylase/c17,20-lyase, steroid 5α-reductase type 1 (5αR-1) and 3α-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase and decreased the methylation levels of 5αR-1 gene. In middle-aged rats, ME and SE upregulated the gene expression of aldosterone synthase and decreased the methylation state of its promoter. These results propose that SE and ME differentially regulate the transcription of neurosteroidogenic enzymes through epigenetic mechanisms in young and aged rats.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria Florencia Rossetti
- Departamento de Bioquímica Clínica y Cuantitativa, Facultad de Bioquímica y Ciencias Biológicas, Universidad Nacional del Litoral, Santa Fe, Argentina; Instituto de Salud y Ambiente del Litoral(ISAL), Facultad de Bioquímica y Ciencias Biológicas, Universidad Nacional del Litoral-CONICET, Santa Fe, Argentina.
| | - Rocio Schumacher
- Instituto de Salud y Ambiente del Litoral(ISAL), Facultad de Bioquímica y Ciencias Biológicas, Universidad Nacional del Litoral-CONICET, Santa Fe, Argentina.
| | - Gisela Paola Lazzarino
- Instituto de Salud y Ambiente del Litoral(ISAL), Facultad de Bioquímica y Ciencias Biológicas, Universidad Nacional del Litoral-CONICET, Santa Fe, Argentina.
| | - Ayelen Luciana Gomez
- Instituto de Salud y Ambiente del Litoral(ISAL), Facultad de Bioquímica y Ciencias Biológicas, Universidad Nacional del Litoral-CONICET, Santa Fe, Argentina; Cátedra de Patología Humana, Facultad de Bioquímica y Ciencias Biológicas, Universidad Nacional del Litoral, Santa Fe, Argentina.
| | - Jorgelina Varayoud
- Instituto de Salud y Ambiente del Litoral(ISAL), Facultad de Bioquímica y Ciencias Biológicas, Universidad Nacional del Litoral-CONICET, Santa Fe, Argentina; Cátedra de Fisiología Humana, Facultad de Bioquímica y Ciencias Biológicas, Universidad Nacional del Litoral, Santa Fe, Argentina.
| | - Jorge Guillermo Ramos
- Departamento de Bioquímica Clínica y Cuantitativa, Facultad de Bioquímica y Ciencias Biológicas, Universidad Nacional del Litoral, Santa Fe, Argentina; Instituto de Salud y Ambiente del Litoral(ISAL), Facultad de Bioquímica y Ciencias Biológicas, Universidad Nacional del Litoral-CONICET, Santa Fe, Argentina.
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Aged rats with different performances at environmental enrichment onset display different modulation of habituation and aversive memory. Neurobiol Learn Mem 2019; 161:83-91. [PMID: 30951838 DOI: 10.1016/j.nlm.2019.04.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/28/2018] [Revised: 03/20/2019] [Accepted: 04/01/2019] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
A wide agreement exists that environmental enrichment (EE) is most beneficial if introduced early in life, but numerous studies reported that also aged animals remain responsive. As age-related memory and cognition impairments are not uniform, an open question is whether EE might exert different effects in animals with different age-related deficits. A 12-week EE protocol was applied to late adult rats pretested for habituation and aversive memory. Animals were classified as low (LP) and high (HP) performers according to percent exploration change in Open Field test (OF) and as impaired (I) and not impaired (NI) according to latency in Step-through Passive Avoidance test (PA). Standard housing (SH) animals pretested by OF and PA, and naïve (non-pretested) EE and SH rats were used as controls. In comparison to pretest, after the housing protocol, EE LP ameliorated while EE HP and both SH HP and LP worsened their habituation pattern. The positive influence of EE on LP was probably due to the more active interaction with and the faster adaptation to surroundings promoted by continuous, multiple stimuli provided during the enriched housing. Regarding HP, EE did not boost the basal behavior, which likely represented the maximum achievable for that age, and the post housing exploration change dropped, as in SH animals, because of the retesting. After EE, a significant percentage of NI animals became I and a significant percentage of I animals became NI. The changes evidenced in the NI group likely depended on EE-related reduction of anxiety and the consequent more efficient coping with fearful situations. This hypothesis was strengthened by the observation that naïve EE animals were almost all I. Pretested EE I rats were not influenced by the rearing condition: their behavior was comparable to SH animals' behavior and determined by retesting. In conclusion, these results demonstrated that, when applied to aging rats, EE produces different effects based on pre-housing cognitive performances. The issue needs further analyses, but the observation that not all animals are able to take advantage of EE to the same extent suggests the opportunity to design individually tailored approaches to optimize their efficacy and minimize possible unwanted consequences.
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Kelly Á, Hannan AJ. Therapeutic impacts of environmental enrichment: Neurobiological mechanisms informing molecular targets for enviromimetics. Neuropharmacology 2019; 145:1-2. [DOI: 10.1016/j.neuropharm.2018.11.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
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Wang L, Cao M, Pu T, Huang H, Marshall C, Xiao M. Enriched Physical Environment Attenuates Spatial and Social Memory Impairments of Aged Socially Isolated Mice. Int J Neuropsychopharmacol 2018; 21:1114-1127. [PMID: 30247630 PMCID: PMC6276026 DOI: 10.1093/ijnp/pyy084] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/13/2018] [Accepted: 09/19/2018] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Social isolation in the elderly is one of the principal health risks in an aging society. Physical environmental enrichment is shown to improve sensory, cognitive, and motor functions, but it is unknown whether environmental enrichment can protect against brain impairments caused by social isolation. METHODS Eighteen-month-old mice were housed, either grouped or isolated, in a standard or enriched environment for 2 months, respectively. Behavioral tests were performed to evaluate cognitive functional and social interaction ability. Synaptic protein levels, myelination, neuroinflammation, brain derived neurotrophic factor, and NOD-like receptor protein 3 inflammasome signaling pathways were examined in the medial prefrontal cortex and hippocampus. RESULTS Isolated aged mice exhibited declines in spatial memory and social memory compared with age-matched littermates living within group housing. The aforementioned memory malfunctions were mitigated in isolated aged mice that were housed in a large cage with a running wheel and novel toys. Enriched housing prevented synaptic protein loss, myelination defects, and downregulation of brain derived neurotrophic factor, while also increasing interleukin 1 beta and tumor necrosis factor alpha in the medial prefrontal cortex and hippocampus of isolated mice. In addition, activation of glial cells and NOD-like receptor protein 3 inflammasomes was partially ameliorated in the hippocampus of isolated mice treated with physical environmental enrichment. CONCLUSIONS These results suggest that an enriched physical environment program may serve as a nonpharmacological intervention candidate to help maintain healthy brain function of elderly people living alone.
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Affiliation(s)
- Linmei Wang
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Neurodegeneration, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China
| | - Min Cao
- Key Laboratory for Aging & Disease, Sir Run Run Shaw Hospital, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China
| | - Tinglin Pu
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Neurodegeneration, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China
| | - Huang Huang
- Key Laboratory for Aging & Disease, Sir Run Run Shaw Hospital, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China
| | - Charles Marshall
- Department of Rehabilitation Sciences, University of Kentucky Center for Excellence in Rural Health, Hazard, Kentucky
| | - Ming Xiao
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Neurodegeneration, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China,Correspondence: Ming Xiao, MD, PhD, Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Neurodegeneration, Nanjing Medical University, 101 Longmian Avenue, Nanjing, Jiangsu, 211166, China ()
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Environmental Enrichment Induces Changes in Long-Term Memory for Social Transmission of Food Preference in Aged Mice through a Mechanism Associated with Epigenetic Processes. Neural Plast 2018; 2018:3725087. [PMID: 30123245 PMCID: PMC6079387 DOI: 10.1155/2018/3725087] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/07/2018] [Revised: 05/17/2018] [Accepted: 05/31/2018] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Decline in declarative learning and memory performance is a typical feature of normal aging processes. Exposure of aged animals to an enriched environment (EE) counteracts this decline, an effect correlated with reduction of age-related changes in hippocampal dendritic branching, spine density, neurogenesis, gliogenesis, and neural plasticity, including its epigenetic underpinnings. Declarative memories depend on the medial temporal lobe system, including the hippocampus, for their formation, but, over days to weeks, they become increasingly dependent on other brain regions such as the neocortex and in particular the prefrontal cortex (PFC), a process known as system consolidation. Recently, it has been shown that early tagging of cortical networks is a crucial neurobiological process for remote memory formation and that this tagging involves epigenetic mechanisms in the recipient orbitofrontal (OFC) areas. Whether EE can enhance system consolidation in aged animals has not been tested; in particular, whether the early tagging mechanisms in OFC areas are deficient in aged animals and whether EE can ameliorate them is not known. This study aimed at testing whether EE could affect system consolidation in aged mice using the social transmission of food preference paradigm, which involves an ethologically based form of associative olfactory memory. We found that only EE mice successfully performed the remote memory recall task, showed neuronal activation in OFC, assessed with c-fos immunohistochemistry and early tagging of OFC, assessed with histone H3 acetylation, suggesting a defective system consolidation and early OFC tagging in aged mice which are ameliorated by EE.
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