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Kosel F, Hartley MR, Franklin TB. Aberrant Cortical Activity in 5xFAD Mice in Response to Social and Non-Social Olfactory Stimuli. J Alzheimers Dis 2024; 97:659-677. [PMID: 38143360 DOI: 10.3233/jad-230858] [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] [Indexed: 12/26/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Neuroimaging studies investigating the behavioral and psychological symptoms of dementia (BPSD)- such as apathy, anxiety, and depression- have linked some of these symptoms with altered neural activity. However, inconsistencies in operational definitions and rating scales, limited scope of assessments, and poor temporal resolution of imaging techniques have hampered human studies. Many transgenic (Tg) mouse models of Alzheimer's disease (AD) exhibit BPSD-like behaviors concomitant with AD-related neuropathology, allowing examination of how neural activity may relate to BPSD-like behaviors with high temporal and spatial resolution. OBJECTIVE To examine task-dependent neural activity in the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) of AD-model mice in response to social and non-social olfactory stimuli. METHODS We previously demonstrated age-related decreases in social investigation in Tg 5xFAD females, and this reduced social investigation is evident in Tg 5xFAD females and males by 6 months of age. In the present study, we examine local field potential (LFP) in the mPFC of awake, behaving 5xFAD females and males at 6 months of age during exposure to social and non-social odor stimuli in a novel olfactometer. RESULTS Our results indicate that Tg 5xFAD mice exhibit aberrant baseline and task-dependent LFP activity in the mPFC- including higher relative delta (1-4 Hz) band power and lower relative power in higher bands, and overall stronger phase-amplitude coupling- compared to wild-type controls. CONCLUSIONS These results are consistent with previous human and animal studies examining emotional processing, anxiety, fear behaviors, and stress responses, and suggest that Tg 5xFAD mice may exhibit altered arousal or anxiety.
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Affiliation(s)
- Filip Kosel
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, Faculty of Science, Dalhousie University, Halifax, NS, Canada
| | - Mackenzie Rae Hartley
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, Faculty of Science, Dalhousie University, Halifax, NS, Canada
| | - Tamara Brook Franklin
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, Faculty of Science, Dalhousie University, Halifax, NS, Canada
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2
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van Heusden FC, van Nifterick AM, Souza BC, França ASC, Nauta IM, Stam CJ, Scheltens P, Smit AB, Gouw AA, van Kesteren RE. Neurophysiological alterations in mice and humans carrying mutations in APP and PSEN1 genes. Alzheimers Res Ther 2023; 15:142. [PMID: 37608393 PMCID: PMC10464047 DOI: 10.1186/s13195-023-01287-6] [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: 03/10/2023] [Accepted: 08/11/2023] [Indexed: 08/24/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Studies in animal models of Alzheimer's disease (AD) have provided valuable insights into the molecular and cellular processes underlying neuronal network dysfunction. Whether and how AD-related neurophysiological alterations translate between mice and humans remains however uncertain. METHODS We characterized neurophysiological alterations in mice and humans carrying AD mutations in the APP and/or PSEN1 genes, focusing on early pre-symptomatic changes. Longitudinal local field potential recordings were performed in APP/PS1 mice and cross-sectional magnetoencephalography recordings in human APP and/or PSEN1 mutation carriers. All recordings were acquired in the left frontal cortex, parietal cortex, and hippocampus. Spectral power and functional connectivity were analyzed and compared with wildtype control mice and healthy age-matched human subjects. RESULTS APP/PS1 mice showed increased absolute power, especially at higher frequencies (beta and gamma) and predominantly between 3 and 6 moa. Relative power showed an overall shift from lower to higher frequencies over almost the entire recording period and across all three brain regions. Human mutation carriers, on the other hand, did not show changes in power except for an increase in relative theta power in the hippocampus. Mouse parietal cortex and hippocampal power spectra showed a characteristic peak at around 8 Hz which was not significantly altered in transgenic mice. Human power spectra showed a characteristic peak at around 9 Hz, the frequency of which was significantly reduced in mutation carriers. Significant alterations in functional connectivity were detected in theta, alpha, beta, and gamma frequency bands, but the exact frequency range and direction of change differed for APP/PS1 mice and human mutation carriers. CONCLUSIONS Both mice and humans carrying APP and/or PSEN1 mutations show abnormal neurophysiological activity, but several measures do not translate one-to-one between species. Alterations in absolute and relative power in mice should be interpreted with care and may be due to overexpression of amyloid in combination with the absence of tau pathology and cholinergic degeneration. Future studies should explore whether changes in brain activity in other AD mouse models, for instance, those also including tau pathology, provide better translation to the human AD continuum.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fran C van Heusden
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Neurobiology, Center for Neurogenomics and Cognitive Research, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam, 1081HV, The Netherlands
| | - Anne M van Nifterick
- Alzheimer Center Amsterdam, Neurology, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam UMC Location VUmc, Amsterdam, 1081HV, The Netherlands
- Clinical Neurophysiology and MEG Center, Neurology, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam UMC Location VUmc, Amsterdam, 1081HV, The Netherlands
| | - Bryan C Souza
- Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behavior, Radboud University, Nijmegen, 6525AJ, The Netherlands
| | - Arthur S C França
- Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behavior, Radboud University, Nijmegen, 6525AJ, The Netherlands
- Netherlands Institute for Neuroscience, Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences, Amsterdam, 1105 BA, The Netherlands
| | - Ilse M Nauta
- MS Center Amsterdam, Neurology, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam UMC Location VUmc, Amsterdam, 1081HV, The Netherlands
| | - Cornelis J Stam
- Clinical Neurophysiology and MEG Center, Neurology, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam UMC Location VUmc, Amsterdam, 1081HV, The Netherlands
| | - Philip Scheltens
- Alzheimer Center Amsterdam, Neurology, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam UMC Location VUmc, Amsterdam, 1081HV, The Netherlands
| | - August B Smit
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Neurobiology, Center for Neurogenomics and Cognitive Research, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam, 1081HV, The Netherlands
| | - Alida A Gouw
- Alzheimer Center Amsterdam, Neurology, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam UMC Location VUmc, Amsterdam, 1081HV, The Netherlands
- Clinical Neurophysiology and MEG Center, Neurology, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam UMC Location VUmc, Amsterdam, 1081HV, The Netherlands
| | - Ronald E van Kesteren
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Neurobiology, Center for Neurogenomics and Cognitive Research, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam, 1081HV, The Netherlands.
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FSTL1-knockdown improves neural oscillation via decreasing neuronal-inflammation regulating apoptosis in Aβ 1-42 induced AD model mice. Exp Neurol 2023; 359:114231. [PMID: 36162512 DOI: 10.1016/j.expneurol.2022.114231] [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: 05/05/2022] [Revised: 09/04/2022] [Accepted: 09/19/2022] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
Abstract
Follistatin like protein 1 (FSTL1) is a famous growth regulatory protein. FSTL1 has been noticed in many diseases, including heart and lung ischemia, cerebral ischemia, glioma, schizophrenia, and Autism. The role of FSTL1 has been declared in the genetics and development of the central nervous system. Therefore, we designed this study to investigate the function and the role of FSTL1 in Alzheimer's disease. Firstly, we noticed upregulated expression level of FSTL1 among four to six-month-old 5XFAD AD mice. Accordingly, we hypothesized that FSTL1-Knockdown improved AD model mice's cognitive function and recover from Alzheimer's disease. Thus, AD model mice were made by single intracerebroventricular injections of Aβ1-42 peptides in FSTL1+/- and CON mice. Next, our results concluded that FSTL1-knockdown effectively improved cognitive functions. FSTL1-knockdown enhanced the pattern of neural oscillations, and synaptic plasticity in Aβ1-42 treated FSTL1-Knockdown mice compared to Aβ1-42 induced AD model mice. Next, FSTL1-Knockdown inhibited the activation of microglia and binding of TLR-4 with microglia. Further, inactivated microglia stopped the formation of MyD88. Thus, our data revealed that FSTL1-Knockdown is slowing down the caspase/BAX/Bcl-2/TLR-4 regulating apoptosis pathway, and the expression of inflammatory cytokines in the hippocampus of Aβ1-42 inserted FSTL1-Knockdown mice. Overall, all these data illuminate the clinical significance role of down-regulated FSTL1. FSTL1-Knockdown reduced the amyloid-beta by affecting microglia, neural-inflammation and apoptosis in AD-like model mice. Finally, down regulation of FSTL1 improved synaptic plasticity, neural oscillations, and cognitive behaviours in the Aβ1-42 induced AD model mice.
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4
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Tok S, Maurin H, Delay C, Crauwels D, Manyakov NV, Van Der Elst W, Moechars D, Drinkenburg WHIM. Pathological and neurophysiological outcomes of seeding human-derived tau pathology in the APP-KI NL-G-F and NL-NL mouse models of Alzheimer's Disease. Acta Neuropathol Commun 2022; 10:92. [PMID: 35739575 PMCID: PMC9219251 DOI: 10.1186/s40478-022-01393-w] [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: 04/27/2022] [Accepted: 06/07/2022] [Indexed: 12/02/2022] Open
Abstract
The two main histopathological hallmarks that characterize Alzheimer’s Disease are the presence of amyloid plaques and neurofibrillary tangles. One of the current approaches to studying the consequences of amyloid pathology relies on the usage of transgenic animal models that incorporate the mutant humanized form of the amyloid precursor protein (hAPP), with animal models progressively developing amyloid pathology as they age. However, these mice models generally overexpress the hAPP protein to facilitate the development of amyloid pathology, which has been suggested to elicit pathological and neuropathological changes unrelated to amyloid pathology. In this current study, we characterized APP knock-in (APP-KI) animals, that do not overexpress hAPP but still develop amyloid pathology to understand the influence of protein overexpression. We also induced tau pathology via human-derived tau seeding material to understand the neurophysiological effects of amyloid and tau pathology. We report that tau-seeded APP-KI animals progressively develop tau pathology, exacerbated by the presence of amyloid pathology. Interestingly, older amyloid-bearing, tau-seeded animals exhibited more amyloid pathology in the entorhinal area, isocortex and hippocampus, but not thalamus, which appeared to correlate with impairments in gamma oscillations before seeding. Tau-seeded animals also featured immediate deficits in power spectra values and phase-amplitude indices in the hippocampus after seeding, with gamma power spectra deficits persisting in younger animals. Both deficits in hippocampal phase-amplitude coupling and gamma power differentiate tau-seeded, amyloid-positive animals from buffer controls. Based on our results, impairments in gamma oscillations appear to be strongly associated with the presence and development of amyloid and tau pathology, and may also be an indicator of neuropathology, network dysfunction, and even potential disposition to the future development of amyloid pathology.
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Affiliation(s)
- S Tok
- Department of Neuroscience, Janssen Research and Development, Janssen Pharmaceutica NV, Turnhoutseweg 30, 2340, Beerse, Belgium.,Groningen Institute for Evolutionary Life Sciences, Faculty of Science and Engineering, University of Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - H Maurin
- Department of Neuroscience, Janssen Research and Development, Janssen Pharmaceutica NV, Turnhoutseweg 30, 2340, Beerse, Belgium
| | - C Delay
- Department of Neuroscience, Janssen Research and Development, Janssen Pharmaceutica NV, Turnhoutseweg 30, 2340, Beerse, Belgium
| | - D Crauwels
- Department of Neuroscience, Janssen Research and Development, Janssen Pharmaceutica NV, Turnhoutseweg 30, 2340, Beerse, Belgium
| | - N V Manyakov
- Data Sciences, Janssen Research and Development, Janssen Pharmaceutica NV, Turnhoutseweg 30, 2340, Beerse, Belgium
| | - W Van Der Elst
- Quantitative Sciences Janssen Research and Development, Janssen Pharmaceutica NV, Turnhoutseweg 30, 2340, Beerse, Belgium
| | - D Moechars
- Department of Neuroscience, Janssen Research and Development, Janssen Pharmaceutica NV, Turnhoutseweg 30, 2340, Beerse, Belgium
| | - W H I M Drinkenburg
- Department of Neuroscience, Janssen Research and Development, Janssen Pharmaceutica NV, Turnhoutseweg 30, 2340, Beerse, Belgium. .,Groningen Institute for Evolutionary Life Sciences, Faculty of Science and Engineering, University of Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands.
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5
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Tok S, Maurin H, Delay C, Crauwels D, Manyakov NV, Van Der Elst W, Moechars D, Drinkenburg WHIM. Neurophysiological effects of human-derived pathological tau conformers in the APPKM670/671NL.PS1/L166P amyloid mouse model of Alzheimer's disease. Sci Rep 2022; 12:7784. [PMID: 35546164 PMCID: PMC9094605 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-11582-1] [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: 12/30/2021] [Accepted: 04/19/2022] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
Alzheimer’s Disease (AD) is a neurodegenerative disease characterized by two main pathological hallmarks: amyloid plaques and intracellular tau neurofibrillary tangles. However, a majority of studies focus on the individual pathologies and seldom on the interaction between the two pathologies. Herein, we present the longitudinal neuropathological and neurophysiological effects of a combined amyloid-tau model by hippocampal seeding of human-derived tau pathology in the APP.PS1/L166P amyloid animal model. We statistically assessed both neurophysiological and pathological changes using linear mixed modelling to determine if factors such as the age at which animals were seeded, genotype, seeding or buffer, brain region where pathology was quantified, and time-post injection differentially affect these outcomes. We report that AT8-positive tau pathology progressively develops and is facilitated by the amount of amyloid pathology present at the time of injection. The amount of AT8-positive tau pathology was influenced by the interaction of age at which the animal was injected, genotype, and time after injection. Baseline pathology-related power spectra and Higuchi Fractal Dimension (HFD) score alterations were noted in APP.PS1/L166P before any manipulations were performed, indicating a baseline difference associated with genotype. We also report immediate localized hippocampal dysfunction in the electroencephalography (EEG) power spectra associated with tau seeding which returned to comparable levels at 1 month-post-injection. Longitudinal effects of seeding indicated that tau-seeded wild-type mice showed an increase in gamma power earlier than buffer control comparisons which was influenced by the age at which the animal was injected. A reduction of hippocampal broadband power spectra was noted in tau-seeded wild-type mice, but absent in APP.PS1 animals. HFD scores appeared to detect subtle effects associated with tau seeding in APP.PS1 animals, which was differentially influenced by genotype. Notably, while tau histopathological changes were present, a lack of overt longitudinal electrophysiological alterations was noted, particularly in APP.PS1 animals that feature both pathologies after seeding, reiterating and underscoring the difficulty and complexity associated with elucidating physiologically relevant and translatable biomarkers of Alzheimer’s Disease at the early stages of the disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- S Tok
- Department of Neuroscience, Janssen Research and Development, Janssen Pharmaceutica NV, Turnhoutseweg 30, 2340, Beerse, Belgium. .,Faculty of Science and Engineering, Groningen Institute for Evolutionary Life Sciences, University of Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands.
| | - H Maurin
- Department of Neuroscience, Janssen Research and Development, Janssen Pharmaceutica NV, Turnhoutseweg 30, 2340, Beerse, Belgium
| | - C Delay
- Department of Neuroscience, Janssen Research and Development, Janssen Pharmaceutica NV, Turnhoutseweg 30, 2340, Beerse, Belgium
| | - D Crauwels
- Department of Neuroscience, Janssen Research and Development, Janssen Pharmaceutica NV, Turnhoutseweg 30, 2340, Beerse, Belgium
| | - N V Manyakov
- Data Sciences, Janssen Research and Development, Janssen Pharmaceutica NV, Turnhoutseweg 30, 2340, Beerse, Belgium
| | - W Van Der Elst
- Quantitative Sciences Janssen Research and Development, Janssen Pharmaceutica NV, Turnhoutseweg 30, 2340, Beerse, Belgium
| | - D Moechars
- Department of Neuroscience, Janssen Research and Development, Janssen Pharmaceutica NV, Turnhoutseweg 30, 2340, Beerse, Belgium
| | - W H I M Drinkenburg
- Department of Neuroscience, Janssen Research and Development, Janssen Pharmaceutica NV, Turnhoutseweg 30, 2340, Beerse, Belgium.,Faculty of Science and Engineering, Groningen Institute for Evolutionary Life Sciences, University of Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands
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6
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Nieraad H, de Bruin N, Arne O, Hofmann MCJ, Pannwitz N, Resch E, Luckhardt S, Schneider AK, Trautmann S, Schreiber Y, Gurke R, Parnham MJ, Till U, Geisslinger G. The Roles of Long-Term Hyperhomocysteinemia and Micronutrient Supplementation in the AppNL–G–F Model of Alzheimer’s Disease. Front Aging Neurosci 2022; 14:876826. [PMID: 35572151 PMCID: PMC9094364 DOI: 10.3389/fnagi.2022.876826] [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: 02/15/2022] [Accepted: 04/01/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
A causal contribution of hyperhomocysteinemia to cognitive decline and Alzheimer’s disease (AD), as well as potential prevention or mitigation of the pathology by dietary intervention, have frequently been subjects of controversy. In the present in vivo study, we attempted to further elucidate the impact of elevated homocysteine (HCys) and homocysteic acid (HCA) levels, induced by dietary B-vitamin deficiency, and micronutrient supplementation on AD-like pathology, which was simulated using the amyloid-based AppNL–G–F knock-in mouse model. For this purpose, cognitive assessment was complemented by analyses of ex vivo parameters in whole blood, serum, CSF, and brain tissues from the mice. Furthermore, neurotoxicity of HCys and HCA was assessed in a separate in vitro assay. In confirmation of our previous study, older AppNL–G–F mice also exhibited subtle phenotypic impairment and extensive cerebral amyloidosis, whereas dietary manipulations did not result in significant effects. As revealed by proximity extension assay-based proteome analysis, the AppNL–G–F genotype led to an upregulation of AD-characteristic neuronal markers. Hyperhomocysteinemia, in contrast, indicated mainly vascular effects. Overall, since there was an absence of a distinct phenotype despite both a significant amyloid-β burden and serum HCys elevation, the results in this study did not corroborate the pathological role of amyloid-β according to the “amyloid hypothesis,” nor of hyperhomocysteinemia on cognitive performance. Nevertheless, this study aided in further characterizing the AppNL–G–F model and in elucidating the role of HCys in diverse biological processes. The idea of AD prevention with the investigated micronutrients, however, was not supported, at least in this mouse model of the disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hendrik Nieraad
- Fraunhofer Institute for Translational Medicine and Pharmacology, Frankfurt am Main, Germany
| | - Natasja de Bruin
- Fraunhofer Institute for Translational Medicine and Pharmacology, Frankfurt am Main, Germany
- *Correspondence: Natasja de Bruin,
| | - Olga Arne
- Fraunhofer Institute for Translational Medicine and Pharmacology, Frankfurt am Main, Germany
| | - Martine C. J. Hofmann
- Fraunhofer Institute for Translational Medicine and Pharmacology, Frankfurt am Main, Germany
| | - Nina Pannwitz
- Fraunhofer Institute for Translational Medicine and Pharmacology, Frankfurt am Main, Germany
| | - Eduard Resch
- Fraunhofer Institute for Translational Medicine and Pharmacology, Frankfurt am Main, Germany
| | - Sonja Luckhardt
- Fraunhofer Institute for Translational Medicine and Pharmacology, Frankfurt am Main, Germany
| | - Ann-Kathrin Schneider
- Fraunhofer Institute for Translational Medicine and Pharmacology, Frankfurt am Main, Germany
| | - Sandra Trautmann
- Pharmazentrum Frankfurt/ZAFES, Institute of Clinical Pharmacology, Goethe University, Frankfurt am Main, Germany
| | - Yannick Schreiber
- Fraunhofer Institute for Translational Medicine and Pharmacology, Frankfurt am Main, Germany
| | - Robert Gurke
- Fraunhofer Institute for Translational Medicine and Pharmacology, Frankfurt am Main, Germany
- Pharmazentrum Frankfurt/ZAFES, Institute of Clinical Pharmacology, Goethe University, Frankfurt am Main, Germany
| | - Michael J. Parnham
- Fraunhofer Institute for Translational Medicine and Pharmacology, Frankfurt am Main, Germany
- EpiEndo Pharmaceuticals, Reykjavík, Iceland
| | - Uwe Till
- Former Institute of Pathobiochemistry, Friedrich-Schiller-Universität Jena, Jena, Germany
| | - Gerd Geisslinger
- Fraunhofer Institute for Translational Medicine and Pharmacology, Frankfurt am Main, Germany
- Pharmazentrum Frankfurt/ZAFES, Institute of Clinical Pharmacology, Goethe University, Frankfurt am Main, Germany
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7
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Tok S, Ahnaou A, Drinkenburg W. Functional Neurophysiological Biomarkers of Early-Stage Alzheimer's Disease: A Perspective of Network Hyperexcitability in Disease Progression. J Alzheimers Dis 2021; 88:809-836. [PMID: 34420957 PMCID: PMC9484128 DOI: 10.3233/jad-210397] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/07/2023]
Abstract
Network hyperexcitability (NH) has recently been suggested as a potential neurophysiological indicator of Alzheimer’s disease (AD), as new, more accurate biomarkers of AD are sought. NH has generated interest as a potential indicator of certain stages in the disease trajectory and even as a disease mechanism by which network dysfunction could be modulated. NH has been demonstrated in several animal models of AD pathology and multiple lines of evidence point to the existence of NH in patients with AD, strongly supporting the physiological and clinical relevance of this readout. Several hypotheses have been put forward to explain the prevalence of NH in animal models through neurophysiological, biochemical, and imaging techniques. However, some of these hypotheses have been built on animal models with limitations and caveats that may have derived NH through other mechanisms or mechanisms without translational validity to sporadic AD patients, potentially leading to an erroneous conclusion of the underlying cause of NH occurring in patients with AD. In this review, we discuss the substantiation for NH in animal models of AD pathology and in human patients, as well as some of the hypotheses considering recently developed animal models that challenge existing hypotheses and mechanisms of NH. In addition, we provide a preclinical perspective on how the development of animal models incorporating AD-specific NH could provide physiologically relevant translational experimental data that may potentially aid the discovery and development of novel therapies for AD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sean Tok
- Department of Neuroscience, Janssen Research & Development, Janssen Pharmaceutica NV, Beerse, Belgium.,Groningen Institute for Evolutionary Life Sciences, Faculty of Science and Engineering, University of Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - Abdallah Ahnaou
- Department of Neuroscience, Janssen Research & Development, Janssen Pharmaceutica NV, Beerse, Belgium
| | - Wilhelmus Drinkenburg
- Department of Neuroscience, Janssen Research & Development, Janssen Pharmaceutica NV, Beerse, Belgium.,Groningen Institute for Evolutionary Life Sciences, Faculty of Science and Engineering, University of Groningen, The Netherlands
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8
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The M1/M4 preferring muscarinic agonist xanomeline modulates functional connectivity and NMDAR antagonist-induced changes in the mouse brain. Neuropsychopharmacology 2021; 46:1194-1206. [PMID: 33342996 PMCID: PMC8115158 DOI: 10.1038/s41386-020-00916-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/07/2020] [Revised: 10/02/2020] [Accepted: 11/10/2020] [Indexed: 12/25/2022]
Abstract
Cholinergic drugs acting at M1/M4 muscarinic receptors hold promise for the treatment of symptoms associated with brain disorders characterized by cognitive impairment, mood disturbances, or psychosis, such as Alzheimer's disease or schizophrenia. However, the brain-wide functional substrates engaged by muscarinic agonists remain poorly understood. Here we used a combination of pharmacological fMRI (phMRI), resting-state fMRI (rsfMRI), and resting-state quantitative EEG (qEEG) to investigate the effects of a behaviorally active dose of the M1/M4-preferring muscarinic agonist xanomeline on brain functional activity in the rodent brain. We investigated both the effects of xanomeline per se and its modulatory effects on signals elicited by the NMDA-receptor antagonists phencyclidine (PCP) and ketamine. We found that xanomeline induces robust and widespread BOLD signal phMRI amplitude increases and decreased high-frequency qEEG spectral activity. rsfMRI mapping in the mouse revealed that xanomeline robustly decreased neocortical and striatal connectivity but induces focal increases in functional connectivity within the nucleus accumbens and basal forebrain. Notably, xanomeline pre-administration robustly attenuated both the cortico-limbic phMRI response and the fronto-hippocampal hyper-connectivity induced by PCP, enhanced PCP-modulated functional connectivity locally within the nucleus accumbens and basal forebrain, and reversed the gamma and high-frequency qEEG power increases induced by ketamine. Collectively, these results show that xanomeline robustly induces both cholinergic-like neocortical activation and desynchronization of functional networks in the mammalian brain. These effects could serve as a translatable biomarker for future clinical investigations of muscarinic agents, and bear mechanistic relevance for the putative therapeutic effect of these class of compounds in brain disorders.
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9
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Palmer D, Dumont JR, Dexter TD, Prado MAM, Finger E, Bussey TJ, Saksida LM. Touchscreen cognitive testing: Cross-species translation and co-clinical trials in neurodegenerative and neuropsychiatric disease. Neurobiol Learn Mem 2021; 182:107443. [PMID: 33895351 DOI: 10.1016/j.nlm.2021.107443] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/05/2020] [Revised: 02/06/2021] [Accepted: 02/26/2021] [Indexed: 01/06/2023]
Abstract
Translating results from pre-clinical animal studies to successful human clinical trials in neurodegenerative and neuropsychiatric disease presents a significant challenge. While this issue is clearly multifaceted, the lack of reproducibility and poor translational validity of many paradigms used to assess cognition in animal models are central contributors to this challenge. Computer-automated cognitive test batteries have the potential to substantially improve translation between pre-clinical studies and clinical trials by increasing both reproducibility and translational validity. Given the structured nature of data output, computer-automated tests also lend themselves to increased data sharing and other open science good practices. Over the past two decades, computer automated, touchscreen-based cognitive testing methods have been developed for non-human primate and rodent models. These automated methods lend themselves to increased standardization, hence reproducibility, and have become increasingly important for the elucidation of the neurobiological basis of cognition in animal models. More recently, there have been increased efforts to use these methods to enhance translational validity by developing task batteries that are nearly identical across different species via forward (i.e., translating animal tasks to humans) and reverse (i.e., translating human tasks to animals) translation. An additional benefit of the touchscreen approach is that a cross-species cognitive test battery makes it possible to implement co-clinical trials-an approach developed initially in cancer research-for novel treatments for neurodegenerative disorders. Co-clinical trials bring together pre-clinical and early clinical studies, which facilitates testing of novel treatments in mouse models with underlying genetic or other changes, and can help to stratify patients on the basis of genetic, molecular, or cognitive criteria. This approach can help to determine which patients should be enrolled in specific clinical trials and can facilitate repositioning and/or repurposing of previously approved drugs. This has the potential to mitigate the resources required to study treatment responses in large numbers of human patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel Palmer
- Robarts Research Institute, The University of Western Ontario, Ontario, Canada; Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, The University of Western Ontario, Ontario, Canada.
| | - Julie R Dumont
- Robarts Research Institute, The University of Western Ontario, Ontario, Canada; BrainsCAN, The University of Western Ontario, Ontario, Canada
| | - Tyler D Dexter
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, The University of Western Ontario, Ontario, Canada; Graduate Program in Neuroscience, The University of Western Ontario, Ontario, Canada
| | - Marco A M Prado
- Robarts Research Institute, The University of Western Ontario, Ontario, Canada; Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, The University of Western Ontario, Ontario, Canada; Graduate Program in Neuroscience, The University of Western Ontario, Ontario, Canada; Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, The University of Western Ontario, Ontario, Canada
| | - Elizabeth Finger
- Robarts Research Institute, The University of Western Ontario, Ontario, Canada; Department of Clinical Neurological Sciences, The University of Western Ontario, Ontario, Canada; Lawson Health Research Institute, Ontario, Canada; Parkwood Institute, St. Josephs Health Care, Ontario, Canada
| | - Timothy J Bussey
- Robarts Research Institute, The University of Western Ontario, Ontario, Canada; Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, The University of Western Ontario, Ontario, Canada; Brain and Mind Institute, The University of Western Ontario, Ontario, Canada
| | - Lisa M Saksida
- Robarts Research Institute, The University of Western Ontario, Ontario, Canada; Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, The University of Western Ontario, Ontario, Canada; Brain and Mind Institute, The University of Western Ontario, Ontario, Canada
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10
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Abbaszadeh M, Sahin M, Ozgun A, Oncu G, Garipcan B, Saybasili H. A Transient Survival Model of Alteration of Electrophysiological Properties Due to Amyloid Beta Toxicity Based on SH-SY5Y Cell Line. Curr Alzheimer Res 2021; 17:1208-1213. [PMID: 33583383 DOI: 10.2174/1567205018666210212155750] [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: 03/29/2020] [Revised: 10/26/2020] [Accepted: 12/21/2020] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Accumulation of toxic strands of amyloid beta (AB), which cause neurofibrillary tangles and, ultimately, cell death, is suspected to be the main culprit behind clinical symptoms of Alzheimer's disease. Although the mechanism of cell death due to AB accumulation is well known, the intermediate phase between the start of accumulation and cell death is less known and investigated, partially due to technical challenges in identifying partially affected cells. OBJECTIVE First, we aimed to establish an in vitro model that would show resilience against AB toxicity. Then we used morphological, molecular and electrophysiological assays to investigate how the characteristics of the surviving cells changed after AB toxicity. METHODS To investigate this phase, we used differentiation of SH-SY5Y neuroblastoma stem cells by Retinoic Acid (RA) and Brain Derived Neurotrophic Factor (BDNF) to establish an in vitro model which would be able to demonstrate various levels of resistance to AB toxicity. We utilized fluorescent microscopy and whole cell patch clamp recordings to investigate behavior of the model. RESULTS We observed significantly higher morphological resilience against AB toxicity in cells which were differentiated by both Retinoic Acid and Brain Derived Neurotrophic Factor compared to Retinoic Acid only. However, the electrophysiological properties of the Retinoic Acid + Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor differentiated cells were significantly altered after AB treatment. CONCLUSION We established a transient survival model for AB toxicity and observed the effects of AB on transmembrane currents of differentiated neurons.
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Affiliation(s)
- Morteza Abbaszadeh
- Institute of Biomedical Engineering, Bogazici University, Istanbul, Turkey
| | - Meryem Sahin
- Institute of Biomedical Engineering, Bogazici University, Istanbul, Turkey
| | - Alp Ozgun
- Institute of Biomedical Engineering, Bogazici University, Istanbul, Turkey
| | - Gul Oncu
- Institute of Biomedical Engineering, Bogazici University, Istanbul, Turkey
| | - Bora Garipcan
- Institute of Biomedical Engineering, Bogazici University, Istanbul, Turkey
| | - Hale Saybasili
- Institute of Biomedical Engineering, Bogazici University, Istanbul, Turkey
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Nieraad H, de Bruin N, Arne O, Hofmann MCJ, Schmidt M, Saito T, Saido TC, Gurke R, Schmidt D, Till U, Parnham MJ, Geisslinger G. Impact of Hyperhomocysteinemia and Different Dietary Interventions on Cognitive Performance in a Knock-in Mouse Model for Alzheimer's Disease. Nutrients 2020; 12:nu12113248. [PMID: 33114054 PMCID: PMC7690745 DOI: 10.3390/nu12113248] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/26/2020] [Revised: 10/13/2020] [Accepted: 10/20/2020] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Hyperhomocysteinemia is considered a possible contributor to the complex pathology of Alzheimer's disease (AD). For years, researchers in this field have discussed the apparent detrimental effects of the endogenous amino acid homocysteine in the brain. In this study, the roles of hyperhomocysteinemia driven by vitamin B deficiency, as well as potentially beneficial dietary interventions, were investigated in the novel AppNL-G-F knock-in mouse model for AD, simulating an early stage of the disease. METHODS Urine and serum samples were analyzed using a validated LC-MS/MS method and the impact of different experimental diets on cognitive performance was studied in a comprehensive behavioral test battery. Finally, we analyzed brain samples immunohistochemically in order to assess amyloid-β (Aβ) plaque deposition. RESULTS Behavioral testing data indicated subtle cognitive deficits in AppNL-G-F compared to C57BL/6J wild type mice. Elevation of homocysteine and homocysteic acid, as well as counteracting dietary interventions, mostly did not result in significant effects on learning and memory performance, nor in a modified Aβ plaque deposition in 35-week-old AppNL-G-F mice. CONCLUSION Despite prominent Aβ plaque deposition, the AppNL-G-F model merely displays a very mild AD-like phenotype at the investigated age. Older AppNL-G-F mice should be tested in order to further investigate potential effects of hyperhomocysteinemia and dietary interventions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hendrik Nieraad
- Fraunhofer Institute for Molecular Biology and Applied Ecology IME, Branch for Translational Medicine and Pharmacology TMP, Theodor-Stern-Kai 7, 60596 Frankfurt am Main, Germany; (N.d.B.); (O.A.); (M.C.J.H.); (M.S.); (R.G.); (D.S.); (M.J.P.); (G.G.)
- Correspondence:
| | - Natasja de Bruin
- Fraunhofer Institute for Molecular Biology and Applied Ecology IME, Branch for Translational Medicine and Pharmacology TMP, Theodor-Stern-Kai 7, 60596 Frankfurt am Main, Germany; (N.d.B.); (O.A.); (M.C.J.H.); (M.S.); (R.G.); (D.S.); (M.J.P.); (G.G.)
| | - Olga Arne
- Fraunhofer Institute for Molecular Biology and Applied Ecology IME, Branch for Translational Medicine and Pharmacology TMP, Theodor-Stern-Kai 7, 60596 Frankfurt am Main, Germany; (N.d.B.); (O.A.); (M.C.J.H.); (M.S.); (R.G.); (D.S.); (M.J.P.); (G.G.)
| | - Martine C. J. Hofmann
- Fraunhofer Institute for Molecular Biology and Applied Ecology IME, Branch for Translational Medicine and Pharmacology TMP, Theodor-Stern-Kai 7, 60596 Frankfurt am Main, Germany; (N.d.B.); (O.A.); (M.C.J.H.); (M.S.); (R.G.); (D.S.); (M.J.P.); (G.G.)
| | - Mike Schmidt
- Fraunhofer Institute for Molecular Biology and Applied Ecology IME, Branch for Translational Medicine and Pharmacology TMP, Theodor-Stern-Kai 7, 60596 Frankfurt am Main, Germany; (N.d.B.); (O.A.); (M.C.J.H.); (M.S.); (R.G.); (D.S.); (M.J.P.); (G.G.)
| | - Takashi Saito
- Laboratory for Proteolytic Neuroscience, RIKEN Center for Brain Science, Wako, Saitama 351-0198, Japan; (T.S.); (T.C.S.)
- Department of Neurocognitive Science, Institute of Brain Science, Nagoya City University Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Nagoya, Aichi 467-8601, Japan
| | - Takaomi C. Saido
- Laboratory for Proteolytic Neuroscience, RIKEN Center for Brain Science, Wako, Saitama 351-0198, Japan; (T.S.); (T.C.S.)
| | - Robert Gurke
- Fraunhofer Institute for Molecular Biology and Applied Ecology IME, Branch for Translational Medicine and Pharmacology TMP, Theodor-Stern-Kai 7, 60596 Frankfurt am Main, Germany; (N.d.B.); (O.A.); (M.C.J.H.); (M.S.); (R.G.); (D.S.); (M.J.P.); (G.G.)
- pharmazentrum frankfurt/ZAFES, Institute of Clinical Pharmacology, Goethe University, Theodor-Stern-Kai 7, 60590 Frankfurt am Main, Germany
| | - Dominik Schmidt
- Fraunhofer Institute for Molecular Biology and Applied Ecology IME, Branch for Translational Medicine and Pharmacology TMP, Theodor-Stern-Kai 7, 60596 Frankfurt am Main, Germany; (N.d.B.); (O.A.); (M.C.J.H.); (M.S.); (R.G.); (D.S.); (M.J.P.); (G.G.)
| | - Uwe Till
- Former Institute of Pathobiochemistry, Friedrich-Schiller-University Jena, Nonnenplan 2, 07743 Jena, Germany;
| | - Michael J. Parnham
- Fraunhofer Institute for Molecular Biology and Applied Ecology IME, Branch for Translational Medicine and Pharmacology TMP, Theodor-Stern-Kai 7, 60596 Frankfurt am Main, Germany; (N.d.B.); (O.A.); (M.C.J.H.); (M.S.); (R.G.); (D.S.); (M.J.P.); (G.G.)
| | - Gerd Geisslinger
- Fraunhofer Institute for Molecular Biology and Applied Ecology IME, Branch for Translational Medicine and Pharmacology TMP, Theodor-Stern-Kai 7, 60596 Frankfurt am Main, Germany; (N.d.B.); (O.A.); (M.C.J.H.); (M.S.); (R.G.); (D.S.); (M.J.P.); (G.G.)
- pharmazentrum frankfurt/ZAFES, Institute of Clinical Pharmacology, Goethe University, Theodor-Stern-Kai 7, 60590 Frankfurt am Main, Germany
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