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Firdaus Z, Gutti G, Ganeshpurkar A, Kumar A, Krishnamurthy S, Singh SK, Singh TD. Centella asiatica improves memory and executive function in middle-aged rats by controlling oxidative stress and cholinergic transmission. JOURNAL OF ETHNOPHARMACOLOGY 2024; 325:117888. [PMID: 38336185 DOI: 10.1016/j.jep.2024.117888] [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: 10/08/2023] [Revised: 01/31/2024] [Accepted: 02/06/2024] [Indexed: 02/12/2024]
Abstract
ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE Centella asiatica (L.) Urban, is a medicinal herb with rich history of traditional use in Indian subcontinent. This herb has been valued for its diverse range of medicinal properties including memory booster, and also as a folk treatment for skin diseases, wound healing and mild diuretic. AIM OF STUDY Aging is a gradual and continuous process of natural decay in the biological systems, including the brain. This work aims to evaluate the effectiveness of ethanolic extract of Centella asiatica (CAE) on age-associated cognitive impairments in rats, as well as the underlying mechanism. MATERIAL AND METHODS Rats were allocated into five distinct groups of 5 animals each: Young rats (3 months old rats), middle-aged (m-aged) rats (13-14 months old), and the remaining three groups were comprised of m-aged rats treated with different concentrations of CAE, viz., 150, 300, and 450 mg/kg b. w., orally for 42 days. Y-maze, open field, novel object recognition, and elevated plus maze tests were used to assess animal behavior. The malondialdehyde (MDA), superoxide dismutase (SOD), and acetylcholinesterase (AChE) assays; and H&E staining were done in the rat brain to assess the biochemical and structural changes. CAE was also subjected to HPLC analysis, in vitro antioxidant and anti-cholinergic activity. The active compounds of CAE were docked with AChE and BuChE in molecular docking study. RESULTS The results showed that CAE treatment improves behavioral performance; attenuates the age-associated increase in MDA content, SOD, and AChE activity; and reduces neuronal loss. In vitro study showed that CAE has concentration-dependent antioxidant and anti-AChE activity. Furthermore, the presence of Asiatic acid and Madecassic acid in CAE and their good binding with cholinergic enzymes (in silico) also suggest the anticholinergic effect of CAE. CONCLUSION The findings of the current study show that the anticholinergic and antioxidant effects of CAE are attributable to the presence of Asiatic acid and Madecassic acid, which not only provide neuroprotection against age-associated cognitive decline but also reverse it.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zeba Firdaus
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry, Institute of Medical Sciences, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi, 221005, India
| | - Gopichand Gutti
- Department of Pharmaceutical Engineering and Technology, Indian Institute of Technology, BHU, Varanasi, 221005, India
| | - Ankit Ganeshpurkar
- Department of Pharmaceutical Engineering and Technology, Indian Institute of Technology, BHU, Varanasi, 221005, India
| | - Ashok Kumar
- Department of Pharmaceutical Engineering and Technology, Indian Institute of Technology, BHU, Varanasi, 221005, India
| | - Sairam Krishnamurthy
- Department of Pharmaceutical Engineering and Technology, Indian Institute of Technology, BHU, Varanasi, 221005, India
| | - Sushil Kumar Singh
- Department of Pharmaceutical Engineering and Technology, Indian Institute of Technology, BHU, Varanasi, 221005, India
| | - Tryambak Deo Singh
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry, Institute of Medical Sciences, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi, 221005, India.
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Villarreal-Silva EE, González-Navarro AR, Salazar-Ybarra RA, Quiroga-García O, Cruz-Elizondo MADJ, García-García A, Rodríguez-Rocha H, Morales-Gómez JA, Quiroga-Garza A, Elizondo-Omaña RE, de León ÁRMP, Guzmán-López S. Aged rats learn Morris Water maze using non-spatial search strategies evidenced by a parameter-based algorithm. Transl Neurosci 2022; 13:134-144. [PMID: 35855084 PMCID: PMC9250324 DOI: 10.1515/tnsci-2022-0221] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/07/2022] [Revised: 05/09/2022] [Accepted: 05/10/2022] [Indexed: 11/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Spatial learning and memory are used by all individuals who need to move in a space. Morris water maze (MWM) is an accepted method for its evaluation in murine models and has many protocols, ranging from the classic parameters of latency, distance, and number of crossings to the platform zone, to other more complex methods involving computerized trajectory analysis. Algorithm-based SS analysis is an alternative that enriches traditional classic parameters. We developed a non-computerized parameter-based Search Strategy Algorithm (SSA), to classify strategies and detect changes in spatial memory and learning. For this, our algorithm was validated using young and aged rats, evaluated by two observers who classified the trajectories of the rats based on the effectiveness, localization, and precision to reach the platform. SSA is classified into 10 categories, classified by effectiveness, initial direction, and precision. Traditional measurements were unable to show significant differences in the learning process. However, significant differences were identified in SSA. Young rats used a direct search strategy (SS), while aged rats preferred indirect ones. The number of platform crossings was the only variable to show the difference in the intermediate probe trial. The parameter-based algorithm represents an alternative to the computerized SS methods to analyze the spatial memory and learning process in young and age rats. We validate the use of SSA as an alternative to computerized SS analysis spatial learning acquisition. We demonstrated that aged rats had the ability to learn spatial memory tasks using different search strategies. The use of SSA resulted in a reliable and reproducible method to analyze MWM protocols.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eliud Enrique Villarreal-Silva
- Neurosurgery and Neuroendovascular Therapy Department, “Dr. José Eleuterio González” University Hospital, Universidad Autónoma de Nuevo León, Madero Av. and Dr. Aguirre Pequeño s/n. Col. Mitras Centro, Monterrey C.P. 64460, Nuevo León, México
| | | | | | - Oscar Quiroga-García
- Human Anatomy Department, Universidad Autónoma de Nuevo León, School of Medicine, Nuevo León, México
| | | | - Aracely García-García
- Histology Department, Universidad Autónoma de Nuevo León, School of Medicine, Nuevo León, México
| | - Humberto Rodríguez-Rocha
- Histology Department, Universidad Autónoma de Nuevo León, School of Medicine, Nuevo León, México
| | - Jesús Alberto Morales-Gómez
- Neurosurgery and Neuroendovascular Therapy Department, “Dr. José Eleuterio González” University Hospital, Universidad Autónoma de Nuevo León, Madero Av. and Dr. Aguirre Pequeño s/n. Col. Mitras Centro, Monterrey C.P. 64460, Nuevo León, México
| | - Alejandro Quiroga-Garza
- Human Anatomy Department, Universidad Autónoma de Nuevo León, School of Medicine, Nuevo León, México
| | | | - Ángel Raymundo Martínez-Ponce de León
- Neurosurgery and Neuroendovascular Therapy Department, “Dr. José Eleuterio González” University Hospital, Universidad Autónoma de Nuevo León, Madero Av. and Dr. Aguirre Pequeño s/n. Col. Mitras Centro, Monterrey C.P. 64460, Nuevo León, México
| | - Santos Guzmán-López
- Human Anatomy Department, Universidad Autónoma de Nuevo León, School of Medicine, Nuevo León, México
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A robust bitmap-based real-time position tracking algorithm for rats in radial arm maze tests. Sci Rep 2021; 11:22447. [PMID: 34789865 PMCID: PMC8599520 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-01974-0] [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: 06/18/2021] [Accepted: 11/01/2021] [Indexed: 11/08/2022] Open
Abstract
This paper aims to develop a position tracking algorithm by which a rat in a radial arm maze can be accurately located in real time. An infrared (IR) night-vision camera was hung above the maze to capture IR images of the rat. The IR images were binarized and then duplicated for subsequent intersection and opening operations. Due to simple operations and a high robustness against the noise spots formed by the droppings of the rat, it took just minutes to process more than 9000 frames, and an accuracy above 99% was reached as well. The maze was intruded by an experimenter to further test the robustness, and the accuracy slightly fell to 98%. For comparison purposes, the same experiments were carried out using a pre-trained YOLO v2 model. The YOLO counterpart gave an accuracy beyond 97% in the absence and in the presence of the intruder. In other words, this work slightly outperformed the YOLO counterpart in terms of the accuracy in both cases, which indicates the robustness of this work. However, it took the YOLO counterpart an hour or so to locate a rat contained in the frames, which highlights the contribution of this work.
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Illouz T, Madar R, Okun E. A modified Barnes maze for an accurate assessment of spatial learning in mice. J Neurosci Methods 2020; 334:108579. [PMID: 31926999 DOI: 10.1016/j.jneumeth.2020.108579] [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: 08/17/2019] [Revised: 12/17/2019] [Accepted: 01/05/2020] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The Morris water maze (MWM) and the Barnes maze (BM) are among the most widely-used paradigms for assessing spatial learning in rodents, with specific advantages and disadvantages for each apparatus. Compared with the intense water-related stress exerted during the MWM, the BM exhibits a milder light-induced stress, while suffering from biasing animals towards non-spatial strategies such as serial search, a heuristic non-spatial search strategy. To overcome this problem, we have developed a modified Barnes maze (MBM) apparatus that recapitulates natural environments more accurately without inducing undesirable exploration strategy bias. NEW METHOD Apparatus. A circular 122 cm-wide table with 40 randomly placed holes. One target hole is leading to an escape chamber. Task. Three target locations were examined, varying in their distance from the center. C57BL6/j male mice were given three trials per day to find the target. Following acquisition, a probe test was performed by removing the escape chamber. RESULTS Spatial-encoding-depended reduction in latency to reach the target was observed, along with improvement in path efficiency with test progress. Mice tested with peripheral and distal targets outperformed mice tested with a central target. A robust exploration pattern was identified in the probe test. COMPARISON WITH EXISTING METHOD The MBM mimics natural environment to a higher degree of accuracy than the BM, without eliciting bias towards non-spatial searching strategies. CONCLUSIONS Spatial learning in the MBM is a target-location sensitive process, providing flexibility in task difficulty. Along with overcoming biases towards non-spatial strategies, the MBM represents an improvement over the well-validated BM.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tomer Illouz
- The Leslie and Susan Gonda Multidisciplinary Brain Research Center, Bar-Ilan University, Ramat Gan, 5290002, Israel; The Paul Feder Laboratory on Alzheimer's Disease Research, Bar-Ilan University, Ramat Gan, 5290002, Israel.
| | - Ravit Madar
- The Leslie and Susan Gonda Multidisciplinary Brain Research Center, Bar-Ilan University, Ramat Gan, 5290002, Israel; The Mina and Everard Goodman Faculty of Life Sciences, Bar-Ilan University, Ramat Gan, 5290002, Israel; The Paul Feder Laboratory on Alzheimer's Disease Research, Bar-Ilan University, Ramat Gan, 5290002, Israel.
| | - Eitan Okun
- The Leslie and Susan Gonda Multidisciplinary Brain Research Center, Bar-Ilan University, Ramat Gan, 5290002, Israel; The Mina and Everard Goodman Faculty of Life Sciences, Bar-Ilan University, Ramat Gan, 5290002, Israel; The Paul Feder Laboratory on Alzheimer's Disease Research, Bar-Ilan University, Ramat Gan, 5290002, Israel.
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5
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Commins S, Kirby BP. The complexities of behavioural assessment in neurodegenerative disorders: A focus on Alzheimer’s disease. Pharmacol Res 2019; 147:104363. [DOI: 10.1016/j.phrs.2019.104363] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/14/2019] [Revised: 07/12/2019] [Accepted: 07/19/2019] [Indexed: 01/21/2023]
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6
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Structural and molecular correlates of cognitive aging in the rat. Sci Rep 2019; 9:2005. [PMID: 30765864 PMCID: PMC6376121 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-019-39645-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/18/2017] [Accepted: 06/01/2018] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Aging is associated with cognitive decline. Herein, we studied a large cohort of old age and young adult male rats and confirmed that, as a group, old rats display poorer spatial learning and behavioral flexibility than younger adults. Surprisingly, when animals were clustered as good and bad performers, our data revealed that while in younger animals better cognitive performance was associated with longer dendritic trees and increased levels of synaptic markers in the hippocampus and prefrontal cortex, the opposite was found in the older group, in which better performance was associated with shorter dendrites and lower levels of synaptic markers. Additionally, in old, but not young individuals, worse performance correlated with increased levels of BDNF and the autophagy substrate p62, but decreased levels of the autophagy complex protein LC3. In summary, while for younger individuals “bigger is better”, “smaller is better” is a more appropriate aphorism for older subjects.
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β-Alanine supplementation reduces anxiety and increases neurotrophin expression in both young and older rats. Nutr Res 2019; 62:51-63. [DOI: 10.1016/j.nutres.2018.11.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/19/2018] [Revised: 10/28/2018] [Accepted: 11/01/2018] [Indexed: 12/29/2022]
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Tran T, Gallagher M, Kirkwood A. Enhanced postsynaptic inhibitory strength in hippocampal principal cells in high-performing aged rats. Neurobiol Aging 2018; 70:92-101. [PMID: 30007169 DOI: 10.1016/j.neurobiolaging.2018.06.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/11/2018] [Revised: 05/28/2018] [Accepted: 06/03/2018] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
Hyperactivity within the hippocampal formation, frequently observed in aged individuals, is thought to be a potential contributing mechanism to the memory decline often associated with aging. Consequently, we evaluated the postsynaptic strength of excitatory and inhibitory synapses in the granule cells of the dentate gyrus and CA1 pyramidal cells of a rat model of aging, in which each individual was behaviorally characterized as aged impaired (AI) or aged unimpaired (AU, with performance comparable to young (Y) individuals). In hippocampal slices of these 3 aged groups (Y, AI, AU), we found that compared to the young, the miniature excitatory and inhibitory currents (mEPSCs and mIPSCs) were larger in amplitude in the granule cells of the AU group and smaller in the AI group. In contrast, in CA1 cells, neither the mEPSCs nor the mIPSCs were affected by age, whereas the extrasynaptic conductance responsible for tonic inhibition was selectively enhanced in CA1 cells of AU individuals. Tonic inhibition conductance was not affected by age in the granule cells. These results support the notion that upregulation of synaptic inhibition could be a necessary condition for the maintenance of performance during aging. These findings also underscore the notions that successful aging requires adaptive upregulation, not merely the preservation of youthful functionality, and that age effects are not homogeneous across hippocampal subfields.
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Affiliation(s)
- Trinh Tran
- Mind/Brain Institute and Department of Neurosciences, Johns Hopkins University, 3400 N. Charles St, Baltimore, MD 21218, USA
| | - Michela Gallagher
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Johns Hopkins University, 3400 N. Charles St, Baltimore, MD 21218, USA.
| | - Alfredo Kirkwood
- Mind/Brain Institute and Department of Neurosciences, Johns Hopkins University, 3400 N. Charles St, Baltimore, MD 21218, USA.
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Illouz T, Madar R, Clague C, Griffioen KJ, Louzoun Y, Okun E. Unbiased classification of spatial strategies in the Barnes maze. Bioinformatics 2016; 32:3314-3320. [DOI: 10.1093/bioinformatics/btw376] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/09/2016] [Accepted: 06/12/2016] [Indexed: 01/24/2023] Open
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Foster TC, Kyritsopoulos C, Kumar A. Central role for NMDA receptors in redox mediated impairment of synaptic function during aging and Alzheimer's disease. Behav Brain Res 2016; 322:223-232. [PMID: 27180169 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbr.2016.05.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 65] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/29/2016] [Revised: 04/15/2016] [Accepted: 05/05/2016] [Indexed: 01/07/2023]
Abstract
Increased human longevity has magnified the negative impact that aging can have on cognitive integrity of older individuals experiencing some decline in cognitive function. Approximately 30% of the elderly will have cognitive problems that influence their independence. Impaired executive function and memory performance are observed in normal aging and yet can be an early sign of a progressive cognitive impairment of Alzheimer's disease (AD), the most common form of dementia. Brain regions that are vulnerable to aging exhibit the earliest pathology of AD. Senescent synaptic function is observed as a shift in Ca2+-dependent synaptic plasticity and similar mechanisms are thought to contribute to the early cognitive deficits associated with AD. In the case of aging, intracellular redox state mediates a shift in Ca2+ regulation including N-methyl-d-aspartate (NMDA) receptor hypofunction and increased Ca2+ release from intracellular stores to alter synaptic plasticity. AD can interact with these aging processes such that molecules linked to AD, β-amyloid (Aβ) and mutated presenilin 1 (PS1), can also degrade NMDA receptor function, promote Ca2+ release from intracellular stores, and may increase oxidative stress. Thus, age is one of the most important predictors of AD and brain aging likely contributes to the onset of AD. The focus of this review article is to provide an update on mechanisms that contribute to the senescent synapse and possible interactions with AD-related molecules, with special emphasis on regulation of NMDA receptors.
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Affiliation(s)
- T C Foster
- Department of Neuroscience, McKnight Brain Institute, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32611, United States of America.
| | - C Kyritsopoulos
- Department of Neuroscience, McKnight Brain Institute, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32611, United States of America
| | - A Kumar
- Department of Neuroscience, McKnight Brain Institute, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32611, United States of America.
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Illouz T, Madar R, Louzoun Y, Griffioen KJ, Okun E. Unraveling cognitive traits using the Morris water maze unbiased strategy classification (MUST-C) algorithm. Brain Behav Immun 2016; 52:132-144. [PMID: 26522398 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbi.2015.10.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/08/2015] [Revised: 10/22/2015] [Accepted: 10/22/2015] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
The assessment of spatial cognitive learning in rodents is a central approach in neuroscience, as it enables one to assess and quantify the effects of treatments and genetic manipulations from a broad perspective. Although the Morris water maze (MWM) is a well-validated paradigm for testing spatial learning abilities, manual categorization of performance in the MWM into behavioral strategies is subject to individual interpretation, and thus to biases. Here we offer a support vector machine (SVM) - based, automated, MWM unbiased strategy classification (MUST-C) algorithm, as well as a cognitive score scale. This model was examined and validated by analyzing data obtained from five MWM experiments with changing platform sizes, revealing a limitation in the spatial capacity of the hippocampus. We have further employed this algorithm to extract novel mechanistic insights on the impact of members of the Toll-like receptor pathway on cognitive spatial learning and memory. The MUST-C algorithm can greatly benefit MWM users as it provides a standardized method of strategy classification as well as a cognitive scoring scale, which cannot be derived from typical analysis of MWM data.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tomer Illouz
- The Mina and Everard Goodman Faculty of Life Sciences, Bar-Ilan University, Ramat Gan 5290002, Israel; The Leslie and Susan Gonda Multidisciplinary Brain Research Center, Bar-Ilan University, Ramat Gan 5290002, Israel
| | - Ravit Madar
- The Mina and Everard Goodman Faculty of Life Sciences, Bar-Ilan University, Ramat Gan 5290002, Israel; The Leslie and Susan Gonda Multidisciplinary Brain Research Center, Bar-Ilan University, Ramat Gan 5290002, Israel
| | - Yoram Louzoun
- The Leslie and Susan Gonda Multidisciplinary Brain Research Center, Bar-Ilan University, Ramat Gan 5290002, Israel; Department of Mathematics, Bar-Ilan University, Ramat Gan 5290002, Israel
| | - Kathleen J Griffioen
- Department of Biology and Chemistry, Liberty University, Lynchburg, VA 24515, USA
| | - Eitan Okun
- The Mina and Everard Goodman Faculty of Life Sciences, Bar-Ilan University, Ramat Gan 5290002, Israel; The Leslie and Susan Gonda Multidisciplinary Brain Research Center, Bar-Ilan University, Ramat Gan 5290002, Israel.
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White matter injury and microglia/macrophage polarization are strongly linked with age-related long-term deficits in neurological function after stroke. Exp Neurol 2015; 272:109-19. [PMID: 25836044 DOI: 10.1016/j.expneurol.2015.03.021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 140] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/01/2015] [Revised: 03/19/2015] [Accepted: 03/21/2015] [Indexed: 01/04/2023]
Abstract
Most of the successes in experimental models of stroke have not translated well to the clinic. One potential reason for this failure is that stroke mainly afflicts the elderly and the majority of experimental stroke studies rely on data gathered from young adult animals. Therefore, in the present study we established a reliable, reproducible model of stroke with low mortality in aged (18month) male mice and contrasted their pathophysiological changes with those in young (2month) animals. To this end, mice were subjected to permanent tandem occlusion of the left distal middle cerebral artery (dMCAO) with ipsilateral common carotid artery occlusion (CCAO). Cerebral blood flow (CBF) was evaluated repeatedly during and after stroke. Reduction of CBF was more dramatic and sustained in aged mice. Aged mice exhibited more severe long-term sensorimotor deficits, as manifested by deterioration of performance in the Rotarod and hanging wire tests up to 35d after stroke. Aged mice also exhibited significantly worse long-term cognitive deficits after stroke, as measured by the Morris water maze test. Consistent with these behavioral observations, brain infarct size and neuronal tissue loss after dMCAO were significantly larger in aged mice at 2d and 14d, respectively. The young versus aged difference in neuronal tissue loss, however, did not persist until 35d after dMCAO. In contrast to the transient difference in neuronal tissue loss, we found significant and long lasting deterioration of white matter in aged animals, as revealed by the loss of myelin basic protein (MBP) staining in the striatum at 35d after dMCAO. We further examined the expression of M1 (CD16/CD32) and M2 (CD206) markers in Iba-1(+) microglia by double immunofluorescent staining. In both young and aged mice, the expression of M2 markers peaked around 7d after stroke whereas the expression of M1 markers peaked around 14d after stroke, suggesting a progressive M2-to-M1 phenotype shift in both groups. However, aged mice exhibited significantly reduced M2 polarization compared to young adults. Remarkably, we discovered a strong positive correlation between favorable neurological outcomes after dMCAO and MBP levels or the number of M2 microglia/macrophages. In conclusion, our studies suggest that the distal MCAO stroke model consistently results in ischemic brain injury with long-term behavioral deficits, and is therefore suitable for the evaluation of long-term stroke outcomes. Furthermore, aged mice exhibit deterioration of functional outcomes after stroke and this deterioration is linked to white matter damage and reductions in M2 microglia/macrophage polarization.
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Labarrière M, Thomas F, Dutar P, Pollegioni L, Wolosker H, Billard JM. Circuit-specific changes in D-serine-dependent activation of the N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor in the aging hippocampus. AGE (DORDRECHT, NETHERLANDS) 2014; 36:9698. [PMID: 25138794 PMCID: PMC4453931 DOI: 10.1007/s11357-014-9698-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/11/2014] [Accepted: 07/27/2014] [Indexed: 05/29/2023]
Abstract
Age-related memory deficits have recently been associated with the impaired expression of D-serine-dependent synaptic plasticity in neuronal networks of the hippocampal CA1 area. However, whether such functional alterations are common to the entire hippocampus during aging remains unknown. Here, we found that D-serine was also required for the induction of N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor (NMDA-R)-dependent long-term potentiation (LTP) at perforant path-granule cell synapses of the dentate gyrus. LTP as well as isolated NMDA-R synaptic potentials were impaired in slices from aged rats, but in contrast to the CA1, this defect was not reversed by exogenous D-serine. The lower activation of the glycine-binding site by the endogenous co-agonist does not therefore appear to be a critical mechanism underlying age-related deficits in NMDA-R activation in the dentate gyrus. Instead, our data highlight the role of changes in presynaptic inputs as illustrated by the weaker responsiveness of afferent glutamatergic fibers, as well as changes in postsynaptic NMDA-R density. Thus, our study indicates that although NMDA-R-dependent mechanisms driving synaptic plasticity are quite similar between hippocampal circuits, they show regional differences in their susceptibility to aging, which could hamper the development of effective therapeutic strategies aimed at reducing cognitive aging.
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Affiliation(s)
- M. Labarrière
- />Centre de Psychiatrie et Neurosciences, Université Paris Descartes, Sorbonne Paris Cité, UMR 894, Paris, 75014 France
| | - F. Thomas
- />Centre de Psychiatrie et Neurosciences, Université Paris Descartes, Sorbonne Paris Cité, UMR 894, Paris, 75014 France
| | - P. Dutar
- />Centre de Psychiatrie et Neurosciences, Université Paris Descartes, Sorbonne Paris Cité, UMR 894, Paris, 75014 France
| | - L. Pollegioni
- />Dipartimento di Biotecnologie e Scienze della Vita, Università degli studi dell’Insubria, via J.H. Dunant 3, 21100 Varese, Italy
- />The Protein Factory, Centro Interuniversitario di Biotecnologie Proteiche, Politecnico di Milano, ICRM CNR Milano, and Università degli Studi dell’Insubria, via Mancinelli 7, 20137 Milano, Italy
| | - H. Wolosker
- />Department of Biochemistry, Rappaport Faculty of Medicine, Technion-Israel Institute of Technology, Haifa, 31036 Israel
| | - J.-M. Billard
- />Centre de Psychiatrie et Neurosciences, Université Paris Descartes, Sorbonne Paris Cité, UMR 894, Paris, 75014 France
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Scharfman HE, Chao MV. The entorhinal cortex and neurotrophin signaling in Alzheimer's disease and other disorders. Cogn Neurosci 2013; 4:123-35. [PMID: 24168199 PMCID: PMC3836904 DOI: 10.1080/17588928.2013.826184] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
Abstract
A major problem in the field of neurodegeneration is the basis of selective vulnerability of subsets of neurons to disease. In aging, Alzheimer's disease (AD), and other disorders such as temporal lobe epilepsy, the superficial layers of the entorhinal cortex (EC) are an area of selective vulnerability. In AD, it has been suggested that the degeneration of these neurons may play a role in causing the disease because it occurs at an early stage. Therefore, it is important to define the distinctive characteristics of the EC that make this region particularly vulnerable. It has been shown that neurotrophins such as brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) are critical to the maintenance of the cortical neurons in the adult brain, and specifically the EC. Here we review the circuitry, distinctive functions, and neurotrophin-dependence of the EC that are relevant to its vulnerability. We also suggest that a protein that is critical to the actions of BDNF, the ARMS/Kidins220 scaffold protein, plays an important role in neurotrophic support of the EC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Helen E Scharfman
- a Departments of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry, Physiology & Neuroscience and Psychiatry , New York University Langone Medical Center , New York , NY , USA
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Senescent-induced dysregulation of cAMP/CREB signaling and correlations with cognitive decline. Brain Res 2013; 1516:93-109. [PMID: 23623816 DOI: 10.1016/j.brainres.2013.04.033] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/20/2012] [Revised: 04/12/2013] [Accepted: 04/13/2013] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
It is well known that alongside senescence there is a gradual decline in cognitive ability, most noticeably certain kinds of memory such as working, episodic, spatial, and long term memory. However, until recently, not much has been known regarding the specific mechanisms responsible for the decline in cognitive ability with age. Over the past decades, researchers have become more interested in cAMP signaling, and its downstream transcription factor cAMP response element binding protein (CREB) in the context of senescence. However, there is still a lack of understanding on what ultimately causes the cognitive deficits observed with senescence. This review will focus on the changes in intracellular signaling in the brain, more specifically, alterations in cAMP/CREB signaling in aging. In addition, the downstream effects of altered cAMP signaling on cognitive ability with age will be further discussed. Overall, understanding the senescent-related changes that occur in cAMP/CREB signaling could be important for the development of novel drug targets for both healthy aging, and pathological aging such as Alzheimer's disease.
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Baudry M, Kramar E, Xu X, Zadran H, Moreno S, Lynch G, Gall C, Bi X. Ampakines promote spine actin polymerization, long-term potentiation, and learning in a mouse model of Angelman syndrome. Neurobiol Dis 2012; 47:210-5. [PMID: 22525571 DOI: 10.1016/j.nbd.2012.04.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 77] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/19/2012] [Revised: 03/29/2012] [Accepted: 04/06/2012] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Angelman syndrome (AS) is a neurodevelopmental disorder largely due to abnormal maternal expression of the UBE3A gene leading to the deletion of E6-associated protein. AS subjects have severe cognitive impairments for which there are no therapeutic interventions. Mouse models (knockouts of the maternal Ube3a gene: 'AS mice') of the disorder have substantial deficits in long-term potentiation (LTP) and learning. Here we report a clinically plausible pharmacological treatment that ameliorates both deficits. AS mice were injected ip twice daily for 5 days with vehicle or the ampakine CX929; drugs of this type enhance fast EPSCs by positively modulating AMPA receptors. Theta burst stimulation (TBS) produced a normal enhancement of field EPSPs in hippocampal slices prepared from vehicle-treated AS mice but LTP decreased steadily to baseline; however, LTP in slices from ampakine-treated AS mice stabilized at levels found in wild-type controls. TBS-induced actin polymerization within dendritic spines, an essential event for stabilizing LTP, was severely impaired in slices from vehicle-treated AS mice but not in those from ampakine-treated AS mice. Long-term memory scores in a fear conditioning paradigm were reduced by 50% in vehicle-treated AS mice but were comparable to values for littermate controls in the ampakine-treated AS mice. We propose that AS is associated with a profound defect in activity-driven spine cytoskeletal reorganization, resulting in a loss of the synaptic plasticity required for the encoding of long-term memory. Notably, the spine abnormality along with the LTP and learning impairments can be reduced by a minimally invasive drug treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michel Baudry
- Department of Biological Science, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
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Vetreno RP, Ramos RL, Anzalone S, Savage LM. Brain and behavioral pathology in an animal model of Wernicke's encephalopathy and Wernicke-Korsakoff Syndrome. Brain Res 2012; 1436:178-92. [PMID: 22192411 PMCID: PMC3266665 DOI: 10.1016/j.brainres.2011.11.038] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/17/2011] [Revised: 11/16/2011] [Accepted: 11/18/2011] [Indexed: 01/24/2023]
Abstract
Animal models provide the opportunity for in-depth and experimental investigation into the anatomical and physiological underpinnings of human neurological disorders. Rodent models of thiamine deficiency have yielded significant insight into the structural, neurochemical and cognitive deficits associated with thiamine deficiency as well as proven useful toward greater understanding of memory function in the intact brain. In this review, we discuss the anatomical, neurochemical and behavioral changes that occur during the acute and chronic phases of thiamine deficiency and describe how rodent models of Wernicke-Korsakoff Syndrome aid in developing a more detailed picture of brain structures involved in learning and memory.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ryan P. Vetreno
- Behavioral Neuroscience Program, Department of Psychology, State University of New York at Binghamton, Binghamton, NY 13902
| | - Raddy L. Ramos
- Department of Neuroscience & Histology, New York College of Osteopathic Medicine, New York Institute of Technology, Old Westbury NY 11568
| | - Steven Anzalone
- Behavioral Neuroscience Program, Department of Psychology, State University of New York at Binghamton, Binghamton, NY 13902
| | - Lisa M. Savage
- Behavioral Neuroscience Program, Department of Psychology, State University of New York at Binghamton, Binghamton, NY 13902
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Heng LJ, Markham JA, Hu XT, Tseng KY. Concurrent upregulation of postsynaptic L-type Ca(2+) channel function and protein kinase A signaling is required for the periadolescent facilitation of Ca(2+) plateau potentials and dopamine D1 receptor modulation in the prefrontal cortex. Neuropharmacology 2011; 60:953-62. [PMID: 21288471 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuropharm.2011.01.041] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/19/2010] [Revised: 01/17/2011] [Accepted: 01/24/2011] [Indexed: 01/09/2023]
Abstract
Further understanding of how prefrontal cortex (PFC) circuit change during postnatal development is of great interest due to its role in working memory and decision-making, two cognitive abilities that are refined late in adolescence and become altered in schizophrenia. While it is evident that dopamine facilitation of glutamate responses occurs during adolescence in the PFC, little is known about the cellular mechanisms that support these changes. Among them, a developmental facilitation of postsynaptic Ca(2+) function is of particular interest given its role in coordinating neuronal ensembles, a process thought to contribute to maturation of PFC function. Here we conducted whole-cell patch clamp recordings of deep-layer pyramidal neurons in PFC brain slices and determined how somatic-evoked Ca(2+)-mediated plateau depolarizations change throughout postnatal day (PD) 25 (juvenile) to adulthood (PD 80). Postsynaptic Ca(2+) potentials in the PFC increase in duration throughout postnatal development. A remarkable shift from short to prolonged depolarizations was observed after PD 40. This change is reflected by an enhancement of L-type Ca(2+) channel function and postsynaptic PKA signaling. We speculate that such a protracted developmental facilitation of Ca(2+) response in the PFC may contribute to improvement of working memory performance through adolescence.
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Affiliation(s)
- Li-Jun Heng
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Pharmacology, Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science, The Chicago Medical School, 3333 Green Bay Rd., North Chicago, IL 60064, USA
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The potential of microelectrode arrays and microelectronics for biomedical research and diagnostics. Anal Bioanal Chem 2010; 399:2313-29. [DOI: 10.1007/s00216-010-3968-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 63] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/20/2010] [Accepted: 06/23/2010] [Indexed: 10/19/2022]
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20
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Up-regulating BDNF with an ampakine rescues synaptic plasticity and memory in Huntington's disease knockin mice. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2009; 106:4906-11. [PMID: 19264961 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.0811228106] [Citation(s) in RCA: 201] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Cognitive problems occur in asymptomatic gene carriers of Huntington's disease (HD), and mouse models of the disease exhibit impaired learning and substantial deficits in the cytoskeletal changes that stabilize long-term potentiation (LTP). The latter effects may be related to the decreased production of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) associated with the HD mutation. This study asked whether up-regulating endogenous BDNF levels with an ampakine, a positive modulator of AMPA-type glutamate receptors, rescues plasticity and reduces learning problems in HD (CAG140) mice. Twice-daily injections of a short half-life ampakine normalized BDNF levels, activity-driven actin polymerization in dendritic spines, and LTP stabilization in 8-week-old mutants. Comparable results were obtained in 16-week-old HD mice with more severe LTP deficits. Ampakine treatments had no measurable effect on the decreased locomotor activity observed in the mutants but offset their impairments in long-term memory. Given that ampakines are well tolerated in clinical trials and were effective in this study after brief exposures, these results suggest a novel strategy for chronic treatment of the cognitive difficulties that occur in the early stages of HD.
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