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Kasanga EA, Soto I, Centner A, McManus R, Shifflet MK, Navarrete W, Han Y, Lisk J, Ehrhardt T, Wheeler K, Mhatre-Winters I, Richardson JR, Bishop C, Nejtek VA, Salvatore MF. Moderate intensity aerobic exercise alleviates motor deficits in 6-OHDA lesioned rats and reduces serum levels of biomarkers of Parkinson's disease severity without recovery of striatal dopamine or tyrosine hydroxylase. Exp Neurol 2024; 379:114875. [PMID: 38944332 DOI: 10.1016/j.expneurol.2024.114875] [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: 03/20/2024] [Revised: 06/11/2024] [Accepted: 06/20/2024] [Indexed: 07/01/2024]
Abstract
Alleviation of motor impairment by aerobic exercise (AE) in Parkinson's disease (PD) patients points to activation of neurobiological mechanisms that may be targetable by therapeutic approaches. However, evidence for AE-related recovery of striatal dopamine (DA) signaling or tyrosine hydroxylase (TH) loss has been inconsistent in rodent studies. This ambiguity may be related to the timing of AE intervention in relation to the status of nigrostriatal neuron loss. Here, we replicated human PD at diagnosis by establishing motor impairment with >80% striatal DA and TH loss prior to initiating AE, and assessed its potential to alleviate motor decline and restore DA and TH loss. We also evaluated if serum levels of neurofilament light (NfL) and glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP), biomarkers of human PD severity, changed in response to AE. 6-hydroxydopamine (6-OHDA) was infused unilaterally into rat medial forebrain bundle to induce progressive nigrostriatal neuron loss over 28 days. Moderate intensity AE (3× per week, 40 min/session), began 8-10 days post-lesion following establishment of impaired forelimb use. Striatal tissue DA, TH protein and mRNA, and serum levels of NfL/GFAP were determined 3-wks after AE began. Despite severe striatal DA depletion at AE initiation, forelimb use deficits and hypokinesia onset were alleviated by AE, without recovery of striatal DA or TH protein loss, but reduced NfL and GFAP serum levels. This proof-of-concept study shows AE alleviates motor impairment when initiated with >80% striatal DA loss without obligate recovery of striatal DA or TH protein. Moreover, the AE-related reduction of NfL and GFAP serum levels may serve as objective blood-based biomarkers of AE efficacy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ella A Kasanga
- Department of Pharmacology and Neuroscience, University of North Texas Health Science Center, Fort Worth, TX, United States of America
| | - Isabel Soto
- Department of Pharmacology and Neuroscience, University of North Texas Health Science Center, Fort Worth, TX, United States of America
| | - Ashley Centner
- Department of Psychology, Binghamton University, Binghamton, NY, United States of America
| | - Robert McManus
- Department of Pharmacology and Neuroscience, University of North Texas Health Science Center, Fort Worth, TX, United States of America
| | - Marla K Shifflet
- Department of Pharmacology and Neuroscience, University of North Texas Health Science Center, Fort Worth, TX, United States of America
| | - Walter Navarrete
- Department of Pharmacology and Neuroscience, University of North Texas Health Science Center, Fort Worth, TX, United States of America
| | - Yoonhee Han
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, Robert Stempel School of Public Health & Social Work, Florida International University, Miami, FL, United States of America; Isakson Center for Neurological Disease Research, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, United States of America
| | - Jerome Lisk
- Department of Pharmacology and Neuroscience, University of North Texas Health Science Center, Fort Worth, TX, United States of America
| | - Travis Ehrhardt
- Clearcut Ortho Rehab & Diagnostics, Fort Worth, TX, United States of America
| | - Ken Wheeler
- Clearcut Ortho Rehab & Diagnostics, Fort Worth, TX, United States of America
| | - Isha Mhatre-Winters
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, Robert Stempel School of Public Health & Social Work, Florida International University, Miami, FL, United States of America; Isakson Center for Neurological Disease Research, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, United States of America
| | - Jason R Richardson
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, Robert Stempel School of Public Health & Social Work, Florida International University, Miami, FL, United States of America; Isakson Center for Neurological Disease Research, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, United States of America
| | - Christopher Bishop
- Department of Psychology, Binghamton University, Binghamton, NY, United States of America
| | - Vicki A Nejtek
- Department of Pharmacology and Neuroscience, University of North Texas Health Science Center, Fort Worth, TX, United States of America
| | - Michael F Salvatore
- Department of Pharmacology and Neuroscience, University of North Texas Health Science Center, Fort Worth, TX, United States of America.
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Zheng Y, Shen Y, Feng R, Hu W, Huang P. Research progress on the application of anti-gravity treadmill in the rehabilitation of Parkinson's disease patients: a mini review. Front Neurol 2024; 15:1401256. [PMID: 38882698 PMCID: PMC11176542 DOI: 10.3389/fneur.2024.1401256] [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: 03/15/2024] [Accepted: 05/20/2024] [Indexed: 06/18/2024] Open
Abstract
Parkinson's disease (PD) is a progressive neurodegenerative disorder characterized by motor and non-motor symptoms. It is the second most common chronic progressive neurodegenerative disease. PD still lacks a known cure or prophylactic medication. Current treatments primarily address symptoms without halting the progression of PD, and the side effects of dopaminergic therapy become more apparent over time. In contrast, physical therapy, with its lower risk of side effects and potential cardiovascular benefits, may provide greater benefits to patients. The Anti-Gravity Treadmill is an emerging rehabilitation therapy device with high safety, which minimizes patients' fear and allows them to focus more on a normal, correct gait, and has a promising clinical application. Based on this premise, this study aims to summarize and analyze the relevant studies on the application of the anti-gravity treadmill in PD patients, providing a reference for PD rehabilitation practice and establishing a theoretical basis for future research in this area.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yalin Zheng
- School of Sports Medicine and Rehabilitation, Beijing Sport University, Beijing, China
| | - Yu Shen
- School of Sports Medicine and Rehabilitation, Beijing Sport University, Beijing, China
| | - Renzhi Feng
- School of Sports Medicine and Rehabilitation, Beijing Sport University, Beijing, China
| | - Weiyin Hu
- School of Sports Medicine and Rehabilitation, Beijing Sport University, Beijing, China
| | - Peng Huang
- School of Sports Medicine and Rehabilitation, Beijing Sport University, Beijing, China
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Anderson KA, Whitehead BJ, Petersen ED, Kemme MR, Wedster A, Hochgeschwender U, Sandstrom MI. Behavioral context improves optogenetic stimulation of transplanted dopaminergic cells in unilateral 6-OHDA rats. Behav Brain Res 2023; 441:114279. [PMID: 36586489 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbr.2022.114279] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/01/2022] [Revised: 12/20/2022] [Accepted: 12/22/2022] [Indexed: 12/29/2022]
Abstract
Stem cell therapy has long been a popular method of treatment for Parkinson's disease currently being researched in both preclinical and clinical settings. While early clinical results are based upon fetal tissue transplants rather than stem cell transplants, the lack of successful integration in some patients and gradual loss of effect in others suggests a more robust protocol is needed. We propose a two-front approach, one where transplants are directly stimulated in coordination with host activity elicited by behavioral tasks, which we refer to as behavioral context. After a pilot with unilateral 6-OHDA rats transplanted with dopaminergic cells differentiated from mesenchymal stem cells that were optogenetically stimulated during a swim task, we discovered that early stimulation predicted lasting reduction of motor deficits, even in the absence of later stimulation. This led to a follow-up with n = 21 rats split into three groups: one stimulated while performing a swim task (Stim-Swim; St-Sw), one not stimulated while swimming (NoStim-Swim; NSt-Sw), and one stimulated while stationary in a bowl (Stim-NoSwim; St-NSw). After initial stimulation (or lack thereof), all rats were retested two and seven days later with the swim task in the absence of stimulation. The St-Sw group gradually achieved and maintained symmetrical limb use, whereas the NSt-Sw group showed persistent asymmetry and the St-NSw group showed mixed results. This supports the notion that stem cell therapy should integrate targeted stimulation of the transplant with behavioral stimulation of the host tissue to encourage proper functional integration of the graft.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kevin A Anderson
- Central Michigan University, Department of Psychology, Mt. Pleasant, MI, USA
| | - Bailey J Whitehead
- Central Michigan University, Department of Psychology, Mt. Pleasant, MI, USA; West Virginia University, Rockefeller Neuroscience Institute, College of Medicine, Morgantown, WV, USA
| | - Eric D Petersen
- Central Michigan University, Program in Neuroscience, Mt. Pleasant, MI, USA; Central Michigan University, College of Medicine, Mt. Pleasant, MI, USA; Central Michigan University, Biochemistry, Cell, and Molecular Biology Program, Mt. Pleasant, MI, USA
| | - Madison R Kemme
- Central Michigan University, Department of Psychology, Mt. Pleasant, MI, USA; Michigan State University, College of Human Medicine, East Lansing, MI, USA
| | - Anna Wedster
- Central Michigan University, Program in Neuroscience, Mt. Pleasant, MI, USA
| | - Ute Hochgeschwender
- Central Michigan University, Program in Neuroscience, Mt. Pleasant, MI, USA; Central Michigan University, College of Medicine, Mt. Pleasant, MI, USA; Central Michigan University, Biochemistry, Cell, and Molecular Biology Program, Mt. Pleasant, MI, USA
| | - Michael I Sandstrom
- Central Michigan University, Department of Psychology, Mt. Pleasant, MI, USA; Central Michigan University, Program in Neuroscience, Mt. Pleasant, MI, USA.
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Berlet R, Galang Cabantan DA, Gonzales-Portillo D, Borlongan CV. Enriched Environment and Exercise Enhance Stem Cell Therapy for Stroke, Parkinson’s Disease, and Huntington’s Disease. Front Cell Dev Biol 2022; 10:798826. [PMID: 35309929 PMCID: PMC8927702 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2022.798826] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/20/2021] [Accepted: 02/01/2022] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Stem cells, specifically embryonic stem cells (ESCs), mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs), induced pluripotent stem cells (IPSCs), and neural progenitor stem cells (NSCs), are a possible treatment for stroke, Parkinson’s disease (PD), and Huntington’s disease (HD). Current preclinical data suggest stem cell transplantation is a potential treatment for these chronic conditions that lack effective long-term treatment options. Finding treatments with a wider therapeutic window and harnessing a disease-modifying approach will likely improve clinical outcomes. The overarching concept of stem cell therapy entails the use of immature cells, while key in recapitulating brain development and presents the challenge of young grafted cells forming neural circuitry with the mature host brain cells. To this end, exploring strategies designed to nurture graft-host integration will likely enhance the reconstruction of the elusive neural circuitry. Enriched environment (EE) and exercise facilitate stem cell graft-host reconstruction of neural circuitry. It may involve at least a two-pronged mechanism whereby EE and exercise create a conducive microenvironment in the host brain, allowing the newly transplanted cells to survive, proliferate, and differentiate into neural cells; vice versa, EE and exercise may also train the transplanted immature cells to learn the neurochemical, physiological, and anatomical signals in the brain towards better functional graft-host connectivity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Reed Berlet
- Chicago Medical School at Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science, North Chicago, IL, United States
| | | | | | - Cesar V. Borlongan
- Center of Excellence for Aging and Brain Repair, Morsani College of Medicine, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL, United States
- Department of Neurosurgery and Brain Repair, Morsani College of Medicine, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL, United States
- *Correspondence: Cesar V. Borlongan,
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Castro SL, Tapias V, Gathagan R, Emes A, Brandon TE, Smith AD. Blueberry Juice Augments Exercise-Induced Neuroprotection in a Parkinson’s Disease Model Through Modulation of GDNF Levels. IBRO Neurosci Rep 2022; 12:217-227. [PMID: 35321527 PMCID: PMC8935512 DOI: 10.1016/j.ibneur.2022.03.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/16/2021] [Revised: 02/28/2022] [Accepted: 03/03/2022] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Exercise and consumption of plant-based foods rich in polyphenols are attractive therapeutic approaches for the prevention and treatment of Parkinson’s disease (PD). Few studies, however, have examined the neuroprotective efficacy of combining these treatment modalities against PD. Therefore we investigated whether combining voluntary running and consumption of blueberry juice (BBJ) was more efficacious against 6-hydroxydopamine (6-OHDA) toxicity than either treatment alone. Four weeks of running before and after intrastriatal 6-OHDA reduced amphetamine-induced rotational behavior and loss of substantia nigra dopamine (DA) neurons. BBJ consumption alone had no ameliorative effects, but when combined with exercise, behavioral deficits and nigrostriatal DA neurodegeneration were reduced to a greater extent than exercise alone. The neuroprotection observed with exercise alone was associated with an increase in striatal glial cell-lined derived neurotrophic factor (GDNF), whereas combining exercise and BBJ was associated with an increase in nigral GDNF. These results suggest that polyphenols may potentiate the protective effects of exercise and that differential regulation of GDNF expression underlies protection observed with exercise alone versus combined treatment with consumption of BBJ.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sandra L. Castro
- Pittsburgh Institute of Neurodegenerative Disease, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA 15213, USA
- Department of Neurology, University of Pittsburgh, PA 15213, USA
| | - Victor Tapias
- Pittsburgh Institute of Neurodegenerative Disease, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA 15213, USA
- Department of Neurology, University of Pittsburgh, PA 15213, USA
- Unidad de Excelencia Instituto de Biología y Genética Molecular (IBGM), Universidad de Valladolid – Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas, Valladolid 47003, Spain
| | - Ronald Gathagan
- Pittsburgh Institute of Neurodegenerative Disease, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA 15213, USA
- Department of Neurology, University of Pittsburgh, PA 15213, USA
| | - Alexandra Emes
- Pittsburgh Institute of Neurodegenerative Disease, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA 15213, USA
- Department of Neurology, University of Pittsburgh, PA 15213, USA
| | | | - Amanda D. Smith
- Pittsburgh Institute of Neurodegenerative Disease, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA 15213, USA
- Department of Neurology, University of Pittsburgh, PA 15213, USA
- Geriatric Research Education and Clinical Center, Veterans Affairs Pittsburgh Healthcare System, Pittsburgh, PA 15240, USA
- Correspondence to: Veterans Affairs Pittsburgh Healthcare System, Pittsburgh, PA 15240.
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Babaei P, Azari HB. Exercise Training Improves Memory Performance in Older Adults: A Narrative Review of Evidence and Possible Mechanisms. Front Hum Neurosci 2022; 15:771553. [PMID: 35153701 PMCID: PMC8829997 DOI: 10.3389/fnhum.2021.771553] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/06/2021] [Accepted: 12/16/2021] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Graphical AbstractExercise, neurotransmitters, growth factors, myokines, and potential effects on the brain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Parvin Babaei
- Neuroscience Research Center, School of Medicine, Guilan University of Medical Sciences, Rasht, Iran
- Cellular and Molecular Research Center, School of Medicine, Guilan University of Medical Sciences, Rasht, Iran
- Department of Physiology, School of Medicine, Guilan University of Medical Sciences, Rasht, Iran
- *Correspondence: Parvin Babaei,
| | - Helya Bolouki Azari
- Neuroscience Research Center, School of Medicine, Guilan University of Medical Sciences, Rasht, Iran
- Department of Physiology, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
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7
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Mah KM, Torres-Espín A, Hallworth BW, Bixby JL, Lemmon VP, Fouad K, Fenrich KK. Automation of training and testing motor and related tasks in pre-clinical behavioural and rehabilitative neuroscience. Exp Neurol 2021; 340:113647. [PMID: 33600814 PMCID: PMC10443427 DOI: 10.1016/j.expneurol.2021.113647] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/26/2020] [Revised: 01/25/2021] [Accepted: 02/12/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Testing and training animals in motor and related tasks is a cornerstone of pre-clinical behavioural and rehabilitative neuroscience. Yet manually testing and training animals in these tasks is time consuming and analyses are often subjective. Consequently, there have been many recent advances in automating both the administration and analyses of animal behavioural training and testing. This review is an in-depth appraisal of the history of, and recent developments in, the automation of animal behavioural assays used in neuroscience. We describe the use of common locomotor and non-locomotor tasks used for motor training and testing before and after nervous system injury. This includes a discussion of how these tasks help us to understand the underlying mechanisms of neurological repair and the utility of some tasks for the delivery of rehabilitative training to enhance recovery. We propose two general approaches to automation: automating the physical administration of behavioural tasks (i.e., devices used to facilitate task training, rehabilitative training, and motor testing) and leveraging the use of machine learning in behaviour analysis to generate large volumes of unbiased and comprehensive data. The advantages and disadvantages of automating various motor tasks as well as the limitations of machine learning analyses are examined. In closing, we provide a critical appraisal of the current state of automation in animal behavioural neuroscience and a prospective on some of the advances in machine learning we believe will dramatically enhance the usefulness of these approaches for behavioural neuroscientists.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kar Men Mah
- Department of Neurological Surgery, The Miami Project to Cure Paralysis, University of Miami, Miami, FL 33136, USA
| | - Abel Torres-Espín
- Brain and Spinal Injury Center, Department of Neurological Surgery, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Ben W Hallworth
- Neuroscience and Mental Health Institute, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada; Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
| | - John L Bixby
- Department of Neurological Surgery, The Miami Project to Cure Paralysis, University of Miami, Miami, FL 33136, USA; Department of Molecular & Cellular Pharmacology, University of Miami, Miller School of Medicine, Miami, FL 33136, USA
| | - Vance P Lemmon
- Department of Neurological Surgery, The Miami Project to Cure Paralysis, University of Miami, Miami, FL 33136, USA
| | - Karim Fouad
- Neuroscience and Mental Health Institute, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada; Department of Physical Therapy, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada; Faculty of Rehabilitation Medicine, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
| | - Keith K Fenrich
- Neuroscience and Mental Health Institute, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada; Faculty of Rehabilitation Medicine, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada.
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Quarta E, Cohen EJ, Bravi R, Minciacchi D. Future Portrait of the Athletic Brain: Mechanistic Understanding of Human Sport Performance Via Animal Neurophysiology of Motor Behavior. Front Syst Neurosci 2020; 14:596200. [PMID: 33281568 PMCID: PMC7705174 DOI: 10.3389/fnsys.2020.596200] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/18/2020] [Accepted: 10/19/2020] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Sport performances are often showcases of skilled motor control. Efforts to understand the neural processes subserving such movements may teach us about general principles of behavior, similarly to how studies on neurological patients have guided early work in cognitive neuroscience. While investigations on non-human animal models offer valuable information on the neural dynamics of skilled motor control that is still difficult to obtain from humans, sport sciences have paid relatively little attention to these mechanisms. Similarly, knowledge emerging from the study of sport performance could inspire innovative experiments in animal neurophysiology, but the latter has been only partially applied. Here, we advocate that fostering interactions between these two seemingly distant fields, i.e., animal neurophysiology and sport sciences, may lead to mutual benefits. For instance, recording and manipulating the activity from neurons of behaving animals offer a unique viewpoint on the computations for motor control, with potentially untapped relevance for motor skills development in athletes. To stimulate such transdisciplinary dialog, in the present article, we also discuss steps for the reverse translation of sport sciences findings to animal models and the evaluation of comparability between animal models of a given sport and athletes. In the final section of the article, we envision that some approaches developed for animal neurophysiology could translate to sport sciences anytime soon (e.g., advanced tracking methods) or in the future (e.g., novel brain stimulation techniques) and could be used to monitor and manipulate motor skills, with implications for human performance extending well beyond sport.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Diego Minciacchi
- Physiological Sciences Section, Department of Experimental and Clinical Medicine, University of Florence, Florence, Italy
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Hsieh TH, Kuo CW, Hsieh KH, Shieh MJ, Peng CW, Chen YC, Chang YL, Huang YZ, Chen CC, Chang PK, Chen KY, Chen HY. Probiotics Alleviate the Progressive Deterioration of Motor Functions in a Mouse Model of Parkinson's Disease. Brain Sci 2020; 10:brainsci10040206. [PMID: 32244769 PMCID: PMC7226147 DOI: 10.3390/brainsci10040206] [Citation(s) in RCA: 83] [Impact Index Per Article: 20.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/28/2020] [Revised: 03/24/2020] [Accepted: 03/27/2020] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Parkinson’s disease (PD) is one of the common long-term degenerative disorders that primarily affect motor systems. Gastrointestinal (GI) symptoms are common in individuals with PD and often present before motor symptoms. It has been found that gut dysbiosis to PD pathology is related to the severity of motor and non-motor symptoms in PD. Probiotics have been reported to have the ability to improve the symptoms related to constipation in PD patients. However, the evidence from preclinical or clinical research to verify the beneficial effects of probiotics for the motor functions in PD is still limited. An experimental PD animal model could be helpful in exploring the potential therapeutic strategy using probiotics. In the current study, we examined whether daily and long-term administration of probiotics has neuroprotective effects on nigrostriatal dopamine neurons and whether it can further alleviate the motor dysfunctions in PD mice. Transgenic MitoPark PD mice were chosen for this study and the effects of daily probiotic treatment on gait, beam balance, motor coordination, and the degeneration levels of dopaminergic neurons were identified. From the results, compared with the sham treatment group, we found that the daily administration of probiotics significantly reduced the motor impairments in gait pattern, balance function, and motor coordination. Immunohistochemically, a tyrosine hydroxylase (TH)-positive cell in the substantia nigra was significantly preserved in the probiotic-treated PD mice. These results showed that long-term administration of probiotics has neuroprotective effects on dopamine neurons and further attenuates the deterioration of motor dysfunctions in MitoPark PD mice. Our data further highlighted the promising possibility of the potential use of probiotics, which could be the relevant approach for further application on human PD subjects.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tsung-Hsun Hsieh
- School of Physical Therapy and Graduate Institute of Rehabilitation Science, Chang Gung University, Taoyuan 33302, Taiwan; (T.-H.H.); (C.-W.K.); (K.-H.H.); (C.-C.C.)
- Neuroscience Research Center, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Taoyuan 33305, Taiwan;
- Healthy Aging Research Center, Chang Gung University, Taoyuan 33302, Taiwan
| | - Chi-Wei Kuo
- School of Physical Therapy and Graduate Institute of Rehabilitation Science, Chang Gung University, Taoyuan 33302, Taiwan; (T.-H.H.); (C.-W.K.); (K.-H.H.); (C.-C.C.)
- Department of Life Science, National Taiwan University, Taipei 10617, Taiwan
| | - Kai-Hsuan Hsieh
- School of Physical Therapy and Graduate Institute of Rehabilitation Science, Chang Gung University, Taoyuan 33302, Taiwan; (T.-H.H.); (C.-W.K.); (K.-H.H.); (C.-C.C.)
| | - Meng-Jyh Shieh
- Department of Biotechnology, Tajen Institute of Technology, Pingtung 90741, Taiwan;
| | - Chih-Wei Peng
- School of Biomedical Engineering, College of Biomedical Engineering, Taipei Medical University, Taipei 11031, Taiwan;
| | - Yen-Chien Chen
- Department of Food and Nutrition, Taichung General Veteran Hospital, Taichung 40705, Taiwan;
| | - Ying-Ling Chang
- School and Graduate Institute of Traditional Chinese Medicine, College of Medicine, Chang Gung University, Taoyuan 33302, Taiwan;
- Division of Chinese Internal Medicine, Center for Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Taoyuan 33305, Taiwan
| | - Ying-Zu Huang
- Neuroscience Research Center, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Taoyuan 33305, Taiwan;
- Healthy Aging Research Center, Chang Gung University, Taoyuan 33302, Taiwan
- Department of Neurology, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital and Chang Gung University College of Medicine, Taoyuan 33305, Taiwan;
| | - Chih-Chung Chen
- School of Physical Therapy and Graduate Institute of Rehabilitation Science, Chang Gung University, Taoyuan 33302, Taiwan; (T.-H.H.); (C.-W.K.); (K.-H.H.); (C.-C.C.)
- Healthy Aging Research Center, Chang Gung University, Taoyuan 33302, Taiwan
| | - Pi-Kai Chang
- Department of Neurology, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital and Chang Gung University College of Medicine, Taoyuan 33305, Taiwan;
| | - Kai-Yun Chen
- Graduate Institute of Neural Regenerative Medicine, College of Medical Science and Technology, Taipei Medical University, Taipei 11031, Taiwan;
| | - Hsin-Yung Chen
- Department of Occupational Therapy and Graduate Institute of Behavioral Sciences, College of Medicine, Chang Gung University, Taoyuan 33302, Taiwan
- Department of Neurology and Dementia Center, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Taoyuan 33378, Taiwan
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +886-3-2118800 (ext. 3633)
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