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Guo RW, Xie WJ, Yu B, Song C, Ji XM, Wang XY, Zhang M, Zhang X. Rotating magnetic field inhibits Aβ protein aggregation and alleviates cognitive impairment in Alzheimer's disease mice. Zool Res 2024; 45:924-936. [PMID: 39021081 PMCID: PMC11298676 DOI: 10.24272/j.issn.2095-8137.2024.034] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/05/2024] [Accepted: 04/25/2024] [Indexed: 07/20/2024] Open
Abstract
Amyloid beta (Aβ) monomers aggregate to form fibrils and amyloid plaques, which are critical mechanisms in the pathogenesis of Alzheimer's disease (AD). Given the important role of Aβ1-42 aggregation in plaque formation, leading to brain lesions and cognitive impairment, numerous studies have aimed to reduce Aβ aggregation and slow AD progression. The diphenylalanine (FF) sequence is critical for amyloid aggregation, and magnetic fields can affect peptide alignment due to the diamagnetic anisotropy of aromatic rings. In this study, we examined the effects of a moderate-intensity rotating magnetic field (RMF) on Aβ aggregation and AD pathogenesis. Results indicated that the RMF directly inhibited Aβ amyloid fibril formation and reduced Aβ-induced cytotoxicity in neural cells in vitro. Using the AD mouse model APP/PS1, RMF restored motor abilities to healthy control levels and significantly alleviated cognitive impairments, including exploration and spatial and non-spatial memory abilities. Tissue examinations demonstrated that RMF reduced amyloid plaque accumulation, attenuated microglial activation, and reduced oxidative stress in the APP/PS1 mouse brain. These findings suggest that RMF holds considerable potential as a non-invasive, high-penetration physical approach for AD treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ruo-Wen Guo
- High Magnetic Field Laboratory, CAS Key Laboratory of High Magnetic Field and Ion Beam Physical Biology, Hefei Institutes of Physical Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hefei, Anhui 230031, China
- Science Island Branch of Graduate School, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, Anhui 230036, China
| | - Wen-Jing Xie
- High Magnetic Field Laboratory, CAS Key Laboratory of High Magnetic Field and Ion Beam Physical Biology, Hefei Institutes of Physical Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hefei, Anhui 230031, China
- Institutes of Physical Science and Information Technology, Anhui University, Hefei, Anhui 230601, China
| | - Biao Yu
- High Magnetic Field Laboratory, CAS Key Laboratory of High Magnetic Field and Ion Beam Physical Biology, Hefei Institutes of Physical Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hefei, Anhui 230031, China
| | - Chao Song
- High Magnetic Field Laboratory, CAS Key Laboratory of High Magnetic Field and Ion Beam Physical Biology, Hefei Institutes of Physical Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hefei, Anhui 230031, China
| | - Xin-Miao Ji
- High Magnetic Field Laboratory, CAS Key Laboratory of High Magnetic Field and Ion Beam Physical Biology, Hefei Institutes of Physical Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hefei, Anhui 230031, China
| | - Xin-Yu Wang
- High Magnetic Field Laboratory, CAS Key Laboratory of High Magnetic Field and Ion Beam Physical Biology, Hefei Institutes of Physical Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hefei, Anhui 230031, China
- Institutes of Physical Science and Information Technology, Anhui University, Hefei, Anhui 230601, China
| | - Mei Zhang
- School of Life Sciences, Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, Anhui 230026, China
| | - Xin Zhang
- High Magnetic Field Laboratory, CAS Key Laboratory of High Magnetic Field and Ion Beam Physical Biology, Hefei Institutes of Physical Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hefei, Anhui 230031, China
- Science Island Branch of Graduate School, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, Anhui 230036, China
- Institutes of Physical Science and Information Technology, Anhui University, Hefei, Anhui 230601, China. E-mail:
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2
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Illouz T, Ascher LAB, Madar R, Okun E. Unbiased analysis of spatial learning strategies in a modified Barnes maze using convolutional neural networks. Sci Rep 2024; 14:15944. [PMID: 38987437 PMCID: PMC11237060 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-66855-8] [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: 06/17/2023] [Accepted: 07/04/2024] [Indexed: 07/12/2024] Open
Abstract
Assessment of spatial learning abilities is central to behavioral neuroscience and a useful tool for animal model validation and drug development. However, biases introduced by the apparatus, environment, or experimentalist represent a critical challenge to the test validity. We have recently developed the Modified Barnes Maze (MBM) task, a spatial learning paradigm that overcomes inherent behavioral biases of animals in the classical Barnes maze. The specific combination of spatial strategies employed by mice is often considered representative of the level of cognitive resources used. Herein, we have developed a convolutional neural network-based classifier of exploration strategies in the MBM that can effectively provide researchers with enhanced insights into cognitive traits in mice. Following validation, we compared the learning performance of female and male C57BL/6J mice, as well as that of Ts65Dn mice, a model of Down syndrome, and 5xFAD mice, a model of Alzheimer's disease. Male mice exhibited more effective navigation abilities than female mice, reflected in higher utilization of effective spatial search strategies. Compared to wildtype controls, Ts65Dn mice exhibited delayed usage of spatial strategies despite similar success rates in completing this spatial task. 5xFAD mice showed increased usage of non-spatial strategies such as Circling that corresponded to higher latency to reach the target and lower success rate. These data exemplify the need for deeper strategy classification tools in dissecting complex cognitive traits. In sum, we provide a machine-learning-based strategy classifier that extends our understanding of mice's spatial learning capabilities while enabling a more accurate cognitive assessment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tomer Illouz
- The Leslie and Susan Gonda Multidisciplinary Brain Research Center, Bar-Ilan University, 5290002, Ramat Gan, Israel
- The Paul Feder Laboratory on Alzheimer's Disease Research, Bar-Ilan University, 5290002, Ramat Gan, Israel
| | - Lyn Alice Becker Ascher
- The Leslie and Susan Gonda Multidisciplinary Brain Research Center, Bar-Ilan University, 5290002, Ramat Gan, Israel
- The Paul Feder Laboratory on Alzheimer's Disease Research, Bar-Ilan University, 5290002, Ramat Gan, Israel
| | - Ravit Madar
- The Leslie and Susan Gonda Multidisciplinary Brain Research Center, Bar-Ilan University, 5290002, Ramat Gan, Israel
- The Mina and Everard Goodman Faculty of Life Sciences, Bar-Ilan University, 5290002, Ramat Gan, Israel
- The Paul Feder Laboratory on Alzheimer's Disease Research, Bar-Ilan University, 5290002, Ramat Gan, Israel
| | - Eitan Okun
- The Leslie and Susan Gonda Multidisciplinary Brain Research Center, Bar-Ilan University, 5290002, Ramat Gan, Israel.
- The Mina and Everard Goodman Faculty of Life Sciences, Bar-Ilan University, 5290002, Ramat Gan, Israel.
- The Paul Feder Laboratory on Alzheimer's Disease Research, Bar-Ilan University, 5290002, Ramat Gan, Israel.
- The Leslie and Susan Gonda Multidisciplinary Brain Research Center, The Mina and Everard Goodman Faculty of Life Sciences, Bar Ilan University, Building 901, Room 312, 5290002, Ramat Gan, Israel.
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Sex Differences in the Spatial Behavior Functions of Adult-Born Neurons in Rats. eNeuro 2022; 9:ENEURO.0054-22.2022. [PMID: 35473765 PMCID: PMC9116935 DOI: 10.1523/eneuro.0054-22.2022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/03/2022] [Revised: 04/13/2022] [Accepted: 04/15/2022] [Indexed: 01/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Adult neurogenesis modifies hippocampal circuits and behavior, but removing newborn neurons does not consistently alter spatial processing, a core function of the hippocampus. Additionally, little is known about sex differences in neurogenesis since few studies have compared males and females. Since adult-born neurons regulate the stress response, we hypothesized that spatial functions may be more prominent under aversive conditions and may differ between males and females given sex differences in stress responding. We therefore trained intact and neurogenesis-deficient rats in the spatial water maze at temperatures that vary in their degree of aversiveness. In the standard water maze, ablating neurogenesis did not alter spatial learning in either sex. However, in cold water, ablating neurogenesis had divergent sex-dependent effects: relative to intact rats, male neurogenesis-deficient rats were slower to escape the maze and female neurogenesis-deficient rats were faster. Neurogenesis promoted temperature-related changes in search strategy in females, but it promoted search strategy stability in males. Females displayed greater recruitment (Fos expression) of the dorsal hippocampus than males, particularly in cold water. However, blocking neurogenesis did not alter Fos expression in either sex. Finally, morphologic analyses revealed greater experience-dependent plasticity in males. Adult-born neurons in males and females had similar morphology at baseline but training increased spine density and reduced presynaptic terminal size, specifically in males. Collectively, these findings indicate that adult-born neurons contribute to spatial learning in stressful conditions and they provide new evidence for sex differences in their behavioral functions.
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Curdt N, Schmitt FW, Bouter C, Iseni T, Weile HC, Altunok B, Beindorff N, Bayer TA, Cooke MB, Bouter Y. Search strategy analysis of Tg4-42 Alzheimer Mice in the Morris Water Maze reveals early spatial navigation deficits. Sci Rep 2022; 12:5451. [PMID: 35361814 PMCID: PMC8971530 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-09270-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/15/2021] [Accepted: 03/18/2022] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Spatial disorientation is one of the earliest symptoms in Alzheimer’s disease and allocentric deficits can already be detected in the asymptomatic preclinical stages of the disease. The Morris Water Maze (MWM) is used to study spatial learning in rodent models. Here we investigated the spatial memory of female 3, 7 and 12 month-old Alzheimer Tg4-42 mice in comparison to wild-type control animals. Conventional behavior analysis of escape latencies and quadrant preference revealed spatial memory and reference memory deficits in female 7 and 12 month-old Tg4-42 mice. In contrast, conventional analysis of the MWM indicated an intact spatial memory in 3 month-old Tg4-42 mice. However, a detailed analysis of the swimming strategies demonstrated allocentric-specific memory deficits in 3 month-old Tg4-42 mice before the onset of severe memory deficits. Furthermore, we could show that the spatial reference memory deficits in aged Tg4-42 animals are caused by the lack of allocentric and spatial strategies. Analyzing search strategies in the MWM allows to differentiate between hippocampus-dependent allocentric and hippocampus-independent egocentric search strategies. The spatial navigation impairments in young Tg4-42 mice are well in line with the hypometabolism and synaptic deficits in the hippocampus. Therefore, analyzing search strategies in the Tg4-42 model can be a powerful tool for preclinical drug testing and identifying early therapeutic successes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nadine Curdt
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Division of Molecular Psychiatry, Georg-August-University Göttingen, University Medicine Göttingen, 37075, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Franziska W Schmitt
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Division of Molecular Psychiatry, Georg-August-University Göttingen, University Medicine Göttingen, 37075, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Caroline Bouter
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, University Medical Center Göttingen (UMG), Georg-August-University, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Trendelina Iseni
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Division of Molecular Psychiatry, Georg-August-University Göttingen, University Medicine Göttingen, 37075, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Hanna C Weile
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Division of Molecular Psychiatry, Georg-August-University Göttingen, University Medicine Göttingen, 37075, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Berfin Altunok
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Division of Molecular Psychiatry, Georg-August-University Göttingen, University Medicine Göttingen, 37075, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Nicola Beindorff
- Berlin Experimental Radionuclide Imaging Center (BERIC), Charité-University Medicine Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Thomas A Bayer
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Division of Molecular Psychiatry, Georg-August-University Göttingen, University Medicine Göttingen, 37075, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Matthew B Cooke
- Djavad Mowafaghian Centre for Brain Health, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, V6T 1Z3, Canada.,Department of Psychology, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, V6T 1Z4, Canada
| | - Yvonne Bouter
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Division of Molecular Psychiatry, Georg-August-University Göttingen, University Medicine Göttingen, 37075, Göttingen, Germany.
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5
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Abstract
The aim of the current study was to develop a novel task that allows for the quick assessment of spatial memory precision with minimal technical and training requirements. In this task, participants memorized the position of an object in a virtual room and then judged from a different perspective, whether the object has moved to the left or to the right. Results revealed that participants exhibited a systematic bias in their responses that we termed the reversed congruency effect. Specifically, they performed worse when the camera and the object moved in the same direction than when they moved in opposite directions. Notably, participants responded correctly in almost 100% of the incongruent trials, regardless of the distance by which the object was displaced. In Experiment 2, we showed that this effect cannot be explained by the movement of the object on the screen, but that it relates to the perspective shift and the movement of the object in the virtual world. We also showed that the presence of additional objects in the environment reduces the reversed congruency effect such that it no longer predicts performance. In Experiment 3, we showed that the reversed congruency effect is greater in older adults, suggesting that the quality of spatial memory and perspective-taking abilities are critical. Overall, our results suggest that this effect is driven by difficulties in the precise encoding of object locations in the environment and in understanding how perspective shifts affect the projected positions of the objects in the two-dimensional image.
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Cooke MB, O'Leary TP, Harris P, Ma R, Brown RE, Snyder JS. Pathfinder: open source software for analyzing spatial navigation search strategies. F1000Res 2019; 8:1521. [PMID: 32025289 PMCID: PMC6974928 DOI: 10.12688/f1000research.20352.2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 06/10/2020] [Indexed: 01/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Spatial navigation is a universal behavior that varies depending on goals, experience and available sensory stimuli. Spatial navigational tasks are routinely used to study learning, memory and goal-directed behavior, in both animals and humans. One popular paradigm for testing spatial memory is the Morris water maze, where subjects learn the location of a hidden platform that offers escape from a pool of water. Researchers typically express learning as a function of the latency to escape, though this reveals little about the underlying navigational strategies. Recently, a number of studies have begun to classify water maze search strategies in order to clarify the precise spatial and mnemonic functions of different brain regions, and to identify which aspects of spatial memory are disrupted in disease models. However, despite their usefulness, strategy analyses have not been widely adopted due to the lack of software to automate analyses. To address this need we developed Pathfinder, an open source application for analyzing spatial navigation behaviors. In a representative dataset, we show that Pathfinder effectively characterizes the development of highly-specific spatial search strategies as male and female mice learn a standard spatial water maze. Pathfinder can read data files from commercially- and freely-available software packages, is optimized for classifying search strategies in water maze paradigms, and can also be used to analyze 2D navigation by other species, and in other tasks, as long as timestamped xy coordinates are available. Pathfinder is simple to use, can automatically determine pool and platform geometry, generates heat maps, analyzes navigation with respect to multiple goal locations, and can be updated to accommodate future developments in spatial behavioral analyses. Given these features, Pathfinder may be a useful tool for studying how navigational strategies are regulated by the environment, depend on specific neural circuits, and are altered by pathology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matthew B Cooke
- Department of Psychology, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, V6T 1Z4, Canada.,Djavad Mowafaghian Centre for Brain Health, University of British Columbia, Vancovuer, British Columbia, V6T 1Z3, Canada
| | - Timothy P O'Leary
- Department of Psychology, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, V6T 1Z4, Canada.,Djavad Mowafaghian Centre for Brain Health, University of British Columbia, Vancovuer, British Columbia, V6T 1Z3, Canada
| | - Phelan Harris
- Department of Psychology, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, V6T 1Z4, Canada.,Djavad Mowafaghian Centre for Brain Health, University of British Columbia, Vancovuer, British Columbia, V6T 1Z3, Canada
| | - Ricky Ma
- Department of Psychology, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, V6T 1Z4, Canada.,Djavad Mowafaghian Centre for Brain Health, University of British Columbia, Vancovuer, British Columbia, V6T 1Z3, Canada
| | - Richard E Brown
- Psychology and Neuroscience Department, Dalhousie University, Halifax, Nova Scotia, B3H 4R2, Canada
| | - Jason S Snyder
- Department of Psychology, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, V6T 1Z4, Canada.,Djavad Mowafaghian Centre for Brain Health, University of British Columbia, Vancovuer, British Columbia, V6T 1Z3, Canada
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7
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Cooke MB, O'Leary TP, Harris P, Ma R, Brown RE, Snyder JS. Pathfinder: open source software for analyzing spatial navigation search strategies. F1000Res 2019; 8:1521. [PMID: 32025289 DOI: 10.12688/f1000research.20352.1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 08/21/2019] [Indexed: 01/24/2023] Open
Abstract
Spatial navigation is a universal behavior that varies depending on goals, experience and available sensory stimuli. Spatial navigational tasks are routinely used to study learning, memory and goal-directed behavior, in both animals and humans. One popular paradigm for testing spatial memory is the Morris water maze, where subjects learn the location of a hidden platform that offers escape from a pool of water. Researchers typically express learning as a function of the latency to escape, though this reveals little about the underlying navigational strategies. Recently, a number of studies have begun to classify water maze search strategies in order to clarify the precise spatial and mnemonic functions of different brain regions, and to identify which aspects of spatial memory are disrupted in disease models. However, despite their usefulness, strategy analyses have not been widely adopted due to the lack of software to automate analyses. To address this need we developed Pathfinder, an open source application for analyzing spatial navigation behaviors. In a representative dataset, we show that Pathfinder effectively characterizes the development of highly-specific spatial search strategies as male and female mice learn a standard spatial water maze. Pathfinder can read data files from commercially- and freely-available software packages, is optimized for classifying search strategies in water maze paradigms, and can also be used to analyze 2D navigation by other species, and in other tasks, as long as timestamped xy coordinates are available. Pathfinder is simple to use, can automatically determine pool and platform geometry, generates heat maps, analyzes navigation with respect to multiple goal locations, and can be updated to accommodate future developments in spatial behavioral analyses. Given these features, Pathfinder may be a useful tool for studying how navigational strategies are regulated by the environment, depend on specific neural circuits, and are altered by pathology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matthew B Cooke
- Department of Psychology, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, V6T 1Z4, Canada.,Djavad Mowafaghian Centre for Brain Health, University of British Columbia, Vancovuer, British Columbia, V6T 1Z3, Canada
| | - Timothy P O'Leary
- Department of Psychology, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, V6T 1Z4, Canada.,Djavad Mowafaghian Centre for Brain Health, University of British Columbia, Vancovuer, British Columbia, V6T 1Z3, Canada
| | - Phelan Harris
- Department of Psychology, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, V6T 1Z4, Canada.,Djavad Mowafaghian Centre for Brain Health, University of British Columbia, Vancovuer, British Columbia, V6T 1Z3, Canada
| | - Ricky Ma
- Department of Psychology, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, V6T 1Z4, Canada.,Djavad Mowafaghian Centre for Brain Health, University of British Columbia, Vancovuer, British Columbia, V6T 1Z3, Canada
| | - Richard E Brown
- Psychology and Neuroscience Department, Dalhousie University, Halifax, Nova Scotia, B3H 4R2, Canada
| | - Jason S Snyder
- Department of Psychology, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, V6T 1Z4, Canada.,Djavad Mowafaghian Centre for Brain Health, University of British Columbia, Vancovuer, British Columbia, V6T 1Z3, Canada
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