1
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Pieri L, Tosi G, Romano D. Virtual reality technology in neuropsychological testing: A systematic review. J Neuropsychol 2023. [PMID: 36624041 DOI: 10.1111/jnp.12304] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/09/2022] [Revised: 10/31/2022] [Accepted: 12/19/2022] [Indexed: 01/11/2023]
Abstract
Neuropsychological testing aims to measure individuals' cognitive abilities (e.g. memory, attention), analysing their performance on specific behavioural tasks. Most neuropsychological tests are administered in the so-called 'paper-and-pencil' modality or via computerised protocols. The adequacy of these procedures has been recently questioned, with more specific concerns about their ecological validity, i.e. the relation between test scores observed in the laboratory setting and the actual everyday cognitive functioning. In developing more ecological tasks, researchers started to implement virtual reality (VR) technology as an administration technique focused on exposing individuals to simulated but realistic stimuli and environments, maintaining at the same time a controlled laboratory setting and collecting advanced measures of cognitive functioning. This systematic review aims to present how VR procedures for neuropsychological testing have been implemented in the last years. We initially explain the rationale for supporting VR as an advanced assessment tool, but we also discuss the challenges and risks that can limit the widespread implementation of this technology. Then, we systematised the large body of studies adopting VR for neuropsychological testing, describing the VR tools' distribution amongst different cognitive functions through a PRISMA-guided systematic review. The systematic review highlighted that only very few instruments are ready for clinical use, reporting psychometric proprieties (e.g. validity) and providing normative data. Most of the tools still need to be standardised on large cohorts of participants, having published only limited data on small samples up to now. Finally, we discussed the possible future directions of the VR neuropsychological test development linked to technological advances.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luca Pieri
- Psychology Department and Mind and Behavior Technological Center (MIBTEC), University of Milano-Bicocca, Milan, Italy
| | - Giorgia Tosi
- Dipartimento di Scienze Umane e Sociali, University of Salento, Lecce, Italy
| | - Daniele Romano
- Psychology Department and Mind and Behavior Technological Center (MIBTEC), University of Milano-Bicocca, Milan, Italy.,Dipartimento di Scienze Umane e Sociali, University of Salento, Lecce, Italy.,NeuroMi, Milan Center for Neuroscience, Milan, Italy
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2
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Vouros A, Gehring TV, Jura B, Węsierska MJ, Wójcik DK, Vasilaki E. Strategies discovery in the active allothetic place avoidance task. Sci Rep 2022; 12:12675. [PMID: 35879365 PMCID: PMC9314408 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-16374-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/26/2021] [Accepted: 07/08/2022] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
The Active Allothetic Place Avoidance task is an alternative setup to Morris Water Maze that allows studying spatial memory in a dynamic world in the presence of conflicting information. In this task, a rat, freely moving on a rotating circular arena, has to avoid a sector defined within the room frame where shocks are presented. While for Morris Water Maze several studies have identified animal strategies which specifically affect performance, there were no such studies for the Active Allothetic Place Avoidance task. Using standard machine learning methods, we were able to reveal for the first time, to the best of our knowledge, explainable strategies that the animals employ in this task and demonstrate that they can provide a high-level interpretation for performance differences between an animal group treated with silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) and the control group.
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Affiliation(s)
- Avgoustinos Vouros
- Department of Computer Science, The University of Sheffield, Sheffield, S1 4DP, UK
| | - Tiago V Gehring
- Department of Computer Science, The University of Sheffield, Sheffield, S1 4DP, UK
| | - Bartosz Jura
- Faculty of Management and Social Communication, Jagiellonian University, 30-348, Cracow, Poland
| | - Małgorzata J Węsierska
- Nencki Institute of Experimental Biology of Polish Academy of Sciences, Warsaw, 02-093, Poland
| | - Daniel K Wójcik
- Faculty of Management and Social Communication, Jagiellonian University, 30-348, Cracow, Poland. .,Nencki Institute of Experimental Biology of Polish Academy of Sciences, Warsaw, 02-093, Poland.
| | - Eleni Vasilaki
- Department of Computer Science, The University of Sheffield, Sheffield, S1 4DP, UK. .,Institute of Neuroinformatics, University of Zurich and ETH Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland.
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3
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Petrasek T, Vojtechova I, Lobellova V, Popelikova A, Janikova M, Brozka H, Houdek P, Sladek M, Sumova A, Kristofikova Z, Vales K, Stuchlík A. The McGill Transgenic Rat Model of Alzheimer's Disease Displays Cognitive and Motor Impairments, Changes in Anxiety and Social Behavior, and Altered Circadian Activity. Front Aging Neurosci 2018; 10:250. [PMID: 30210330 PMCID: PMC6121039 DOI: 10.3389/fnagi.2018.00250] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/20/2018] [Accepted: 07/31/2018] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
The McGill-R-Thy1-APP transgenic rat is an animal model of the familial form of Alzheimer's disease (AD). This model mirrors several neuropathological hallmarks of the disease, including the accumulation of beta-amyloid and the formation of amyloid plaques (in homozygous animals only), neuroinflammation and the gradual deterioration of cognitive functions even prior to plaque formation, although it lacks the tauopathy observed in human victims of AD. The goal of the present study was a thorough characterization of the homozygous model with emphasis on its face validity in several domains of behavior known to be affected in AD patients, including cognitive functions, motor coordination, emotionality, sociability, and circadian activity patterns. On the behavioral level, we found normal locomotor activity in spontaneous exploration, but problems with balance and gait coordination, increased anxiety and severely impaired spatial cognition in 4–7 month old homozygous animals. The profile of social behavior and ultrasonic communication was altered in the McGill rats, without a general social withdrawal. McGill rats also exhibited changes in circadian profile, with a shorter free-running period and increased total activity during the subjective night, without signs of sleep disturbances during the inactive phase. Expression of circadian clock gene Bmal1 was found to be increased in the parietal cortex and cerebellum, while Nr1d1 expression was not changed. The clock-controlled gene Prok2 expression was found to be elevated in the parietal cortex and hippocampus, which might have contributed to the observed changes in circadian phenotype. We conclude that the phenotype in the McGill rat model is not restricted to the cognitive domain, but also includes gait problems, changes in emotionality, social behavior, and circadian profiles. Our findings show that the model should be useful for the development of new therapeutic approaches targeting not only memory decline but also other symptoms decreasing the quality of life of AD patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tomas Petrasek
- Department of Neurophysiology of Memory, Institute of Physiology of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Prague, Czechia.,National Institute of Mental Health, Klecany, Czechia
| | - Iveta Vojtechova
- Department of Neurophysiology of Memory, Institute of Physiology of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Prague, Czechia.,National Institute of Mental Health, Klecany, Czechia.,First Faculty of Medicine, Charles University in Prague, Prague, Czechia
| | - Veronika Lobellova
- Department of Neurophysiology of Memory, Institute of Physiology of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Prague, Czechia
| | - Anna Popelikova
- Department of Neurophysiology of Memory, Institute of Physiology of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Prague, Czechia
| | - Martina Janikova
- Department of Neurophysiology of Memory, Institute of Physiology of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Prague, Czechia
| | - Hana Brozka
- Department of Neurophysiology of Memory, Institute of Physiology of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Prague, Czechia
| | - Pavel Houdek
- Department of Neurohumoral Regulations, Institute of Physiology of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Prague, Czechia
| | - Martin Sladek
- Department of Neurohumoral Regulations, Institute of Physiology of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Prague, Czechia
| | - Alena Sumova
- Department of Neurohumoral Regulations, Institute of Physiology of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Prague, Czechia
| | | | - Karel Vales
- Department of Neurophysiology of Memory, Institute of Physiology of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Prague, Czechia.,National Institute of Mental Health, Klecany, Czechia
| | - Ales Stuchlík
- Department of Neurophysiology of Memory, Institute of Physiology of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Prague, Czechia
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4
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Wu M, Shi H, He Y, Yuan L, Qu X, Zhang J, Wang Z, Cai H, Qi J. Colivelin Ameliorates Impairments in Cognitive Behaviors and Synaptic Plasticity in APP/PS1 Transgenic Mice. J Alzheimers Dis 2018; 59:1067-1078. [PMID: 28731445 DOI: 10.3233/jad-170307] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Alzheimer's disease (AD) is the most common cause of dementia, and effective therapeutics are lacking. Colivelin (CLN), a novel, strong humanin derivative, is effective in vitro in preventing cell death induced by AD-causative genes and amyloid-β protein (Aβ) even at a low concentration. We recently demonstrated that intrahippocampal injection of CLN prevents Aβ25-35-induced deficits in spatial memory and synaptic plasticity in normal rats. Here, we further observed the effects of chronically intranasally (i.n.) administered CLN on cognitive behaviors and pathological hallmarks in 9-month-old APPswe/PS1dE9 (APP/PS1) AD mice using multiple behavioral tests and immunochemistry. The electrophysiological mechanism of CLN neuroprotection was also investigated by recording in vivo hippocampal long-term potentiation (LTP). CLN pretreatment effectively prevented impairments in new object recognition, working memory, and long-term spatial memory and reversed the depression of in vivo hippocampal LTP in APP/PS1 mice. Additionally, chronic application of CLN obviously reduced Aβ deposition in the hippocampus in APP/PS1 mice. These results indicate that CLN has strong neuroprotective effects on learning and memory behaviors in APP/PS1 mice and that this behavioral improvement is closely associated with the reduction of Aβ deposition and alleviation of LTP suppression in the hippocampus, supporting the potential of CLN for the prevention and treatment of AD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Meina Wu
- Department of Physiology, Key Laboratory of Cellular Physiology, Ministry of Education, Shanxi Medical University, Taiyuan, China
| | - Hui Shi
- Department of Physiology, Key Laboratory of Cellular Physiology, Ministry of Education, Shanxi Medical University, Taiyuan, China.,Intensive Care Unit, Chifeng Municipal Hospital of Inner Mongolia, Chifeng, China
| | - Yexin He
- Department of Radiology, Shanxi Provincial People's Hospital, Taiyuan, China
| | - Li Yuan
- Department of Physiology, Key Laboratory of Cellular Physiology, Ministry of Education, Shanxi Medical University, Taiyuan, China
| | - Xuesong Qu
- Department of Physiology, Key Laboratory of Cellular Physiology, Ministry of Education, Shanxi Medical University, Taiyuan, China
| | - Jun Zhang
- Department of Physiology, Key Laboratory of Cellular Physiology, Ministry of Education, Shanxi Medical University, Taiyuan, China
| | - Zhaojun Wang
- Department of Physiology, Key Laboratory of Cellular Physiology, Ministry of Education, Shanxi Medical University, Taiyuan, China
| | - Hongyan Cai
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Shanxi Medical University, Taiyuan, China
| | - Jinshun Qi
- Department of Physiology, Key Laboratory of Cellular Physiology, Ministry of Education, Shanxi Medical University, Taiyuan, China
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5
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Zhang J, Wei SY, Yuan L, Kong LL, Zhang SX, Wang ZJ, Wu MN, Qi JS. Davunetide improves spatial learning and memory in Alzheimer's disease-associated rats. Physiol Behav 2017; 174:67-73. [PMID: 28257938 DOI: 10.1016/j.physbeh.2017.02.038] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/28/2016] [Revised: 02/25/2017] [Accepted: 02/27/2017] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Memory loss and cognition decline are the main clinical manifestations of Alzheimer's disease (AD). Amyloid β protein (Aβ) aggregated in the brain is one of the key pathological characteristics of AD and responsible for the deficits in learning and memory. It is reported that davunetide, an octapeptide derived from activity-dependent neuroprotective protein (ADNP), inhibited Aβ aggregation and Aβ-induced neurotoxicity. To further characterize the neuroprotective roles of davunetide and its possible mechanism, the present study investigated the effects of davunetide on Aβ1-42-induced impairments in spatial memory, synaptic plasticity and hippocampal AKT level. In Morris water maze (MWM) test, bilateral intrahippocampal injection of Aβ1-42 significantly increased escape latency and decreased target quadrant swimming time of rats, while three weeks of intranasal application of davunetide reversed the Aβ1-42-induced learning deficits and memory loss in a dose-dependent manner. In vivo field potentiation recording showed that Aβ1-42 suppressed long-term potentiation (LTP) of excitatory postsynaptic potential (fEPSP) in the hippocampal CA1 region of rats, while davunetide effectively blocked the suppression of LTP, without affecting paired-pulse facilitation (PPF). Western blotting experiments showed a significant decrease in the level of hippocampal p-AKT (Ser473), not total AKT, in Aβ1-42 only group, which was mostly antagonized by davunetide treatment. These findings demonstrate that davunetide, probably by enhancing PI3K/AKT pathway, plays an important positive role in attenuating Aβ1-42-induced impairments in spatial memory and synaptic plasticity, suggesting that davunetide could be an effective therapeutic candidate for the prevention and treatment of neurodegenerative disease such as AD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jun Zhang
- Department of Physiology, Shanxi Medical University, Taiyuan 030001, PR China
| | - Shu-Yu Wei
- Department of Severe Liver Disease, The 3ird People's Hospital of Taiyuan, Taiyuan 030012, PR China
| | - Li Yuan
- Department of Physiology, Shanxi Medical University, Taiyuan 030001, PR China
| | - Lin-Lin Kong
- Department of Physiology, Shanxi Medical University, Taiyuan 030001, PR China
| | - Sheng-Xiao Zhang
- Department of Physiology, Shanxi Medical University, Taiyuan 030001, PR China
| | - Zhao-Jun Wang
- Department of Physiology, Shanxi Medical University, Taiyuan 030001, PR China
| | - Mei-Na Wu
- Department of Physiology, Shanxi Medical University, Taiyuan 030001, PR China
| | - Jin-Shun Qi
- Department of Physiology, Shanxi Medical University, Taiyuan 030001, PR China.
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6
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Valera S, Guadagni V, Slone E, Burles F, Ferrara M, Campbell T, Iaria G. Poor sleep quality affects spatial orientation in virtual environments. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2017; 9:225-231. [PMID: 28123666 PMCID: PMC5241615 DOI: 10.1016/j.slsci.2016.10.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/12/2016] [Revised: 09/26/2016] [Accepted: 10/24/2016] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Sleep is well known to have a significant impact on learning and memory. Specifically, studies adopting an experimentally induced sleep loss protocol in healthy individuals have provided evidence that the consolidation of spatial memories, as acquired through navigating and orienteering in spatial surroundings, is negatively affected by total sleep loss. Here, we used both objective and subjective measures to characterize individuals' quality of sleep, and grouped participants into either a poor (insomnia-like) or normal (control) sleep quality group. We asked participants to solve a wayfinding task in a virtual environment, and scored their performance by measuring the time spent to reach a target location and the number of wayfinding errors made while navigating. We found that participants with poor sleep quality were slower and more error-prone than controls in solving the task. These findings provide novel evidence that pre-existing sleep deficiencies in otherwise healthy individuals affects negatively the ability to learn novel routes, and suggest that sleep quality should be accounted for among healthy individuals performing experimental spatial orientation tasks in virtual environments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Silvana Valera
- NeuroLab (www.neurolab.ca), Department of Psychology, Hotchkiss Brain Institute, and Alberta Children's Hospital Research Institute, University of Calgary, 2500 University Drive NW, Calgary, Alberta, Canada T2N 1N4
| | - Veronica Guadagni
- NeuroLab (www.neurolab.ca), Department of Psychology, Hotchkiss Brain Institute, and Alberta Children's Hospital Research Institute, University of Calgary, 2500 University Drive NW, Calgary, Alberta, Canada T2N 1N4
| | - Edward Slone
- NeuroLab (www.neurolab.ca), Department of Psychology, Hotchkiss Brain Institute, and Alberta Children's Hospital Research Institute, University of Calgary, 2500 University Drive NW, Calgary, Alberta, Canada T2N 1N4
| | - Ford Burles
- NeuroLab (www.neurolab.ca), Department of Psychology, Hotchkiss Brain Institute, and Alberta Children's Hospital Research Institute, University of Calgary, 2500 University Drive NW, Calgary, Alberta, Canada T2N 1N4
| | - Michele Ferrara
- Department of Biotechnological and Applied Clinical Sciences, University of L'Aquila
| | - Tavis Campbell
- Behavioral Medicine Lab, Department of Psychology, University of Calgary, 2500 University Drive NW, Calgary, Alberta, Canada T2N 1N4
| | - Giuseppe Iaria
- NeuroLab (www.neurolab.ca), Department of Psychology, Hotchkiss Brain Institute, and Alberta Children's Hospital Research Institute, University of Calgary, 2500 University Drive NW, Calgary, Alberta, Canada T2N 1N4
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7
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Svoboda J, Popelikova A, Stuchlik A. Drugs Interfering with Muscarinic Acetylcholine Receptors and Their Effects on Place Navigation. Front Psychiatry 2017; 8:215. [PMID: 29170645 PMCID: PMC5684124 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyt.2017.00215] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/30/2017] [Accepted: 10/16/2017] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Muscarinic acetylcholine receptors (mAChRs) have been found to regulate many diverse functions, ranging from motivation and feeding to spatial navigation, an important and widely studied type of cognitive behavior. Systemic administration of non-selective antagonists of mAChRs, such as scopolamine or atropine, have been found to have adverse effects on a vast majority of place navigation tasks. However, many of these results may be potentially confounded by disruptions of functions other than spatial learning and memory. Although studies with selective antimuscarinics point to mutually opposite effects of M1 and M2 receptors, their particular contribution to spatial cognition is still poorly understood, partly due to a lack of truly selective agents. Furthermore, constitutive knock-outs do not always support results from selective antagonists. For modeling impaired spatial cognition, the scopolamine-induced amnesia model still maintains some limited validity, but there is an apparent need for more targeted approaches such as local intracerebral administration of antagonists, as well as novel techniques such as optogenetics focused on cholinergic neurons and chemogenetics aimed at cells expressing metabotropic mAChRs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jan Svoboda
- Institute of Physiology of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Prague, Czechia
| | - Anna Popelikova
- Institute of Physiology of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Prague, Czechia
| | - Ales Stuchlik
- Institute of Physiology of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Prague, Czechia
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8
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Lixisenatide attenuates the detrimental effects of amyloid β protein on spatial working memory and hippocampal neurons in rats. Behav Brain Res 2016; 318:28-35. [PMID: 27776993 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbr.2016.10.033] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/19/2016] [Revised: 10/17/2016] [Accepted: 10/20/2016] [Indexed: 12/28/2022]
Abstract
Type 2 diabetes mellitus(T2DM) is a risk factor of Alzheimer's disease (AD), which is most likely linked to impairments of insulin signaling in the brain. Hence, drugs enhancing insulin signaling may have therapeutic potential for AD. Lixisenatide, a novel long-lasting glucagon-like peptide 1 (GLP-1) analogue, facilitates insulin signaling and has neuroprotective properties. We previously reported the protective effects of lixisenatide on memory formation and synaptic plasticity. Here, we describe additional key neuroprotective properties of lixisenatide and its possible molecular and cellular mechanisms against AD-related impairments in rats. The results show that lixisenatide effectively alleviated amyloid β protein (Aβ) 25-35-induced working memory impairment, reversed Aβ25-35-triggered cytotoxicity on hippocampal cell cultures, and prevented against Aβ25-35-induced suppression of the Akt-MEK1/2 signaling pathway. Lixisenatide also reduced the Aβ25-35 acute application induced intracellular calcium overload, which was abolished by U0126, a specific MEK1/2 inhibitor. These results further confirmed the neuroprotective and cytoprotective action of lixisenatide against Aβ-induced impairments, suggesting that the protective effects of lixisenatide may involve the activation of the Akt-MEK1/2 signaling pathway and the regulation of intracellular calcium homeostasis.
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9
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Tian J, Geng F, Gao F, Chen YH, Liu JH, Wu JL, Lan YJ, Zeng YN, Li XW, Yang JM, Gao TM. Down-Regulation of Neuregulin1/ErbB4 Signaling in the Hippocampus Is Critical for Learning and Memory. Mol Neurobiol 2016; 54:3976-3987. [DOI: 10.1007/s12035-016-9956-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/26/2016] [Accepted: 06/06/2016] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
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10
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Petrasek T, Skurlova M, Maleninska K, Vojtechova I, Kristofikova Z, Matuskova H, Sirova J, Vales K, Ripova D, Stuchlik A. A Rat Model of Alzheimer's Disease Based on Abeta42 and Pro-oxidative Substances Exhibits Cognitive Deficit and Alterations in Glutamatergic and Cholinergic Neurotransmitter Systems. Front Aging Neurosci 2016; 8:83. [PMID: 27148049 PMCID: PMC4837344 DOI: 10.3389/fnagi.2016.00083] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/20/2016] [Accepted: 04/04/2016] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Alzheimer's disease (AD) is one of the most serious human, medical, and socioeconomic burdens. Here we tested the hypothesis that a rat model of AD (Samaritan; Taconic Pharmaceuticals, USA) based on the application of amyloid beta42 (Abeta42) and the pro-oxidative substances ferrous sulfate heptahydrate and L-buthionine-(S, R)-sulfoximine, will exhibit cognitive deficits and disruption of the glutamatergic and cholinergic systems in the brain. Behavioral methods included the Morris water maze (MWM; long-term memory version) and the active allothetic place avoidance (AAPA) task (acquisition and reversal), testing spatial memory and different aspects of hippocampal function. Neurochemical methods included testing of the NR1/NR2A/NR2B subunits of NMDA receptors in the frontal cortex and CHT1 transporters in the hippocampus, in both cases in the right and left hemisphere separately. Our results show that Samaritan rats(™) exhibit marked impairment in both the MWM and active place avoidance tasks, suggesting a deficit of spatial learning and memory. Moreover, Samaritan rats exhibited significant changes in NR2A expression and CHT1 activity compared to controls rats, mimicking the situation in patients with early stage AD. Taken together, our results corroborate the hypothesis that Samaritan rats are a promising model of AD in its early stages.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tomas Petrasek
- Department of Neurophysiology of Memory, Institute of Physiology of the Czech Academy of SciencesPrague, Czech Republic; National Institute of Mental HealthKlecany, Czech Republic
| | - Martina Skurlova
- Department of Neurophysiology of Memory, Institute of Physiology of the Czech Academy of Sciences Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Kristyna Maleninska
- Department of Neurophysiology of Memory, Institute of Physiology of the Czech Academy of Sciences Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Iveta Vojtechova
- Department of Neurophysiology of Memory, Institute of Physiology of the Czech Academy of Sciences Prague, Czech Republic
| | | | - Hana Matuskova
- National Institute of Mental Health Klecany, Czech Republic
| | - Jana Sirova
- National Institute of Mental Health Klecany, Czech Republic
| | - Karel Vales
- Department of Neurophysiology of Memory, Institute of Physiology of the Czech Academy of Sciences Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Daniela Ripova
- National Institute of Mental Health Klecany, Czech Republic
| | - Ales Stuchlik
- Department of Neurophysiology of Memory, Institute of Physiology of the Czech Academy of Sciences Prague, Czech Republic
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11
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Rambousek L, Kleteckova L, Kubesova A, Jirak D, Vales K, Fritschy JM. Rat intra-hippocampal NMDA infusion induces cell-specific damage and changes in expression of NMDA and GABAA receptor subunits. Neuropharmacology 2016; 105:594-606. [PMID: 26930443 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuropharm.2016.02.035] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/04/2015] [Revised: 02/16/2016] [Accepted: 02/25/2016] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
Excessive stimulation of NMDA receptors with glutamate or other potent agonists such as NMDA leads to excitotoxicity and neural injury. In this study, we aimed to provide insight into an animal model of brain excitotoxic damage; single unilateral infusion of NMDA at mild dose into the hippocampal formation. NMDA infusion induced chronic, focal neurodegeneration in the proximity of the injection site. The lesion was accompanied by severe and progressive neuroinflammation and affected preferentially principal neurons while sparing GABAergic interneurons. Furthermore, the unilateral lesion did not cause significant impairment of spatial learning abilities. Finally, GluN1 and GluN2B subunits of NMDA receptor were significantly upregulated up to 3 days after the NMDA infusion, while GABAA α5 subunit was downregulated at 30 days after the lesion. Taken together, a single infusion of NMDA into the hippocampal formation represents an animal model of excitotoxicity-induced chronic neurodegeneration of principal neurons accompanied by severe neuroinflammation and subunit specific changes in NMDA and GABAA receptors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lukas Rambousek
- Neuromorphology Group, Institute of Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland; 2nd Faculty of Medicine, Charles University, Prague, Czech Republic; Institute of Physiology, Academy of Sciences, Prague, Czech Republic.
| | - Lenka Kleteckova
- 2nd Faculty of Medicine, Charles University, Prague, Czech Republic; Institute of Physiology, Academy of Sciences, Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Anna Kubesova
- National Institute of Mental Health, Klecany, Czech Republic
| | - Daniel Jirak
- Institute for Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Prague, Czech Republic; Institute of Biophysics and Informatics, 1st Medicine Faculty, Charles University, Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Karel Vales
- Institute of Physiology, Academy of Sciences, Prague, Czech Republic; National Institute of Mental Health, Klecany, Czech Republic
| | - Jean-Marc Fritschy
- Neuromorphology Group, Institute of Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland; Neuroscience Center Zurich, University and ETH Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
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12
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Tong JQ, Zhang J, Hao M, Yang J, Han YF, Liu XJ, Shi H, Wu MN, Liu QS, Qi JS. Leptin attenuates the detrimental effects of β-amyloid on spatial memory and hippocampal later-phase long term potentiation in rats. Horm Behav 2015; 73:125-30. [PMID: 26135065 DOI: 10.1016/j.yhbeh.2015.06.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/10/2015] [Revised: 04/21/2015] [Accepted: 06/25/2015] [Indexed: 12/26/2022]
Abstract
β-Amyloid (Aβ) is the main component of amyloid plaques developed in the brain of patients with Alzheimer's disease (AD). The increasing burden of Aβ in the cortex and hippocampus is closely correlated with memory loss and cognition deficits in AD. Recently, leptin, a 16kD peptide derived mainly from white adipocyte tissue, has been appreciated for its neuroprotective function, although less is known about the effects of leptin on spatial memory and synaptic plasticity. The present study investigated the neuroprotective effects of leptin against Aβ-induced deficits in spatial memory and in vivo hippocampal late-phase long-term potentiation (L-LTP) in rats. Y maze spontaneous alternation was used to assess short term working memory, and the Morris water maze task was used to assess long term reference memory. Hippocampal field potential recordings were performed to observe changes in L-LTP. We found that chronically intracerebroventricular injection of leptin (1μg) effectively alleviated Aβ1-42 (20μg)-induced spatial memory impairments of Y maze spontaneous alternation and Morris water maze. In addition, chronic administration of leptin also reversed Aβ1-42-induced suppression of in vivo hippocampal L-LTP in rats. Together, these results suggest that chronic leptin treatments reversed Aβ-induced deficits in learning and memory and the maintenance of L-LTP.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jia-Qing Tong
- Department of Neurobiology and National Key Discipline of Physiology, Shanxi Medical University, Taiyuan, Shanxi 030001, PR China; Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, WI 53226, USA
| | - Jun Zhang
- Department of Neurobiology and National Key Discipline of Physiology, Shanxi Medical University, Taiyuan, Shanxi 030001, PR China
| | - Ming Hao
- Department of Neurobiology and National Key Discipline of Physiology, Shanxi Medical University, Taiyuan, Shanxi 030001, PR China
| | - Ju Yang
- Department of Neurobiology and National Key Discipline of Physiology, Shanxi Medical University, Taiyuan, Shanxi 030001, PR China
| | - Yu-Fei Han
- Department of Neurobiology and National Key Discipline of Physiology, Shanxi Medical University, Taiyuan, Shanxi 030001, PR China
| | - Xiao-Jie Liu
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, WI 53226, USA
| | - Hui Shi
- Department of Neurobiology and National Key Discipline of Physiology, Shanxi Medical University, Taiyuan, Shanxi 030001, PR China
| | - Mei-Na Wu
- Department of Neurobiology and National Key Discipline of Physiology, Shanxi Medical University, Taiyuan, Shanxi 030001, PR China
| | - Qing-Song Liu
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, WI 53226, USA
| | - Jin-Shun Qi
- Department of Neurobiology and National Key Discipline of Physiology, Shanxi Medical University, Taiyuan, Shanxi 030001, PR China.
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