scholarly journals Dissecting the age-related decline on spatial learning and memory tasks in rodent models: N-methyl-D-aspartate receptors and voltage-dependent Ca2+ channels in senescent synaptic plasticity

2012 ◽  
Vol 96 (3) ◽  
pp. 283-303 ◽  
Author(s):  
Thomas C. Foster
Keyword(s):  
Synaptic Plasticity ◽  
Learning And Memory ◽  
Spatial Learning ◽  
Spatial Learning And Memory ◽  
Rodent Models ◽  
Age Related ◽  
Voltage Dependent ◽  
Ca2 Channels

scholarly journals Effects of Gestational Inflammation with Postpartum Enriched Environment on Age-Related Changes in Cognition and Hippocampal Synaptic Plasticity-Related Proteins

2020 ◽  
Vol 2020 ◽  
pp. 1-11
Author(s):  
Shi-Yu Sun ◽  
Xue-Yan Li ◽  
He-Hua Ge ◽  
Yu-Xin Zhang ◽  
Zhe-Zhe Zhang ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Cognitive Impairment ◽  
Synaptic Plasticity ◽  
Learning And Memory ◽  
Spatial Learning ◽  
Enriched Environment ◽  
Synaptic Proteins ◽  
Spatial Learning And Memory ◽  
Age Related ◽  
Related Proteins ◽  
Age Related Changes

Increasing evidence indicates that exposure to inflammation during pregnancy intensifies the offspring’s cognitive impairment during aging, which might be correlated with changes in some synaptic plasticity-related proteins. In addition, an enriched environment (EE) can significantly exert a beneficial impact on cognition and synaptic plasticity. However, it is unclear whether gestational inflammation combined with postnatal EE affects the changes in cognition and synaptic plasticity-related proteins during aging. In this study, pregnant mice were intraperitoneally injected with lipopolysaccharides (LPS, 50 μg/kg) or normal saline at days 15–17 of pregnancy. At 21 days after delivery, some LPS-treated mice were randomly selected for EE treatment. At the age of 6 and 18 months, Morris water maze (MWM) and western blotting were, respectively, used to evaluate or measure the ability of spatial learning and memory and the levels of postsynaptic plasticity-related proteins in the hippocampus, including postsynaptic density protein 95 (PSD-95), α-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methyl-4-isoxazolepropionic acid receptor (AMPAR) GluA1 subunit, and Homer-1b/c. The results showed that 18-month-old control mice had worse spatial learning and memory and lower levels of these synaptic plasticity-related proteins (PSD-95, GluA1, and Homer-1b/c) than the 6-month-old controls. Gestational LPS exposure exacerbated these age-related changes of cognition and synaptic proteins, but EE could alleviate the treatment effect of LPS. In addition, the performance during learning and memory periods in the MWM correlated with the hippocampal levels of PSD-95, GluA1, and Homer-1b/c. Our results suggested that gestational inflammation accelerated age-related cognitive impairment and the decline of PSD-95, GluA1, and Homer-1b/c protein expression, and postpartum EE could alleviate these changes.

scholarly journals A Long-Term Enriched Environment Ameliorates the Accelerated Age-Related Memory Impairment Induced by Gestational Administration of Lipopolysaccharide: Role of Plastic Mitochondrial Quality Control

2021 ◽  
Vol 14 ◽  
Author(s):  
Zhan-Qiang Zhuang ◽  
Zhe-Zhe Zhang ◽  
Yue-Ming Zhang ◽  
He-Hua Ge ◽  
Shi-Yu Sun ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Learning And Memory ◽  
Spatial Learning ◽  
Memory Impairment ◽  
Spatial Learning And Memory ◽  
Mitochondrial Quality Control ◽  
Protein Levels ◽  
Age Related ◽  
Old Mice ◽  
Lps Treatment

Studies have shown that gestational inflammation accelerates age-related memory impairment in mother mice. An enriched environment (EE) can improve age-related memory impairment, whereas mitochondrial dysfunction has been implicated in the pathogenesis of brain aging. However, it is unclear whether an EE can counteract the accelerated age-related memory impairment induced by gestational inflammation and whether this process is associated with the disruption of mitochondrial quality control (MQC) processes. In this study, CD-1 mice received daily intraperitoneal injections of lipopolysaccharide (LPS, 50 μg/kg) or normal saline (CON group) during gestational days 15–17 and were separated from their offspring at the end of normal lactation. The mothers that received LPS were divided into LPS group and LPS plus EE (LPS-E) treatment groups based on whether the mice were exposed to an EE until the end of the experiment. At 6 and 18 months of age, the Morris water maze test was used to evaluate spatial learning and memory abilities. Quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction and Western blot were used to measure the messenber RNA (mRNA) and protein levels of MQC-related genes in the hippocampus, respectively. The results showed that all the aged (18 months old) mice underwent a striking decline in spatial learning and memory performances and decreased mRNA/protein levels related to mitochondrial dynamics (Mfn1/Mfn2, OPA1, and Drp1), biogenesis (PGC-1α), and mitophagy (PINK1/parkin) in the hippocampi compared with the young (6 months old) mice. LPS treatment exacerbated the decline in age-related spatial learning and memory and enhanced the reduction in the mRNA and protein levels of MQC-related genes but increased the levels of PGC-1α in young mice. Exposure to an EE could alleviate the accelerated decline in age-related spatial learning and memory abilities and the accelerated changes in MQC-related mRNA or protein levels resulting from LPS treatment, especially in aged mice. In conclusion, long-term exposure to an EE can counteract the accelerated age-related spatial cognition impairment modulated by MQC in CD-1 mother mice that experience inflammation during pregnancy.

scholarly journals Tripchlorolide May Improve Spatial Cognition Dysfunction and Synaptic Plasticity after Chronic Cerebral Hypoperfusion

2019 ◽  
Vol 2019 ◽  
pp. 1-14 ◽  
Author(s):  
Zhao-Hui Yao ◽  
Xiao-li Yao ◽  
Shao-feng Zhang ◽  
Ji-chang Hu ◽  
Yong Zhang
Keyword(s):  
Cognitive Impairment ◽  
Synaptic Plasticity ◽  
Learning And Memory ◽  
Spatial Learning ◽  
Long Term Potentiation ◽  
Chronic Cerebral Hypoperfusion ◽  
Synaptic Proteins ◽  
Cerebral Hypoperfusion ◽  
Spatial Learning And Memory ◽  
Pathophysiological Mechanism

Chronic cerebral hypoperfusion (CCH) is a common pathophysiological mechanism that underlies cognitive decline and degenerative processes in dementia and other neurodegenerative diseases. Low cerebral blood flow (CBF) during CCH leads to disturbances in the homeostasis of hemodynamics and energy metabolism, which in turn results in oxidative stress, astroglia overactivation, and synaptic protein downregulation. These events contribute to synaptic plasticity and cognitive dysfunction after CCH. Tripchlorolide (TRC) is an herbal compound with potent neuroprotective effects. The potential of TRC to improve CCH-induced cognitive impairment has not yet been determined. In the current study, we employed behavioral techniques, electrophysiology, Western blotting, immunofluorescence, and Golgi staining to investigate the effect of TRC on spatial learning and memory impairment and on synaptic plasticity changes in rats after CCH. Our findings showed that TRC could rescue CCH-induced spatial learning and memory dysfunction and improve long-term potentiation (LTP) disorders. We also found that TRC could prevent CCH-induced reductions in N-methyl-D-aspartic acid receptor 2B, synapsin I, and postsynaptic density protein 95 levels. Moreover, TRC upregulated cAMP-response element binding protein, which is an important transcription factor for synaptic proteins. TRC also prevented the reduction in dendritic spine density that is caused by CCH. However, sham rats treated with TRC did not show any improvement in cognition. Because CCH causes disturbances in brain energy homeostasis, TRC therapy may resolve this instability by correcting a variety of cognitive-related signaling pathways. However, for the normal brain, TRC treatment led to neither disturbance nor improvement in neural plasticity. Additionally, this treatment neither impaired nor further improved cognition. In conclusion, we found that TRC can improve spatial learning and memory, enhance synaptic plasticity, upregulate the expression of some synaptic proteins, and increase the density of dendritic spines. Our findings suggest that TRC may be beneficial in the treatment of cognitive impairment induced by CCH.

Tocotrienol Rich Fraction Reverses Age-Related Deficits in Spatial Learning and Memory in Aged Rats

Lipids ◽  
2014 ◽  
Vol 49 (9) ◽  
pp. 855-869 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nursiati Mohamad Taridi ◽  
Nazirah Abd Rani ◽  
Azian Abd Latiff ◽  
Wan Zurinah Wan Ngah ◽  
Musalmah Mazlan
Keyword(s):  
Learning And Memory ◽  
Spatial Learning ◽  
Spatial Learning And Memory ◽  
Aged Rats ◽  
Age Related ◽  
Tocotrienol Rich Fraction

scholarly journals Focal Adhesion Kinase Regulates Neuronal Growth, Synaptic Plasticity and Hippocampus-Dependent Spatial Learning and Memory

Neurosignals ◽  
2011 ◽  
Vol 20 (1) ◽  
pp. 1-14 ◽  
Author(s):  
Francisco J. Monje ◽  
Eun-Jung Kim ◽  
Daniela D. Pollak ◽  
Maureen Cabatic ◽  
Lin Li ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Synaptic Plasticity ◽  
Focal Adhesion Kinase ◽  
Learning And Memory ◽  
Focal Adhesion ◽  
Spatial Learning ◽  
Spatial Learning And Memory ◽  
Neuronal Growth

scholarly journals The Microalgae Aurantiochytrium Sp. Increases Neurogenesis and Improves Spatial Learning and Memory in Senescence-Accelerated Prone 8 Mice

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kazunori Sasaki ◽  
Noelia Geribaldi-Doldan ◽  
Qingqing Wu ◽  
Julie Davies ◽  
Francis G. Szele ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Stem Cells ◽  
Learning And Memory ◽  
Spatial Learning ◽  
Neural Development ◽  
Learning Ability ◽  
Morris Water Maze Test ◽  
Spatial Learning And Memory ◽  
Age Related ◽  
And Function ◽  
Samp8 Mice

Abstract Background Much attention has recently focused on nutraceuticals which are widely used to promote health. In particular, nutraceuticals with minimal side effects have been developed for preventing or treating neurological diseases such as Alzheimer’s disease (AD). The present study was conducted to investigate the potential effect on neural development and function of the microalgae Aurantiochytrium sp. as a nutraceutical. Methods To test the neuroprotection of ethanol extract of Aurantiochytrium (EEA) and n-Hex layer of EEA (HEEA), amyloid-beta (Aβ)-stimulated SH-SY5Y cells was used for in vitro AD model. We then assessed the enhancement of neurogenesis of EEA and HEEA using murine ex vivo neurospheres. We also administered EEA or HEEA to SAMP8 mice, a non-transgenic strain with accelerated aging and Alzheimer’s-like memory loss for evaluation of spatial learning and memory using MWM test. Finally, we performed immunohistochemical analysis using mice brain fed with EEA for assessment of neurogenesis. Results Pre-treatment of SH-SY5Y cells with EEA or the squalene-rich fraction of EEA, n-Hex layer (HEEA), ameliorated Aβ-induced cytotoxicity. Interestingly, only EEA-treated cells showed a significant increase in cell metabolism and intracellular ATP production. Moreover, EEA treatment significantly increased the number of neurospheres, whilst HEEA treatment significantly increased the number of β-III-tubulin + young neurons and GFAP + astrocytes. SAMP8 mice were given 50 mg/kg EEA or HEEA orally for 30 days. Learning ability was assessed in the Morris water maze test. EEA and HEEA decreased escape latency time in SAMP8 mice, indicating improved memory. To detect activated stem cells and newborn neurons, we administered BrdU for 9 days and measured BrdU + cells in the dentate gyrus, a neurogenic stem cell niche of the hippocampus. In SAMP8 mice, EEA rapidly and significantly increased the number of BrdU + GFAP + stem cells as well as their progeny, BrdU + NeuN + mature neurons. Conclusions Our data in aggregate indicate that EEA and its constituents could be developed into a nutraceutical for promoting brain health and function against some age-related diseases including neurodegenerative desease, particularly AD.

scholarly journals Aged Brains Express Less Melanocortin Receptors, Which Correlates with Age-Related Decline of Cognitive Functions

Molecules ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 26 (20) ◽  
pp. 6266
Author(s):  
Yang Zhou ◽  
Monica K. Chawla ◽  
Jose L. Rios-Monterrosa ◽  
Lingzhi Wang ◽  
Marc A. Zempare ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Cognitive Function ◽  
Learning And Memory ◽  
Spatial Learning ◽  
Cognitive Functions ◽  
Drug Targets ◽  
Brain Regions ◽  
Cognitive Status ◽  
Melanocortin Receptors ◽  
Spatial Learning And Memory ◽  
Age Related

Brain G-protein coupled receptors have been hypothesized to be potential targets for maintaining or restoring cognitive function in normal aged individuals or in patients with neurodegenerative disease. A number of recent reports suggest that activation of melanocortin receptors (MCRs) in the brain can significantly improve cognitive functions of normal rodents and of different rodent models of the Alzheimer’s disease. However, the potential impact of normative aging on the expression of MCRs and their potential roles for modulating cognitive function remains to be elucidated. In the present study, we first investigated the expression of these receptors in six different brain regions of young (6 months) and aged (23 months) rats following assessment of their cognitive status. Correlation analysis was further performed to reveal potential contributions of MCR subtypes to spatial learning and memory. Our results revealed statistically significant correlations between the expression of several MCR subtypes in the frontal cortex/hypothalamus and the hippocampus regions and the rats’ performance in spatial learning and memory only in the aged rats. These findings support the hypothesis that aging has a direct impact on the expression and function of MCRs, establishing MCRs as potential drug targets to alleviate aging-induced decline of cognitive function.

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