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Foster TC. Animal models for studies of alcohol effects on the trajectory of age-related cognitive decline. Alcohol 2023; 107:4-11. [PMID: 35504438 DOI: 10.1016/j.alcohol.2022.04.005] [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: 03/29/2022] [Revised: 04/18/2022] [Accepted: 04/19/2022] [Indexed: 02/04/2023]
Abstract
There is growing interest in understanding how ethanol use interacts with advancing age to influence the brain and cognition. Animal models are employed to investigate the cellular and molecular mechanisms of brain aging and age-related neurodegenerative diseases that underlie cognitive decline. However, all too often research on problems and diseases of the elderly are conducted in healthy young animals, providing little clinical relevance. The validity of animal models is discussed, and confounds due to age-related differences in anxiety, sensory-motor function, and procedural learning are highlighted in order to enhance the successful translation of preclinical results into clinical settings. The mechanism of action of ethanol on brain aging will depend on the dose, acute or chronic treatment, or withdrawal from treatment and the age examined. Due to the fact that humans experience alcohol use throughout life, important questions concern the effects of the dose and duration of ethanol treatment on the trajectory of cognitive function. Central to this research will be questions of the specificity of alcohol effects on cognitive functions and related brain regions that decline with age, as well as the interaction of alcohol with mechanisms or biomarkers of brain aging. Alternatively, moderate alcohol use may provide a source of reserve and resilience against brain aging. Longitudinal studies have the advantage of being sensitive to detecting the effects of treatment on the emergence of cognitive impairment in middle age and can minimize effects of stress/anxiety associated with the novelty of alcohol exposure and behavioral testing, which disproportionately influence aged animals. Finally, the effect of alcohol on senescent neurophysiology and biomarkers of brain aging are discussed. In particular, the interaction of age and effects of alcohol on inflammation, oxidative stress, N-methyl-d-aspartate receptor function, and the balance of excitatory and inhibitory synaptic transmission are highlighted.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thomas C Foster
- Department of Neuroscience, McKnight Brain Institute, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, United States.
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Yegla B, Foster TC. Operationally defining cognitive reserve genes. Neurobiol Aging 2021; 110:96-105. [PMID: 34565615 DOI: 10.1016/j.neurobiolaging.2021.08.015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/24/2021] [Revised: 08/05/2021] [Accepted: 08/24/2021] [Indexed: 01/22/2023]
Abstract
Variability in cognitive decline is related to the environment, lifestyle factors, and individual differences in biological aging, including cognitive reserve, plastic properties of the brain, which account for better-than-expected cognition for a given level of brain aging or pathology. Cognitive reserve has not been thoroughly investigated in aged rodents. To address this gap, cognitive reserve was examined using Gene Expression Omnibus data for the CA1 region of the hippocampus of young and aged behaviorally characterized male rats. Statistical filtering identified brain aging and potential cognitive reserve genes, and multiple regression was employed to confirm cognitive reserve genes as genes that predicted better-than-expected cognition for a given level of brain aging. In general, cognitive reserve genes, in which increased expression was associated with better cognition, were not different with age or directly correlated with measures of cognition and appear to act as negative regulators of aging processes, including neuroinflammation and oxidative stress. The results suggest that, for some animals, resilience mechanisms are activated to counteract aging stressors that impair cognition. In contrast, cognitive reserve genes, in which decreased expression was associated with better cognition, were linked to nervous system development and cation transport, suggesting adaptive changes in the circuit to preserve cognition.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brittney Yegla
- Department of Neuroscience, McKnight Brain Institute, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA
| | - Thomas C Foster
- Department of Neuroscience, McKnight Brain Institute, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA; Genetics and Genomics Program University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA.
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De Castro V, Girard P. Location and temporal memory of objects declines in aged marmosets (Callithrix jacchus). Sci Rep 2021; 11:9138. [PMID: 33911122 PMCID: PMC8080792 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-88357-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/23/2020] [Accepted: 04/12/2021] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Episodic memory decline is an early marker of cognitive aging in human. Although controversial in animals and called “episodic-like memory”, several models have been successfully developed, however they rarely focused on ageing. While marmoset is an emerging primate model in aging science, episodic-like memory has never been tested in this species and importantly in aged marmosets. Here, we examined if the recall of the what-when and what-where building blocks of episodic-like memory declines in ageing marmosets. We developed a naturalistic approach using spontaneous exploration of real objects by young and old marmosets in the home cage. We implemented a three-trial task with 1 week inter-trial interval. Two different sets of identical objects were presented in sample trials 1 and 2, respectively. For the test trial, two objects from each set were presented in a former position and two in a new one. We quantified the exploratory behaviour and calculated discrimination indices in a cohort of 20 marmosets. Young animals presented a preserved memory for combined what-where, and what-when components of the experiment, which declined with aging. These findings lead one to expect episodic-like memory deficits in aged marmosets.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vanessa De Castro
- Centre de Recherche Cerveau et Cognition (CerCo), Toulouse, France. .,Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS) - UMR 5549, Toulouse, France.
| | - Pascal Girard
- Centre de Recherche Cerveau et Cognition (CerCo), Toulouse, France. .,Institut national de la santé et de la recherche médicale (INSERM), Toulouse, France.
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Garcez ML, Cassoma RCS, Mina F, Bellettini-Santos T, da Luz AP, Schiavo GL, Medeiros EB, Campos ACBF, da Silva S, Rempel LCT, Steckert AV, Barichello T, Budni J. Folic acid prevents habituation memory impairment and oxidative stress in an aging model induced by D-galactose. Metab Brain Dis 2021; 36:213-224. [PMID: 33219893 DOI: 10.1007/s11011-020-00647-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/10/2020] [Accepted: 11/13/2020] [Indexed: 01/22/2023]
Abstract
The present study aimed to evaluate the effect of folic acid treatment in an animal model of aging induced by D-galactose (D-gal). For this propose, adult male Wistar rats received D-gal intraperitoneally (100 mg/kg) and/or folic acid orally (5 mg/kg, 10 mg/kg or 50 mg/kg) for 8 weeks. D-gal caused habituation memory impairment, and folic acid (10 mg/kg and 50 mg/kg) reversed this effect. However, folic acid 50 mg/kg per se caused habituation memory impairment. D-gal increased the lipid peroxidation and oxidative damage to proteins in the prefrontal cortex and hippocampus from rats. Folic acid (5 mg/kg, 10 mg/kg, or 50 mg/kg) partially reversed the oxidative damage to lipids in the hippocampus, but not in the prefrontal cortex, and reversed protein oxidative damage in the prefrontal cortex and hippocampus. D-gal induced synaptophysin and BCL-2 decrease in the hippocampus and phosphorylated tau increase in the prefrontal cortex. Folic acid was able to reverse these D-gal-related alterations in the protein content. The present study shows folic acid supplementation as an alternative during the aging to prevent cognitive impairment and brain alterations that can cause neurodegenerative diseases. However, additional studies are necessary to elucidate the effect of folic acid in aging.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michelle Lima Garcez
- Department of Biochemistry, Federal University of Santa Catarina (UFSC), Florianópolis, Santa Catarina, Brazil
| | - Ricardo Chiengo Sapalo Cassoma
- Laboratory of Experimental Neurology, Graduate Program in Health Sciences, University of Southern Santa Catarina (UNESC), Criciúma, SC, 88806-000, Brazil
| | - Francielle Mina
- Laboratory of Experimental Neurology, Graduate Program in Health Sciences, University of Southern Santa Catarina (UNESC), Criciúma, SC, 88806-000, Brazil
| | - Tatiani Bellettini-Santos
- Laboratory of Experimental Neurology, Graduate Program in Health Sciences, University of Southern Santa Catarina (UNESC), Criciúma, SC, 88806-000, Brazil
| | - Aline Pereira da Luz
- Laboratory of Experimental Neurology, Graduate Program in Health Sciences, University of Southern Santa Catarina (UNESC), Criciúma, SC, 88806-000, Brazil
| | - Gustavo Luis Schiavo
- Laboratory of Experimental Neurology, Graduate Program in Health Sciences, University of Southern Santa Catarina (UNESC), Criciúma, SC, 88806-000, Brazil
| | - Eduarda Behenck Medeiros
- Laboratory of Experimental Neurology, Graduate Program in Health Sciences, University of Southern Santa Catarina (UNESC), Criciúma, SC, 88806-000, Brazil
| | - Ana Carolina Brunatto Falchetti Campos
- Laboratory of Experimental Neurology, Graduate Program in Health Sciences, University of Southern Santa Catarina (UNESC), Criciúma, SC, 88806-000, Brazil
| | - Sabrina da Silva
- Laboratory of Experimental Neurology, Graduate Program in Health Sciences, University of Southern Santa Catarina (UNESC), Criciúma, SC, 88806-000, Brazil
| | - Lisienny Campoli Tono Rempel
- Laboratory of Experimental Neurology, Graduate Program in Health Sciences, University of Southern Santa Catarina (UNESC), Criciúma, SC, 88806-000, Brazil
| | - Amanda Valnier Steckert
- Laboratory of Experimental Pathophysiology, Graduate Program in Health Sciences, University of Southern Santa Catarina, Criciúma, SC, Brazil
| | - Tatiana Barichello
- Laboratory of Experimental Pathophysiology, Graduate Program in Health Sciences, University of Southern Santa Catarina, Criciúma, SC, Brazil
- Translational Psychiatry Program, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, McGovern Medical School, Houston, TX, USA
- Center of Excellence on Mood Disorders, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, McGovern Medical School, Houston, TX, USA
- Neuroscience Graduate Program, The University of Texas Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences at Houston, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Josiane Budni
- Laboratory of Experimental Neurology, Graduate Program in Health Sciences, University of Southern Santa Catarina (UNESC), Criciúma, SC, 88806-000, Brazil.
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McQuail JA, Dunn AR, Stern Y, Barnes CA, Kempermann G, Rapp PR, Kaczorowski CC, Foster TC. Cognitive Reserve in Model Systems for Mechanistic Discovery: The Importance of Longitudinal Studies. Front Aging Neurosci 2021; 12:607685. [PMID: 33551788 PMCID: PMC7859530 DOI: 10.3389/fnagi.2020.607685] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/24/2020] [Accepted: 12/30/2020] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
The goal of this review article is to provide a resource for longitudinal studies, using animal models, directed at understanding and modifying the relationship between cognition and brain structure and function throughout life. We propose that forthcoming longitudinal studies will build upon a wealth of knowledge gleaned from prior cross-sectional designs to identify early predictors of variability in cognitive function during aging, and characterize fundamental neurobiological mechanisms that underlie the vulnerability to, and the trajectory of, cognitive decline. Finally, we present examples of biological measures that may differentiate mechanisms of the cognitive reserve at the molecular, cellular, and network level.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joseph A McQuail
- Department of Pharmacology, Physiology and Neuroscience, University of South Carolina School of Medicine, Columbia, SC, United States
| | - Amy R Dunn
- The Jackson Laboratory, Bar Harbor, ME, United States
| | - Yaakov Stern
- Cognitive Neuroscience Division, Department of Neurology, Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons, Columbia University, New York, NY, United States
| | - Carol A Barnes
- Departments of Psychology and Neuroscience, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, United States.,Evelyn F. McKnight Brain Institute, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, United States
| | - Gerd Kempermann
- CRTD-Center for Regenerative Therapies Dresden, Technische Universität Dresden, Dresden, Germany.,German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE), Helmholtz Association of German Research Centers (HZ), Dresden, Germany
| | - Peter R Rapp
- Laboratory of Behavioral Neuroscience, Neurocognitive Aging Section, National Institute on Aging, Baltimore, MD, United States
| | | | - Thomas C Foster
- Department of Neuroscience, McKnight Brain Institute, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, United States.,Genetics and Genomics Program, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, United States
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