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Vanderlip CR, Asch PA, Reynolds JH, Glavis-Bloom C. Domain-Specific Cognitive Impairment Reflects Prefrontal Dysfunction in Aged Common Marmosets. eNeuro 2023; 10:ENEURO.0187-23.2023. [PMID: 37553239 PMCID: PMC10444537 DOI: 10.1523/eneuro.0187-23.2023] [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: 05/31/2023] [Revised: 07/14/2023] [Accepted: 07/17/2023] [Indexed: 08/10/2023] Open
Abstract
Age-related cognitive impairment is not expressed uniformly across cognitive domains. Cognitive functions that rely on brain areas that undergo substantial neuroanatomical changes with age often show age-related impairment, whereas those that rely on brain areas with minimal age-related change typically do not. The common marmoset has grown in popularity as a model for neuroscience research, but robust cognitive phenotyping, particularly as a function of age and across multiple cognitive domains, is lacking. This presents a major limitation for the development and evaluation of the marmoset as a model of cognitive aging and leaves open the question of whether they exhibit age-related cognitive impairment that is restricted to some cognitive domains, as in humans. In this study, we characterized stimulus-reward association learning and cognitive flexibility in young adults to geriatric marmosets using a Simple Discrimination task and a Serial Reversal task, respectively. We found that aged marmosets show transient impairment in learning-to-learn but have conserved ability to form stimulus-reward associations. Furthermore, aged marmosets have impaired cognitive flexibility driven by susceptibility to proactive interference. As these impairments are in domains critically dependent on the prefrontal cortex, our findings support prefrontal cortical dysfunction as a prominent feature of neurocognitive aging. This work positions the marmoset as a key model for understanding the neural underpinnings of cognitive aging.
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Affiliation(s)
- Casey R Vanderlip
- Systems Neurobiology Laboratory, Salk Institute for Biological Studies, La Jolla, California 92037
| | - Payton A Asch
- Systems Neurobiology Laboratory, Salk Institute for Biological Studies, La Jolla, California 92037
| | - John H Reynolds
- Systems Neurobiology Laboratory, Salk Institute for Biological Studies, La Jolla, California 92037
| | - Courtney Glavis-Bloom
- Systems Neurobiology Laboratory, Salk Institute for Biological Studies, La Jolla, California 92037
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2
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Glavis-Bloom C, Vanderlip CR, Asch PA, Reynolds JH. Domain-specific cognitive impairment reflects prefrontal dysfunction in aged common marmosets. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.05.22.541766. [PMID: 37292989 PMCID: PMC10245905 DOI: 10.1101/2023.05.22.541766] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
Age-related cognitive impairment is not expressed uniformly across cognitive domains. Cognitive functions that rely on brain areas that undergo substantial neuroanatomical changes with age often show age-related impairment, while those that rely on brain areas with minimal age-related change typically do not. The common marmoset has grown in popularity as a model for neuroscience research, but robust cognitive phenotyping, particularly as a function of age and across multiple cognitive domains, is lacking. This presents a major limitation for the development and evaluation of the marmoset as a model of cognitive aging, and leaves open the question of whether they exhibit age-related cognitive impairment that is restricted to some cognitive domains, as in humans. In this study, we characterized stimulus-reward association learning and cognitive flexibility in young adults to geriatric marmosets using a Simple Discrimination and a Serial Reversal task, respectively. We found that aged marmosets show transient impairment in "learning-to-learn" but have conserved ability to form stimulus-reward associations. Furthermore, aged marmosets have impaired cognitive flexibility driven by susceptibility to proactive interference. Since these impairments are in domains critically dependent on the prefrontal cortex, our findings support prefrontal cortical dysfunction as a prominent feature of neurocognitive aging. This work positions the marmoset as a key model for understanding the neural underpinnings of cognitive aging. Significance Statement Aging is the greatest risk factor for neurodegenerative disease development, and understanding why is critical for the development of effective therapeutics. The common marmoset, a short-lived non-human primate with neuroanatomical similarity to humans, has gained traction for neuroscientific investigations. However, the lack of robust cognitive phenotyping, particularly as a function of age and across multiple cognitive domains limits their validity as a model for age-related cognitive impairment. We demonstrate that aging marmosets, like humans, have impairment that is specific to cognitive domains reliant on brain areas that undergo substantial neuroanatomical changes with age. This work validates the marmoset as a key model for understanding region-specific vulnerability to the aging process.
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Affiliation(s)
- Courtney Glavis-Bloom
- Systems Neurobiology Laboratory, Salk Institute for Biological Studies, La Jolla, CA 92037
| | - Casey R Vanderlip
- Systems Neurobiology Laboratory, Salk Institute for Biological Studies, La Jolla, CA 92037
| | - Payton A Asch
- Systems Neurobiology Laboratory, Salk Institute for Biological Studies, La Jolla, CA 92037
| | - John H Reynolds
- Systems Neurobiology Laboratory, Salk Institute for Biological Studies, La Jolla, CA 92037
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3
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Horses’ attentional characteristics differ according to the type of work. PLoS One 2022; 17:e0269974. [PMID: 35877616 PMCID: PMC9312386 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0269974] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/30/2021] [Accepted: 06/01/2022] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Attention is a central process of cognition and influences the execution of daily tasks. In humans, different types of work require different attentional skills and sport performance is associated with the ability to attention shift. Attention towards humans varies in dogs used for different types of work. Whether this variation is due to the recruitment of individuals suitable for specific types of work, or to the characteristics of the work, remains unclear. In the present study, we hypothesized that domestic horses (Equus caballus) trained for different types of work would also demonstrate different attentional characteristics but we also explored other possible factors of influence such as age, sex and breed. We exposed more than sixty horses, working in 4 different disciplines, and living in two types of housing conditions, to a visual attention test (VAT) performed in the home environment. Individual attentional characteristics in the test were not significantly influenced by age, sex, breed or conditions of life but were strongly related to the type of work. Riding school horses showed longer sequences and less fragmented attention than all other horses, including sport horses living in the same conditions. Interestingly, sport performance was correlated with attention fragmentation during the test in eventing horses, which may need more attention shifting during the competitions. Working conditions may influence attention characteristics indirectly through welfare, or directly through selection and training. Our study opens new lines of thought on the determinants of animal cognition and its plasticity and constitutes a further step towards understanding the interrelationship between working conditions and cognition.
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Upright NA, Baxter MG. Prefrontal cortex and cognitive aging in macaque monkeys. Am J Primatol 2021; 83:e23250. [PMID: 33687098 DOI: 10.1002/ajp.23250] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/05/2020] [Revised: 02/17/2021] [Accepted: 02/21/2021] [Indexed: 11/11/2022]
Abstract
Cognitive impairments that accompany aging, even in the absence of neurodegenerative diseases, include deficits in executive function and memory mediated by the prefrontal cortex. Because of the unique differentiation and expansion of the prefrontal cortex in primates, investigations of the neurobiological basis of cognitive aging in nonhuman primates have been particularly informative about the potential basis for age-related cognitive decline in humans. We review the cognitive functions mediated by specific subregions of prefrontal cortex, and their corresponding connections, as well as the evidence for age-related alterations in specific regions of prefrontal cortex. We also discuss evidence for similarities and differences in the effects of aging on prefrontal cortex across species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicholas A Upright
- Nash Family Department of Neuroscience, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York, USA
| | - Mark G Baxter
- Nash Family Department of Neuroscience, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York, USA
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5
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Schmitt J, Paradis AL, Boucher M, Andrieu L, Barnéoud P, Rondi-Reig L. Flexibility as a marker of early cognitive decline in humanized apolipoprotein E ε4 (ApoE4) mice. Neurobiol Aging 2021; 102:129-138. [PMID: 33765426 DOI: 10.1016/j.neurobiolaging.2021.01.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/24/2020] [Revised: 01/11/2021] [Accepted: 01/16/2021] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
Abstract
To test the hypothesis that ApoE4 may be involved in cognitive deficits associated with aging, we investigated the impact of APOE4 status and aging on the flexibility and memory components of spatial learning in mice. Young adult (6 months) and middle-aged (14 months) ApoE4, ApoE3 and C57BL/6 male mice were tested for flexibility in an aquatic Y-maze, and for spatio-temporal memory acquisition in the Starmaze. Our results revealed a flexibility deficit of the 6-month-old ApoE4 mice compared to controls. However, this deficit was not associated with spatio-temporal memory deficit at the same age. Importantly, the ApoE4 flexibility deficit did not increase with age, nor turn into memory deficit, or was able to predict individual variations of memory performance at 14 months. By contrast, control ApoE3 mice showed a decline of flexibility at 14 months resulting in performance similar to that of ApoE4. Overall, our results suggest that ApoE4 could be associated with an acceleration of the flexibility decrease otherwise observed in normal aging.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julien Schmitt
- Sorbonne Université, CNRS, INSERM, Institut de Biologie Paris Seine (IBPS), Neurosciences Paris Seine (NPS), Cerebellum Navigation and Memory Team (CeZaMe), Paris, France; Neurodegeneration Cluster, Rare & Neurologic Diseases Research, Sanofi R&D, Chilly-Mazarin, France
| | - Anne-Lise Paradis
- Sorbonne Université, CNRS, INSERM, Institut de Biologie Paris Seine (IBPS), Neurosciences Paris Seine (NPS), Cerebellum Navigation and Memory Team (CeZaMe), Paris, France
| | | | - Laurent Andrieu
- Biostatistics & Programming Department, Non-Clinical Efficacy & Safety team, Sanofi R&D, Vitry-Sur-Seine, Paris, France
| | - Pascal Barnéoud
- Neurodegeneration Cluster, Rare & Neurologic Diseases Research, Sanofi R&D, Chilly-Mazarin, France
| | - Laure Rondi-Reig
- Sorbonne Université, CNRS, INSERM, Institut de Biologie Paris Seine (IBPS), Neurosciences Paris Seine (NPS), Cerebellum Navigation and Memory Team (CeZaMe), Paris, France.
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6
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Plagenhoef MR, Callahan PM, Beck WD, Blake DT, Terry AV. Aged rhesus monkeys: Cognitive performance categorizations and preclinical drug testing. Neuropharmacology 2021; 187:108489. [PMID: 33561449 PMCID: PMC8286428 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuropharm.2021.108489] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/28/2020] [Revised: 01/25/2021] [Accepted: 01/29/2021] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
Rodent models have facilitated major discoveries in neurobiology, however, the low success rate of novel medications in clinical trials have led to questions about their translational value in neuropsychiatric drug development research. For age-related disorders of cognition such as Alzheimer' disease (AD) there is interest in moving beyond transgenic amyloid-β and/or tau-expressing rodent models and focusing more on natural aging and dissociating "healthy" from "pathological" aging to identify new therapeutic targets and treatments. In complex disorders such as AD, it can also be argued that animals with closer neurobiology to humans (e.g., nonhuman primates) should be employed more often particularly in the later phases of drug development. The purpose of the work described here was to evaluate the cognitive capabilities of rhesus monkeys across a wide range of ages in different delayed response tasks, a computerized delayed match to sample (DMTS) task and a manual delayed match to position (DMTP) task. Based on specific performance criteria and comparisons to younger subjects, the older subjects were generally less proficient, however, some performed as well as young subjects, while other aged subjects were markedly impaired. Accordingly, the older subjects could be categorized as aged "cognitively-unimpaired" or aged "cognitively-impaired" with a third group (aged-other) falling in between. Finally, as a proof of principle, we demonstrated using the DMTP task that aged cognitively-impaired monkeys are sensitive to the pro-cognitive effects of a nicotinic acetylcholine receptor (nAChR) partial agonist, encenicline, suggesting that nAChR ligands remain viable as potential treatments for age-related disorders of cognition.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marc R Plagenhoef
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Medical College of Georgia, Augusta University, Augusta, 30912, Georgia
| | - Patrick M Callahan
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Medical College of Georgia, Augusta University, Augusta, 30912, Georgia
| | - Wayne D Beck
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Medical College of Georgia, Augusta University, Augusta, 30912, Georgia
| | - David T Blake
- Department of Neuroscience and Regenerative Medicine, Medical College of Georgia, Augusta University, Augusta, 30912, Georgia
| | - Alvin V Terry
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Medical College of Georgia, Augusta University, Augusta, 30912, Georgia.
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Rathke EM, Fischer J. Differential ageing trajectories in motivation, inhibitory control and cognitive flexibility in Barbary macaques ( Macaca sylvanus). Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci 2020; 375:20190617. [PMID: 32951548 PMCID: PMC7540953 DOI: 10.1098/rstb.2019.0617] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Across the lifespan, the performance in problem-solving tasks varies strongly, owing to age-related variation in cognitive abilities as well as the motivation to engage in a task. Non-human primates provide an evolutionary perspective on human cognitive and motivational ageing, as they lack an insight into their own limited lifetime, and ageing trajectories are not affected by customs and societal norms. To test age-related variation in inhibitory control, cognitive flexibility and persistence, we presented Barbary macaques (Macaca sylvanus), living at La Forêt des Singes in Rocamadour (France), with three problem-solving tasks. We conducted 297 trials with 143 subjects aged 2-30 years. We found no effect of age on success and latency to succeed in the inhibitory control task. In the cognitive flexibility task, 21 out of 99 monkeys were able to switch their strategy, but there was no evidence for an effect of age. Yet, the persistence in the motivation task as well as the overall likelihood to participate in any of the tasks declined with increasing age. These results suggest that motivation declines earlier than the cognitive abilities assessed in this study, corroborating the notion that non-human primates and humans show similar changes in motivation in old age. This article is part of the theme issue 'Evolution of the primate ageing process'.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eva-Maria Rathke
- Cognitive Ethology Laboratory, German Primate Center, Leibniz Institute for Primate Research, Kellnerweg 4, 37077 Göttingen, Germany.,Department for Primate Cognition, Georg-August-University Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany.,Leibniz ScienceCampus Primate Cognition, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Julia Fischer
- Cognitive Ethology Laboratory, German Primate Center, Leibniz Institute for Primate Research, Kellnerweg 4, 37077 Göttingen, Germany.,Department for Primate Cognition, Georg-August-University Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany.,Leibniz ScienceCampus Primate Cognition, Göttingen, Germany
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8
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Affiliation(s)
- Quenten Highgate
- School of Psychology, Victoria University of Wellington, Wellington, New Zealand
| | - Susan Schenk
- School of Psychology, Victoria University of Wellington, Wellington, New Zealand
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9
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Zeiss CJ. Utility of spontaneous animal models of Alzheimer’s disease in preclinical efficacy studies. Cell Tissue Res 2020; 380:273-286. [DOI: 10.1007/s00441-020-03198-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/05/2019] [Accepted: 03/03/2020] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
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10
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Chapagain D, Virányi Z, Huber L, Serra J, Schoesswender J, Range F. Effect of Age and Dietary Intervention on Discrimination Learning in Pet Dogs. Front Psychol 2018; 9:2217. [PMID: 30487772 PMCID: PMC6246696 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2018.02217] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/10/2018] [Accepted: 10/26/2018] [Indexed: 01/09/2023] Open
Abstract
Aging is associated with a decline in cognitive functions such as learning, memory, attention, cognitive flexibility, and executive functions. Recent evidence indicates that interventions such as exercise, diet and cognitive training can be used to reduce the rate of age-dependent cognitive decline. In this study, we examined the changes in discrimination learning in older pet dogs, tested whether a dietary intervention counteracts a potential decline in learning and evaluated the influence of lifelong training on learning speed and cognitive flexibility. We included 115 pet dogs (>6 years) of 30 different breeds into one of two treatment groups: either a diet enriched with antioxidants, docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), Phosphatidylserine and tryptophan or a control diet for 1 year. Lifelong training was calculated for each dog using a questionnaire where owners filled their dog’s training experiences over years. Dogs were trained to discriminate different pictures at the start of the dietary intervention using a touch screen methodology. After 1 year of dietary intervention, they were tested on a main picture discrimination task where they were confronted with a discrimination of four new pictures. We used the total number of sessions needed to reach learning criterion as a measure of learning speed and the rate of correction trials as a measure of deficit in learning from feedback/cognitive flexibility. In the main discrimination task, we found an influence of neither age nor diet on the speed of learning and deficit in learning from feedback. We did not find any influence of lifelong training either. The null findings were further corroborated by Bayesian statistics. The null findings might be due to the fact that pet dogs live in a stimulating environment which may reduce the rate of cognitive decline and hinder finding an age or diet effect. Also, the similarity between the training and the main discrimination task might have made the main task too easy for the animals to solve. Further studies are warranted to assess the effect of enriched diets on pet dogs using tasks that measure cognitive functions with a higher sensitivity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Durga Chapagain
- Clever Dog Lab, Comparative Cognition, Messerli Research Institute, University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna, Medical University of Vienna, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Zsófia Virányi
- Clever Dog Lab, Comparative Cognition, Messerli Research Institute, University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna, Medical University of Vienna, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Ludwig Huber
- Clever Dog Lab, Comparative Cognition, Messerli Research Institute, University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna, Medical University of Vienna, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | | | - Julia Schoesswender
- Clever Dog Lab, Comparative Cognition, Messerli Research Institute, University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna, Medical University of Vienna, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Friederike Range
- Clever Dog Lab, Comparative Cognition, Messerli Research Institute, University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna, Medical University of Vienna, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria.,Domestication Lab, Konrad Lorenz Institute of Ethology, University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna, Vienna, Austria
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11
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Moore TL, Bowley B, Shultz P, Calderazzo S, Shobin E, Killiany RJ, Rosene DL, Moss MB. Chronic curcumin treatment improves spatial working memory but not recognition memory in middle-aged rhesus monkeys. GeroScience 2017; 39:571-584. [PMID: 29047012 DOI: 10.1007/s11357-017-9998-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/16/2017] [Accepted: 10/02/2017] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Studies of both humans and non-human primates have demonstrated that aging is typically characterized by a decline in cognition that can occur as early as the fifth decade of life. Age-related changes in working memory are particularly evident and mediated, in part, by the prefrontal cortex, an area known to evidence age-related changes in myelin that is attributed to inflammation. In recent years, several nutraceuticals, including curcumin, by virtue of their anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects, have received considerable attention as potential treatments for age-related cognitive decline and inflammation. Accordingly, we assessed for the first time in a non-human primate model of normal aging the efficacy of dietary intervention using the natural phenol curcumin to ameliorate the effects of aging on spatial working and recognition memory. Results revealed that monkeys receiving daily administration of curcumin over 14-18 months demonstrated a greater improvement in performance on repeated administration of a task of spatial working memory compared to monkeys that received a control substance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tara L Moore
- Department of Anatomy & Neurobiology, Boston University School of Medicine, 72 E. Concord Street, L-1004, Boston, MA, 02118, USA.
- Department of Neurology, Boston University School of Medicine, 725 Albany Street, Boston, MA, 02118, USA.
| | - Bethany Bowley
- Department of Anatomy & Neurobiology, Boston University School of Medicine, 72 E. Concord Street, L-1004, Boston, MA, 02118, USA
| | - Penny Shultz
- Department of Anatomy & Neurobiology, Boston University School of Medicine, 72 E. Concord Street, L-1004, Boston, MA, 02118, USA
| | - Samantha Calderazzo
- Department of Anatomy & Neurobiology, Boston University School of Medicine, 72 E. Concord Street, L-1004, Boston, MA, 02118, USA
| | - Eli Shobin
- Department of Anatomy & Neurobiology, Boston University School of Medicine, 72 E. Concord Street, L-1004, Boston, MA, 02118, USA
- Graduate Program in Neuroscience, Boston University School of Medicine, 72 E. Concord Street, Boston, MA, 02118, USA
| | - Ronald J Killiany
- Department of Anatomy & Neurobiology, Boston University School of Medicine, 72 E. Concord Street, L-1004, Boston, MA, 02118, USA
- Department of Neurology, Boston University School of Medicine, 725 Albany Street, Boston, MA, 02118, USA
| | - Douglas L Rosene
- Department of Anatomy & Neurobiology, Boston University School of Medicine, 72 E. Concord Street, L-1004, Boston, MA, 02118, USA
- Yerkes National Primate Research Center, Emory University, 201 Dowman Drive, Atlanta, GA, 30322, USA
| | - Mark B Moss
- Department of Anatomy & Neurobiology, Boston University School of Medicine, 72 E. Concord Street, L-1004, Boston, MA, 02118, USA
- Department of Neurology, Boston University School of Medicine, 725 Albany Street, Boston, MA, 02118, USA
- Yerkes National Primate Research Center, Emory University, 201 Dowman Drive, Atlanta, GA, 30322, USA
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12
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Chapagain D, Virányi Z, Wallis LJ, Huber L, Serra J, Range F. Aging of Attentiveness in Border Collies and Other Pet Dog Breeds: The Protective Benefits of Lifelong Training. Front Aging Neurosci 2017; 9:100. [PMID: 28473766 PMCID: PMC5397477 DOI: 10.3389/fnagi.2017.00100] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/04/2017] [Accepted: 03/29/2017] [Indexed: 11/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Aging of attentiveness affects cognitive functions like perception and working memory, which can seriously impact communication between dogs and humans, potentially hindering training and cooperation. Previous studies have revealed that aged laboratory beagles and pet Border collies (BC) show a decline in selective attention. However, much less is known about the aging of attentiveness in pet dogs in general rather than in specific breeds. Using 185 pet dogs (75 BC and 110 dogs of other breeds) divided into three age groups [late adulthood (6- < 8 year), senior (8- < 10 year) and geriatric (≥10 year)], we assessed the progress of aging of attentional capture, sustained and selective attention in older dogs in order to explore if prior results in BC are generalizable and to evaluate the influence of lifelong training on measures of attention. Each dog’s lifelong training score (ranging from 0 to 52) was calculated from a questionnaire filled in by the owners listing what kinds of training the dog participated in during its entire life. Dogs were tested in two tasks; the first, measuring attentional capture and sustained attention toward two stimuli (toy and human); and the second, measuring selective attention by means of clicker training for eye contact and finding food on the floor. In the first task, results revealed a significant effect of age but no effect of lifelong training on latency to orient to the stimuli. Duration of looking decreased with age and increased with lifelong training. In the second task, while lifelong training decreased the latency of dogs to form eye contact, aged dogs needed longer to find food. BC did not differ from other dogs in any measures of attention except latency to find food. In conclusion, aged dogs showed a decline in attentional capture and sustained attention demonstrating that these tests are sensitive to detect aging of attentiveness in older pet dogs. Importantly, selective attention remained unchanged with age and lifelong training seemed to delay or reduce the aging of attentiveness, further highlighting the importance of lifelong training in retaining general cognitive functions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Durga Chapagain
- Clever Dog Lab, Messerli Research Institute, University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna, Medical University of Vienna, University of ViennaVienna, Austria
| | - Zsófia Virányi
- Clever Dog Lab, Messerli Research Institute, University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna, Medical University of Vienna, University of ViennaVienna, Austria
| | - Lisa J Wallis
- Clever Dog Lab, Messerli Research Institute, University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna, Medical University of Vienna, University of ViennaVienna, Austria.,Department of Ethology, Eötvös Loránd UniversityBudapest, Hungary
| | - Ludwig Huber
- Clever Dog Lab, Messerli Research Institute, University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna, Medical University of Vienna, University of ViennaVienna, Austria
| | | | - Friederike Range
- Clever Dog Lab, Messerli Research Institute, University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna, Medical University of Vienna, University of ViennaVienna, Austria
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13
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Callahan PM, Bertrand D, Bertrand S, Plagenhoef MR, Terry AV. Tropisetron sensitizes α7 containing nicotinic receptors to low levels of acetylcholine in vitro and improves memory-related task performance in young and aged animals. Neuropharmacology 2017; 117:422-433. [PMID: 28259598 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuropharm.2017.02.025] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/05/2016] [Revised: 02/06/2017] [Accepted: 02/25/2017] [Indexed: 01/02/2023]
Abstract
Tropisetron, a 5-HT3 receptor antagonist commonly prescribed for chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting also exhibits high affinity, partial agonist activity at α7 nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (α7 nAChRs). α7 nAChRs are considered viable therapeutic targets for neuropsychiatric disorders such as Alzheimer's disease (AD). Here we further explored the nAChR pharmacology of tropisetron to include the homomeric α7 nAChR and recently characterized heteromeric α7β2 nAChR (1:10 ratio) and we evaluated its cognitive effects in young and aged animals. Electrophysiological studies on human nAChRs expressed in Xenopus oocytes confirmed the partial agonist activity of tropisetron at α7 nAChRs (EC50 ∼2.4 μM) with a similar effect at α7β2 nAChRs (EC50 ∼1.5 μM). Moreover, currents evoked by irregular pulses of acetylcholine (40 μM) at α7 and α7β2 nAChRs were enhanced during sustained exposure to low concentrations of tropisetron (10 and 30 nM) indicative of a "priming" or co-agonist effect. Tropisetron (0.1-10 mg/kg) improved novel object recognition performance in young Sprague-Dawley rats and in aged Fischer rats. In aged male and female rhesus monkeys, tropisetron (0.03-1 mg/kg) produced a 17% increase from baseline levels in delayed match to sample long delay accuracy while combination of non-effective doses of donepezil (0.1 mg/kg) and tropisetron (0.03 and 0.1 mg/kg) produced a 24% change in accuracy. Collectively, these animal experiments indicate that tropisetron enhances cognition and has the ability to improve the effective dose range of currently prescribed AD therapy (donepezil). Moreover, these effects may be explained by tropisetron's ability to sensitize α7 containing nAChRs to low levels of acetylcholine.
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Affiliation(s)
- Patrick M Callahan
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Augusta University, Augusta, GA 30912, United States.
| | - Daniel Bertrand
- HiQScreen Sàrl, 6, rte de Compois, 1222 Vésenaz, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Sonia Bertrand
- HiQScreen Sàrl, 6, rte de Compois, 1222 Vésenaz, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Marc R Plagenhoef
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Augusta University, Augusta, GA 30912, United States
| | - Alvin V Terry
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Augusta University, Augusta, GA 30912, United States
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Diekhof EK, Kraft S. The association between endogenous testosterone level and behavioral flexibility in young men - Evidence from stimulus-outcome reversal learning. Horm Behav 2017; 89:193-200. [PMID: 28185881 DOI: 10.1016/j.yhbeh.2017.02.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/28/2016] [Revised: 02/03/2017] [Accepted: 02/05/2017] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
The capacity to flexibly adapt responding to unexpected changes in the environment is crucial for survival. Several neurotransmitters have been implicated in stimulus-outcome reversal learning. Yet, it remains an open question whether inter-individual differences in the neuroactive hormone testosterone may also be related to this type of behavioral flexibility. In this study we assessed the association between endogenous testosterone level and reversal learning in young healthy men. We used an observer reversal learning task, in which subjects viewed computer-based decisions between two stimuli, of which one was currently rewarded while the other one was punished. Contingencies reversed unpredictably every 5-9 trials. Subjects had to indicate the current outcome association before the actual outcome was revealed. In the trial following an unexpected reversal either the same stimulus from the reversal (experienced reversal), or its alternative, for which the reversal had not yet been shown (inferred reversal), could be chosen by the computer, and subjects had to adapt responding accordingly. We found that testosterone predicted better post-reversal performance. This correlation was strongest in the more difficult inferred reversal condition, particularly in impulsive individuals. Collectively, these data support the view that endogenous testosterone may enhance behavioral flexibility in men, particularly when working memory demand is high and subjects have to update several stimulus-outcome contingencies at the same time. It remains to be further elucidated whether this testosterone effect was achieved through an interaction with dopaminergic transmission or through direct interplay with androgen receptors in the brain regions implicated in reversal learning.
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Affiliation(s)
- Esther K Diekhof
- University of Hamburg, Biological Department, Zoological Institute, Neuroendocrinology Unit, Germany.
| | - Susanne Kraft
- University of Hamburg, Biological Department, Zoological Institute, Neuroendocrinology Unit, Germany
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15
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Hanbury DB, Peiffer AM, Dugan G, Andrews RN, Cline JM. Long-Term Cognitive Functioning in Single-Dose Total-Body Gamma-Irradiated Rhesus Monkeys ( Macaca mulatta ). Radiat Res 2016; 186:447-454. [PMID: 27740889 DOI: 10.1667/rr14430.1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/07/2023]
Abstract
In this study, the effects of a potentially lethal radiation exposure on the brain for long-term cognitive sequelae were investigated using Rhesus macaques ( Macaca mulatta ) adopted from other facilities after analysis of acute radiation response via the Centers for Medical Countermeasures against Radiation (CMCR) network. Fifty-nine animals were given the opportunity to participate in cognitive cage-side testing. The animals that received single-dose gamma irradiation were significantly less likely to engage in cognitive testing than the controls, suggesting that irradiated animals may have differences in cognitive ability. Five irradiated (6.75-8.05 Gy) and three naïve control animals self-selected, were extensively trained and administered a simple visual discrimination with reversal (SVD+R) task 2-3 times per week for 11-18 months. Each session consisted of 30 trials in which the animals were required to choose the correct visual stimulus for a food reward. After the initial presentation, the stimulus that signaled the presence of food was twice reversed once the animal reached criterion (90% accuracy across four consecutive sessions). While the limited sample size precluded definitive statistical analysis, irradiated animals took longer to reach the criterion subsequent to reversal than did control animals, suggesting a relative deficiency in cognitive flexibility. These results provide preliminary data supporting the potential use of a nonhuman primate model to study radiation-induced, late-delayed cognitive deficits.
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Affiliation(s)
- David B Hanbury
- Department of a Pathology, Section on Comparative Medicine, Wake Forest University School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, North Carolina.,d Department of Psychology, Averett University, Danville, Virginia 24541
| | - Ann M Peiffer
- b Department ofRadiation Oncology, Wake Forest University School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, North Carolina.,c Department of Brain Tumor Center of Excellence, Wake Forest University School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, North Carolina 27157.,e Department of Psychology, Mars Hill University, Mars Hill, North Carolina 28754
| | - Greg Dugan
- Department of a Pathology, Section on Comparative Medicine, Wake Forest University School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, North Carolina
| | - Rachel N Andrews
- Department of a Pathology, Section on Comparative Medicine, Wake Forest University School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, North Carolina
| | - J Mark Cline
- Department of a Pathology, Section on Comparative Medicine, Wake Forest University School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, North Carolina
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16
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Febo M, Foster TC. Preclinical Magnetic Resonance Imaging and Spectroscopy Studies of Memory, Aging, and Cognitive Decline. Front Aging Neurosci 2016; 8:158. [PMID: 27468264 PMCID: PMC4942756 DOI: 10.3389/fnagi.2016.00158] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/05/2016] [Accepted: 06/16/2016] [Indexed: 01/14/2023] Open
Abstract
Neuroimaging provides for non-invasive evaluation of brain structure and activity and has been employed to suggest possible mechanisms for cognitive aging in humans. However, these imaging procedures have limits in terms of defining cellular and molecular mechanisms. In contrast, investigations of cognitive aging in animal models have mostly utilized techniques that have offered insight on synaptic, cellular, genetic, and epigenetic mechanisms affecting memory. Studies employing magnetic resonance imaging and spectroscopy (MRI and MRS, respectively) in animal models have emerged as an integrative set of techniques bridging localized cellular/molecular phenomenon and broader in vivo neural network alterations. MRI methods are remarkably suited to longitudinal tracking of cognitive function over extended periods permitting examination of the trajectory of structural or activity related changes. Combined with molecular and electrophysiological tools to selectively drive activity within specific brain regions, recent studies have begun to unlock the meaning of fMRI signals in terms of the role of neural plasticity and types of neural activity that generate the signals. The techniques provide a unique opportunity to causally determine how memory-relevant synaptic activity is processed and how memories may be distributed or reconsolidated over time. The present review summarizes research employing animal MRI and MRS in the study of brain function, structure, and biochemistry, with a particular focus on age-related cognitive decline.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marcelo Febo
- Department of Psychiatry, William L. and Evelyn F. McKnight Brain Institute, University of Florida Gainesville, FL, USA
| | - Thomas C Foster
- Department of Neuroscience, William L. and Evelyn F. McKnight Brain Institute, University of Florida Gainesville, FL, USA
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17
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Hankosky ER, Sherrill LK, Ruvola LA, Haake RM, Kim T, Hammerslag LR, Kougias DG, Juraska JM, Gulley JM. Effects of β-hydroxy-β-methyl butyrate on working memory and cognitive flexibility in an animal model of aging. Nutr Neurosci 2016; 20:379-387. [PMID: 26896292 DOI: 10.1080/1028415x.2016.1145376] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/17/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES Normal aging results in cognitive decline and nutritional interventions have been suggested as potential approaches for mitigating these deficits. Here, we used rats to investigate the effects of short- and long-term dietary supplementation with the leucine metabolite β-hydroxy-β-methyl butyrate (HMB) on working memory and cognitive flexibility. METHODS Beginning ∼12 months of age, male and female Long-Evans rats were given twice daily access to sipper tubes containing calcium HMB (450 mg/kg) or vehicle (285 mg/kg calcium lactate) in a sucrose solution (20% w/v). Supplementation continued for 1 or 7 months (middle- and old-age (OA) groups, respectively) before testing began. Working memory was assessed by requiring rats to respond on a previously sampled lever following various delays. Cognitive flexibility was assessed by training rats to earn food according to a visual strategy and then, once acquired, shifting to an egocentric response strategy. RESULTS Treatment with HMB improved working memory performance in middle-age (MA) males and OA rats of both sexes. In the cognitive flexibility task, there was a significant age-dependent deficit in acquisition of the visual strategy that was not apparent in OA males treated with HMB. Furthermore, HMB ameliorated an apparent deficit in visual strategy acquisition in MA females. DISCUSSION Together, these findings suggest that daily nutritional supplementation with HMB facilitates learning and improves working memory performance. As such, HMB supplementation may mitigate age-related cognitive deficits and may therefore be an effective tool to combat this undesirable feature of the aging process.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emily R Hankosky
- a Department of Psychology , University of Illinois , Urbana-Champaign , USA
| | - Luke K Sherrill
- a Department of Psychology , University of Illinois , Urbana-Champaign , USA
| | - Lauren A Ruvola
- a Department of Psychology , University of Illinois , Urbana-Champaign , USA
| | - Rachel M Haake
- a Department of Psychology , University of Illinois , Urbana-Champaign , USA
| | - Taehyeon Kim
- a Department of Psychology , University of Illinois , Urbana-Champaign , USA
| | | | - Daniel G Kougias
- b Neuroscience Program , University of Illinois , Urbana-Champaign , USA
| | - Janice M Juraska
- a Department of Psychology , University of Illinois , Urbana-Champaign , USA.,b Neuroscience Program , University of Illinois , Urbana-Champaign , USA
| | - Joshua M Gulley
- a Department of Psychology , University of Illinois , Urbana-Champaign , USA.,b Neuroscience Program , University of Illinois , Urbana-Champaign , USA
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18
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Lange HS, Cannon CE, Drott JT, Kuduk SD, Uslaner JM. The M1 Muscarinic Positive Allosteric Modulator PQCA Improves Performance on Translatable Tests of Memory and Attention in Rhesus Monkeys. J Pharmacol Exp Ther 2015; 355:442-50. [DOI: 10.1124/jpet.115.226712] [Citation(s) in RCA: 52] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/11/2015] [Accepted: 10/06/2015] [Indexed: 12/28/2022] Open
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20
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Altermann CDC, Martins AS, Carpes FP, Mello-Carpes PB. Influence of mental practice and movement observation on motor memory, cognitive function and motor performance in the elderly. Braz J Phys Ther 2014; 18:201-9. [PMID: 24839046 PMCID: PMC4183250 DOI: 10.1590/s1413-35552012005000150] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/19/2013] [Accepted: 10/15/2013] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Background With aging, it is important to maintain cognitive and motor functions to
ensure autonomy and quality of life. During the acquisition of motor skills,
it is necessary for the elderly to understand the purpose of the proposed
activities. Physical and mental practice, as well as demonstrations, are
strategies used to learn movements. Objectives To investigate the influence of mental practice and the observation of
movement on motor memory and to understand the relationship between
cognitive function and motor performance in the execution of a sequence of
digital movements in the elderly. Method This was a cross-sectional study conducted with 45 young and 45 aged
subjects. The instruments used were Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE),
Manual Preference Inventory and a Digital Motor Task (composed of a training
of a sequence of movements, an interval and a test phase). The subjects were
divided into three subgroups: control, mental practice and observation of
movement. Results The elderly depend more strongly on mental practice for the acquisition of a
motor memory. In comparing the performances of people in different age
groups, we found that in the elderly, there was a negative correlation
between the MMSE score and the execution time as well as the number of
errors in the motor task. Conclusions For the elderly, mental practice can advantage motor performance. Also,
there is a significant relationship between cognitive function, learning and
the execution of new motor skills.
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Affiliation(s)
- Caroline D C Altermann
- Stress, Memory and Behavior Laboratory, Universidade Federal do Pampa, Uruguaiana, RS, Brazil
| | - Alexandre S Martins
- Stress, Memory and Behavior Laboratory, Universidade Federal do Pampa, Uruguaiana, RS, Brazil
| | - Felipe P Carpes
- Laboratory of Applied neuromechanical, Universidade Federal do Pampa, Uruguaiana, RS, Brazil
| | - Pâmela B Mello-Carpes
- Stress, Memory and Behavior Laboratory, Universidade Federal do Pampa, Uruguaiana, RS, Brazil
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21
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Wallis LJ, Range F, Müller CA, Serisier S, Huber L, Zsó V. Lifespan development of attentiveness in domestic dogs: drawing parallels with humans. Front Psychol 2014; 5:71. [PMID: 24570668 PMCID: PMC3916763 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2014.00071] [Citation(s) in RCA: 51] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/23/2013] [Accepted: 01/18/2014] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Attention is pivotal to consciousness, perception, cognition, and working memory in all mammals, and therefore changes in attention over the lifespan are likely to influence development and aging of all of these functions. Due to their evolutionary and developmental history, the dog is being recognized as an important species for modeling human healthspan, aging and associated diseases. In this study, we investigated the normal lifespan development of attentiveness of pet dogs in naturalistic situations, and compared the resulting cross-sectional developmental trajectories with data from previous studies in humans. We tested a sample of 145 Border collies (6 months to 14 years) with humans and objects or food as attention attractors, in order to assess their attentional capture, sustained and selective attention, and sensorimotor abilities. Our results reveal differences in task relevance in sustained attentional performance when watching a human or a moving object, which may be explained by life-long learning processes involving such stimuli. During task switching we found that dogs' selective attention and sensorimotor abilities showed differences between age groups, with performance peaking at middle age. Dogs' sensorimotor abilities showed a quadratic distribution with age and were correlated with selective attention performance. Our results support the hypothesis that the development and senescence of sensorimotor and attentional control may be fundamentally interrelated. Additionally, attentional capture, sustained attention, and sensorimotor control developmental trajectories paralleled those found in humans. Given that the development of attention is similar across humans and dogs, we propose that the same regulatory mechanisms are likely to be present in both species. Finally, this cross-sectional study provides the first description of age group changes in attention over the lifespan of pet dogs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lisa J. Wallis
- Clever Dog Lab, Messerli Research Institute, University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna, Medical University of Vienna and University of ViennaVienna, Austria
- Department of Cognitive Biology, University of ViennaVienna, Austria
| | - Friederike Range
- Clever Dog Lab, Messerli Research Institute, University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna, Medical University of Vienna and University of ViennaVienna, Austria
| | - Corsin A. Müller
- Clever Dog Lab, Messerli Research Institute, University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna, Medical University of Vienna and University of ViennaVienna, Austria
- Department of Cognitive Biology, University of ViennaVienna, Austria
| | | | - Ludwig Huber
- Clever Dog Lab, Messerli Research Institute, University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna, Medical University of Vienna and University of ViennaVienna, Austria
| | - Virányi Zsó
- Clever Dog Lab, Messerli Research Institute, University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna, Medical University of Vienna and University of ViennaVienna, Austria
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22
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Avdagic E, Jensen G, Altschul D, Terrace HS. Rapid cognitive flexibility of rhesus macaques performing psychophysical task-switching. Anim Cogn 2013; 17:619-31. [PMID: 24132412 DOI: 10.1007/s10071-013-0693-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/17/2013] [Revised: 09/12/2013] [Accepted: 10/01/2013] [Indexed: 10/26/2022]
Abstract
Three rhesus monkeys (Macaca mulatta) performed a simultaneous chaining task in which stimuli had to be sorted according to their visual properties. Each stimulus could vary independently along two dimensions (luminosity and radius), and a cue indicating which dimension to sort by was random trial to trial. These rapid and unpredictable changes constitute a task-switching paradigm, in which subjects must encode task demands and shift to whichever task-set is presently activated. In contrast to the widely reported task-switching delay observed in human studies, our subjects show no appreciable reduction in reaction times following a switch in the task requirements. Also, in contrast to the results of studies on human subjects, monkeys experienced enduring interference from trial-irrelevant stimulus features, even after exhaustive training. These results are consistent with a small but growing body of evidence that task-switching in rhesus macaques differs in basic ways from the pattern of behavior reported in studies of human cognition. Given the importance of task-switching paradigms in cognitive and clinical assessment, and the frequency with which corresponding animal models rely on non-human primates, understanding these differences in behavior is essential to the comparative study of cognitive impairment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ema Avdagic
- Department of Psychology, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA
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23
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Lelos MJ, Lane EL, Dunnett SB. What helps can also hinder: A dissociation in the acute effect of levodopa treatment on motor and cognitive functions. Mov Disord 2013; 28:563-4. [DOI: 10.1002/mds.25294] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/17/2012] [Accepted: 10/24/2012] [Indexed: 11/06/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Mariah J. Lelos
- Brain Repair Group; School of Biosciences, Cardiff University; Cardiff Wales UK
| | - Emma L. Lane
- Cardiff School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences; Cardiff University; Cardiff Wales UK
| | - Stephen B. Dunnett
- Brain Repair Group; School of Biosciences, Cardiff University; Cardiff Wales UK
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Beas BS, Setlow B, Bizon JL. Distinct manifestations of executive dysfunction in aged rats. Neurobiol Aging 2013; 34:2164-74. [PMID: 23601673 DOI: 10.1016/j.neurobiolaging.2013.03.019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 53] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/19/2012] [Revised: 03/07/2013] [Accepted: 03/17/2013] [Indexed: 01/12/2023]
Abstract
Different components of executive function such as working memory, attention, and cognitive flexibility can be dissociated behaviorally and mechanistically; however, the within-subject influences of normal aging on different aspects of executive function remain ill-defined. To better define these relationships, young adult and aged male F344 rats were cross-characterized on an attentional set-shifting task that assesses cognitive flexibility and a delayed response task that assesses working memory. Across tasks, aged rats were impaired relative to young; however, there was significant variability in individual performance within the aged cohort. Notably, performance on the set-shifting task and performance at long delays on the delayed response task were inversely related among aged rats. Additional experiments showed no relationship between aged rats' performance on the set-shifting task and performance on a hippocampal-dependent spatial reference memory task. These data indicate that normal aging can produce distinct manifestations of executive dysfunction, and support the need to better understand the unique mechanisms contributing to different forms of prefrontal cortical-supported executive decline across the lifespan.
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Affiliation(s)
- B Sofia Beas
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Florida College of Medicine, Gainesville, FL 32610-0244, USA
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Callahan PM, Hutchings EJ, Kille NJ, Chapman JM, Terry AV. Positive allosteric modulator of α7 nicotinic-acetylcholine receptors, PNU-120596 augments the effects of donepezil on learning and memory in aged rodents and non-human primates. Neuropharmacology 2013; 67:201-12. [PMID: 23168113 PMCID: PMC3562411 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuropharm.2012.10.019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 84] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/23/2012] [Revised: 10/27/2012] [Accepted: 10/31/2012] [Indexed: 01/10/2023]
Abstract
The development of novel therapeutic agents for disorders of cognition such as Alzheimer's disease (AD) is of paramount importance given the ever-increasing elderly population, however; there is also considerable interest in any strategy that might enhance the clinical efficacy of currently available treatments. The purpose of this study was to evaluate an adjunctive treatment strategy to memory enhancement, namely combining the commonly prescribed acetylcholinesterase inhibitor (AChEI) donepezil, with a positive allosteric modulator (PAM) of α7 nicotinic-acetylcholine receptors (α7-nAChRs), PNU-120596. The treatment strategy was evaluated in a (non-spatial) spontaneous novel object recognition (NOR) task in young rats; a water maze spatial learning and recall procedure in aged, cognitively-impaired rats, and a delayed match to sample (working/short term memory) task in aged rhesus monkeys. In all three experiments a similar drug response was observed, namely that donepezil administered alone improved task performance in a dose-dependent manner; that PNU-120596 administered alone was without significant effect, but that the combination of PNU-120596 with a subthreshold dose of donepezil was effective. The positive effect of the drug combination appeared to be α7-nAChR mediated given that it was blocked in the NOR task by the selective α7-nAChR antagonist methyllycaconitine (MLA). Collectively, these data indicate that PNU-120596 increases the effective dose range of donepezil in learning/memory-related tasks in young and age-impaired animal models. The results suggest that α7-nAChR-selective PAMs like PNU-120596 have potential as adjunctive treatments with acetylcholinesterase inhibitors (e.g., donepezil) for age-related illnesses such as AD as well memory disorders not necessarily associated with advanced age.
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Affiliation(s)
- Patrick M. Callahan
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Georgia Health Sciences University, Augusta, Georgia, 30912
- Small Animal Behavior Core, Georgia Health Sciences University, Augusta, Georgia, 30912
| | - Elizabeth J. Hutchings
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Georgia Health Sciences University, Augusta, Georgia, 30912
| | - Nancy J. Kille
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Georgia Health Sciences University, Augusta, Georgia, 30912
| | - James M. Chapman
- Department of Pharmaceutical and Biomedical Sciences, South Carolina College of Pharmacy, Columbia, S.C
| | - Alvin V. Terry
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Georgia Health Sciences University, Augusta, Georgia, 30912
- Small Animal Behavior Core, Georgia Health Sciences University, Augusta, Georgia, 30912
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Zeamer A, Clark K, Bouquio C, Decamp E, Schneider JS. Impaired spatial working memory learning and performance in normal aged rhesus monkeys. Behav Brain Res 2012; 232:287-93. [PMID: 22546522 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbr.2012.04.023] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/14/2011] [Revised: 04/08/2012] [Accepted: 04/13/2012] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
Aged non-human primates may have deficits in a variety of cognitive functions. However, it is possible that at least some age-related performance deficits relate to a deficit in initial task learning. To assess this, aged rhesus monkeys were trained to perform a Self-Ordered Spatial Search (SOSS) task using the same training and testing parameters used previously with normal young animals. Aged animals failed to reach criterion at the easiest task level. In an attempt to improve learning, a group of aged animals were first trained on SOSS using a standard 5s ITI, followed by trials with low inter-trial interference (e.g., a stimulus used in a trial would not be used again for the next 2 trials) or with trials in which the spatial distance between the stimuli on the screen was maximized. Because performance improved but failed to reach criterion, this was followed by sessions with increasing ITIs (from 5 s to 10 or 15 s). Only increasing the ITI improved the performance of the aged animals enough to allow them to learn the task to criterion. Once the criterion was reached, memory was taxed by increasing the delay between stimulus presentations and increasing the number of spatial positions to be remembered. Performance declined for young animals, but even more so for aged animals. The results of the present study suggests that aged primates have difficulty initially learning a complex working memory task, and that the ITI may be an important parameter to manipulate to improve learning. However, once the task is learned, performance of aged animals is inferior to that of young animals, particularly when memory demands are increased.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alyson Zeamer
- Department of Pathology, Anatomy and Cell Biology, Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, PA 19107, USA
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Verdaguer E, Junyent F, Folch J, Beas-Zarate C, Auladell C, Pallàs M, Camins A. Aging biology: a new frontier for drug discovery. Expert Opin Drug Discov 2012; 7:217-29. [DOI: 10.1517/17460441.2012.660144] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/05/2022]
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