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Landolfo E, Cutuli D, Decandia D, Balsamo F, Petrosini L, Gelfo F. Environmental Enrichment Protects against Neurotoxic Effects of Lipopolysaccharide: A Comprehensive Overview. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:ijms24065404. [PMID: 36982478 PMCID: PMC10049264 DOI: 10.3390/ijms24065404] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/07/2023] [Revised: 03/08/2023] [Accepted: 03/09/2023] [Indexed: 03/16/2023] Open
Abstract
Neuroinflammation is a pathophysiological condition associated with damage to the nervous system. Maternal immune activation and early immune activation have adverse effects on the development of the nervous system and cognitive functions. Neuroinflammation during adulthood leads to neurodegenerative diseases. Lipopolysaccharide (LPS) is used in preclinical research to mimic neurotoxic effects leading to systemic inflammation. Environmental enrichment (EE) has been reported to cause a wide range of beneficial changes in the brain. Based on the above, the purpose of the present review is to describe the effects of exposure to EE paradigms in counteracting LPS-induced neuroinflammation throughout the lifespan. Up to October 2022, a methodical search of studies in the literature, using the PubMed and Scopus databases, was performed, focusing on exposure to LPS, as an inflammatory mediator, and to EE paradigms in preclinical murine models. On the basis of the inclusion criteria, 22 articles were considered and analyzed in the present review. EE exerts sex- and age-dependent neuroprotective and therapeutic effects in animals exposed to the neurotoxic action of LPS. EE’s beneficial effects are present throughout the various ages of life. A healthy lifestyle and stimulating environments are essential to counteract the damages induced by neurotoxic exposure to LPS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eugenia Landolfo
- IRCCS Fondazione Santa Lucia, Via Ardeatina 306, 00179 Rome, Italy
| | - Debora Cutuli
- IRCCS Fondazione Santa Lucia, Via Ardeatina 306, 00179 Rome, Italy
- Department of Psychology, Sapienza University of Rome, Via dei Marsi 78, 00185 Rome, Italy
| | - Davide Decandia
- IRCCS Fondazione Santa Lucia, Via Ardeatina 306, 00179 Rome, Italy
- Department of Psychology, Sapienza University of Rome, Via dei Marsi 78, 00185 Rome, Italy
| | - Francesca Balsamo
- IRCCS Fondazione Santa Lucia, Via Ardeatina 306, 00179 Rome, Italy
- Department of Human Sciences, Guglielmo Marconi University, Via Plinio 44, 00193 Rome, Italy
| | - Laura Petrosini
- IRCCS Fondazione Santa Lucia, Via Ardeatina 306, 00179 Rome, Italy
| | - Francesca Gelfo
- IRCCS Fondazione Santa Lucia, Via Ardeatina 306, 00179 Rome, Italy
- Department of Human Sciences, Guglielmo Marconi University, Via Plinio 44, 00193 Rome, Italy
- Correspondence:
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Dandi E, Spandou E, Tata DA. Investigating the role of environmental enrichment initiated in adolescence against the detrimental effects of chronic unpredictable stress in adulthood: Sex-specific differences in behavioral and neuroendocrinological findings. Behav Processes 2022; 200:104707. [PMID: 35842198 DOI: 10.1016/j.beproc.2022.104707] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/16/2022] [Revised: 06/10/2022] [Accepted: 07/11/2022] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
Environmental Enrichment (EE) improves cognitive function and enhances brain plasticity, while chronic stress increases emotionality, impairs learning and memory, and has adverse effects on brain anatomy and biochemistry. We explored the beneficial role of environmental enrichment initiated in adolescence against the negative outcomes of Chronic Unpredictable Stress (CUS) during adulthood on emotional behavior, cognitive function, as well as somatic and neuroendocrine markers in both sexes. Adolescent Wistar rats housed either in enriched or standard housing conditions for 10 weeks. On postnatal day 66, a subgroup from each housing condition was daily exposed to a 4-week stress protocol. Following stress, adult rats underwent behavioral testing to evaluate anxiety, exploration/locomotor activity, depressive-like behavior and spatial learning/memory. Upon completion of behavioral testing, animals were exposed to a 10-m stressful event to test the neuroendocrine response to acute stress. CUS decreased body weight gain and increased adrenal weight. Some stress-induced behavioral adverse effects were sex-specific since learning impairments were limited to males while depressive-like behavior to females. EE housing protected against CUS-related behavioral deficits and body weight loss. Exposure to CUS affected the neuroendocrine response of males to acute stress as revealed by the increased corticosterone levels. Our findings highlight the significant role of EE in adolescence as a protective factor against the negative effects of stress and underline the importance of inclusion of both sexes in animal studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Evgenia Dandi
- Laboratory of Cognitive Neuroscience, School of Psychology, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Thessaloniki, Greece
| | - Evangelia Spandou
- Laboratory of Experimental Physiology, School of Medicine, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Thessaloniki, Greece
| | - Despina A Tata
- Laboratory of Cognitive Neuroscience, School of Psychology, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Thessaloniki, Greece.
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3
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Lambert CT, Guillette LM. The impact of environmental and social factors on learning abilities: a meta-analysis. Biol Rev Camb Philos Soc 2021; 96:2871-2889. [PMID: 34342125 DOI: 10.1111/brv.12783] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/20/2020] [Revised: 07/12/2021] [Accepted: 07/16/2021] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
Since the 1950s, researchers have examined how differences in the social and asocial environment affect learning in rats, mice, and, more recently, a variety of other species. Despite this large body of research, little has been done to synthesize these findings and to examine if social and asocial environmental factors have consistent effects on cognitive abilities, and if so, what aspects of these factors have greater or lesser impact. Here, we conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis examining how different external environmental features, including the social environment, impact learning (both speed of acquisition and performance). Using 531 mean-differences from 176 published articles across 27 species (with studies on rats and mice being most prominent) we conducted phylogenetically corrected mixed-effects models that reveal: (i) an average absolute effect size |d| = 0.55 and directional effect size d = 0.34; (ii) interventions manipulating the asocial environment result in larger effects than social interventions alone; and (iii) the length of the intervention is a significant predictor of effect size, with longer interventions resulting in larger effects. Additionally, much of the variation in effect size remained unexplained, possibly suggesting that species differ widely in how they are affected by environmental interventions due to varying ecological and evolutionary histories. Overall our results suggest that social and asocial environmental factors do significantly affect learning, but these effects are highly variable and perhaps not always as predicted. Most notably, the type (social or asocial) and length of interventions are important in determining the strength of the effect.
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Affiliation(s)
- Connor T Lambert
- Department of Psychology, University of Alberta, P217 Biological Sciences Building, Edmonton, AB, T6G 2R3, Canada
| | - Lauren M Guillette
- Department of Psychology, University of Alberta, P217 Biological Sciences Building, Edmonton, AB, T6G 2R3, Canada
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4
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Rizzolo L, Leger M, Corvaisier S, Groussard M, Platel H, Bouet V, Schumann-Bard P, Freret T. Long-Term Music Exposure Prevents Age-Related Cognitive Deficits in Rats Independently of Hippocampal Neurogenesis. Cereb Cortex 2021; 31:620-634. [PMID: 32959057 DOI: 10.1093/cercor/bhaa247] [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: 02/10/2020] [Revised: 08/05/2020] [Accepted: 08/11/2020] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Cognitive decline appears across aging. While some studies report beneficial effects of musical listening and practice on cognitive aging, the underlying neurobiological mechanisms remain unknown. This study aims to determine whether chronic (6 h/day, 3 times/week) and long-lasting (4-8 months) music exposure, initiated at middle age in rats (15 months old), can influence behavioral parameters sensitive to age effects and reduce age-related spatial memory decline in rats. Spontaneous locomotor, circadian rhythmic activity, and anxiety-like behavior as well as spatial working and reference memory were assessed in 14-month-old rats and then after 4 and 8 months of music exposure (19 and 23 months old, respectively). Spatial learning and reference memory data were followed up by considering cognitive status of animals prior to music exposure (14 months old) given by K-means clustering of individual Z-score. Hippocampal cell proliferation and brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) level in the hippocampus and frontal cortex were measured. Results show that music exposure differentially rescues age-related deficits in spatial navigation tasks according to its duration without affecting spontaneous locomotor, circadian rhythmic activity, and anxiety-like behavior. Hippocampal cell proliferation as well as hippocampal and frontal cortex BDNF levels was not affected by music across aging. Cognitive improvement by music in aging rats may require distinct neurobiological mechanisms than hippocampal cell proliferation and BDNF.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lou Rizzolo
- Normandie University, Unicaen, INSERM, COMETE, CHU de Caen, Cyceron, 14000 Caen, France
| | - Marianne Leger
- Normandie University, Unicaen, INSERM, COMETE, CHU de Caen, Cyceron, 14000 Caen, France
| | - Sophie Corvaisier
- Normandie University, Unicaen, INSERM, COMETE, CHU de Caen, Cyceron, 14000 Caen, France
| | - Mathilde Groussard
- Normandie University, Unicaen, PSL Research University, EPHE, INSERM U1077, CHU de Caen, Cyceron, 14000 Caen, France
- PSL Research University, EPHE, Paris, France
| | - Hervé Platel
- Normandie University, Unicaen, PSL Research University, EPHE, INSERM U1077, CHU de Caen, Cyceron, 14000 Caen, France
- PSL Research University, EPHE, Paris, France
| | - Valentine Bouet
- Normandie University, Unicaen, INSERM, COMETE, CHU de Caen, Cyceron, 14000 Caen, France
| | - Pascale Schumann-Bard
- Normandie University, Unicaen, INSERM, COMETE, CHU de Caen, Cyceron, 14000 Caen, France
| | - Thomas Freret
- Normandie University, Unicaen, INSERM, COMETE, CHU de Caen, Cyceron, 14000 Caen, France
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Pritchett-Corning KR. Environmental Complexity and Research Outcomes. ILAR J 2020; 60:239-251. [PMID: 32559304 DOI: 10.1093/ilar/ilaa007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/29/2019] [Revised: 01/28/2020] [Accepted: 02/04/2020] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Environmental complexity is an experimental paradigm as well as a potential part of animals' everyday housing experiences. In experimental uses, researchers add complexity to stimulate brain development, delay degenerative brain changes, elicit more naturalistic behaviors, and test learning and memory. Complexity can exacerbate or mitigate behavioral problems, give animals a sense of control, and allow for expression of highly driven, species-typical behaviors that can improve animal welfare. Complex environments should be designed thoughtfully with the animal's natural behaviors in mind, reported faithfully in the literature, and evaluated carefully for unexpected effects.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kathleen R Pritchett-Corning
- Office of Animal Resources, Faculty of Arts and Sciences, Harvard University, Cambridge, Massachusetts.,Department of Comparative Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington
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6
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Morè L, Lauterborn JC, Papaleo F, Brambilla R. Enhancing cognition through pharmacological and environmental interventions: Examples from preclinical models of neurodevelopmental disorders. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2020; 110:28-45. [PMID: 30981451 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2019.02.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/25/2018] [Revised: 02/04/2019] [Accepted: 02/05/2019] [Indexed: 12/29/2022]
Abstract
In this review we discuss the role of environmental and pharmacological treatments to enhance cognition with special regards to neurodevelopmental related disorders and aging. How the environment influences brain structure and function, and the interactions between rearing conditions and gene expression, are fundamental questions that are still poorly understood. We propose a model that can explain some of the discrepancies in findings for effects of environmental enrichment on outcome measures. Evidence of a direct causal correlation of nootropics and treatments that enhanced cognition also will be presented, and possible molecular mechanisms that include neurotrophin signaling and downstream pathways underlying these processes are discussed. Finally we review recent findings achieved with a wide set of behavioral and cognitive tasks that have translational validity to humans, and should be useful for future work on devising appropriate therapies. As will be discussed, the collective findings suggest that a combinational therapeutic approach of environmental enrichment and nootropics could be particularly successful for improving learning and memory in both developmental disorders and normal aging.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lorenzo Morè
- School of Pharmacy and Biomedical Sciences, University of Central Lancashire, PR1 2XT, Preston, UK.
| | - Julie C Lauterborn
- Department of Anatomy & Neurobiology, School of Medicine, University of California, Irvine, CA, 92617, USA.
| | - Francesco Papaleo
- Genetics of Cognition Laboratory, Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, Via Morego, 30, 16163, Genova, Italy.
| | - Riccardo Brambilla
- Neuroscience and Mental Health Research Institute (NMHRI), Division of Neuroscience, School of Biosciences, Cardiff University, CF24 4HQ, Cardiff, UK.
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7
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Rochais C, Lecoutey C, Hamidouche K, Giannoni P, Gaven F, Cem E, Mignani S, Baranger K, Freret T, Bockaert J, Rivera S, Boulouard M, Dallemagne P, Claeysen S. Donecopride, a Swiss army knife with potential against Alzheimer's disease. Br J Pharmacol 2020; 177:1988-2005. [PMID: 31881553 DOI: 10.1111/bph.14964] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/17/2019] [Revised: 10/21/2019] [Accepted: 11/28/2019] [Indexed: 01/09/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE We recently identified donecopride as a pleiotropic compound able to inhibit AChE and to activate 5-HT4 receptors. Here, we have assessed the potential therapeutic effects of donecopride in treating Alzheimer's disease (AD). EXPERIMENTAL APPROACH We used two in vivo animal models of AD, transgenic 5XFAD mice and mice exposed to soluble amyloid-β peptides and, in vitro, primary cultures of rat hippocampal neurons. Pro-cognitive and anti-amnesic effects were evaluated with novel object recognition, Y-maze, and Morris water maze tests. Amyloid load in mouse brain was measured ex vivo and effects of soluble amyloid-β peptides on neuronal survival and neurite formation determined in vitro. KEY RESULTS In vivo, chronic (3 months) administration of donecopride displayed potent anti-amnesic properties in the two mouse models of AD, preserving learning capacities, including working and long-term spatial memories. These behavioural effects were accompanied by decreased amyloid aggregation in the brain of 5XFAD mice and, in cultures of rat hippocampal neurons, reduced tau hyperphosphorylation. In vitro, donecopride increased survival in neuronal cultures exposed to soluble amyloid-β peptides, improved the neurite network and provided neurotrophic benefits, expressed as the formation of new synapses. CONCLUSIONS AND IMPLICATIONS Donecopride acts like a Swiss army knife, exhibiting a range of sustainable symptomatic therapeutic effects and potential disease-modifying effects in models of AD. Clinical trials with this promising drug candidate will soon be undertaken to confirm its therapeutic potential in humans.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christophe Rochais
- Normandie Univ, Caen, France.,UNICAEN, CERMN (Centre d'Etudes et de Recherche sur le Médicament de Normandie), Caen, France
| | - Cédric Lecoutey
- Normandie Univ, Caen, France.,UNICAEN, CERMN (Centre d'Etudes et de Recherche sur le Médicament de Normandie), Caen, France
| | - Katia Hamidouche
- Normandie Univ, Caen, France.,UNICAEN, INSERM U1075 COMETE, Caen, France
| | - Patrizia Giannoni
- IGF, Univ Montpellier, CNRS, INSERM, Montpellier, France.,Equipe Chrome, EA7352, Université de Nîmes, Nîmes, France
| | - Florence Gaven
- IGF, Univ Montpellier, CNRS, INSERM, Montpellier, France.,CRBM, CNRS UMR5237, Montpellier, France
| | - Eleazere Cem
- IGF, Univ Montpellier, CNRS, INSERM, Montpellier, France
| | - Serge Mignani
- Normandie Univ, Caen, France.,UNICAEN, CERMN (Centre d'Etudes et de Recherche sur le Médicament de Normandie), Caen, France
| | - Kevin Baranger
- Aix-Marseille Univ, CNRS, INP, Inst Neurophysiopathol, Marseille, France
| | - Thomas Freret
- Normandie Univ, Caen, France.,UNICAEN, INSERM U1075 COMETE, Caen, France
| | - Joël Bockaert
- IGF, Univ Montpellier, CNRS, INSERM, Montpellier, France
| | - Santiago Rivera
- Aix-Marseille Univ, CNRS, INP, Inst Neurophysiopathol, Marseille, France
| | - Michel Boulouard
- Normandie Univ, Caen, France.,UNICAEN, INSERM U1075 COMETE, Caen, France
| | - Patrick Dallemagne
- Normandie Univ, Caen, France.,UNICAEN, CERMN (Centre d'Etudes et de Recherche sur le Médicament de Normandie), Caen, France
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McMurphy T, Huang W, Queen NJ, Ali S, Widstrom KJ, Liu X, Xiao R, Siu JJ, Cao L. Implementation of environmental enrichment after middle age promotes healthy aging. Aging (Albany NY) 2019; 10:1698-1721. [PMID: 30036185 PMCID: PMC6075449 DOI: 10.18632/aging.101502] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/18/2018] [Accepted: 07/15/2018] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
With increases in life expectancy, it is vital to understand the dynamics of aging, their interaction with lifestyle factors, and the connections to age-related disease processes. Our work on environmental enrichment (EE), a housing environment boosting mental health, has revealed a novel anticancer and anti-obesity phenotype mediated by a brain-fat axis: the hypothalamic-sympathoneural-adipocyte (HSA) axis in young animals. Here we investigated EE effects on healthspan and lifespan when initiated after middle age. Short-term EE for six weeks activated the HSA axis in 10-month-old mice. Long-term EE for twelve months reduced adiposity, improved glucose tolerance, decreased leptin levels, enhanced motor abilities, and inhibited anxiety. In addition to adipose remodeling, EE decreased age-related liver steatosis, reduced hepatic glucose production, and increased glucose uptake by liver and adipose tissue contributing to the improved glycemic control. The EE-induced liver modulation was associated with a suppression of protein kinase Cε. Moreover, EE down-regulated the expression of inflammatory genes in the brain, adipose, and liver. EE initiated at 18-month of age significantly improved glycemic control and showed a trend of positive impact on mean lifespan. These data suggest that EE induces metabolic and behavioral adaptations that are shared by factors known to increase healthspan and lifespan.
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Affiliation(s)
- Travis McMurphy
- Department of Cancer Biology and Genetics, College of Medicine, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH 43210, USA
| | - Wei Huang
- Department of Cancer Biology and Genetics, College of Medicine, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH 43210, USA
| | - Nicholas J Queen
- Department of Cancer Biology and Genetics, College of Medicine, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH 43210, USA
| | - Seemaab Ali
- Department of Cancer Biology and Genetics, College of Medicine, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH 43210, USA
| | - Kyle J Widstrom
- Department of Cancer Biology and Genetics, College of Medicine, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH 43210, USA
| | - Xianglan Liu
- Department of Cancer Biology and Genetics, College of Medicine, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH 43210, USA
| | - Run Xiao
- Department of Cancer Biology and Genetics, College of Medicine, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH 43210, USA
| | - Jason J Siu
- Department of Cancer Biology and Genetics, College of Medicine, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH 43210, USA
| | - Lei Cao
- Department of Cancer Biology and Genetics, College of Medicine, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH 43210, USA
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Aged rats with different performances at environmental enrichment onset display different modulation of habituation and aversive memory. Neurobiol Learn Mem 2019; 161:83-91. [PMID: 30951838 DOI: 10.1016/j.nlm.2019.04.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/28/2018] [Revised: 03/20/2019] [Accepted: 04/01/2019] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
A wide agreement exists that environmental enrichment (EE) is most beneficial if introduced early in life, but numerous studies reported that also aged animals remain responsive. As age-related memory and cognition impairments are not uniform, an open question is whether EE might exert different effects in animals with different age-related deficits. A 12-week EE protocol was applied to late adult rats pretested for habituation and aversive memory. Animals were classified as low (LP) and high (HP) performers according to percent exploration change in Open Field test (OF) and as impaired (I) and not impaired (NI) according to latency in Step-through Passive Avoidance test (PA). Standard housing (SH) animals pretested by OF and PA, and naïve (non-pretested) EE and SH rats were used as controls. In comparison to pretest, after the housing protocol, EE LP ameliorated while EE HP and both SH HP and LP worsened their habituation pattern. The positive influence of EE on LP was probably due to the more active interaction with and the faster adaptation to surroundings promoted by continuous, multiple stimuli provided during the enriched housing. Regarding HP, EE did not boost the basal behavior, which likely represented the maximum achievable for that age, and the post housing exploration change dropped, as in SH animals, because of the retesting. After EE, a significant percentage of NI animals became I and a significant percentage of I animals became NI. The changes evidenced in the NI group likely depended on EE-related reduction of anxiety and the consequent more efficient coping with fearful situations. This hypothesis was strengthened by the observation that naïve EE animals were almost all I. Pretested EE I rats were not influenced by the rearing condition: their behavior was comparable to SH animals' behavior and determined by retesting. In conclusion, these results demonstrated that, when applied to aging rats, EE produces different effects based on pre-housing cognitive performances. The issue needs further analyses, but the observation that not all animals are able to take advantage of EE to the same extent suggests the opportunity to design individually tailored approaches to optimize their efficacy and minimize possible unwanted consequences.
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10
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Hengst JA, Duff MC, Jones TA. Enriching Communicative Environments: Leveraging Advances in Neuroplasticity for Improving Outcomes in Neurogenic Communication Disorders. AMERICAN JOURNAL OF SPEECH-LANGUAGE PATHOLOGY 2019; 28:216-229. [PMID: 30453323 PMCID: PMC6437703 DOI: 10.1044/2018_ajslp-17-0157] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/18/2017] [Revised: 02/18/2018] [Accepted: 06/02/2018] [Indexed: 05/27/2023]
Abstract
Purpose Research manipulating the complexity of housing environments for healthy and brain-damaged animals has offered strong, well-replicated evidence for the positive impacts in animal models of enriched environments on neuroplasticity and behavioral outcomes across the lifespan. This article reviews foundational work on environmental enrichment from the animal literature and considers how it relates to a line of research examining rich communicative environments among adults with aphasia, amnesia, and related cognitive-communication disorders. Method Drawing on the authors' own research and the broader literature, this article first presents a critical review of environmental complexity from the animal literature. Building on that animal research, the second section begins by defining rich communicative environments for humans (highlighting the combined effects of complexity, voluntariness, and experiential quality). It then introduces key frameworks for analyzing and designing rich communicative environments: distributed communication and functional systems along with sociocultural theories of learning and development in humans that support them. The final section provides an overview of Hengst's and Duff's basic and translational research, which has been designed to exploit the insights of sociocultural theories and research on environmental complexity. In particular, this research has aimed to enrich communicative interactions in clinical settings, to trace specific communicative resources that characterize such interactions, and to marshal rich communicative environments for therapeutic goals for individuals with aphasia and amnesia. Conclusions This article concludes by arguing that enriching and optimizing environments and experiences offers a very promising approach to rehabilitation efforts designed to enhance the reorganization of cognitive-communicative abilities after brain injury. Such interventions would require clinicians to use the principles outlined here to enrich communicative environments and to target distributed communication in functional systems (not the isolated language of individuals).
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Affiliation(s)
- Julie A. Hengst
- Department of Speech and Hearing Science, University of Illinois at Urbana–Champaign
| | - Melissa C. Duff
- Department of Hearing and Speech Sciences, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN
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Llorens-Martín M. Exercising New Neurons to Vanquish Alzheimer Disease. Brain Plast 2018; 4:111-126. [PMID: 30564550 PMCID: PMC6296267 DOI: 10.3233/bpl-180065] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 03/21/2018] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Alzheimer disease (AD) is the most common type of dementia in individuals over 65 years of age. The neuropathological hallmarks of the condition are Tau neurofibrillary tangles and Amyloid-β senile plaques. Moreover, certain susceptible regions of the brain experience a generalized lack of neural plasticity and marked synaptic alterations during the progression of this as yet incurable disease. One of these regions, the hippocampus, is characterized by the continuous addition of new neurons throughout life. This phenomenon, named adult hippocampal neurogenesis (AHN), provides a potentially endless source of new synaptic elements that increase the complexity and plasticity of the hippocampal circuitry. Numerous lines of evidence show that physical activity and environmental enrichment (EE) are among the most potent positive regulators of AHN. Given that neural plasticity is markedly decreased in many neurodegenerative diseases, the therapeutic potential of making certain lifestyle changes, such as increasing physical activity, is being recognised in several non-pharmacologic strategies seeking to slow down or prevent the progression of these diseases. This review article summarizes current evidence supporting the putative therapeutic potential of EE and physical exercise to increase AHN and hippocampal plasticity both under physiological and pathological circumstances, with a special emphasis on neurodegenerative diseases and AD.
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Affiliation(s)
- María Llorens-Martín
- Department of Molecular Neuropathology, Centro de Biología Molecular “Severo Ochoa”, CBMSO, CSIC-UAM, Madrid, Spain
- Center for Networked Biomedical Research on Neurodegenerative Diseases CIBERNED, Madrid, Spain
- Department of Molecular Biology, Faculty of Sciences, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, Madrid, Spain
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12
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Effects of Long-Term Treatment with a Blend of Highly Purified Olive Secoiridoids on Cognition and Brain ATP Levels in Aged NMRI Mice. OXIDATIVE MEDICINE AND CELLULAR LONGEVITY 2018; 2018:4070935. [PMID: 30510619 PMCID: PMC6232801 DOI: 10.1155/2018/4070935] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/29/2018] [Revised: 08/23/2018] [Accepted: 09/18/2018] [Indexed: 01/06/2023]
Abstract
Aging represents a major risk factor for developing neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's disease (AD). As components of the Mediterranean diet, olive polyphenols may play a crucial role in the prevention of AD. Since mitochondrial dysfunction acts as a final pathway in both brain aging and AD, respectively, the effects of a mixture of highly purified olive secoiridoids were tested on cognition and ATP levels in a commonly used mouse model for brain aging. Over 6 months, female NMRI mice (12 months of age) were fed with a blend containing highly purified olive secoiridoids (POS) including oleuropein, hydroxytyrosol and oleurosid standardized for 50 mg oleuropein/kg diet (equivalent to 13.75 mg POS/kg b.w.) or the study diet without POS as control. Mice aged 3 months served as young controls. Behavioral tests showed deficits in cognition in aged mice. Levels of ATP and mRNA levels of NADH-reductase, cytochrome-c-oxidase, and citrate synthase were significantly reduced in the brains of aged mice indicating mitochondrial dysfunction. Moreover, gene expression of Sirt1, CREB, Gap43, and GPx-1 was significantly reduced in the brain tissue of aged mice. POS-fed mice showed improved spatial working memory. Furthermore, POS restored brain ATP levels in aged mice which were significantly increased. Our results show that a diet rich in purified olive polyphenols has positive long-term effects on cognition and energy metabolism in the brain of aged mice.
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13
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Song SY, Chae M, Yu JH, Lee MY, Pyo S, Shin YK, Baek A, Park JW, Park ES, Choi JY, Cho SR. Environmental Enrichment Upregulates Striatal Synaptic Vesicle-Associated Proteins and Improves Motor Function. Front Neurol 2018; 9:465. [PMID: 30061854 PMCID: PMC6054977 DOI: 10.3389/fneur.2018.00465] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/14/2017] [Accepted: 05/31/2018] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Environmental enrichment (EE) is a therapeutic paradigm that consists of complex combinations of physical, cognitive, and social stimuli. The mechanisms underlying EE-mediated synaptic plasticity have yet to be fully elucidated. In this study, we investigated the effects of EE on synaptic vesicle-associated proteins and whether the expression of these proteins is related to behavioral outcomes. A total of 44 CD-1® (ICR) mice aged 6 weeks were randomly assigned to either standard cages or EE (N = 22 each). Rotarod and ladder walking tests were then performed to evaluate motor function. To identify the molecular mechanisms underlying the effects of EE, we assessed differentially expressed proteins (DEPs) in the striatum by proteomic analysis. Quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR), western blot, and immunohistochemistry were conducted to validate the expressions of these proteins. In the behavioral assessment, EE significantly enhanced performance on the rotarod and ladder walking tests. A total of 116 DEPs (54 upregulated and 62 downregulated proteins) were identified in mice exposed to EE. Gene ontology (GO) analysis demonstrated that the upregulated proteins in EE mice were primarily related to biological processes of synaptic vesicle transport and exocytosis. The GO terms for these biological processes commonly included Synaptic vesicle glycoprotein 2B (SV2B), Rabphilin-3A, and Piccolo. The qRT-PCR and western blot analyses revealed that EE increased the expression of SV2B, Rabphilin-3A and Piccolo in the striatum compared to the control group. Immunohistochemistry showed that the density of Piccolo in the vicinity of the subventricular zone was significantly increased in the EE mice compared with control mice. In conclusion, EE upregulates proteins associated with synaptic vesicle transport and exocytosis such as SV2B, Rabphilin-3A and Piccolo in the striatum. These upregulated proteins may be responsible for locomotor performance improvement, as shown in rotarod and ladder walking tests. Elucidation of these changes in synaptic protein expression provides new insights into the mechanism and potential role of EE.
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Affiliation(s)
- Suk-Young Song
- Department and Research Institute of Rehabilitation Medicine, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, South Korea.,Graduate Program of NanoScience and Technology, Yonsei University, Seoul, South Korea
| | - Minji Chae
- Department and Research Institute of Rehabilitation Medicine, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, South Korea.,Rehabilitation Institute of Neuromuscular Disease, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, South Korea
| | - Ji Hea Yu
- Department and Research Institute of Rehabilitation Medicine, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, South Korea
| | - Min Young Lee
- Department and Research Institute of Rehabilitation Medicine, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, South Korea
| | - Soonil Pyo
- Department and Research Institute of Rehabilitation Medicine, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, South Korea.,Brain Korea 21 PLUS Project for Medical Science, Yonsei University, Seoul, South Korea
| | - Yoon-Kyum Shin
- Department and Research Institute of Rehabilitation Medicine, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, South Korea.,Brain Korea 21 PLUS Project for Medical Science, Yonsei University, Seoul, South Korea
| | - Ahreum Baek
- Department and Research Institute of Rehabilitation Medicine, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, South Korea.,Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Yonsei University Wonju College of Medicine, Wonju, South Korea
| | - Jung-Won Park
- Department of Medicine, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, South Korea
| | - Eun Sook Park
- Department and Research Institute of Rehabilitation Medicine, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, South Korea
| | - Ja Young Choi
- Department and Research Institute of Rehabilitation Medicine, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, South Korea.,Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Eulji University School of Medicine, Daejeon, South Korea
| | - Sung-Rae Cho
- Department and Research Institute of Rehabilitation Medicine, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, South Korea.,Graduate Program of NanoScience and Technology, Yonsei University, Seoul, South Korea.,Rehabilitation Institute of Neuromuscular Disease, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, South Korea.,Brain Korea 21 PLUS Project for Medical Science, Yonsei University, Seoul, South Korea
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14
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Smith BM, Yao X, Chen KS, Kirby ED. A Larger Social Network Enhances Novel Object Location Memory and Reduces Hippocampal Microgliosis in Aged Mice. Front Aging Neurosci 2018; 10:142. [PMID: 29904345 PMCID: PMC5990613 DOI: 10.3389/fnagi.2018.00142] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/22/2017] [Accepted: 04/27/2018] [Indexed: 02/03/2023] Open
Abstract
The mammalian hippocampus shows marked decline in function with aging across many species, including humans and laboratory rodent models. This decline frequently manifests in memory impairments that occur even in the absence of dementia pathology. In humans, a number of factors correlate with preserved hippocampal memory in aging, such as exercise, cognitive stimulation and number of social ties. While interventional studies and animal models clearly indicate that exercise and cognitive stimulation lead to hippocampal preservation, there is relatively little research on whether a decline in social ties leads to cognitive decline or vice versa. Even in animal studies of environmental enrichment in aging, the focus typically falls on physical enrichment such as a rotating cast of toys, rather than the role of social interactions. The present studies investigated the hypothesis that a greater number of social ties in aging mice would lead to improved hippocampal function. Aged, female C57/Bl6 mice were housed for 3 months in pairs or large groups (7 mice per cage). Group-housed mice showed greater novel object location memory and stronger preference for a spatial navigation strategy in the Barnes maze, though no difference in escape latency, compared to pair-housed mice. Group-housed mice did not differ from pair-housed mice in basal corticosterone levels or adult hippocampal neurogenesis. Group-housed mice did, however, show reduced numbers of Iba1/CD68+ microglia in the hippocampus. These findings suggest that group housing led to better memory function and reduced markers of neuroinflammation in aged mice. More broadly, they support a causative link between social ties and hippocampal function, suggesting that merely having a larger social network can positively influence the aging brain. Future research should address the molecular mechanisms by which a greater number of social ties alters hippocampal function.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bryon M Smith
- Department of Psychology, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, United States
| | - Xinyue Yao
- Department of Psychology, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, United States
| | - Kelly S Chen
- Department of Neurology and Neurological Sciences, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, United States
| | - Elizabeth D Kirby
- Department of Psychology, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, United States.,Department of Neuroscience, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, United States.,Center for Chronic Brain Injury, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, United States
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15
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Sampedro-Piquero P, Begega A. Environmental Enrichment as a Positive Behavioral Intervention Across the Lifespan. Curr Neuropharmacol 2018; 15:459-470. [PMID: 27012955 PMCID: PMC5543669 DOI: 10.2174/1570159x14666160325115909] [Citation(s) in RCA: 75] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/12/2015] [Revised: 06/30/2015] [Accepted: 03/16/2016] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND In recent decades, the interest in behavioral interventions has been growing due to the higher prevalence of age-related cognitive impairments. Hence, behavioral interventions, such as cognitive stimulation and physical activity, and along with these, our lifestyle (education level, work position, frequency of cognitive and social activities) have shown important benefits during the cognitive impairment, dementia and even recovery after brain injury. This is due to the fact that this type of intervention and activities promote the formation of a cognitive and brain reserve that allows tolerating brain damage during a long period of time without the appearance of cognitive symptoms. With regard to this, animal models have proved very useful in providing information about the brain mechanisms involved in the development of these cognitive and brain reserves and how they interact with each other. METHODS We summarize several studies showing the positive effects of Environmental Enrichment (EE), understood as a housing condition in which animals benefit from the sensory, physical, cognitive and social stimulation provided, on brain and cognitive functions usually impaired during aging. RESULTS Most of studies have shown that EE is a successful protocol to improve cognitive functions and reduce anxiety-related behaviors across the lifespan, as well as in animal models of neurodegenerative diseases. CONCLUSION Therefore, EE is a laboratory condition in which some aspects of an active lifestyle are reproduced.
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Affiliation(s)
- P Sampedro-Piquero
- Department of Biological and Health Psychology, Autonomous University of Madrid, Cantoblanco 28049, Madrid, Spain
| | - A Begega
- Neuroscience Laboratory, Psychology Department, University of Oviedo, Plaza Feijoo s/n 33003 Oviedo, INEUROPA, Spain
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16
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Ji MH, Tang H, Luo D, Qiu LL, Jia M, Yuan HM, Feng SW, Yang JJ. Environmental conditions differentially affect neurobehavioral outcomes in a mouse model of sepsis-associated encephalopathy. Oncotarget 2017; 8:82376-82389. [PMID: 29137271 PMCID: PMC5669897 DOI: 10.18632/oncotarget.19595] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/24/2017] [Accepted: 06/18/2017] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Brain dysfunction remains a common complication after sepsis development and is an independent risk factor for a poorer prognosis and an increased mortality. Here we tested the hypothesis that the behavioral outcomes after lipopolysaccharides (LPS) administration are exacerbated by an impoverished environment (IE) and alleviated by an enriched environment (EE), respectively. Mice were randomly allocated in a standard environment (SE), an EE, or an IE for 4 weeks after LPS or normal saline (NS) administration. Neurobehavioral alternations were assessed by the open field, novel objective recognition, and fear conditioning tests. The expressions of proinflammatory cytokines (tumor necrosis factor (TNF-α), interleukin-1β (IL-1β), IL-6, IL-10), ionized calcium-binding adaptor molecule-1 (IBA1)-positive cells as well as glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP)-positive cells, brain derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), 5-bromo-2-deoxyuridine-labeled cells in the dentate gyrus of the hippocampus, and the number of dendritic spines in the hippocampal CA1 were determined. Our results showed that the some of the neurocognitive abnormalities induced by LPS administration can be aggravated by stressful conditions such as IE but alleviated by EE. These neurocognitive alternations were accompanied by significant changes in biomarkers of immune response and hippocampal synaptic plasticity. In summary, our study confirmed the negative impact of IE and the positive effects of EE on the cognitive function after LPS administration, with potential implications to the basis of sepsis-related cognitive impairments in the critically ill patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mu-Huo Ji
- Department of Anesthesiology, Zhongda Hospital, Medical School, Southeast University, Nanjing, China
| | - Hui Tang
- Department of Anesthesiology, Jinling Hospital, School of Medicine, Nanjing University, Nanjing, China
| | - Dan Luo
- Department of Anesthesiology, Zhongda Hospital, Medical School, Southeast University, Nanjing, China
| | - Li-Li Qiu
- Department of Anesthesiology, Zhongda Hospital, Medical School, Southeast University, Nanjing, China
| | - Min Jia
- Department of Anesthesiology, Jinling Hospital, School of Medicine, Nanjing University, Nanjing, China
| | - Hong-Mei Yuan
- Department of Anesthesiology, Obstetrics and Gynecology Hospital Affiliated to Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China
| | - Shan-Wu Feng
- Department of Anesthesiology, Obstetrics and Gynecology Hospital Affiliated to Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China
| | - Jian-Jun Yang
- Department of Anesthesiology, Zhongda Hospital, Medical School, Southeast University, Nanjing, China
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17
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Rekik K, Francés B, Valet P, Dray C, Florian C. Cognitive deficit in hippocampal-dependent tasks in Werner syndrome mouse model. Behav Brain Res 2017; 323:68-77. [PMID: 28119126 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbr.2017.01.034] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/29/2016] [Revised: 01/16/2017] [Accepted: 01/18/2017] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
Mammalian aging is often characterized by metabolic disturbances, cognitive declines and DNA repairs deficiency, but the underlying molecular mechanisms are still not well understood. Alterations in DNA repair can significantly exacerbate aging. Mammalian neuronal cells which accumulate unrepaired DNA damage over time could potentially lead to brain functions disorders. Focusing on the ATP-dependent RecQ-type DNA helicase, an enzyme involved in repair of double strand DNA, a mouse model of Werner syndrome (WS) had been proposed as a model of accelerated aging. Until now, no study has investigated the impact of this premature aging syndrome on learning and memory. Spatial memory and cognitive flexibility are particularly affected by the aging process in both men and rodents. Studies have shown that aged mice exhibited similar performance than young adult mice on non-hippocampus dependent memory whereas their performances were decreased in hippocampus-dependent tasks. In this study, we have submitted 3, 5 and 8 month-old WS mice to several behavioral paradigms to evaluate hippocampus-dependent (spatial object location, Morris water maze and fear conditioning) and non hippocampus-dependent (object recognition) memories. No effect on the locomotion activity and anxiety level has been observed in adult WS mice. Interestingly, the 8 month-old WS mice exhibit long-term memory impairment similar to aged mice, suggesting that adult WS mice do develop some aspects of cognitive aging.
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Affiliation(s)
- Khaoula Rekik
- Université de Toulouse, France; Centre de Recherches sur la Cognition Animale (CRCA), Centre de Biologie Intégrative (CBI), CNRS, UPS,118 route de Narbonne, F-31062 Toulouse, Cedex 9, France
| | - Bernard Francés
- Université de Toulouse, France; Centre de Recherches sur la Cognition Animale (CRCA), Centre de Biologie Intégrative (CBI), CNRS, UPS,118 route de Narbonne, F-31062 Toulouse, Cedex 9, France
| | - Philippe Valet
- Université de Toulouse, France; Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale (INSERM), U1048, UPS, Toulouse, France
| | - Cédric Dray
- Université de Toulouse, France; Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale (INSERM), U1048, UPS, Toulouse, France
| | - Cédrick Florian
- Université de Toulouse, France; Centre de Recherches sur la Cognition Animale (CRCA), Centre de Biologie Intégrative (CBI), CNRS, UPS,118 route de Narbonne, F-31062 Toulouse, Cedex 9, France.
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18
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Buschler A, Manahan-Vaughan D. Metabotropic glutamate receptor, mGlu5, mediates enhancements of hippocampal long-term potentiation after environmental enrichment in young and old mice. Neuropharmacology 2016; 115:42-50. [PMID: 27267685 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuropharm.2016.06.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/28/2016] [Revised: 06/01/2016] [Accepted: 06/02/2016] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
The metabotropic glutamate (mGlu) receptor, mGlu5, is of particular relevance for hippocampal function. It is critically required for the expression of long-term potentiation (LTP) and long-term depression (LTD), regulates neuronal oscillations, maintains the stability of place fields and is required for hippocampus-dependent memory. MGlu5-dysfunctions are associated with profound cognitive deficits in humans, and mGlu5 has been targeted as a putative cognitive enhancer. Cognitive enhancement, by means of environmental enrichment (EE) in rodents, results in improved hippocampal synaptic plasticity and memory. Here, we explored whether mGlu5 contributes to these enhancements. MGlu5-antagonism dose-dependently impaired the early phase of LTP (>4 h) in the CA1 region of young(3-4 month old) mice. Late-LTP (>24 h) was also impaired. LTP (>24 h) elicited in old (10-14 month old) mice displayed reduced sensitivity to mGlu5 antagonism. Short-term potentiation (STP, < 2 h) that was elicited by weaker afferent stimulation was unaffected by mGlu5-antagonism in both age-groups. EE significantly amplified STP (<2 h) in old and young animals, but did not increase the duration of synaptic potentiation, or promote induction of LTP. The improvement in STP was prevented by mGlu5-antagonism, in both young and old animals. These results indicate that modifications of the synapse that underlie improvements of LTP by EE require the contribution of mGlu5. Strikingly, although LTP in old mice does not critically depend on mGlu5, improvements in synaptic potentiation resulting from EE are mGlu5-dependent in old mice. Regarded in light of the known role for mGlu5 in hippocampal function and pathophysiology, these data suggest that mGlu5 regulation of synaptic information storage is pivotal to optimal hippocampal function. This article is part of the Special Issue entitled 'Metabotropic Glutamate Receptors, 5 years on'.
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Affiliation(s)
- Arne Buschler
- Ruhr University Bochum, Medical Faculty, Department of Neurophysiology, Bochum, Germany
| | - Denise Manahan-Vaughan
- Ruhr University Bochum, Medical Faculty, Department of Neurophysiology, Bochum, Germany.
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19
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Stein LR, O'Dell KA, Funatsu M, Zorumski CF, Izumi Y. Short-term environmental enrichment enhances synaptic plasticity in hippocampal slices from aged rats. Neuroscience 2016; 329:294-305. [PMID: 27208617 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroscience.2016.05.020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/18/2015] [Revised: 05/11/2016] [Accepted: 05/12/2016] [Indexed: 12/26/2022]
Abstract
Age-associated changes in cognition are mirrored by impairments in cellular models of memory and learning, such as long-term potentiation (LTP) and long-term depression (LTD). In young rodents, environmental enrichment (EE) can enhance memory, alter LTP and LTD, as well as reverse cognitive deficits induced by aging. Whether short-term EE can benefit cognition and synaptic plasticity in aged rodents is unclear. Here, we tested if short-term EE could overcome age-associated impairments in induction of LTP and LTD. LTP and LTD could not be induced in the CA1 region of hippocampal slices in control, aged rats using standard stimuli that are highly effective in young rats. However, exposure of aged littermates to EE for three weeks enabled successful induction of LTP and LTD. EE-facilitated LTP was dependent upon N-methyl-d-aspartate receptors (NMDARs). These alterations in synaptic plasticity occurred with elevated levels of phosphorylated cAMP response element-binding protein and vascular endothelial growth factor, but in the absence of changes in several other synaptic and cellular markers. Importantly, our study suggests that even a relatively short period of EE is sufficient to alter synaptic plasticity and molecular markers linked to cognitive function in aged animals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Liana R Stein
- Department of Psychiatry, Washington University School of Medicine, 660 South Euclid Avenue, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA
| | - Kazuko A O'Dell
- Department of Psychiatry, Washington University School of Medicine, 660 South Euclid Avenue, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA; The Taylor Family Institute for Innovative Psychiatric Research, Washington University School of Medicine, 660 South Euclid Avenue, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA
| | - Michiyo Funatsu
- Department of Psychiatry, Washington University School of Medicine, 660 South Euclid Avenue, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA
| | - Charles F Zorumski
- Department of Psychiatry, Washington University School of Medicine, 660 South Euclid Avenue, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA; The Taylor Family Institute for Innovative Psychiatric Research, Washington University School of Medicine, 660 South Euclid Avenue, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA; Center for Brain Research in Mood Disorders, Washington University School of Medicine, 660 South Euclid Avenue, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA; Department of Neuroscience, Washington University School of Medicine, 660 South Euclid Avenue, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA
| | - Yukitoshi Izumi
- Department of Psychiatry, Washington University School of Medicine, 660 South Euclid Avenue, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA; The Taylor Family Institute for Innovative Psychiatric Research, Washington University School of Medicine, 660 South Euclid Avenue, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA; Center for Brain Research in Mood Disorders, Washington University School of Medicine, 660 South Euclid Avenue, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA.
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20
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Fuchs F, Herbeaux K, Aufrere N, Kelche C, Mathis C, Barbelivien A, Majchrzak M. Late enrichment maintains accurate recent and remote spatial memory only in aged rats that were unimpaired when middle aged. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2016; 23:303-12. [PMID: 27194797 PMCID: PMC4880144 DOI: 10.1101/lm.041236.115] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/27/2015] [Accepted: 03/26/2016] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Exposure of rodents to a stimulating environment has beneficial effects on some cognitive functions that are impaired during physiological aging, and especially spatial reference memory. The present study investigated whether environmental enrichment rescues these functions in already declining subjects and/or protects them from subsequent decline. Subgroups of 17-mo-old female rats with unimpaired versus impaired performance in a spatial reference memory task (Morris water maze) were housed until the age of 24 mo in standard or enriched environment. They were then trained in a second reference memory task, conducted in a different room than the first, and recent (1 d) and remote (10 d) memory were assessed. In unimpaired subgroups, spatial memory declined from 17 to 24 mo in rats housed in standard conditions; an enriched environment during this period allowed maintenance of accurate recent and remote spatial memory. At 24 mo, rats impaired at the age of 17 mo housed in enriched environment learned the task and displayed substantial recent memory, but their performance remained lower than that of unimpaired rats, showing that enrichment failed to rescue spatial memory in already cognitively declining rats. Controls indicated carryover effects of the first water maze training, especially in aged rats housed in standard condition, and confirmed the beneficial effect of enrichment on remote memory of aged rats even if they performed poorly than young adults housed for the same duration in standard or enriched condition.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fanny Fuchs
- Laboratoire de Neurosciences Cognitives et Adaptatives, UMR 7364, Unistra, Neuropôle de Strasbourg, Faculté de Psychologie, 67000 Strasbourg, France Laboratoire de Neurosciences Cognitives et Adaptatives, UMR 7364, CNRS, GDR 2905, 67000 Strasbourg, France
| | - Karine Herbeaux
- Laboratoire de Neurosciences Cognitives et Adaptatives, UMR 7364, Unistra, Neuropôle de Strasbourg, Faculté de Psychologie, 67000 Strasbourg, France Laboratoire de Neurosciences Cognitives et Adaptatives, UMR 7364, CNRS, GDR 2905, 67000 Strasbourg, France
| | - Noémie Aufrere
- Laboratoire de Neurosciences Cognitives et Adaptatives, UMR 7364, Unistra, Neuropôle de Strasbourg, Faculté de Psychologie, 67000 Strasbourg, France Laboratoire de Neurosciences Cognitives et Adaptatives, UMR 7364, CNRS, GDR 2905, 67000 Strasbourg, France
| | - Christian Kelche
- Laboratoire de Neurosciences Cognitives et Adaptatives, UMR 7364, Unistra, Neuropôle de Strasbourg, Faculté de Psychologie, 67000 Strasbourg, France Laboratoire de Neurosciences Cognitives et Adaptatives, UMR 7364, CNRS, GDR 2905, 67000 Strasbourg, France
| | - Chantal Mathis
- Laboratoire de Neurosciences Cognitives et Adaptatives, UMR 7364, Unistra, Neuropôle de Strasbourg, Faculté de Psychologie, 67000 Strasbourg, France Laboratoire de Neurosciences Cognitives et Adaptatives, UMR 7364, CNRS, GDR 2905, 67000 Strasbourg, France
| | - Alexandra Barbelivien
- Laboratoire de Neurosciences Cognitives et Adaptatives, UMR 7364, Unistra, Neuropôle de Strasbourg, Faculté de Psychologie, 67000 Strasbourg, France Laboratoire de Neurosciences Cognitives et Adaptatives, UMR 7364, CNRS, GDR 2905, 67000 Strasbourg, France
| | - Monique Majchrzak
- Laboratoire de Neurosciences Cognitives et Adaptatives, UMR 7364, Unistra, Neuropôle de Strasbourg, Faculté de Psychologie, 67000 Strasbourg, France Laboratoire de Neurosciences Cognitives et Adaptatives, UMR 7364, CNRS, GDR 2905, 67000 Strasbourg, France
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21
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Hullinger R, Puglielli L. Molecular and cellular aspects of age-related cognitive decline and Alzheimer's disease. Behav Brain Res 2016; 322:191-205. [PMID: 27163751 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbr.2016.05.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/24/2016] [Revised: 04/19/2016] [Accepted: 05/03/2016] [Indexed: 01/14/2023]
Abstract
As the population of people aged 60 or older continues to rise, it has become increasingly important to understand the molecular basis underlying age-related cognitive decline. In fact, a better understanding of aging biology will help us identify ways to maintain high levels of cognitive functioning throughout the aging process. Many cellular and molecular aspects of brain aging are shared with other organ systems; however, certain age-related changes are unique to the nervous system due to its structural, cellular and molecular complexity. Importantly, the brain appears to show differential changes throughout the aging process, with certain regions (e.g. frontal and temporal regions) being more vulnerable than others (e.g. brain stem). Within the medial temporal lobe, the hippocampus is especially susceptible to age-related changes. The important role of the hippocampus in age-related cognitive decline and in vulnerability to disease processes such as Alzheimer's disease has prompted this review, which will focus on the complexity of changes that characterize aging, and on the molecular connections that exist between normal aging and Alzheimer's disease. Finally, it will discuss behavioral interventions and emerging insights for promoting healthy cognitive aging.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rikki Hullinger
- Department of Medicine, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI 53705, USA
| | - Luigi Puglielli
- Department of Medicine, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI 53705, USA; Department of Neuroscience, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI 53705, USA; Wisconsin Alzheimer's Disease Research Center, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI 53705, USA; Geriatric Research Education Clinical Center, VA Medical Center, Madison, WI 53705, USA.
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22
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Mesa-Gresa P, Ramos-Campos M, Redolat R. Corticosterone levels and behavioral changes induced by simultaneous exposure to chronic social stress and enriched environments in NMRI male mice. Physiol Behav 2016; 158:6-17. [DOI: 10.1016/j.physbeh.2016.02.027] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/25/2015] [Revised: 01/14/2016] [Accepted: 02/18/2016] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
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23
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Chen C, Meng SQ, Xue YX, Han Y, Sun CY, Deng JH, Chen N, Bao YP, Zhang FL, Cao LL, Zhu WG, Shi J, Song WH, Lu L. Epigenetic modification of PKMζ rescues aging-related cognitive impairment. Sci Rep 2016; 6:22096. [PMID: 26926225 PMCID: PMC4772003 DOI: 10.1038/srep22096] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/07/2015] [Accepted: 02/05/2016] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Cognition is impacted by aging. However, the mechanisms that underlie aging-associated cognitive impairment are unclear. Here we showed that cognitive decline in aged rats was associated with changes in DNA methylation of protein kinase Mζ (PKMζ) in the prelimbic cortex (PrL). PKMζ is a crucial molecule involved in the maintenance of long-term memory. Using different behavioral models, we confirmed that aged rats exhibited cognitive impairment in memory retention test 24 h after training, and overexpression of PKMζ in the PrL rescued cognitive impairment in aged rats. After fear conditioning, the protein levels of PKMζ and the membrane expression of GluR2 increased in the PrL in young and adult rats but not in aged rats, and the levels of methylated PKMζ DNA in the PrL decreased in all age groups, whereas the levels of unmethylated PKMζ DNA increased only in young and adult rats. We also found that environmentally enriched housing reversed the hypermethylation of PKMζ and restored cognitive performance in aged rats. Inactivation of PKMζ prevented the potentiating effects of environmental enrichment on memory retention in aged rats. These results indicated that PKMζ might be a potential target for the treatment of aging-related cognitive impairment, suggesting a potential therapeutic avenue.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chen Chen
- Institute of Mental Health, Peking University Sixth Hospital, and Key Laboratory of Mental Health, Beijing 100191, China.,National Institute on Drug Dependence and Beijing Key Laboratory of Drug Dependence Research, Peking University, Beijing 100191, China
| | - Shi-Qiu Meng
- Institute of Mental Health, Peking University Sixth Hospital, and Key Laboratory of Mental Health, Beijing 100191, China.,National Institute on Drug Dependence and Beijing Key Laboratory of Drug Dependence Research, Peking University, Beijing 100191, China
| | - Yan-Xue Xue
- National Institute on Drug Dependence and Beijing Key Laboratory of Drug Dependence Research, Peking University, Beijing 100191, China
| | - Ying Han
- National Institute on Drug Dependence and Beijing Key Laboratory of Drug Dependence Research, Peking University, Beijing 100191, China
| | - Cheng-Yu Sun
- Institute of Mental Health, Peking University Sixth Hospital, and Key Laboratory of Mental Health, Beijing 100191, China.,National Institute on Drug Dependence and Beijing Key Laboratory of Drug Dependence Research, Peking University, Beijing 100191, China
| | - Jia-Hui Deng
- Institute of Mental Health, Peking University Sixth Hospital, and Key Laboratory of Mental Health, Beijing 100191, China.,National Institute on Drug Dependence and Beijing Key Laboratory of Drug Dependence Research, Peking University, Beijing 100191, China
| | - Na Chen
- National Institute on Drug Dependence and Beijing Key Laboratory of Drug Dependence Research, Peking University, Beijing 100191, China
| | - Yan-Ping Bao
- National Institute on Drug Dependence and Beijing Key Laboratory of Drug Dependence Research, Peking University, Beijing 100191, China
| | - Fei-Long Zhang
- National Institute on Drug Dependence and Beijing Key Laboratory of Drug Dependence Research, Peking University, Beijing 100191, China
| | - Lin-Lin Cao
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Peking University Health Science Center, Beijing 100191, China
| | - Wei-Guo Zhu
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Peking University Health Science Center, Beijing 100191, China
| | - Jie Shi
- National Institute on Drug Dependence and Beijing Key Laboratory of Drug Dependence Research, Peking University, Beijing 100191, China
| | - Wei-Hong Song
- Brain Research Centre, Departments of Medicine and Psychiatry, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, V6T 1Z3, Canada
| | - Lin Lu
- Institute of Mental Health, Peking University Sixth Hospital, and Key Laboratory of Mental Health, Beijing 100191, China.,National Institute on Drug Dependence and Beijing Key Laboratory of Drug Dependence Research, Peking University, Beijing 100191, China.,Peking-Tsinghua Center for Life Sciences and PKU-IDG/McGovern Institute for Brain Research, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China
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Ortiz-Pérez A, Espinosa-Raya J, Picazo O. An enriched environment and 17-beta estradiol produce similar pro-cognitive effects on ovariectomized rats. Cogn Process 2016; 17:15-25. [DOI: 10.1007/s10339-015-0746-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/30/2015] [Accepted: 12/11/2015] [Indexed: 02/01/2023]
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25
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Exposure to an enriched environment up to middle age allows preservation of spatial memory capabilities in old age. Behav Brain Res 2016; 299:1-5. [DOI: 10.1016/j.bbr.2015.11.019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/22/2015] [Revised: 11/16/2015] [Accepted: 11/17/2015] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
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26
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Forestalling Age-Related Brain Disorders. LIFESTYLE MEDICINE 2016. [DOI: 10.1007/978-3-319-24687-1_27] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
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27
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Environmental enrichment reverses histone methylation changes in the aged hippocampus and restores age-related memory deficits. BIOLOGY 2015; 4:298-313. [PMID: 25836028 PMCID: PMC4498301 DOI: 10.3390/biology4020298] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/17/2015] [Revised: 03/10/2015] [Accepted: 03/19/2015] [Indexed: 12/28/2022]
Abstract
A decline in long-term memory (LTM) formation is a common feature of the normal aging process, which corresponds with abnormal expression of memory-related genes in the aged hippocampus. Epigenetic modulation of chromatin structure is required for proper transcriptional control of genes, such as the brain-derived neurotrophic factor (Bdnf) and Zif268 in the hippocampus during the consolidation of new memories. Recently, the view has emerged that aberrant transcriptional regulation of memory-related genes may be reflective of an altered epigenetic landscape within the aged hippocampus, resulting in memory deficits with aging. Here, we found that baseline resting levels for tri-methylation of histone H3 at lysine 4 (H3K4me3) and acetylation of histone H3 at lysine 9 and 14 (H3K9,K14ac) were altered in the aged hippocampus as compared to levels in the hippocampus of young adult rats. Interestingly, object learning failed to increase activity-dependent H3K4me3 and di-methylation of histone H3 at lysine 9 (H3K9me2) levels in the hippocampus of aged adults as compared to young adults. Treatment with the LSD-1 histone demethylase inhibitor, t-PCP, increased baseline resting H3K4me3 and H3K9,K14ac levels in the young adult hippocampus, while young adult rats exhibited similar memory deficits as observed in aged rats. After environmental enrichment (EE), we found that object learning induced increases in H3K4me3 levels around the Bdnf, but not the Zif268, gene region in the aged hippocampus and rescued memory deficits in aged adults. Collectively, these results suggest that histone lysine methylation levels are abnormally regulated in the aged hippocampus and identify histone lysine methylation as a transcriptional mechanism by which EE may serve to restore memory formation with aging.
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28
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Billard JM. D-Serine in the aging hippocampus. J Pharm Biomed Anal 2015; 116:18-24. [PMID: 25740810 DOI: 10.1016/j.jpba.2015.02.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/03/2014] [Revised: 02/03/2015] [Accepted: 02/07/2015] [Indexed: 01/06/2023]
Abstract
Experimental evidences now indicate that memory formation relies on the capacity of neuronal networks to manage long-term changes in synaptic communication. This property is driven by N-methyl-D-aspartate receptors (NMDAR), which requires the binding of glutamate but also the presence of the co-agonist D-serine at the glycine site. Defective memory function and impaired brain synaptic plasticity observed in aging are rescued by partial agonist acting at this site suggesting that this gating process is targeted to induce age-related cognitive defects. This review aims at compelling recent studies characterizing the role of D-serine in changes in functional plasticity that occur in the aging hippocampus since deficits are rescued by D-serine supplementation. The impaired efficacy of endogenous D-serine is not due to changes in the affinity to glycine-binding site but to a decrease in tissue levels of the amino acid resulting from a weaker expression of the producing enzyme serine racemase (SR). Interestingly, neither SR expression, D-serine levels, nor NMDAR activation is affected in aged LOU/C rats, a model of healthy aging in which memory deficits do not occur. These old animals do not develop oxidative stress suggesting that the D-serine-related pathway could be targeted by the age-related accumulation of reactive oxygen species. Accordingly, senescent rats chronically treated with the reducing agent N-acetyl-cysteine to prevent oxidative damage, show intact NMDAR activation linked to preserved D-serine levels and SR expression. These results point to a significant role of D-serine in age-related functional alterations underlying hippocampus-dependent memory deficits, at least within the CA1 area since the amino acid does not appear as critical in changes affecting the dentate gyrus.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jean-Marie Billard
- Center of Psychiatry and Neurosciences, Paris Descartes University, Sorbonne Paris City, UMR U894, Paris 75014 France.
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29
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Prenderville JA, Kennedy PJ, Dinan TG, Cryan JF. Adding fuel to the fire: the impact of stress on the ageing brain. Trends Neurosci 2015; 38:13-25. [DOI: 10.1016/j.tins.2014.11.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 90] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
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30
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Leger M, Paizanis E, Dzahini K, Quiedeville A, Bouet V, Cassel JC, Freret T, Schumann-Bard P, Boulouard M. Environmental Enrichment Duration Differentially Affects Behavior and Neuroplasticity in Adult Mice. Cereb Cortex 2014; 25:4048-61. [DOI: 10.1093/cercor/bhu119] [Citation(s) in RCA: 66] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
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31
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Sampedro-Piquero P, De Bartolo P, Petrosini L, Zancada-Menendez C, Arias JL, Begega A. Astrocytic plasticity as a possible mediator of the cognitive improvements after environmental enrichment in aged rats. Neurobiol Learn Mem 2014; 114:16-25. [PMID: 24727294 DOI: 10.1016/j.nlm.2014.04.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 60] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/02/2014] [Revised: 03/26/2014] [Accepted: 04/01/2014] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Currently, little is known about the effect of environmental enrichment (EE) on astrocytic plasticity, especially during aging. Given the newly discovered role of the astrocytes in regulating the synaptic transmission and thereby, the cognitive functions, we aimed to study the impact of EE on the performance in a spatial memory task and on the number and morphology of GFAP immunopositive cells in the dorsal hippocampus. After two months of EE (3 h/per day), the animals were tested in the Radial-Arm Water Maze (RAWM) for four days, with six daily trials. Next, we analyzed the changes in the GFAP immunopositive cells in CA1, CA3 and Dentate Gyrus (DG). Behavioral results showed that, even in advanced ages, EE improved the performance in a spatial memory task. Also, we found that aged rats submitted to EE had more GFAP immunopositive cells in the DG and more complex astrocytes, revealed by Sholl analysis, in all hippocampal subfields with respect to the other experimental conditions. Interestingly, the learning of a spatial memory task produced more morphological complexity and higher levels of GFAP immunopositive cells with regard to a standard control group, but not at the same level of the enriched groups. Thus, it is possible that the plastic changes found in the hippocampal astrocytes after EE are involved in a brain reserve to cope with age-related cognitive impairments.
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Affiliation(s)
- P Sampedro-Piquero
- Laboratorio de Neurociencias, Departamento de Psicología, Universidad de Oviedo, Instituto de Neurociencias del Principado de Asturias, INEUROPA, Plaza Feijoo s/n, 33003 Oviedo, Spain.
| | - Paola De Bartolo
- Department of Psychology, University "Sapienza", via dei Marsi 78, 00185 Rome, Italy; IRCCS S. Lucia Foundation, via del Fosso di Fiorano 64, 00143 Rome, Italy.
| | - Laura Petrosini
- Department of Psychology, University "Sapienza", via dei Marsi 78, 00185 Rome, Italy; IRCCS S. Lucia Foundation, via del Fosso di Fiorano 64, 00143 Rome, Italy.
| | - C Zancada-Menendez
- Laboratorio de Neurociencias, Departamento de Psicología, Universidad de Oviedo, Instituto de Neurociencias del Principado de Asturias, INEUROPA, Plaza Feijoo s/n, 33003 Oviedo, Spain.
| | - J L Arias
- Laboratorio de Neurociencias, Departamento de Psicología, Universidad de Oviedo, Instituto de Neurociencias del Principado de Asturias, INEUROPA, Plaza Feijoo s/n, 33003 Oviedo, Spain.
| | - A Begega
- Laboratorio de Neurociencias, Departamento de Psicología, Universidad de Oviedo, Instituto de Neurociencias del Principado de Asturias, INEUROPA, Plaza Feijoo s/n, 33003 Oviedo, Spain.
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32
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Bennett DA, Arnold SE, Valenzuela MJ, Brayne C, Schneider JA. Cognitive and social lifestyle: links with neuropathology and cognition in late life. Acta Neuropathol 2014; 127:137-50. [PMID: 24356982 PMCID: PMC4054865 DOI: 10.1007/s00401-013-1226-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 94] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/15/2013] [Revised: 11/17/2013] [Accepted: 11/30/2013] [Indexed: 12/26/2022]
Abstract
Many studies report an association of cognitive and social experiential factors and related traits with dementia risk. Further, many clinical-pathologic studies find a poor correspondence between levels of neuropathology and the presence of dementia and level of cognitive impairment. The poor correspondence suggests that other factors contribute to the maintenance or loss of cognitive function, with factors associated with the maintenance of function referred to as neural or cognitive reserve. This has led investigators to examine the associations of cognitive and social experiential factors with neuropathology as a first step in disentangling the complex associations between these experiential risk factors, neuropathology, and cognitive impairment. Despite the consistent associations of a range of cognitive and social lifestyle factors with cognitive decline and dementia risk, the extant clinical-pathologic data find only a single factor from one cohort, linguistic ability, related to AD pathology. Other factors, including education, harm avoidance, and emotional neglect, are associated with cerebrovascular disease. Overall, the associations are weak. Some factors, such as education, social networks, and purpose in life, modify the relation of neuropathology to cognition. Finally, some factors such as cognitive activity appear to bypass known pathologies altogether suggesting a more direct association with biologic indices that promote person-specific differences in reserve and resilience. Future work will first need to replicate findings across more studies to ensure the veracity of the existing data. Second, effort is needed to identify the molecular substrates of neural reserve as potential mediators of the association of lifestyle factors with cognition.
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Affiliation(s)
- David A Bennett
- Rush Alzheimer's Disease Center, Rush University Medical Center, Chicago, IL, USA,
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33
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Mesa-Gresa P, Pérez-Martinez A, Redolat R. Environmental enrichment improves novel object recognition and enhances agonistic behavior in male mice. Aggress Behav 2013; 39:269-79. [PMID: 23588702 DOI: 10.1002/ab.21481] [Citation(s) in RCA: 46] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/30/2012] [Accepted: 02/26/2013] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Environmental enrichment (EE) is an experimental paradigm in which rodents are housed in complex environments containing objects that provide stimulation, the effects of which are expected to improve the welfare of these subjects. EE has been shown to considerably improve learning and memory in rodents. However, knowledge about the effects of EE on social interaction is generally limited and rather controversial. Thus, our aim was to evaluate both novel object recognition and agonistic behavior in NMRI mice receiving EE, hypothesizing enhanced cognition and slightly enhanced agonistic interaction upon EE rearing. During a 4-week period half the mice (n = 16) were exposed to EE and the other half (n = 16) remained in a standard environment (SE). On PND 56-57, animals performed the object recognition test, in which recognition memory was measured using a discrimination index. The social interaction test consisted of an encounter between an experimental animal and a standard opponent. Results indicated that EE mice explored the new object for longer periods than SE animals (P < .05). During social encounters, EE mice devoted more time to sociability and agonistic behavior (P < .05) than their non-EE counterparts. In conclusion, EE has been shown to improve object recognition and increase agonistic behavior in adolescent/early adulthood mice. In the future we intend to extend this study on a longitudinal basis in order to assess in more depth the effect of EE and the consistency of the above-mentioned observations in NMRI mice.
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Affiliation(s)
- Patricia Mesa-Gresa
- Department of Psychobiology, Faculty of Psychology; Universitat de València; Valencia; Spain
| | - Asunción Pérez-Martinez
- Department of Psychobiology, Faculty of Psychology; Universitat de València; Valencia; Spain
| | - Rosa Redolat
- Department of Psychobiology, Faculty of Psychology; Universitat de València; Valencia; Spain
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Sampedro-Piquero P, Begega A, Zancada-Menendez C, Cuesta M, Arias JL. Age-dependent effects of environmental enrichment on brain networks and spatial memory in Wistar rats. Neuroscience 2013; 248:43-53. [PMID: 23769820 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroscience.2013.06.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/13/2013] [Revised: 05/31/2013] [Accepted: 06/03/2013] [Indexed: 02/01/2023]
Abstract
We assessed the effect of 3h of environmental enrichment (EE) exposure per day started at different ages (3 and 18months old) on the performance in a spatial memory task and on brain regions involved in the spatial learning (SPL) process using the principal component analysis (PCA). The animals were tested in the four-arm radial water maze (4-RAWM) for 4days, with six daily trials. We used cytochrome c oxidase (COx) histochemistry to determine the brain oxidative metabolic changes related to age, SPL and EE. Behavioural results showed that the enriched groups, regardless of their age, achieved better performance in the spatial task. Interestingly, in the case of the distance travelled in the 4-RAWM, the effect of the EE was dependent on the age, so the young enriched group travelled a shorter distance compared to the aged enriched group. Respect to COx histochemistry results, we found that different brain mechanisms are triggered in aged rats to solve the spatial task, compared to young rats. PCA revealed the same brain functional network in both age groups, but the contribution of the brain regions involved in this network was slightly different depending on the age of the rats. Thus, in the aged group, brain regions involved in anxiety-like behaviour, such as the amygdala or the bed nucleus of the stria terminalis had more relevance; whereas in the young enriched group the frontal and the hippocampal subregions had more contribution.
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Affiliation(s)
- P Sampedro-Piquero
- Laboratorio de Neurociencias, Departamento de Psicología, Universidad de Oviedo, Plaza Feijoo s/n, 33003 Oviedo, Spain.
| | - A Begega
- Laboratorio de Neurociencias, Departamento de Psicología, Universidad de Oviedo, Plaza Feijoo s/n, 33003 Oviedo, Spain.
| | - C Zancada-Menendez
- Laboratorio de Neurociencias, Departamento de Psicología, Universidad de Oviedo, Plaza Feijoo s/n, 33003 Oviedo, Spain.
| | - M Cuesta
- Área de Metodología, Departamento de Psicología, Universidad de Oviedo, Plaza Feijoo s/n, 33003 Oviedo, Spain.
| | - J L Arias
- Laboratorio de Neurociencias, Departamento de Psicología, Universidad de Oviedo, Plaza Feijoo s/n, 33003 Oviedo, Spain.
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35
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Behavioral effects of combined environmental enrichment and chronic nicotine administration in male NMRI mice. Physiol Behav 2013; 114-115:65-76. [DOI: 10.1016/j.physbeh.2013.03.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/12/2012] [Revised: 09/27/2012] [Accepted: 03/12/2013] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
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36
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Buschler A, Manahan-Vaughan D. Brief environmental enrichment elicits metaplasticity of hippocampal synaptic potentiation in vivo. Front Behav Neurosci 2012; 6:85. [PMID: 23248592 PMCID: PMC3522088 DOI: 10.3389/fnbeh.2012.00085] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/12/2012] [Accepted: 11/17/2012] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Long-term environmental enrichment (EE) elicits enduring effects on the adult brain, including altered synaptic plasticity. Synaptic plasticity may underlie memory formation and includes robust (>24 h) and weak (<2 h) forms of long-term potentiation (LTP) and long-term depression (LTD). Most studies of the effect of EE on synaptic efficacy have examined the consequences of very prolonged EE-exposure. It is unclear whether brief exposure to EE can alter synaptic plasticity. Clarifying this issue could help develop strategies to address cognitive deficits arising from neglect in children or adults. We assessed whether short-term EE elicits alterations in hippocampal synaptic plasticity and if social context may play a role. Adult mice were exposed to EE for 14 consecutive days. We found that robust late-LTP (>24 h) and short-term depression (<2 h) at Schaffer-collateral-CA1 synapses in freely behaving mice were unaltered, whereas early-LTP (E-LTP, <2 h) was significantly enhanced by EE. Effects were transient: E-LTP returned to control levels 1 week after cessation of EE. Six weeks later, animals were re-exposed to EE for 14 days. Under these conditions, E-LTP was facilitated into L-LTP (>24 h), suggesting that metaplasticity was induced during the first EE experience and that EE-mediated modifications are cumulative. Effects were absent in mice that underwent solitary enrichment or were group-housed without EE. These data suggest that EE in naïve animals strengthens E-LTP, and also promotes L-LTP in animals that underwent EE in the past. This indicates that brief exposure to EE, particularly under social conditions can elicit lasting positive effects on synaptic strength that may have beneficial consequences for cognition that depends on synaptic plasticity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Arne Buschler
- Department of Neurophysiology, Faculty of Medicine, Ruhr University Bochum Bochum, Germany ; International Graduate School for Neuroscience, Ruhr University Bochum Bochum, Germany
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Abstract
Our elderly population is growing and declines in cognitive abilities, such as memory, can be costly, because it can interfere with a person's ability to live independently. The NMDA receptor is very important for many different forms of memory and this receptor is negatively affected by aging. This review examines the progress that has been made recently in characterizing selective vulnerabilities of different subunits and splice variants of the NMDA receptor to normal aging in C57BL/6 mice. Evidence is also presented for changes in the relationships of NMDA receptors to plasticity across aging. Recent interventions show that enhancing NMDA receptors in aged individuals is associated with improvements in memory, but mouse models of neurodegenerative diseases suggest that finding the right balance between too little and too much NMDA receptor activity will be the key to enhancing memory without inducing pathology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kathy R Magnusson
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, Healthy Aging Program, Linus Pauling Institute, Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR 97331, USA ■ Tel.: +1 541 737 6923 ■ ■
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Pang TYC, Hannan AJ. Enhancement of cognitive function in models of brain disease through environmental enrichment and physical activity. Neuropharmacology 2012; 64:515-28. [PMID: 22766390 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuropharm.2012.06.029] [Citation(s) in RCA: 124] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/19/2012] [Revised: 06/06/2012] [Accepted: 06/15/2012] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
This review will provide an overview of the non-drug based approaches that have been demonstrated to enhance cognitive function of the compromised brain, primarily focussed on the two most widely adopted paradigms of environmental enrichment and enhanced physical exercise. Environmental enrichment involves the generation of novelty and complexity in animal housing conditions which facilitates enhanced sensory and cognitive stimulation as well as physical activity. In a wide variety of animal models of brain disorders, environmental enrichment and exercise have been found to have beneficial effects, including cognitive enhancement, delayed disease onset, enhanced cellular plasticity and associated molecular processes. Potential cellular and molecular mechanisms will also be discussed, which have relevance for the future development of 'enviromimetics', drugs which could mimic or enhance the beneficial effects of environmental stimulation. This article is part of a Special Issue entitled 'Cognitive Enhancers'.
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Affiliation(s)
- Terence Y C Pang
- Florey Neuroscience Institutes, Melbourne Brain Centre, University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC 3010, Australia.
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