Impaired Contextual Memory Research Articles

Abstract # 3170 The TLR2/4 antagonist (+)-naltrexone blocks contextual long-term memory deficits in experimental autoimmune encephalitis and associated neuroinflammation in hippocampus

Approximately half of individuals suffering from multiple sclerosis (MS) express cognitive deficits in the form of memory impairments. Previously we have shown that administration of toll-like 2/4 (TLR2/4) antagonists such as (+)-naltrexone [(+)-NTX] block neuropathic pain and associated spinal inflammation in rats. In this study, we examined the effects of (+)-NTX on memory impairments and associated brain inflammation in a rat model of MS, experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE). Male Dark Agouti rats were induced with EAE and 14 days later received subcutaneous (+)-NTX or saline for 14 days. Contextual- and auditory-fear conditioning were then conducted to assess memory impairments one week after beginning (+)-NTX administration. We found that EAE induced impairments in long-term contextual fear memory but not short-term contextual- or auditory-related fear memory. This effect was associated with increased interleukin-1 β (IL-1 β ) mRNA expression in the hippocampus but not the amygdala. Importantly, (+)-NTX blocked EAE-induced impairments in long-term contextual fear memory and the associated increased hippocampal IL-1 β expression. Moreover, (+)-NTX blocked hippocampal expression of TLR2, TLR4, NLRP3, and IL-17 mRNA, suggesting blockade of the TLR2/4, NLRP3 inflammasome and Th17 cell signaling as additional mechanisms by which (+)-NTX exerts its therapeutic effects. These findings support the role of TLR2/4 antagonists as potential treatments for MS-related cognitive deficits and encourage future research on TLR2/4 antagonists as treatments for various symptoms associated with inflammatory-related diseases, including MS.

Accumulation of Silver Nanoparticles in Mice Brain Parts and the Harmful Effects

The influence of the daily prolonged administration of silver nanoparticles on cognitive functions of model mammals was studied. The accumulation of silver in whole brain, hippocampus, cerebellum, cortex and residual part of mice brain was investigated by highly precise and representative Neutron Activation Analysis and the histological studies were conducted in the present research. Some of the main results of the comprehensive study are the description of the biokinetics of silver in the hippocampus, cerebellum and cortex, the finding of the jump increase of silver in the hippocampus and cerebellum after the period of administration of 120 days. Accumulation of silver in the mice brain and hippocampus itself as well as the integrity violation of the CA2 subregion caused long-term contextual memory impairment at 180 days of silver nanoparticle exposure. However, destruction of CA2 had started 60 days before the visible changes in behavior appeared. Complex of the three types of the approach let us find the cognitive impairment and understand the reasons of it.

Abolishment of fear memory-disruptive effects REM sleep deprivation by harmane

Harmane, as a neuromodulator, implicates in the learning and memory processes. However, rapid eye movement (REM) sleep deprivation negatively affects these processes. Here, we investigated the effects of harmane (2.5 mg/kg) on the regulation of fear memory in free moving groups (FMG), large platform groups (LPG) and REM-deprived mice. We employed a flower pot technique for REM sleep deprivation and a Pavlovian fear conditioning paradigm for assessment of fear memories. FMGs received two or three pre-training intraperitoneal administrations of harmane at 12 h intervals, impaired contextual memory retention but those received three harmane administrations showed an auditory memory disruption. LPGs, with or without harmane, did not alter fear memories compared to their respective FMGs, indicating the inability of stress on fear responses of FMGs. Moreover, 12, 24 and 36 h REM sleep deprivation impaired contextual memory retrieval, while 24 and 36 h REM sleep deprivation impaired auditory fear memory retention. Furthermore, harmane only abolished contextual and auditory fear memory deficits induced by 24 h REM sleep deprivation. The data suggests a modulatory role for harmane in REM sleep deprivation response on fear memory.

A single seizure selectively impairs hippocampal-dependent memory and is associated with alterations in PI3K/Akt/mTOR and FMRP signaling.

SummaryObjectiveA single brief seizure before learning leads to spatial and contextual memory impairment in rodents without chronic epilepsy. These results suggest that memory can be impacted by seizure activity in the absence of epilepsy pathology. In this study, we investigated the types of memory affected by a seizure and the time course of impairment. We also examined alterations to mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) and fragile X mental retardation protein (FMRP) signaling, which modulate elements of the synapse and may underlie impairment.MethodsWe induced a single seizure and investigated hippocampal and nonhippocampal memory using trace fear conditioning, novel object recognition (NOR), and accelerating rotarod to determine the specificity of impairment in mice. We used western blot analysis to examine for changes to cellular signaling and synaptic proteins 1 h, 24 h, and 1 week after a seizure. We also included a histologic examination to determine if cell loss or gross lesions might alternatively explain memory deficits.ResultsBehavioral results indicated that a seizure before learning leads to impairment of trace fear memory that worsens over time. In contrast, nonhippocampal memory was unaffected by a seizure in the NOR and rotarod tasks. Western analysis indicated increased hippocampal phospho‐S6 and total FMRP 1 h following a seizure. Tissue taken 24 h after a seizure indicated increased hippocampal GluA1, suggesting increased α‐amino‐3‐hydroxy‐5‐methyl‐4‐isoxazolepropionic acid (AMPA) receptor expression. Histologic analysis indicated that neither cell loss nor lesions are present after a single seizure.SignificanceThe presence of memory impairment in the absence of damage suggests that memory impairment caused by seizure activity differs from general memory impairment in epilepsy. Instead, memory impairment after a single seizure is associated with alterations to mTOR and FMRP signaling, which leads to a disruption of synaptic proteins involved in consolidation of long‐term memory. These results have implications for understanding memory impairment in epilepsy.

Functional Consequences of Synapse Remodeling Following Astrocyte-Specific Regulation of Ephrin-B1 in the Adult Hippocampus.

Astrocyte-derived factors can control synapse formation and functions, making astrocytes an attractive target for regulating neuronal circuits and associated behaviors. Abnormal astrocyte-neuronal interactions are also implicated in neurodevelopmental disorders and neurodegenerative diseases associated with impaired learning and memory. However, little is known about astrocyte-mediated mechanisms that regulate learning and memory. Here, we propose astrocytic ephrin-B1 as a regulator of synaptogenesis in adult hippocampus and mouse learning behaviors. We found that astrocyte-specific ablation of ephrin-B1 in male mice triggers an increase in the density of immature dendritic spines and excitatory synaptic sites in the adult CA1 hippocampus. However, the prevalence of immature dendritic spines is associated with decreased evoked postsynaptic firing responses in CA1 pyramidal neurons, suggesting impaired maturation of these newly formed and potentially silent synapses or increased excitatory drive on the inhibitory neurons resulting in the overall decreased postsynaptic firing. Nevertheless, astrocyte-specific ephrin-B1 knock-out male mice exhibit normal acquisition of fear memory but enhanced contextual fear memory recall. In contrast, overexpression of astrocytic ephrin-B1 in the adult CA1 hippocampus leads to the loss of dendritic spines, reduced excitatory input, and impaired contextual memory retention. Our results suggest that astrocytic ephrin-B1 may compete with neuronal ephrin-B1 and mediate excitatory synapse elimination through its interactions with neuronal EphB receptors. Indeed, a deletion of neuronal EphB receptors impairs the ability of astrocytes expressing functional ephrin-B1 to engulf synaptosomes in vitro Our findings demonstrate that astrocytic ephrin-B1 regulates long-term contextual memory by restricting new synapse formation in the adult hippocampus.SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT These studies address a gap in our knowledge of astrocyte-mediated regulation of learning and memory by unveiling a new role for ephrin-B1 in astrocytes and elucidating new mechanisms by which astrocytes regulate learning. Our studies explore the mechanisms underlying astrocyte regulation of hippocampal circuit remodeling during learning using new genetic tools that target ephrin-B signaling in astrocytes in vivo On a subcellular level, astrocytic ephrin-B1 may compete with neuronal ephrin-B1 and trigger astrocyte-mediated elimination of EphB receptor-containing synapses. Given the role EphB receptors play in neurodevelopmental disorders and neurodegenerative diseases, these findings establish a foundation for future studies of astrocyte-mediated synaptogenesis in clinically relevant conditions that can help to guide the development of clinical applications for a variety of neurological disorders.

High-fat diet and aging interact to produce neuroinflammation and impair hippocampal- and amygdalar-dependent memory

More Americans are consuming diets higher in saturated fats and refined sugars than ever before, and based on increasing obesity rates, this is a growing trend among older adults as well. While high saturated fat diet (HFD) consumption has been shown to sensitize the inflammatory response to a subsequent immune challenge in young adult rats, the inflammatory effect of HFD in the already-vulnerable aging brain has not yet been assessed. Here, we explored whether short-term (3 days) consumption of HFD would serve as a neuroinflammatory trigger in aging animals, leading to cognitive deficits. HFD impaired long-term contextual (hippocampal dependent) and auditory-cued fear (amygdalar dependent) memory in aged, but not young adult rats. Short-term memory performance for both tasks was intact, suggesting that HFD impairs memory consolidation processes. Microglial markers of activation Iba1 and cd11b were only increased in the aged rats, while MHCII was further amplified by HFD. Furthermore, these HFD-induced long-term memory impairments were accompanied by IL-1β protein increases in both the hippocampus and amygdala in aged rats. Central administration of IL-1RA in aged rats following conditioning mitigated both contextual and auditory-cued fear memory impairments caused by HFD, strongly suggesting that IL-1β plays a critical role in these effects. Voluntary wheel running, known to have anti-inflammatory effects in the hippocampus, rescued hippocampal-dependent but not amygdalar-dependent memory impairments caused by HFD. Together, these data suggest that short-term consumption of HFD can lead to memory deficits and significant brain inflammation in the aged animal, and strongly suggest that appropriate diet is crucial for cognitive health.

0257 EFFECTS OF ACUTE SLEEP DEPRIVATION IN RATS: SEXUALLY DIMORPHIC INCREASE IN HIPPOCAMPAL KYNURENIC ACID AND IMPAIRED CONTEXTUAL MEMORY

While restful periods at night have been associated with memory consolidation, prolonged periods of poor sleep quality result in neurocognitive dysfunction. Our current experiments were designed to test the hypothesis that kynurenic acid (KYNA), an astrocyte-derived metabolite of the kynurenine pathway (KP) of tryptophan degradation, is elevated in the brain after sleep disturbances. KYNA is an antagonist of α7 nicotinic acetylcholine (α7nACh) and NMDA receptors, and elevations in KYNA negatively impact learning and memory. We investigated the effect of sleep deprivation (SD) on KP metabolism in both male and female adult Wistar rats. Animals were sleep deprived by gentle handling for 6 h from Zeitgeber time (ZT) 0 to ZT6, where ZT 0 is the start of the light-phase. KP metabolites were analyzed in the brain and plasma immediately after SD. In separate adult animals, we tested contextual memory using the passive avoidance paradigm (PAP). Animals were sleep deprived from ZT0 to ZT6 and underwent PAP training at ZT3. Twenty-four hours after training, animals were tested in the retention trial. In the hippocampus, a region that mediates learning and memory, KYNA levels were 1.4-fold elevated in male rats after SD, but not changed after SD in female rats. In the serum, no significant changes in KYNA or its bioprecursor kynurenine were observed in either sex. In male rats, SD induced significant PAP deficits, evidenced as decreased avoidance latency during the retention trial. Conversely, in female animals, the avoidance latency was not significantly reduced after SD. To test our hypothesis that KYNA elevations mediate memory impairments after SD, we have used a KYNA synthesis inhibitor, BFF-816, that targets the enzyme kynurenine aminotransferase (KAT) II and prevents de novo KYNA production. In male rats, BFF-816 treatment (30 mg/kg, p.o. at ZT0 and Z3) attenuated SD-induced contextual memory impairments. Collectively, our results demonstrate a striking sexual dimorphism in the elevation of hippocampal KYNA and contextual memory retention after an acute period of SD. Additionally, we introduce KAT II inhibition as an efficacious strategy to combat cognitive disruption after SD. NIH K12 HD43489.

Adaptive and Behavioral Changes in Kynurenine 3-Monooxygenase Knockout Mice: Relevance to Psychotic Disorders

BackgroundKynurenine 3-monooxygenase converts kynurenine to 3-hydroxykynurenine, and its inhibition shunts the kynurenine pathway—which is implicated as dysfunctional in various psychiatric disorders—toward enhanced synthesis of kynurenic acid, an antagonist of both α7 nicotinic acetylcholine and N-methyl-D-aspartate receptors. Possibly as a result of reduced kynurenine 3-monooxygenase activity, elevated central nervous system levels of kynurenic acid have been found in patients with psychotic disorders, including schizophrenia. MethodsIn the present study, we investigated adaptive—and possibly regulatory—changes in mice with a targeted deletion of Kmo (Kmo–/–) and characterized the kynurenine 3-monooxygenase–deficient mice using six behavioral assays relevant for the study of schizophrenia. ResultsGenome-wide differential gene expression analyses in the cerebral cortex and cerebellum of these mice identified a network of schizophrenia- and psychosis-related genes, with more pronounced alterations in cerebellar tissue. Kynurenic acid levels were also increased in these brain regions in Kmo–/– mice, with significantly higher levels in the cerebellum than in the cerebrum. Kmo–/– mice exhibited impairments in contextual memory and spent less time than did controls interacting with an unfamiliar mouse in a social interaction paradigm. The mutant animals displayed increased anxiety-like behavior in the elevated plus maze and in a light/dark box. After a D-amphetamine challenge (5 mg/kg, intraperitoneal), Kmo–/– mice showed potentiated horizontal activity in the open field paradigm. ConclusionsTaken together, these results demonstrate that the elimination of Kmo in mice is associated with multiple gene and functional alterations that appear to duplicate aspects of the psychopathology of several neuropsychiatric disorders.

AP2γ controls adult hippocampal neurogenesis and modulates cognitive, but not anxiety or depressive-like behavior.

Hippocampal neurogenesis has been proposed to participate in a myriad of behavioral responses, both in basal states and in the context of neuropsychiatric disorders. Here, we identify activating protein 2γ (AP2γ, also known as Tcfap2c), originally described to regulate the generation of neurons in the developing cortex, as a modulator of adult hippocampal glutamatergic neurogenesis in mice. Specifically, AP2γ is present in a sub-population of hippocampal transient amplifying progenitors. There, it is found to act as a positive regulator of the cell fate determinants Tbr2 and NeuroD, promoting proliferation and differentiation of new glutamatergic granular neurons. Conditional ablation of AP2γ in the adult brain significantly reduced hippocampal neurogenesis and disrupted neural coherence between the ventral hippocampus and the medial prefrontal cortex. Furthermore, it resulted in the precipitation of multimodal cognitive deficits. This indicates that the sub-population of AP2γ-positive hippocampal progenitors may constitute an important cellular substrate for hippocampal-dependent cognitive functions. Concurrently, AP2γ deletion produced significant impairments in contextual memory and reversal learning. More so, in a water maze reference memory task a delay in the transition to cognitive strategies relying on hippocampal function integrity was observed. Interestingly, anxiety- and depressive-like behaviors were not significantly affected. Altogether, findings open new perspectives in understanding the role of specific sub-populations of newborn neurons in the (patho)physiology of neuropsychiatric disorders affecting hippocampal neuroplasticity and cognitive function in the adult brain.

Endocannabinoid Mediates Excitatory Synaptic Function of β-Neurexins. Commentary: β-Neurexins Control Neural Circuits by Regulating Synaptic Endocannabinoid Signaling.

Synaptic cell-adhesion molecules and their interactions with other molecular pathways affect both synapse formation and its function (Varoqueaux et al., 2006; Sudhof, 2008; Bemben et al., 2015a). Neurexins are presynaptic cell-adhesion molecules that interact with neuroligins and other postsynaptic partners. Neurexins are encoded by three genes, each of which encodes a long and short isoform, termed α- and β-neurexins, respectively (Sudhof, 2008). Interestingly, despite studies linking neurexins to autism and other neuropsychiatric disorders (Leone et al., 2010; Rabaneda et al., 2014), the precise cellular mechanisms underlying the role of neurexins in cognition remain poorly understood. Since most biochemical studies of neurexins have focused on β-neurexins, investigating the synaptic actions of β-neurexins is particularly imperative. In their timely Cell article, Anderson et al. reported that β-neurexins selectively modulate synaptic strength at excitatory synapses by regulating postsynaptic endocannabinoid synthesis, describing an unexpected trans-synaptic mechanism for β-neurexins to control neural circuits via endocannabinoid signaling (Anderson et al., 2015; Summarized in Figure ​Figure1A1A). Open in a separate window Figure 1 Transsynaptic regulation of endocannabinoid signaling by β-neurexins and its implications in synaptic plasticity and diseases. (A) Regulation of excitatory synaptic strength by β-neurexins via endocannabinoid system. Anderson et al. demonstrated that presynaptic β-neurexins regulate endocannabinoid signaling by controlling postsynaptic endocannabinoid 2-AG synthesis. When β –neurexins are removed, 2-AG synthesis is disinhibited, presynaptic CB1Rs are activated, and synaptic strength is decreased (Anderson et al., 2015). In addition, the AC-PKA dependent LTP in burst-firing neurons is blocked, which may account for the impaired contextual memory in hippocampal CA1 β-neurexin knockout mice. β-neurexins act as a brake on endocannabinoid signaling possibly via transsynaptic interaction with postsynaptic neuroligin isoforms that exclusively bind to β-neurexins, but not a-neurexins (Anderson et al., 2015). β-neurexins might downregulate tonic endocannabinoid signaling through mGluR1/5 or M1/M3 receptors since activation of those GPCRs is known to trigger 2-AG production via PLC pathway (Varma et al., 2001; Chevaleyre et al., 2006; Heifets and Castillo, 2009; Kano et al., 2009; Castillo et al., 2012; Rinaldo and Hansel, 2013; Martin et al., 2015). This regulation might also involve VGCCs, NMDARs, or AMPARs as Ca2+ influx through these channels could facilitate PLC-DAGL mediated 2-AG production (Ohno-Shosaku et al., 2005; Castillo et al., 2012). The exact postsynaptic partners of β-neurexins in this process await to be identified. (B) The regulation of endocannabinoid signaling by β-neurexins supports neurexins/neuroligins-endocannabinoid signaling as a common pathomechanism in cognitive disorders (Krueger and Brose, 2013; Anderson et al., 2015). Abnormalities in this signaling pathway could disrupt synapses and neural circuits, and contribute to neurological and psychiatric diseases (Chubykin et al., 2005; Tabuchi et al., 2007; Katona and Freund, 2008; Sudhof, 2008; Gogolla et al., 2009; Bot et al., 2011; Etherton et al., 2011; Foldy et al., 2013; Singh and Eroglu, 2013; Rothwell et al., 2014; Sindi et al., 2014; Aoto et al., 2015; Bedse et al., 2015; Born et al., 2015; Di Marzo et al., 2015; Parsons and Hurd, 2015; Wang and Doering, 2015; Wang et al., 2015; Bemben et al., 2015b; Chanda et al., 2016). Abbreviations: 2-AG, 2-arachidonoyl-sn-glycerol; AC, adenylyl cyclase; AMPAR, a-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methyl-4-isoxazolepropionic acid receptor; CB1R, cannabinoid receptor 1; DAG, diacylglycerol; DAGL, diacylglycerol lipase; LTP, long-term potentiation; M1/3R, muscarinic acetylcholine receptor 1/3; mGluR, metabotropic glutamate receptor; NMDAR, N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor; PIP2, phosphatidylinositol 4, 5-bisphosphate; PKA, protein kinase A; PLC, phospholipase C; VGCC, voltage-gated Ca2+ channels.

Sevoflurane anesthesia induces neither contextual fear memory impairment nor alterations in local population connectivity of medial prefrontal cortex local field potentials networks in aged rats.

Sevoflurane has been found to increase apoptosis and pathologic markers associated with Alzheimer disease, provoking concern over their potential contribution to postoperative cognitive dysfunction. This study aimed to determine the effects of sevoflurane on contextual fear memory of aged rats and to characterize local population connectivity of local field potentials (LFPs) in medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) of aged rats during contextual fear memory. Eighteen-month-old male SD rats were implanted with one multichannel electrode array in mPFC. The aged rats were divided into control group, sevoflurane group (1 MAC sevoflurane for 2 h) and surgical group with 1.0 MAC sevoflurane for 2 h. We then assessed the effect of the anesthesia on contextual fear memory, and alterations in the local population connectivity of mPFC LFP networks by partial directed coherence (PDC). Surgery impaired contextual fear memory and reduced local population connectivity of mPFC LFP networks in aged rats at day 1 after the surgery and anesthesia. 1 MAC Sevoflurane anesthesia induced neither contextual fear memory impairment nor alterations in local population connectivity of mPFC LFP networks in aged rats when tested 1, 7, 15 and 30 days after exposure (P > 0.05). PDC values of theta band mPFC LFPs became strongly increased during contextual fear memory at 1, 7, 15, and 30 days after anesthesia. Our results suggest that 1 MAC sevoflurane anesthesia does not induce contextual fear memory impairment in aged rats and suggest that the increased local population connectivity in theta bands LFPs of mPFC plays a role in contextual fear memory.

Age-dependent effects of esculetin on mood-related behavior and cognition from stressed mice are associated with restoring brain antioxidant status

Dietary antioxidants might exert an important role in the aging process by relieving oxidative damage, a likely cause of age-associated brain dysfunctions.This study aims to investigate the influence of esculetin (6,7-dihydroxycoumarin), a naturally occurring antioxidant in the diet, on mood-related behaviors and cognitive function and its relation with age and brain oxidative damage. Behavioral tests were employed in 11-, 17- and 22-month-old male C57BL/6J mice upon an oral 35day-esculetin treatment (25mg/kg). Activity of antioxidant enzymes, GSH and GSSG levels, GSH/GSSG ratio, and mitochondrial function were analyzed in brain cortex at the end of treatment in order to assess the oxidative status related to mouse behavior.Esculetin treatment attenuated the increased immobility time and enhanced the diminished climbing time in the forced swim task elicited by acute restraint stress (ARS) in the 11- and 17-month-old mice versus their counterpart controls. Furthermore, ARS caused an impairment of contextual memory in the step-through passive avoidance both in mature adult and aged mice which was partially reversed by esculetin only in the 11-month-old mice. Esculetin was effective to prevent the ARS-induced oxidative stress mostly in mature adult mice by restoring antioxidant enzyme activities, augmenting the GSH/GSSG ratio and increasing cytochrome c oxidase (COX) activity in cortex.Modulation of the mood-related behavior and cognitive function upon esculetin treatment in a mouse model of ARS depends on age and is partly due to the enhancement of redox status and levels of COX activity in cortex.

Dynamically Allocated Hub in Task-Evoked Network Predicts the Vulnerable Prefrontal Locus for Contextual Memory Retrieval in Macaques.

Neuroimaging and neurophysiology have revealed that multiple areas in the prefrontal cortex (PFC) are activated in a specific memory task, but severity of impairment after PFC lesions is largely different depending on which activated area is damaged. The critical relationship between lesion sites and impairments has not yet been given a clear mechanistic explanation. Although recent works proposed that a whole-brain network contains hubs that play integrative roles in cortical information processing, this framework relying on an anatomy-based structural network cannot account for the vulnerable locus for a specific task, lesioning of which would bring impairment. Here, we hypothesized that (i) activated PFC areas dynamically form an ordered network centered at a task-specific “functional hub” and (ii) the lesion-effective site corresponds to the “functional hub,” but not to a task-invariant “structural hub.” To test these hypotheses, we conducted functional magnetic resonance imaging experiments in macaques performing a temporal contextual memory task. We found that the activated areas formed a hierarchical hub-centric network based on task-evoked directed connectivity, differently from the anatomical network reflecting axonal projection patterns. Using a novel simulated-lesion method based on support vector machine, we estimated severity of impairment after lesioning of each area, which accorded well with a known dissociation in contextual memory impairment in macaques (impairment after lesioning in area 9/46d, but not in area 8Ad). The predicted severity of impairment was proportional to the network “hubness” of the virtually lesioned area in the task-evoked directed connectivity network, rather than in the anatomical network known from tracer studies. Our results suggest that PFC areas dynamically and cooperatively shape a functional hub-centric network to reallocate the lesion-effective site depending on the cognitive processes, apart from static anatomical hubs. These findings will be a foundation for precise prediction of behavioral impacts of damage or surgical intervention in human brains.

Reducing hippocampal extracellular matrix reverses early memory deficits in a mouse model of Alzheimer's disease.

Alzheimer’s disease is caused by increased production or reduced clearance of amyloid-β, which results in the formation amyloid-β plaques and triggers a cascade of downstream events leading to progressive neurodegeneration. The earliest clinical symptoms of Alzheimer’s disease, i.e., memory loss, are however poorly understood from a molecular and cellular perspective. Here we used APPswe/PS1dE9 (APP/PS1) transgenic mice to study the early pre-pathological effects of increased amyloid-β levels on hippocampal synaptic plasticity and memory. Using an unbiased proteomics approach we show that the early increase in amyloid-β levels in APP/PS1 mice at three months of age coincides with a robust and significant upregulation of several protein components of the extracellular matrix in hippocampal synaptosome preparations. This increase in extracellular matrix levels occurred well before the onset of plaque formation and was paralleled by impairments in hippocampal long-term potentiation and contextual memory. Direct injection into the hippocampus of the extracellular matrix inactivating enzyme chondroitinase ABC restored both long-term potentiation and contextual memory performance. These findings indicate an important role for the extracellular matrix in causing early memory loss in Alzheimer’s disease.Electronic supplementary materialThe online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s40478-014-0076-z) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

Comprehensive behavioral study of mGluR3 knockout mice: implication in schizophrenia related endophenotypes.

BackgroundWe previously performed systematic association studies of glutamate receptor gene family members with schizophrenia, and found positive associations of polymorphisms in the GRM3 (a gene of metabotropic glutamate receptor 3: mGluR3) with the disorder. Physiological roles of GRM3 in brain functions and its functional roles in the pathogenesis of schizophrenia remain to be resolved.ResultsWe generated mGluR3 knockout (KO) mice and conducted comprehensive behavioral analyses. KO mice showed hyperactivity in the open field, light/dark transition, and 24-hour home cage monitoring tests, impaired reference memory for stressful events in the Porsolt forced swim test, impaired contextual memory in cued and contextual fear conditioning test, and impaired working memory in the T-Maze forced alternation task test. Hyperactivity and impaired working memory are known as endophenotypes of schizophrenia. We examined long-term synaptic plasticity by assessing long-term potentiation (LTP) in the CA1 region in the hippocampi of KO and wild-type (WT) mice. We observed no differences in the amplitude of LTP between the two genotypes, suggesting that mGluR3 is not essential for LTP in the CA1 region of the mouse hippocampus. As hyperactivity is typically associated with increased dopaminergic transmission, we performed in vivo microdialysis measurements of extracellular dopamine in the nucleus accumbens of KO and WT mice. We observed enhancements in the methamphetamine (MAP)-induced release of dopamine in KO mice.ConclusionsThese results demonstrate that a disturbance in the glutamate-dopamine interaction may be involved in the pathophysiology of schizophrenia-like behavior, such as hyperactivity in mGluR3 KO mice.

Reducing hippocampal extracellular matrix reverses early memory deficits in a mouse model of Alzheimer¿s disease

Alzheimer’s disease is caused by increased production or reduced clearance of amyloid-β, which results in the formation amyloid-β plaques and triggers a cascade of downstream events leading to progressive neurodegeneration. The earliest clinical symptoms of Alzheimer’s disease, i.e., memory loss, are however poorly understood from a molecular and cellular perspective. Here we used APPswe/PS1dE9 (APP/PS1) transgenic mice to study the early pre-pathological effects of increased amyloid-β levels on hippocampal synaptic plasticity and memory. Using an unbiased proteomics approach we show that the early increase in amyloid-β levels in APP/PS1 mice at three months of age coincides with a robust and significant upregulation of several protein components of the extracellular matrix in hippocampal synaptosome preparations. This increase in extracellular matrix levels occurred well before the onset of plaque formation and was paralleled by impairments in hippocampal long-term potentiation and contextual memory. Direct injection into the hippocampus of the extracellular matrix inactivating enzyme chondroitinase ABC restored both long-term potentiation and contextual memory performance. These findings indicate an important role for the extracellular matrix in causing early memory loss in Alzheimer’s disease.

Transient disturbances in contextual fear memory induced by Aβ(25–35) in rats are accompanied by cholinergic dysfunction

Damage to the medial septum (MS) or disruption of the septo-hippocampal pathway is often considered as a basis for memory impairments, manifesting in the hippocampus-dependent behavioral paradigms. In the present study, we have examined the effects of intracerebroventricular administration of aggregated amyloid-β (25–35) (Aβ(25–35)) on contextual fear conditioning and the condition of cholinergic neurons in the MS using immunohistochemical detection of choline acetyltransferase (ChAT) and expression of the “cholinergic locus genes” (ChAT and vesicular acetylcholine transporter (VaChT) mRNA). A single injection of Aβ(25–35) induced transient moderate impairments in contextual fear conditioning accompaniedby a decrease in ChAT expression. However, the long-term decline in ChAT and VaChT expression was not associated with stable impairments in contextual fear memory. An Aβ(25–35)-induced progressive decrease in the number of ChAT expressing neurons in the MS was revealed, but no gross neuronal cell loss in the MS could be detected (as judged by the density of NeuN-immunoreactive cells). Thus, Aβ(25–35) induced a loss of the cholinergic phenotype of septal neurons without neuronal cell death in MS. The data give an additional support to the concept of early impairments in the synthesis of proteins related to the cholinergic system as an important mechanism in amyloid-induced neuronal damage.

Repeated retrieval during working memory is sensitive to amnestic mild cognitive impairment

Study of repeated learning mechanisms has been limited in amnestic mild cognitive impairment, a preclinical stage of Alzheimer disease modifiable by cognitive rehabilitation. We assessed repeated contextual working memory decline as an indicator of amnestic mild cognitive impairment in a sample of 45 older adults recruited from the tertiary care setting. Results indicated that contextual working memory impairment distinguished adults with preclinical disease from those without impairment despite similar overall cognitive performance, and comparison of the indicator with standard-of-care neuropsychological measures indicated discriminant validity. Contextual working memory impairment may represent a novel predictor of Alzheimer disease conversion risk.

Chronic mild sleep restriction accentuates contextual memory impairments, and accumulations of cortical Aβ and pTau in a mouse model of Alzheimer's disease

Age-associated dysregulation of sleep can be worsened by Alzheimer′s disease (AD). AD and sleep restriction both impair cognition, yet it is unknown if mild chronic sleep restriction modifies the proteopathic processes involved in AD. The goal of this work was to test the hypothesis that sleep restriction worsens memory impairments, and amyloid β-peptide (Aβ) and pTau accumulations in the brain in a mouse model of AD, with a focus on a role for circulating glucocorticoids (GC). Male 3xTgAD mice were subjected to sleep restriction (SR) for 6h/day for 6 weeks using the modified multiple platform technique, and behavioral (Morris water maze, fear conditioning, open field) and biochemical (immunoblot) outcomes were compared to mice undergoing daily cage transfers (large cage control; LCC) as well as control mice that remained in their home cage (control; CTL). At one week, both LCC and SR mice displayed significant elevations in plasma corticosterone compared to CTL (p<0.002). By four weeks, SR mice displayed a two-fold increase in circulating corticosterone levels compared to CTL. Behavioral data indicated deficits in contextual and cued memory in SR mice that were not present for LCC or CTL (p<0.04). Both Aβ and pTau levels increased in the cortex of SR mice compared to CTL and LCC; however these changes were not noted in the hippocampus. Significant positive correlations between cortical Aβ and pTau levels and circulating corticosterone indicate a potential role for GCs in mediating behavioral and biochemical changes observed after sleep restriction in a mouse model of AD.

The beneficial effects of leptin on REM sleep deprivation-induced cognitive deficits in mice

Leptin, a 167 amino acid peptide, is synthesized predominantly in the adipose tissues and plays a key role in the regulation of food intake and body weight. Recent studies indicate that leptin receptor is expressed with high levels in many brain regions that may regulate synaptic plasticity. Here we show that deprivation of rapid eye movement (REMD) sleep resulted in impairment of both cue and contextual fear memory. In parallel, surface expression of GluR1 was reduced in the amygdala. Intraperitoneal injection of leptin to the REMD mice rescued memory impairment and reversed surface GluR1 reduction. Using whole-cell recording to evaluate the synaptic function of the thalamus-lateral amygdala (LA) pathway, we found a decrease in frequency and amplitude of miniature excitatory postsynaptic currents (mEPSCs) concomitant with reduced AMPA/NMDA ratios in the REMD mice. By contrast, paired-pulse facilitation (PPF) was increased. The effects of REMD on mEPSCs and AMPA/NMDA ratio could be reversed by leptin treatment, whereas on PPR it could not. Phosphatase and tensin homolog (PTEN), a dual protein/lipid phosphatase, down-regulates the effect of the PI-3 kinase pathway. Fear conditioning increased whereas REMD led to a decrease in the phosphorylated states of PTEN, Akt, and glycogen synthase kinase-3β (GSK3β), and the effects of REMD were reversed by leptin. These results suggest that both pre- and postsynaptic functions of the thalamus-LA pathway were altered by fear conditioning and REMD in opposite directions. Leptin treatment reversed REMD-induced memory deficits primarily by a postsynaptic action by restoring surface expression of GluR1 without affecting PPR.