title: Environmental enrichment in adulthood eliminates neuronal death in experimental Parkinsonism.
abstract: Idiopathic Parkinson's disease (PD) affects 2% of adults over 50 years of age. PD patients demonstrate a progressive loss of dopamine neurons in the substantia nigra pars compacta (SNpc). One model that recapitulates the pathology of PD is the administration of 1-methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine (MPTP). Here we show that exposure to an enriched environment (EE) (a combination of exercise, social interactions and learning) or exercise alone during adulthood, totally protects against MPTP-induced Parkinsonism. Furthermore, changes in mRNA expression would suggest that increases in glia-derived neurotrophic factors, coupled with a decrease of dopamine-related transporters (e.g. dopamine transporter, DAT; vesicular monoamine transporter, VMAT2), contribute to the observed neuroprotection of dopamine neurons in the nigrostriatal system following MPTP exposure. This non-pharmacological approach presents significant implications for the prevention and/or treatment of PD.
authors.affiliation: Department of Developmental Neurobiology, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Mail Stop 323, 332 North Lauderdale, Memphis, TN 38017, USA.
authors.forename: Ciaran J
authors.initials: CJ
authors.lastname: Faherty
authors.forename: Kennie
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Raviie Shepherd
authors.forename: Anna
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Herasimtschuk
authors.forename: Richard J
authors.initials: RJ
authors.lastname: Smeyne
mesh_terms: D015632:1-Methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine / Q000378:metabolism; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D000818:Animals; D019208:Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D002452:Cell Count / Q000379:methods; D016923:Cell Death / Q000502:physiology; D003342:Corpus Striatum / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D004298:Dopamine / Q000378:metabolism; D050483:Dopamine Plasma Membrane Transport Proteins; D004777:Environment; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D051100:Glial Cell Line-Derived Neurotrophic Factor; D007150:Immunohistochemistry / Q000379:methods; D007334:Insulin-Like Growth Factor I / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D020267:MPTP Poisoning / Q000378:metabolism / Q000503:physiopathology; D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D026901:Membrane Transport Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D009410:Nerve Degeneration / Q000503:physiopathology*; D009414:Nerve Growth Factors / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D009474:Neurons / Q000473:pathology*; D020734:Parkinsonian Disorders / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000378:metabolism; D017526:Receptor, IGF Type 1 / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction / Q000379:methods; D014446:Tyrosine 3-Monooxygenase / Q000378:metabolism; D050492:Vesicular Biogenic Amine Transport Proteins; D050493:Vesicular Monoamine Transport Proteins
chemical_list: D019208:Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor; D050483:Dopamine Plasma Membrane Transport Proteins; C495040:Gdnf protein, mouse; D051100:Glial Cell Line-Derived Neurotrophic Factor; D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins; D026901:Membrane Transport Proteins; D009414:Nerve Growth Factors; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins; D012333:RNA, Messenger; C493453:Slc18a2 protein, mouse; C493215:Slc6a3 protein, mouse; D050492:Vesicular Biogenic Amine Transport Proteins; D050493:Vesicular Monoamine Transport Proteins; D007334:Insulin-Like Growth Factor I; D015632:1-Methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine; D014446:Tyrosine 3-Monooxygenase; D017526:Receptor, IGF Type 1; D004298:Dopamine