Extensive enriched environments protect old rats from the aging dependent impairment of spatial cognition, synaptic plasticity and nitric oxide production.
In aged rodents, neuronal plasticity decreases while spatial learning and working memory (WM) deficits increase. As it is well known, rats reared in enriched environments (EE) show better cognitive performances and an increased neuronal plasticity than rats reared in standard environments (SE). We hypothesized that EE could preserve the aged animals from cognitive impairment through NO dependent mechanisms of neuronal plasticity. WM performance and plasticity were measured in 27-month-old rats from EE and SE. EE animals showed a better spatial WM performance (66% increase) than SE ones. Cytosolic NOS activity was 128 and 155% higher in EE male and female rats, respectively. Mitochondrial NOS activity and expression were also significantly higher in EE male and female rats. Mitochondrial NOS protein expression was higher in brain submitochondrial membranes from EE reared rats. Complex I activity was 70-80% increased in EE as compared to SE rats. A significant increase in the area of NADPH-d reactive neurons was observed in the parietotemporal cortex and CA1 hippocampal region of EE animals.
Lores-Arnaiz
S
S
Laboratory of Free Radical Biology, School of Pharmacy and Biochemistry, University of Buenos Aires, Junín 956, C1113AAD Buenos Aires, Argentina. slarnairz@ffyb.uba.ar
Bustamante
J
J
Arismendi
M
M
Vilas
S
S
Paglia
N
N
Basso
N
N
Capani
F
F
Coirini
H
H
Costa
J J López
JJ
Arnaiz
M R Lores
MR
D000375:Aging; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D000818:Animals; D015153:Blotting, Western / Q000379:methods; D001921:Brain / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism; D002452:Cell Count / Q000379:methods; D003072:Cognition Disorders / Q000517:prevention & control*; D003952:Diagnostic Imaging; D004777:Environment; D005260:Female; D007150:Immunohistochemistry / Q000379:methods; D008163:Luminescent Measurements / Q000379:methods; D008297:Male; D018782:Maze Learning / Q000502:physiology; D008570:Memory, Short-Term / Q000502:physiology; D008928:Mitochondria / Q000378:metabolism; D009249:NADP / Q000378:metabolism; D009473:Neuronal Plasticity / Q000502:physiology*; D009569:Nitric Oxide / Q000378:metabolism*; D052248:Nitric Oxide Synthase Type I / Q000378:metabolism; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D013037:Spatial Behavior / Q000502:physiology*; D013997:Time Factors
D009569:Nitric Oxide; D009249:NADP; D052248:Nitric Oxide Synthase Type I