title: The age-related attenuation in long-term potentiation is associated with microglial activation.
abstract: It is well established that inflammatory changes contribute to brain ageing, and an increased concentration of proinflammatory cytokine, interleukin-1beta (IL-1beta), has been reported in the aged brain associated with a deficit in long-term potentiation (LTP) in rat hippocampus. The precise age at which changes are initiated is unclear. In this study, we investigate parallel changes in markers of inflammation and LTP in 3-, 9- and 15-month-old rats. We report evidence of increased hippocampal concentrations of the proinflammatory cytokines IL-1alpha, IL-18 and interferon-gamma (IFNgamma), which are accompanied by deficits in LTP in the older rats. We also show an increase in expression of markers of microglial activation, CD86, CD40 and intercellular adhesion molecules (ICAM). Associated with these changes, we observed a significant impairment of hippocampal LTP in the same rats. The importance of microglial activation in the attenuation of long-term potentiation (LTP) was demonstrated using an inhibitor of microglial activation, minocycline; partial restoration of LTP in 15-month-old rats was observed following administration of minocycline. We propose that signs of neuroinflammation are observed in middle age and that these changes, which are characterized by microglial activation, may be triggered by IL-18.
authors.affiliation: Trinity College Institute for Neuroscience and Physiology Department, Trinity College, Dublin, Ireland.
authors.forename: Rebecca
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Griffin
authors.forename: Rachel
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Nally
authors.forename: Yvonne
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Nolan
authors.forename: Yvonne
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: McCartney
authors.forename: James
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Linden
authors.forename: Marina A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Lynch
mesh_terms: D000375:Aging / Q000502:physiology*; D000818:Animals; D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents / Q000494:pharmacology; D051940:B7-2 Antigen / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000378:metabolism; D019013:CD40 Antigens / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism; D016207:Cytokines / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism; D018891:Dentate Gyrus / Q000378:metabolism / Q000503:physiopathology; D004660:Encephalitis / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism / Q000503:physiopathology*; D005911:Gliosis / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism / Q000503:physiopathology*; D006624:Hippocampus / Q000378:metabolism / Q000503:physiopathology*; D018799:Intercellular Adhesion Molecule-1 / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism; D007371:Interferon-gamma / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism; D020382:Interleukin-18 / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism; D053582:Interleukin-1alpha / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism; D017774:Long-Term Potentiation / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D008297:Male; D008569:Memory Disorders / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism / Q000503:physiopathology; D017628:Microglia / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism*; D008911:Minocycline / Q000494:pharmacology; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar
chemical_list: D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents; D051940:B7-2 Antigen; D015415:Biomarkers; D019013:CD40 Antigens; D016207:Cytokines; D020382:Interleukin-18; D053582:Interleukin-1alpha; D018799:Intercellular Adhesion Molecule-1; D007371:Interferon-gamma; D008911:Minocycline