title: Transthyretin influences spatial reference memory.
abstract: Transthyretin (TTR) is a plasma and cerebrospinal fluid carrier for thyroxine and retinol, described also to sequester the amyloid beta peptide. TTR levels have been described as decreased in the cerebrospinal fluid of patients with Alzheimer's disease. In order to investigate the role of TTR in learning and memory, we studied young adult and old TTR-null 129/Sv mice for cognitive performance. In the absence of TTR, 5-month-old mice display spatial reference memory impairment when compared to age-matched wild-type mice. Interestingly, while aging in wild-type mice is associated with a worsening reference memory performance, TTR-null mice show no further impairment with increasing age. As a result, no significant differences were found in this spatial reference task in old mice. Our data show that the absence of TTR seems to accelerate the poorer cognitive performance normally associated with aging.
authors: Life and Health Sciences Research Institute (ICVS), School of Health Sciences, University of Minho, Campus de Gualtar, 4710-057 Braga, Portugal.
authors: João Carlos
authors: JC
authors: Sousa
authors: Fernanda
authors: F
authors: Marques
authors: Eduardo
authors: E
authors: Dias-Ferreira
authors: João José
authors: JJ
authors: Cerqueira
authors: Nuno
authors: N
authors: Sousa
authors: Joana Almeida
authors: JA
authors: Palha
mesh_terms: D000367:Age Factors; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D000818:Animals; D003071:Cognition / Q000502:physiology; D008297:Male; D018782:Maze Learning / Q000502:physiology*; D008568:Memory / Q000502:physiology*; D051379:Mice; D018345:Mice, Knockout; D011228:Prealbumin / Q000032:analysis / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*; D011930:Reaction Time / Q000502:physiology*; D013028:Space Perception / Q000502:physiology; D013037:Spatial Behavior / Q000502:physiology*
chemical_list: D011228:Prealbumin