Transthyretin influences spatial reference memory.
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.
Sousa
João Carlos
JC
Life and Health Sciences Research Institute (ICVS), School of Health Sciences, University of Minho, Campus de Gualtar, 4710-057 Braga, Portugal.
Marques
Fernanda
F
Dias-Ferreira
Eduardo
E
Cerqueira
João José
JJ
Sousa
Nuno
N
Palha
Joana Almeida
JA
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*
D011228:Prealbumin