Transient enriched housing before amyloidosis onset sustains cognitive improvement in Tg2576 mice.
Levels of educational and occupational attainment, as components of cognitive reserve, may modify the relationship between the pathological hallmarks and cognition in Alzheimer's disease (AD). We examined whether exposure of a Tg2576 transgenic mouse model of AD to environmental enrichment (EE) at a specific period during the amyloidogenic process favored the establishment of a cognitive reserve. We found that exposure to EE during early adulthood of Tg2576 mice--before amyloidogenesis has started--reduced the severity of AD-related cognitive deficits more efficiently than exposure later in life, when the pathology is already present. Interestingly, early-life exposure to EE, while slightly reducing forebrain surface covered by amyloid plaques, did not significantly impact aberrant inhibitory remodeling in the hippocampus of Tg2576 mice. Thus, transient early-life exposure to EE exerts long-lasting protection against cognitive impairment during AD pathology. In addition, these data define the existence of a specific life time frame during which stimulatory activity most efficiently builds a cognitive reserve, limiting AD progression and favoring successful aging.
Université de Toulouse, UPS, Centre de Recherches sur la Cognition Animale, Toulouse, France. laureverret@gmail.com
Laure
L
Verret
Alice
A
Krezymon
Hélène
H
Halley
Stéphanie
S
Trouche
Meike
M
Zerwas
Marine
M
Lazouret
Jean-Michel
JM
Lassalle
Claire
C
Rampon
D000544:Alzheimer Disease / Q000150:complications* / Q000235:genetics / Q000473:pathology; D016229:Amyloid beta-Peptides / Q000378:metabolism; D016564:Amyloid beta-Protein Precursor / Q000235:genetics; D000686:Amyloidosis / Q000209:etiology* / Q000517:prevention & control*; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D000818:Animals; D064026:Calbindins; D003072:Cognition Disorders / Q000451:nursing*; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D004777:Environment; D005106:Exploratory Behavior / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D018782:Maze Learning / Q000502:physiology; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D008822:Mice, Transgenic; D009154:Mutation / Q000235:genetics; D009478:Neuropeptide Y / Q000378:metabolism; D021641:Recognition, Psychology / Q000502:physiology; D064030:S100 Calcium Binding Protein G / Q000378:metabolism; D013037:Spatial Behavior / Q000502:physiology; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric
D016229:Amyloid beta-Peptides; D016564:Amyloid beta-Protein Precursor; D064026:Calbindins; D009478:Neuropeptide Y; D064030:S100 Calcium Binding Protein G