title: Aging somatosensory cortex displays increased density of WFA-binding perineuronal nets associated with GAD-negative neurons.
abstract: The mechanisms of aging in the brain and the subsequent decrease in cognitive abilities remain elusive. While most studies refer to research conducted in old and senile animals, little is known about the early symptoms of normal, healthy aging. In this study, we examined whether perineuronal nets (PNNs), a special form of extracellular matrix (ECM) tightly associated with neurons that is thought to be involved in limiting neuronal plasticity, undergo changes in density during early aging. Using histochemistry and immunohistochemistry, we found that in middle-aged mice (1-year-old), the density of WFA-binding PNNs in the somatosensory cortex as well as in the visual cortex was increased in comparison to that in young adults (3-month-old). Moreover, in the somatosensory cortex, this increase was not associated with any of the GABAergic neuron types that were examined. We propose that early age-related changes in neuronal plasticity may be associated with this increase and can be conceptualized as the spreading of structural brakes for synaptic rearrangements.
authors.affiliation: Nencki Institute of Experimental Biology, 3 Pasteur Street, 02-093 Warsaw, Poland.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Karetko-Sysa
authors.affiliation: Nencki Institute of Experimental Biology, 3 Pasteur Street, 02-093 Warsaw, Poland.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Skangiel-Kramska
authors.affiliation: Nencki Institute of Experimental Biology, 3 Pasteur Street, 02-093 Warsaw, Poland. Electronic address: d.nowicka@nencki.gov.pl.
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Nowicka
mesh_terms: D000375:Aging / Q000378:metabolism*; D000818:Animals; D064032:Calbindin 2 / Q000378:metabolism; D064026:Calbindins / Q000378:metabolism; D005109:Extracellular Matrix / Q000378:metabolism*; D005260:Female; D005968:Glutamate Decarboxylase / Q000378:metabolism; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D009474:Neurons / Q000378:metabolism*; D010320:Parvalbumins / Q000378:metabolism; D013003:Somatosensory Cortex / Q000378:metabolism*; D014793:Visual Cortex / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: C576511:Calb2 protein, mouse; D064032:Calbindin 2; D064026:Calbindins; D010320:Parvalbumins; D005968:Glutamate Decarboxylase
keywords: CAT-315; WFA; aging; parvalbumin; perineuronal nets; somatosensory cortex