title: Downregulation of caveolin-1 contributes to the synaptic plasticity deficit in the hippocampus of aged rats.
abstract: Caveolin-1 is involved in the regulation of synaptic plasticity, but the relationship between its pression and cognitive function during aging remains controversial. To explore the relationship be-tween synaptic plasticity in the aging process and changes in learning and memory, we examined caveolin-1 expression in the hippocampus, cortex and cerebellum of rats at different ages. We also examined the relationship between the expression of caveolin-1 and synaptophysin, a marker of synaptic plasticity. Hippocampal caveolin-1 and synaptophysin expression in aged (22-24 month old) rats was significantly lower than that in young (1 month old) and adult (4 months old) rats. pression levels of both proteins were significantly greater in the cortex of aged rats than in that of young or adult rats, and levels were similar between the three age groups in the cerebellum. Linear regression analysis revealed that hippocampal expression of synaptophysin was associated with memory and learning abilities. Moreover, synaptophysin expression correlated positively with caveolin-1 expression in the hippocampus, cortex and cerebellum. These results confirm that caveolin-1 has a regulatory effect on synaptic plasticity, and suggest that the downregulation of hippocampal caveolin-1 expression causes a decrease in synaptic plasticity during physiological aging.
authors.affiliation: Regenerative Medicine Center, the First Affiliated Hospital, Dalian Medical University, Dalian 116021, Liaoning Province, China.
authors.forename: Yang
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, the First Affiliated Hospital, Dalian Medical University, Dalian 116021, Liaoning Province, China.
authors.forename: Zhanhua
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Liang
authors.affiliation: Regenerative Medicine Center, the First Affiliated Hospital, Dalian Medical University, Dalian 116021, Liaoning Province, China.
authors.forename: Jing
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.affiliation: Department of Biology, Liaoning Normal University, Dalian 116023, Liaoning Province, China.
authors.forename: Wei
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Zou
authors.affiliation: Regenerative Medicine Center, the First Affiliated Hospital, Dalian Medical University, Dalian 116021, Liaoning Province, China.
authors.forename: Xiaoyan
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, the First Affiliated Hospital, Dalian Medical University, Dalian 116021, Liaoning Province, China.
authors.forename: Yachen
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: School of Life Science and Biotechnology, Dalian University of Technology, Dalian 116024, Liaoning Province, China.
authors.forename: Lijia
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: An
keywords: aging; caveolin-1; cognitive function; grants-supported paper; hippocampus; neural regeneration; neuroregeneration; synap-tophysin; synaptic plasticity