Mid-life environmental enrichment increases synaptic density in CA1 in a mouse model of Aβ-associated pathology and positively influences synaptic and cognitive health in healthy ageing

Cerebral amyloid angiopathy (CAA) is the deposition of amyloid protein in the cerebral vasculature, a common feature in both aging and Alzheimer’s disease (AD). However, the effects of environmental factors, particularly cognitive stimulation, social stimulation, and physical activity, on CAA pathology are poorly understood. These factors, delivered in the form of the environmental enrichment (EE) paradigm in rodents, have been shown to have beneficial effects on the brain and behavior in healthy aging and AD models. However, the relative importance of these subcomponents on CAA pathology has not been investigated. Therefore, we assessed the effects of EE, social enrichment (SOC), and cognitive enrichment (COG) compared to a control group that was single housed without enrichment (SIN) from 4 to 8 months of age in wild-type mice (WT) and Tg-SwDI mice, a transgenic mouse model of CAA that exhibits cognitive/behavioral deficits. The results show that individual facets of enrichment can affect an animal model of CAA, though the SOC and combined EE conditions are generally the most effective at producing physiological, cognitive/behavioral, and neuropathological changes, adding to a growing literature supporting the benefits of lifestyle interventions.

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Specific profile of ultrasonic communication in a mouse model of neurodevelopmental disorders

Scientific Reports ◽

10.1038/s41598-019-52378-0 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 9 (1) ◽

Cited By ~ 4

Author(s):

Marika Premoli ◽

Sara Anna Bonini ◽

Andrea Mastinu ◽

Giuseppina Maccarinelli ◽

Francesca Aria ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Mouse Model ◽

Social Communication ◽

Neurodevelopmental Disorders ◽

Environmental Enrichment ◽

Maternal Separation ◽

Wild Type ◽

Social Investigation ◽

Behavioural Phenotyping ◽

Ultrasonic Communication ◽

Specific Profile

Abstract Mice emit ultrasonic vocalizations (USVs) in different social conditions: pups maternal separation, juveniles play, adults mating and social investigation. The USVs measurement has become an important instrument for behavioural phenotyping in neurodevelopmental disorders (NDDs). Recently, we have demonstrated that the deletion of the NFκB1 gene, which encodes the p50 NF-κB subunit, causes NDDs phenotype in mice. In this study, we investigated the ultrasonic communication and the effects of an early social enrichment in mice lacking the NF-κB p50 subunit (p50 KO). In particular, USVs of wild-type (WT), p50 KO and KO exposed to early social enrichment (KO enriched) were recorded using an ultrasound sensitive microphone and analysed by Avisoft software. USVs analysis showed that p50 KO pups emit more and longer vocalizations compared to WT pups. On the contrary, in adulthood, p50 KO mice emit less USVs than WT mice. We also found significant qualitative differences in p50 KO mice USVs compared to WT mice; the changes specifically involved two USVs categories. Early social enrichment had no effect on USVs number, duration and type in p50 KO mice. Together, these data revealed social communication alterations in a mouse model of NDDs; these deficits were not recovered by early social enrichment, strengthening the fact that genetic background prevails on environmental enrichment.

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