scholarly journals Neuropsychiatric and Cognitive Deficits in Parkinson’s Disease and Their Modeling in Rodents

Biomedicines ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 9 (6) ◽  
pp. 684
Author(s):  
Mélina Decourt ◽  
Haritz Jiménez-Urbieta ◽  
Marianne Benoit-Marand ◽  
Pierre-Olivier Fernagut
Keyword(s):  
Parkinson’S Disease ◽  
Parkinson's Disease ◽  
Learning And Memory ◽  
Cognitive Deficits ◽  
Cognitive Disorders ◽  
Alpha Synuclein ◽  
Motor Deficits ◽  
Motor Symptoms ◽  
Rodent Models ◽  
Non Motor Symptoms

Parkinson’s disease (PD) is associated with a large burden of non-motor symptoms including olfactory and autonomic dysfunction, as well as neuropsychiatric (depression, anxiety, apathy) and cognitive disorders (executive dysfunctions, memory and learning impairments). Some of these non-motor symptoms may precede the onset of motor symptoms by several years, and they significantly worsen during the course of the disease. The lack of systematic improvement of these non-motor features by dopamine replacement therapy underlines their multifactorial origin, with an involvement of monoaminergic and cholinergic systems, as well as alpha-synuclein pathology in frontal and limbic cortical circuits. Here we describe mood and neuropsychiatric disorders in PD and review their occurrence in rodent models of PD. Altogether, toxin-based rodent models of PD indicate a significant but non-exclusive contribution of mesencephalic dopaminergic loss in anxiety, apathy, and depressive-like behaviors, as well as in learning and memory deficits. Gene-based models display significant deficits in learning and memory, as well as executive functions, highlighting the contribution of alpha-synuclein pathology to these non-motor deficits. Collectively, neuropsychiatric and cognitive deficits are recapitulated to some extent in rodent models, providing partial but nevertheless useful options to understand the pathophysiology of non-motor symptoms and develop therapeutic options for these debilitating symptoms of PD.

scholarly journals The Add-On Effect of Lactobacillus plantarum PS128 in Patients With Parkinson's Disease: A Pilot Study

2021 ◽  
Vol 8 ◽  
Author(s):  
Chin-Song Lu ◽  
Hsiu-Chen Chang ◽  
Yi-Hsin Weng ◽  
Chiung-Chu Chen ◽  
Yi-Shan Kuo ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Parkinson’S Disease ◽  
Parkinson's Disease ◽  
Lactobacillus Plantarum ◽  
Outcome Measures ◽  
Rating Scale ◽  
Controlled Trial ◽  
Secondary Outcome ◽  
Motor Deficits ◽  
Motor Symptoms ◽  
Non Motor Symptoms

Background:Lactobacillus plantarum PS128 (PS128) is a specific probiotic, known as a psychobiotic, which has been demonstrated to alleviate motor deficits and inhibit neurodegenerative processes in Parkinson's disease (PD)-model mice. We hypothesize that it may also be beneficial to patients with PD based on the possible mechanism via the microbiome-gut-brain axis.Methods: This is an open-label, single-arm, baseline-controlled trial. The eligible participants were scheduled to take 60 billion colony-forming units of PS128 once per night for 12 weeks. Clinical assessments were conducted using the Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale (UPDRS), modified Hoehn and Yahr scale, and change in patient “ON-OFF” diary recording as primary outcome measures. The non-motor symptoms questionnaire, Beck depression inventory-II, patient assessment of constipation symptom, 39-item Parkinson's Disease Questionnaire (PDQ-39), and Patient Global Impression of Change (PGI-C) were assessed as secondary outcome measures.Results: Twenty-five eligible patients (32% women) completed the study. The mean age was 61.84 ± 5.74 years (range, 52–72), mean disease duration was 10.12 ± 2.3 years (range, 5–14), and levodopa equivalent daily dosage was 1063.4 ± 209.5 mg/daily (range, 675–1,560). All patients remained on the same dosage of anti-parkinsonian and other drugs throughout the study. After 12 weeks of PS128 supplementation, the UPDRS motor scores improved significantly in both the OFF and ON states (p = 0.004 and p = 0.007, respectively). In addition, PS128 intervention significantly improved the duration of the ON period and OFF period as well as PDQ-39 values. However, no obvious effect of PS128 on non-motor symptoms of patients with PD was observed. Notably, the PGI-C scores improved in 17 patients (68%). PS128 intervention was also found to significantly reduce plasma myeloperoxidase and urine creatinine levels.Conclusion: The present study demonstrated that PS128 supplementation for 12 weeks with constant anti-parkinsonian medication improved the UPDRS motor score and quality of life of PD patients. We suggest that PS128 could serve as a therapeutic adjuvant for the treatment of PD. In the future, placebo-controlled studies are needed to further support the efficacy of PS128 supplementation.Clinical Trial Registration:https://clinicaltrials.gov/, identifier: NCT04389762.

scholarly journals Characterization of Nonmotor Symptoms in the MitoPark Mouse Model of Parkinson’s Disease

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Monica R. Langley ◽  
Shivani Ghaisas ◽  
Bharathi N. Palanisamy ◽  
Muhammet Ay ◽  
Huajun Jin ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Parkinson’S Disease ◽  
Parkinson's Disease ◽  
Antidepressant Treatment ◽  
Forced Swim Test ◽  
Cognitive Learning ◽  
Motor Deficits ◽  
Motor Symptoms ◽  
Nonmotor Symptoms ◽  
Forced Swim ◽  
Non Motor Symptoms

AbstractMitochondrial dysfunction has been implicated as a key player in the pathogenesis of Parkinson’s disease (PD). The MitoPark mouse, a transgenic mitochondrial impairment model developed by specific inactivation of TFAM in dopaminergic neurons, spontaneously exhibits progressive motor deficits and neurodegeneration, recapitulating several features of PD. Since non-motor symptoms are now recognized as important features of the prodromal stage of PD, we monitored the clinically relevant motor and nonmotor symptoms from ages 8-24 wks in MitoPark mice and their littermate controls. As expected, motor deficits in MitoPark mice began around 12-14 wks and became severe by 16-24 wks. Interestingly, male MitoPark mice showed spatial memory deficits before female mice, beginning at 8 wks and becoming most severe at 16 wks, as determined by Morris water maze. When compared to age-matched control mice, MitoPark mice exhibited olfactory deficits in novel and social scent tests as early as 10-12 wks. MitoPark mice between 16-24 wks spent more time immobile in forced swim and tail suspension tests, and made fewer entries into open arms of the elevated plus maze, indicating a depressive and anxiety-like phenotype, respectively. Importantly, depressive behavior as determined by immobility in forced swim test was reversible by antidepressant treatment with desipramine. Collectively, our results indicate that MitoPark mice progressively exhibit deficits in cognitive learning and memory, olfactory discrimination, and anxiety-and depression-like behaviors. Thus, MitoPark mice can serve as an invaluable model for studying motor and non-motor symptoms in addition to studying pathology in PD.

scholarly journals Dynamic changes in the CD163+ and CCR2+ peripheral monocytes during Parkinson’s disease

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sara Konstantin Nissen ◽  
Kristine Farmen ◽  
Mikkel Carstensen ◽  
Claudia Schulte ◽  
David Goldeck ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Parkinson’S Disease ◽  
Parkinson's Disease ◽  
Dendritic Cells ◽  
Alpha Synuclein ◽  
Mononuclear Phagocytes ◽  
Motor Symptoms ◽  
Hla Dr ◽  
Non Motor Symptoms ◽  
The Brain ◽  
Classical Monocytes

AbstractBackgroundAlpha-synuclein aggregates and accumulation are associated with immune activation and neurodegeneration in Parkinson’s disease. The immune activation is not only dependent on the brain-resident microglial cells but also involves peripheral immune cells, such as mononuclear phagocytes including monocytes and dendritic cells, found in the blood as well as infiltrated into the brain. Understanding the involvement of the peripheral immune component in Parkinson’s disease is essential for the development of immunomodulatory treatment, which might modify disease progression. We aimed to study the profile of circulating mononuclear phagocytes in early- and late-stage Parkinson’s disease by analyzing surface-expressed molecules related to phagocytosis, alpha-synuclein sensing, and tissue-migration.MethodsMulti-color flow cytometry on peripheral mononuclear cells from cross-sectional samples of 80 gender-balance individuals with early- and late-stage sporadic Parkinson’s disease, and 29 controls, as well as longitudinal samples from seven patients and one control. Cells were delineated into natural killer cells, monocyte subtypes, and dendritic cells with cell frequencies and surface marker expressions compared between patients and controls, and correlated with standardized clinical motor and non-motor scores.ResultsOverall, we found elevated frequencies and surface levels of markers related to migration (CCR2, CD11b) and phagocytosis (CD163) particularly on the elevated classical and intermediate monocytes in patients with Parkinson’s disease for less than five years. This corresponded to a decrease of non-classical monocytes and dendritic cells. We observed an increased HLA-DR expression late in disease and sexual-dimorphism with TLR-4 expression decreased in women with PD but not in males. The disease-associated immune changes on TLR4, CCR2, and CD11b were correlated with non-motor symptoms such as olfaction or cognition. While many alterations were normalized at late disease stage, other changes remained, such as the increased HLA-DR and CD163 expressions.ConclusionsOur data highlight a role for peripheral CD163+ and migration-competent classical monocytes in Parkinson’s disease. The study further suggests that the peripheral immune system is dynamically altered in Parkinson’s disease stages and directly related to both non-motor symptoms and the sex-bias of the disease.

scholarly journals Transgenic mice expressing human alpha-synuclein in noradrenergic neurons develop locus coeruleus pathology and non-motor features of Parkinson’s disease

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
LM Butkovich ◽  
MC Houser ◽  
T Chalermpalanupap ◽  
KA Porter-Stransky ◽  
AF Iannitelli ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Parkinson’S Disease ◽  
Parkinson's Disease ◽  
Transgenic Mice ◽  
Locus Coeruleus ◽  
Transgenic Mouse ◽  
Alpha Synuclein ◽  
Striatal Dopamine ◽  
Motor Symptoms ◽  
Age Dependent ◽  
Non Motor Symptoms

AbstractDegeneration of locus coeruleus (LC) neurons and dysregulation of noradrenergic signaling are ubiquitous features of Parkinson’s disease (PD). The LC is among the first brain regions affected by α-synuclein (asyn) pathology, yet how asyn affects these neurons remains unclear. LC-derived norepinephrine (NE) can stimulate neuroprotective mechanisms and modulate immune cells, while dysregulation of NE neurotransmission may exacerbate disease progression, particularly non-motor symptoms, and contribute to the chronic neuroinflammation associated with PD pathology. Although transgenic mice overexpressing asyn have previously been developed, transgene expression is usually driven by pan-neuronal promoters and thus has not been selectively targeted to LC neurons. Here we report a novel transgenic mouse expressing human wild-type asyn under control of the noradrenergic-specific dopamine β-hydroxylase promoter. These mice developed oligomeric and conformation-specific asyn in LC neurons, alterations in hippocampal and LC microglial abundance, upregulated GFAP expression, degeneration of LC fibers, decreased striatal dopamine (DA) metabolism, and age-dependent behaviors reminiscent of non-motor symptoms of PD that were rescued by adrenergic receptor antagonists. These mice provide novel insights into how asyn pathology affects LC neurons and how central noradrenergic dysfunction may contribute to early PD pathophysiology.Significance statementα-synuclein (asyn) pathology and loss of neurons in the locus coeruleus (LC) are two of the most ubiquitous neuropathologic features of Parkinson’s disease (PD). Dysregulated NE neurotransmission is associated with the non-motor symptoms of PD including sleep disturbances, emotional changes such as anxiety and depression, and cognitive decline. Importantly, loss of central NE may contribute to the chronic inflammation in, and progression of, PD. We have generated a novel transgenic mouse expressing human asyn in LC neurons to investigate how increased asyn expression affects the function of the central noradrenergic transmission and associated behaviors. We report cytotoxic effects of oligomeric and conformation-specific asyn, astrogliosis, LC fiber degeneration, disruptions in striatal dopamine metabolism, and age-dependent alterations in non-motor behaviors without inclusions.

scholarly journals Modelling Non-motor Symptoms of Parkinson’s Disease: AAV Mediated Overexpression of Alpha-synuclein in Rat Hippocampus and Basal Ganglia

2020 ◽  
Vol 26 (4) ◽  
pp. 322-329
Author(s):  
Sevgi Uğur Mutluay ◽  
Elif Çınar ◽  
Gül Yalçın Çakmaklı ◽  
Ayşe Ulusoy ◽  
Bülent Elibol ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Parkinson’S Disease ◽  
Parkinson's Disease ◽  
Basal Ganglia ◽  
Alpha Synuclein ◽  
Rat Hippocampus ◽  
Motor Symptoms ◽  
Non Motor Symptoms

scholarly journals Memory deficits in Parkinson’s disease are associated with reduced beta power modulation

2019 ◽  
Vol 1 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Hayley J MacDonald ◽  
John-Stuart Brittain ◽  
Bernhard Spitzer ◽  
Simon Hanslmayr ◽  
Ned Jenkinson
Keyword(s):  
Parkinson’S Disease ◽  
Parkinson's Disease ◽  
Disease Duration ◽  
Memory Formation ◽  
Motor Deficits ◽  
Beta Activity ◽  
Motor Symptoms ◽  
Memory Encoding ◽  
Beta Power ◽  
Non Motor Symptoms

Abstract There is an increasing recognition of the significant non-motor symptoms that burden people with Parkinson’s disease. As such, there is a pressing need to better understand and investigate the mechanisms underpinning these non-motor deficits. The electrical activity within the brains of people with Parkinson’s disease is known to exhibit excessive power within the beta range (12–30 Hz), compared with healthy controls. The weight of evidence suggests that this abnormally high level of beta power is the cause of bradykinesia and rigidity in Parkinson’s disease. However, less is known about how the abnormal beta rhythms seen in Parkinson’s disease impact on non-motor symptoms. In healthy adults, beta power decreases are necessary for successful episodic memory formation, with greater power decreases during the encoding phase predicting which words will subsequently be remembered. Given the raised levels of beta activity in people with Parkinson’s disease, we hypothesized that the necessary decrease in power during memory encoding would be diminished and that this would interfere with episodic memory formation. Accordingly, we conducted a cross-sectional, laboratory-based experimental study to investigate whether there was a direct relationship between decreased beta modulation and memory formation in Parkinson’s disease. Electroencephalography recordings were made during an established memory-encoding paradigm to examine brain activity in a cohort of adults with Parkinson’s disease (N = 28, 20 males) and age-matched controls (N = 31, 18 males). The participants with Parkinson’s disease were aged 65 ± 6 years, with an average disease duration of 6 ± 4 years, and tested on their normal medications to avoid the confound of exacerbated motor symptoms. Parkinson’s disease participants showed impaired memory strength (P = 0.023) and reduced beta power decreases (P = 0.014) relative to controls. Longer disease duration was correlated with a larger reduction in beta modulation during encoding, and a concomitant reduction in memory performance. The inability to sufficiently decrease beta activity during semantic processing makes it a likely candidate to be the central neural mechanism underlying this type of memory deficit in Parkinson’s disease. These novel results extend the notion that pathological beta activity is causally implicated in the motor and (lesser appreciated) non-motor deficits inherent to Parkinson’s disease. These findings provide important empirical evidence that should be considered in the development of intelligent next-generation therapies.

scholarly journals The Gut–Brain Axis and Its Relation to Parkinson’s Disease: A Review

2022 ◽  
Vol 13 ◽  
Author(s):  
Emily M. Klann ◽  
Upuli Dissanayake ◽  
Anjela Gurrala ◽  
Matthew Farrer ◽  
Aparna Wagle Shukla ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Parkinson’S Disease ◽  
Parkinson's Disease ◽  
Current Knowledge ◽  
Lewy Bodies ◽  
Disease Diagnosis ◽  
Alpha Synuclein ◽  
Motor Symptoms ◽  
Abnormal Gait ◽  
Non Motor Symptoms ◽  
The Brain

Parkinson’s disease is a chronic neurodegenerative disease characterized by the accumulation of misfolded alpha-synuclein protein (Lewy bodies) in dopaminergic neurons of the substantia nigra and other related circuitry, which contribute to the development of both motor (bradykinesia, tremors, stiffness, abnormal gait) and non-motor symptoms (gastrointestinal issues, urinogenital complications, olfaction dysfunction, cognitive impairment). Despite tremendous progress in the field, the exact pathways and mechanisms responsible for the initiation and progression of this disease remain unclear. However, recent research suggests a potential relationship between the commensal gut bacteria and the brain capable of influencing neurodevelopment, brain function and health. This bidirectional communication is often referred to as the microbiome–gut–brain axis. Accumulating evidence suggests that the onset of non-motor symptoms, such as gastrointestinal manifestations, often precede the onset of motor symptoms and disease diagnosis, lending support to the potential role that the microbiome–gut–brain axis might play in the underlying pathological mechanisms of Parkinson’s disease. This review will provide an overview of and critically discuss the current knowledge of the relationship between the gut microbiota and Parkinson’s disease. We will discuss the role of α-synuclein in non-motor disease pathology, proposed pathways constituting the connection between the gut microbiome and the brain, existing evidence related to pre- and probiotic interventions. Finally, we will highlight the potential opportunity for the development of novel preventative measures and therapeutic options that could target the microbiome–gut–brain axis in the context of Parkinson’s disease.

scholarly journals Animal models of Parkinson's disease: a guide to selecting the optimal model for your research

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Joana Lama ◽  
Yazead Buhidma ◽  
Edward JR Fletcher ◽  
Susan Duty
Keyword(s):  
Parkinson’S Disease ◽  
Parkinson's Disease ◽  
Animal Models ◽  
Dopaminergic Neurons ◽  
Alpha Synuclein ◽  
Motor Symptoms ◽  
Multisystem Disorder ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
Non Motor Symptoms ◽  
Selection Of

Parkinson’s disease (PD) is a complex, multisystem disorder characterised by alpha synuclein pathology, degeneration of nigrostriatal dopaminergic neurons, multifactorial pathogenetic mechanisms and expression of a plethora of motor and non-motor symptoms. Animal models of PD have already been instructive in helping us unravel some of these aspects. However, much remains to be discovered, requiring continued interrogation by the research community. In contrast to the situation for many neurological disorders, PD benefits from of a wide range of available animal models (pharmacological, toxin, genetic and alpha-synuclein) but this makes selection of the optimal one for a given study difficult. This is especially so when a study demands a model that displays a specific combination of features. While many excellent reviews of animal models already exist, this review takes a different approach with the intention of more readily informing this decision-making process. We have considered each feature of PD in turn - aetiology, pathology, pathogenesis, motor dysfunctions and non-motor symptoms - highlighting those animal models that replicate each. By compiling easily accessible tables and figures, we aim to provide the reader with a simple, go-to resource for selecting the optimal animal model of PD to suit their research needs.

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