Motor coordination and synaptic plasticity deficits are associated with increased cerebellar activity of NAPDH oxidase, CAMKII, and PKC at pre-plaque stage in the TgCRND8 mouse model of Alzheimer' ’s disease.

Numerous studies indicate that cerebellum undergoes structural and functional neurodegenerative changes in Alzheimer' ’s disease. The purpose of this study was to examine the extent of cerebellar alterations at early, pre-plaque stage of the pathology in TgCRND8 mice through behavioral, electrophysiological and molecular analysis. Balance beam test and foot-printing analysis revealed significant motor coordinatio n and balance deficits in 2-month-old TgCRND8 mice compared to their littermates. Patch-clamp recordings performed on cerebellar slices of Tg mice showed synaptic plasticity deficit and loss of noradrenergic modulation at parallel fiber-Purkinje cell synapse suggesting an early dysfunction of the ce rebellar circuitry due to amyloid precursor protein overexpression.

Source: Neurobiology of Aging - March 5, 2018 Category: Neuroscience Authors: Roberto Russo, Fabio Cattaneo, Pellegrino Lippiello, Claudia Cristiano, Fabio Zurlo, Martina Castaldo, Carlo Irace, Tiziana Borsello, Rita Santamaria, Rosario Ammendola, Antonio Calignano, Maria Concetta Miniaci Source Type: research