Region specific neuron loss in the aged canine hippocampus is reduced by enrichment

NEUROBIOLOGY OF AGING

卷:29

Article

Siwak-Tapp, Christina T.¹  Head, Elizabeth^1,2  Muggenburg, Bruce A.³  Milgram, Norton W.⁴  Cotman, Carl W.¹ 

[1] Univ Calif Irvine, Inst Brain Aging & Dementia, Gillespie Neurosci Res Facil 1226, Irvine, CA 92697 USA

[2] Univ Calif Irvine, Dept Neurol, Gillespie Neurosci Res Facil 1226, Irvine, CA 92697 USA

[3] Lovelace Resp Res Inst, Albuquerque, NM 87108 USA

[4] Univ Toronto, Mil Trail 1265, Scarborough, ON M1C 1A4, Canada

关键词: dog;    brain;    aging;    hippocampus;    neuron loss;    antioxidants;    enrichment;   

DOI  :  10.1016/j.neurobiolaging.2006.09.018

来源: Elsevier

【 摘 要 】

Neuron loss within the hippocampus and entorhinal cortex occurs as a function of age in humans. We first tested the hypothesis that neuron loss occurs in the aged dog. The total unilateral number of neurons in the canine entorhinal cortex and subdivisions of the hippocampus from the left hemisphere were estimated using the optical fractionator. The brains from 5 old (13.0-15.0 years old) and 5 young (3.4-4.5 years old) beagle dogs were analyzed. The hilus of the hippocampus showed a significant loss of neurons (similar to 30%) in the aged dog brain compared to young. Differences were not detected in the remaining hippocampal subfields and entorhinal cortex. We further tested the hypothesis that an antioxidant fortified food or behavioral enrichment would reduce the age-related loss of hilar neurons. Behaviorally enriched aged dogs had more neurons in the hilus (similar to 18%) compared to aged controls. These results suggest that the aged canine hippocampus in the left hemisphere shows selective neuron loss and that behavioral enrichment may reduce this loss. (C) 2006 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

【 授权许可】

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