Enriched environment increases spinophilin mRNA expression and spinophilin immunoreactive dendritic spines in hippocampus and cortex

Hu, Xiaolei; Bergström, Sven-Anders; Brink, Mikael; Rönnbäck, Annica; Dahlqvist, Per

doi:10.1016/j.neulet.2010.04.007

Cited by 16 publications

(8 citation statements)

References 28 publications

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“…It should be considered that decreased environmental stimuli and chronic stress, which reduce the quality of life and the general health status of people with schizophrenia, are crucial factors that may contribute to affecting hippocampal plasticity. 44,45 It is interesting to note that no significant correlation was found between clinical measures and hippocampal size considering the raw total volumes obtained by region of interest tracing, 17 which we were able to observe using this 3D technique. This supports the strength of using advanced imaging and post-processing technique in analysing hippocampal morphology.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 71%

Schizophrenia severity, social functioning and hippocampal neuroanatomy: three-dimensional mapping study

et al. 2013

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Context Hippocampal shrinkage is commonly reported in schizophrenia, but its role in the illness is still poorly understood. In particular, it is unclear how clinical and psychosocial variables relate to hippocampal volumes. Objectives To address this, new methods for three-dimensional (3-D) computational image analysis may offer more detailed investigation of neuroanatomic differences than standard volumetric measures. Design We used high-resolution magnetic resonance imaging and surface-based modeling to map the 3D profile of hippocampal differences. 3D parametric mesh models of the hippocampus were created from manual tracings. Regression models were used to relate diagnostic measures to maps of radial distance. Color-coded maps were generated to show the profile of associations. Participants 67 adults with schizophrenia (mean age= 39.40±12.08 years; 44 males/23 females) and 72 healthy controls (mean age= 39.28±11.03 years; 38 males/34 females). Results There were no detectable differences in hippocampal radial distance between schizophrenia patients and controls. In patients, however, bilateral shrinkage was associated with greater illness severity (i.e. length of illness, positive and negative symptoms), and with poorer social functioning (i.e. educational level, quality of life and health status), which survived Bonferroni correction. Conclusions Illness severity and poor social functioning may be associated with hippocampal shrinkage in schizophrenia. As a structural sign of poor outcome, imaging measures may help to identify a subgroup of patients who may need specific treatment to resist hippocampal decreased volumes, such as cognitive rehabilitation, or physical exercise.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 71%

Schizophrenia severity, social functioning and hippocampal neuroanatomy: three-dimensional mapping study

et al. 2013

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“…Spinophilin (Spn) is a regulatory subunit for protein phosphatase 1, an enzyme associated with fine-tuning of synaptic strength. Spn is associated with spine density and morphogenesis, and is upregulated with environmental enrichment [ 30 , 31 ]. Activity-regulated cytoskeleton-associated protein (ARC) is an immediate early gene whose expression is modulated by activity.…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Using the Morris Water Maze to Assess Spatial Learning and Memory in Weanling Mice

2015

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Mouse models have been indispensable for elucidating normal and pathological processes that influence learning and memory. A widely used method for assessing these cognitive processes in mice is the Morris water maze, a classic test for examining spatial learning and memory. However, Morris water maze studies with mice have principally been performed using adult animals, which preclude studies of critical neurodevelopmental periods when the cellular and molecular substrates of learning and memory are formed. While weanling rats have been successfully trained in the Morris water maze, there have been few attempts to test weanling mice in this behavioral paradigm even though mice offer significant experimental advantages because of the availability of many genetically modified strains. Here, we present experimental evidence that weanling mice can be trained in the Morris water maze beginning on postnatal day 24. Maze-trained weanling mice exhibit significant improvements in spatial learning over the training period and results of the probe trial indicate the development of spatial memory. There were no sex differences in the animals’ performance in these tasks. In addition, molecular biomarkers of synaptic plasticity are upregulated in maze-trained mice at the transcript level. These findings demonstrate that the Morris water maze can be used to assess spatial learning and memory in weanling mice, providing a potentially powerful experimental approach for examining the influence of genes, environmental factors and their interactions on the development of learning and memory.

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“…Several studies have demonstrated that the dendritic spine density of the secondary and tertiary dendrites in hippocampal neurons is significantly lower in SAMP8 mice compared with SAMR1 mice (10,17). EE exposure can modulate the shape, number and function of dendritic spines (54,55) and considerably increase dendritic spine densities of neocortical, hippocampal and cerebellar neurons (56)(57)(58). In the present study, it was found that the dendritic spine density in SAMP8 mice raised under EE conditions was significantly increased compared with that in SAMP8 mice raised under SE conditions, but was significantly lower compared with that in SAMR1 mice raised under SE conditions.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

An enriched environment delays the progression from mild cognitive impairment to Alzheimer's disease in senescence‑accelerated mouse prone 8 mice

Hao

et al. 2021

Exp Ther Med

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A previous study demonstrated that middle-aged (5-6 months of age) senescence-accelerated mouse prone 8 (SAMP8) mice can be used as animal models of mild cognitive impairment (MCI). An enriched environment (EE) can mitigate cognitive decline and decrease the pathological changes associated with various neurodegenerative diseases. In the present study, the learning-memory abilities of SAMP8 mice during the MCI phase (5 months of age) was evaluated and neuropathological changes in the hippocampus were examined after the mice were exposed to an EE for 60 days. In the Morris water maze test, EE-exposed mice demonstrated significantly decreased escape latency and increased time spent in the target quadrant and number of platform crossings compared with control mice. Terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase dUTP nick end labeling and Nissl staining showed that EE-exposed mice had reduced neuronal apoptosis and increased number of surviving neurons compared with control mice. Golgi staining, transmission electron microscopy, and immunohistochemical staining demonstrated that EE-exposed mice exhibited increased dendritic spine densities among secondary and tertiary apical dendrites; increases in synaptic numerical density, synaptic surface density, and expression of synaptophysin; and reduced deposition of amyloid-β (Aβ) and expression of amyloid-precursor protein (APP) in the hippocampal CA1 region compared with control mice. These results demonstrate that EE exposure effectively decreases neuronal loss and regulates neuronal synaptic plasticity by reducing the expression of APP and the deposition of Aβ in the hippocampal CA1 region, thereby mitigating cognitive decline in SAMP8 mice during the MCI phase and delaying the progression from MCI to Alzheimer's disease.

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Enriched environment increases spinophilin mRNA expression and spinophilin immunoreactive dendritic spines in hippocampus and cortex

Cited by 16 publications

References 28 publications

Schizophrenia severity, social functioning and hippocampal neuroanatomy: three-dimensional mapping study

Schizophrenia severity, social functioning and hippocampal neuroanatomy: three-dimensional mapping study

Using the Morris Water Maze to Assess Spatial Learning and Memory in Weanling Mice

An enriched environment delays the progression from mild cognitive impairment to Alzheimer's disease in senescence‑accelerated mouse prone 8 mice

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