1,721,000 research outputs found
Local cerebral glucose utilization following unilateral and bilateral lesions of the nucleus basalis magnocellularis in the rat
No full textEffects of rofecoxib treatment on brain inflammatory reaction and cholinergic function in beta-(1-42) injected rats into the nucleus basalis
No full textEffects of novel NSAIDs on brain inflammation and release of neurotrasmitters in animal models of neurodegeneration
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NSAIDs in animal models of Alzheimer's disease
No full textBrain inflammation is an underlying factor in the pathogenesis of Alzheimer's disease (AD) and epidemiological studies indicate that sustained use of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) reduces the risk of AD and may delay its onset or slow its progression. Nevertheless, recent clinical trials have shown that NSAIDs do not alter the progression of AD. Neuroinflammation occurs in vulnerable regions of the AD brain where highly insoluble β-amyloid (Aβ) peptide deposits and neurofibrillary tangles, as well as damaged neurons and neurites, provide stimuli for inflammation. To elucidate the complex role of inflammation in neurodegenerative processes and the efficacy of NSAIDs in AD we developed an animal model of neuroinflammation/neurodegeneration in vivo. An "artificial plaque" was formed by injecting aggregated β-amyloid peptide (A(1-40) or A(1-42)) into the nucleus basalis magnocellularis (NBM) of rats. We investigated several aspects of the neuroinflammatory reaction around the "artificial plaque" such as microglia and astrocyte activation, production of proinflammatory compounds, activation of cyclooxigenase-2 (COX-2), p38 Mitogen Activated Protein Kinase (p38MAPK) and induction of inducible Nitric Oxide Synthase (iNOS). Finally, degeneration of cortically projecting cholinergic neurons was also evaluated by means of immunohistochemistry and microdialysis. We examined whether the attenuation of brain inflammatory reaction by NSAIDs and NO-donors may protect neurons against neurodegeneration. The data reported in this review show that in in vivo model of brain inflammation and neurodegeneration, the administration of NSAIDs and NO-donors prevent not only the inflammatory reaction, but also the cholinergic hypofunction. Our data may help elucidating the role of neuroinflammation in the pathogenesis of AD and the ability of anti-inflammatory agents to reduce the risk of developing AD and to slow its progression
EXPERIMENTAL BRAIN INFLAMMATION AND NEURODEGENERATION AS MODEL OF ALZHEIMER'S DISEASE: PROTECTIVE EFFECTS OF SELECTIVE COX-2 INHIBITORS
No full textEpidemiological studies indicate that long-term treatment with non steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs reduces the risk of Alzheimer Disease and may delay its onset or slow its progression. Neuroinflammation occurs in vulnerable regions of the Alzheimer's disease (AD) brain where highly insoluble beta-amyloid (Abeta) peptide deposits and neurofibrillary tangles, as well as damaged neurons and neurites, provide stimuli for inflammation. To elucidate the complex role of inflammation in neurodegenerative processes and the efficacy of selective COX-2 inhibitors in AD we examined whether the attenuation Of brain inflammatory reaction by selective COX-2 inhibitors may protect neurons against neurodegeneration. The data reported in this review show that in in vivo models of brain inflammation and neurodegeneration, the administration of selective COX-2 inhibitors prevent not only the inflammatory reaction, but also the cholinergic hypofunction. Our data may help elucidating the epidemiological findings indicating that anti-inflammatory agents, in particular NSAIDs, reduce the risk of developing AD and may slow its progression
THE SELECTIVE CYCLOOXIGENASE-2 INHIBITOR ROFECOXIB SUPPRESSES BRAIN INFLAMMATION AND PROTECTS CHOLINERGIC NEURONS FROM EXCITOTOXIC DEGENERATION IN VIVO
No full textBrain inflammatory processes underlie the pathogenesis of Alzheimer's disease, and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs have a protective effect in the disease. The aim of this work was to study in vivo whether attenuation of brain inflammatory response to excitotoxic insult by the selective cyclooxygenase-2 inhibitor, rofecoxib, may prevent neurodegeneration, as a contribution to a better understanding of the role inflammation plays in the pathology of Alzheimer's disease. We investigated, by immunohistochemical methods, glia reaction, the activation of p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase (p38MAPK) pathway with an antibody selective for the phosphorylated form of the enzyme and the number of choline acetyltransferase-positive neurons and, by in vivo microdialysis, cortical extracellular levels of acetylcholine following the injection of quisqualic acid into the right nucleus basalls of adult rats. Seven days after injection, a marked reduction in the number of choline acetyltransferase-positive neurons was found, along with an intense glia reaction, selective activation of p38MAPK at the injection site and a significant decrease in the extracellular levels of acetylcholine in the cortex ipsilateral to the injection site. The loss of cholinergic neurons persisted for at least up to 28 days. Rofecoxib (3 mg/kg/day, starting 1 h prior to injection of quisqualic acid) treatment for 7 days significantly attenuated glia activation and prevented the loss of choline acetyltransferase-positive cells and a decrease in cortical acetylcholine release. The prevention of cholinergic cell loss by rofecoxib occurred concomitantly with the inhibition of p38MAPK phosphorylation. Our findings suggest an important role of brain inflammatory reaction in cholinergic degeneration and demonstrate a neuroprotective effect of rofecoxib, presumably mediated through the inhibition of p38MAPK phosphorylation
ABNORMAL PROCESSING OF TAU IN THE BRAIN OF AGED TGCRND8 MICE
No full textAmyloid plaques and neurofibrillary tangles are the main histopathological hallmarks of Alzheimer's disease (AD). In the neocortex and hippocampus of aged TgCRND8 mice, tau is hyperphosphorylated at different sites recognized by PHF-1, AT100, AT8 and CP13 antibodies.
Phospho-SAPK/JNK levels were increased in the tg mouse brain, where activated SAPK/JNK co-localizes with PHF-1-positive cells. Phosphorylated tau-positive cells showed Bielschowsky- and Thioflavine S-positive intraneuronal deposits. PHF-1 and nitrotyrosine immunoreactivity merged within neurons surrounding amyloid deposits in cortical and hippocampal areas and immunoprecipitation studies confirmed that tau is nitrosylated. Our findings, demonstrating the presence of hyperphosphorylated and nitrosylated tau protein as well as of insoluble aggregates after the onset of amyloid deposition in the TgCRND8 mouse brain, indicate that the abnormal processing of tau may occur subsequently to cerebral amyloidosis and that activation of SAPK/JNK and induction of nitrosative stress are the more likely connecting factors between amyloidosis and tauopathy in AD
Postnatal development of functional properties of visual cortical cells in rats with excitotoxic lesions of basal forebrain cholinergic neurons
No full textCHOLINERGIC DYSFUNCTION, NEURONAL DAMAGE AND AXONAL LOSS IN TGCRND8 MICE
No full textIn 7-month-old TgCRND8 mice, the extracellular cortical acetylcholine levels in vivo, the number and morphology of cholinergic neurons in the nucleus basalis magnocellularis and the ability to acquire an inhibitory avoidance response in the step-down test were studied. The TgCRND8 mouse brain is characterized by many beta-amyloid plaques, reduced neuronal and axonal staining, white matter demyelination, glia reaction and inducible nitric oxide synthase immunoreactivity. Choline acetyltransferase immunoreactivity in the nucleus basalis magnocellularis was significantly decreased. Basal and potassium-stimulated extracellular acetylcholine levels, investigated by microdialysis, and m2 muscarinic receptor immunoreactivity were reduced in the cortex of TgCRND8 mice, and scopolamine administration increased cortical extracellular acetylcholine levels in control but not in TgCRND8 mice. A cognitive impairment was demonstrated in the step-down test. These findings demonstrate that neuronal damage and cholinergic dysfunction in vivo underlie the impairment in learning and memory functions in this mouse model of Alzheimer's disease
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