Late-life environmental enrichment preserves short-term memory and may attenuate microglia in male APP/PS1 mice

Apr 19, 2019Neuroscience

Enriched environments in old age help preserve short-term memory and may reduce brain immune cell activity in male Alzheimer’s model mice

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Abstract

Environmental enrichment from 12 months of age was associated with improved short-term memory performance in APP/PS1 mice.

  • Improved short-term memory performance was observed in APP/PS1 mice exposed to environmental enrichment, despite no reduction in amyloid-beta load.
  • APP/PS1 mice in standard housing showed significantly increased microglia in the neocortex and hippocampus compared to wild-type mice.
  • Environmental enrichment appeared to attenuate the increased microglial load typically observed in aging APP/PS1 mice.
  • Increased colocalization of phagocytic microglia markers was found in APP/PS1 mice subjected to environmental enrichment compared to those in standard housing.
  • The study suggests that environmental enrichment may preserve aspects of cognitive function and alter microglial phenotype in aging APP/PS1 mice.

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