Early onset of cognitive impairment is associated with altered synaptic plasticity and enhanced hippocampal GluA1 expression in a mouse model of depression

Moshe Gross, Anton Sheinin, Elimelech Nesher, Tatiana Tikhonov, Danny Baranes, Albert Pinhasov, Izhak Michaelevski

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

28 Scopus citations

Abstract

Memory deficit is a common manifestation of age-related cognitive impairment, of which depression is a frequently occurring comorbidity. Previously, we developed a submissive (Sub) mouse line, validated as a model of depressive-like behavior. Using learning paradigms testing hippocampus-dependent spatial and nonspatial memory, we demonstrate here that Sub mice developed cognitive impairments at earlier age (3 months), compared with wild-type mice. Furthermore, acute hippocampal slices from Sub animals failed to display paired-pulse facilitation, whereas primed burst stimulation elicited significantly enhanced long-term potentiation in region CA1, relative to control mice. Changes in synaptic plasticity were accompanied by markedly reduced hippocampal messenger RNA expression of insulin-like growth factor and brain-derived neurotrophic factor. Finally, we identified markedly elevated protein levels of the α-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methyl-4-isoxazolepropionic acid (AMPA) receptor subunit GluA1 in the hippocampi of Sub mice, which was exacerbated with age. Taken together, the results point to a linkage between depressive-like behavior and the susceptibility to develop age-related cognitive impairment, potentially by hippocampal α-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methyl-4-isoxazolepropionic acid receptor-mediated glutamatergic signaling.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)1938-1952
Number of pages15
JournalNeurobiology of Aging
Volume36
Issue number5
DOIs
StatePublished - 2015

Keywords

  • AMPAR
  • Depression
  • Hippocampus
  • Long-term potentiation
  • Memory
  • Submissiveness

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