INVESTIGADORES
CAPANI Francisco
artículos
Título:
Extensive enriched environments protect old rats from the agingdependent impairment of spatial cognition, synaptic plasticity and nitric oxide production
Autor/es:
S. LORES-ARNAIZ, J. BUSTAMANTE M, ARISMENDI , S. VILAS , N. PAGLIA, N. BASSO,F. CAPANI , H. COIRINI , J.J. LOPEZ COSTA , M.R. LORES ARNAIZ
Revista:
BEHAVIOURAL BRAIN RESEARCH
Referencias:
Año: 2006 p. 294 - 302
ISSN:
0166-4328
Resumen:
Abstract
In aged rodents, neuronal plasticity decreases while spatial learning and working memory (WM) deficits increase. As it is well known, rats reared
in enriched environments (EE) show better cognitive performances and an increased neuronal plasticity than rats reared in standard environments
(SE).We hypothesized thatEEcould preserve the aged animals from cognitive impairment throughNOdependent mechanisms of neuronal plasticity.
WMperformance and plasticity were measured in 27-month-old rats from EE and SE. EE animals showed a better spatialWMperformance (66%
increase) than SE ones. Cytosolic NOS activity was 128 and 155% higher in EE male and female rats, respectively. Mitochondrial NOS activity and
expression were also significantly higher in EE male and female rats. Mitochondrial NOS protein expression was higher in brain submitochondrial
membranes from EE reared rats. Complex I activity was 7080% increased in EE as compared to SE rats. A significant increase in the area of
NADPH-d reactive neurons was observed in the parietotemporal cortex and CA1 hippocampal region of EE animals.