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A cognitive rehabilitation paradigm effective in male rats lacks efficacy in female rats.

ABSTRACT: Cognitive dysfunction, as a consequence of dementia, is a significant cause of morbidity lacking efficacious treatment. Females comprise at least half of this demographic but have been vastly underrepresented in preclinical studies. The current study addressed this gap by assessing the protective efficacy of physical exercise and cognitive activity on learning and memory outcomes in a rat model of vascular dementia. Forty ovariectomized Sprague-Dawley rats (?6 months old) were exposed to either a diet high in saturated fats and refined sugars or standard laboratory chow and underwent either chronic bilateral carotid occlusion or Sham surgery. Learning and memory abilities were evaluated using standard cognitive outcomes over the ensuing 6 months, followed by histologic analyses of hippocampal CA1 neurons. In Experiment 1, we confirmed hypoperfusion-induced cognitive dysfunction using a 2 × 2 (Surgery × Diet) experimental design, without alterations in hippocampal architecture. In Experiment 2, hypoperfused animals were either exposed to alternating days of physical (wheel running) and cognitive activity (modified Hebb-Williams maze) or sedentary housing. In contrast to males, this combination rehabilitation paradigm did not improve cognition or histopathologic outcomes in hypoperfused animals. These findings, highlighting differences between female and male animals, show the necessity of including both sexes in preclinical experimentation.

SUBMITTER: Langdon KD

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4269728 | biostudies-literature | 2014 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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A cognitive rehabilitation paradigm effective in male rats lacks efficacy in female rats.

Langdon Kristopher D KD Granter-Button Shirley S Harley Carolyn W CW Moody-Corbett Frances F Peeling James J Corbett Dale D

Journal of cerebral blood flow and metabolism : official journal of the International Society of Cerebral Blood Flow and Metabolism 20140723 10

Cognitive dysfunction, as a consequence of dementia, is a significant cause of morbidity lacking efficacious treatment. Females comprise at least half of this demographic but have been vastly underrepresented in preclinical studies. The current study addressed this gap by assessing the protective efficacy of physical exercise and cognitive activity on learning and memory outcomes in a rat model of vascular dementia. Forty ovariectomized Sprague-Dawley rats (∼6 months old) were exposed to either ...[more]

PMID: 25052554

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Project description:Introduction: Robot-assisted therapy for upper extremity (UE) impairments post-stroke has yielded modest gains in motor capacity and little evidence of improved UE performance during activities of daily living. A paradigm shift that embodies principles of motor learning and exercise dependent neuroplasticity may improve robot therapy outcomes by incorporating active problem solving, salience of trained tasks, and strategies to facilitate the transfer of acquired motor skills to use of the paretic arm and hand during everyday activities. Objective: To pilot and test the feasibility of a novel therapy protocol, the Active Learning Program for Stroke (ALPS), designed to complement repetitive, robot-assisted therapy for the paretic UE. Key ALPS ingredients included training in the use of cognitive strategies (e.g., STOP, THINK, DO, CHECK) and a goal-directed home action plan (HAP) to facilitate UE self-management and skill transfer. Methods: Ten participants with moderate impairments in UE function >6 months after stroke received eighteen 1-h treatment sessions 2-3/x week over 6-8 weeks. In addition to ALPS training, individuals were randomly assigned to either robot-assisted therapy (RT) or robot therapy and task-oriented training (RT-TOT) to trial whether the inclusion of TOT reinforced participants' understanding and implementation of ALPS strategies. Results: Statistically significant group differences were found for the upper limb subtest of the Fugl-Meyer Assessment (FMA-UE) at discharge and one-month follow-up favoring the RT group. Analyses to examine overall effects of the ALPS protocol in addition to RT and RT-TOT showed significant and moderate to large effects on the FMA-UE, Motor Activity Log, Wolf Motor Function Test, and hand portion of the Stroke Impact Scale. Conclusion: The ALPS protocol was the first to extend cognitive strategy training to robot-assisted therapy. The intervention in this development of concept pilot trial was feasible and well-tolerated, with good potential to optimize paretic UE performance following robot-assisted therapy.

Project description:In the previous studies regarding the effects of exposure to ambient air pollution on biological markers and/or behavior of animals, the gaseous pollutants are not separated from the particulate matter (PM). Hence the synergetic effect of gaseous pollutants and PM was not considered. In this regard, current study was aimed to devolve a new method for separation of PM from gaseous pollutants. Also, the effect of exposure to fine particulate matter (PM2.5) on the Alzheimer and depressive cognitive-like behaviors in rats after 3 and 6 months were investigated. Three chambers were designed including exposure group 1 (PM2.5 plus gaseous pollutants alone), exposure group 2 (gaseous pollutants alone) and control group (clean air). Exposure time was 5 h per day (9.00 a.m.-2.00 p.m.) for 4 days per week. The concentration of PM2.5 and gaseous pollutants (O3, NO2, and SO2) were monitored in the exposure hours, continuously. Concentration of PM2.5 by beta attenuation method and concentration of O3, NO2, and SO2 by UV fluorescence was monitored. Also, the concentration of metals including Al, Cr, Mn, Pb, Cd, Ni, Fe, and Cu and 16-polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) bound PM2.5 by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) were analyzed, respectively. Cognitive-like behavior related to Alzheimer and depressive behaviors were determined by Y maze and Force swimming. The concentration of PM2.5 in the 3 and 6 months exposure was higher than WHO guideline, significantly (p-value <0.05). The concentration of O3, NO2 and SO2 in the 3 and 6 months exposure was lower than WHO guideline, significantly (p-value <0.05). The order of metals in the PM2.5 according to mean concentration Al > Ca > Cu > Cd > Na > Fe > Cr > Ni > Mn > Pb. Also, the sum concentration of 16-PAHs in the PM2.5 in the 3 and 6 months exposure was 45.7 ± 37.15 ng/m3 and 30.04 ± 25.27 ng/m3, respectively. Exposure to PM2.5 cannot significantly increase Alzheimer and depressive cognitive-like behaviors in the rats. Also, a significant difference between male and female in Alzheimer and depressive cognitive-like behaviors not observed. •A new method for separation of PM2.5 from other PM in the ambient air by ECO-PM sampler was presented.•A new method for separation of PM2.5 from gaseous pollutants in the ambient air by HEPA filter and active carbon was presented.•Tow exposure groups including exposure 1: PM2.5 plus gaseous pollutants and exposure 2: gaseous pollutants only were designed for increased accuracy of the in-vivo study.•Exposure to PM2.5 cannot cause significant increased Alzheimer and depressive cognitive-like behaviors in the rats.

Project description:BackgroundMaternal obesity (MO) impairs maternal and offspring health. Mechanisms and interventions to prevent adverse maternal and offspring outcomes need to be determined. Human studies are confounded by socio-economic status providing the rationale for controlled animal data on effects of maternal exercise (MEx) intervention on maternal (F0) and offspring (F1) outcomes in MO.HypothesisMO produces metabolic and endocrine dysfunction, increases maternal and offspring glucocorticoid exposure, oxidative stress and adverse offspring outcomes by postnatal day (PND) 36. MEx in part prevents these outcomes.MethodsF0 female rats ate either control or obesogenic diet from weaning through lactation. Half of each group wheel ran (from day 90 of life through pregnancy beginning day 120) providing four groups (n=8/group)--(i) controls, (ii) obese, (iii) exercised controls and (iv) exercised obese. After weaning, PND 21, F1 offspring ate a control diet. Metabolic parameters of F0 prepregnancy and end of lactation and F1 offspring at PND 36 were analyzed.ResultsExercise did not change maternal weight. Before breeding, MO elevated F0 glucose, insulin, triglycerides, cholesterol, leptin, fat and oxidative stress. Exercise completely prevented the triglyceride rise and partially increases glucose, insulin, cholesterol and oxidative stress. MO decreased fertility, recovered by exercise. At the end of lactation, exercise returned all metabolic variables except leptin to control levels. Exercise partially prevented MO elevated corticosterone. F1 offspring weights were similar at birth. At PND 36, MO increased F1 male but not female offspring leptin, triglycerides and fat mass. In controls, exercise reduced male and female offspring glucose, prevented the offspring leptin increase and partially the triglyceride rise.ConclusionsMEx before and during pregnancy has beneficial effects on the maternal and offspring metabolism and endocrine function occurring with no weight change in mothers and offspring indicating the importance of body composition rather than weight in evaluations of metabolic status.

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A cognitive rehabilitation paradigm effective in male rats lacks efficacy in female rats.

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A cognitive rehabilitation paradigm effective in male rats lacks efficacy in female rats.

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