| First Author | Dawson GR | Year | 1999 |
| Journal | Neuroscience | Volume | 90 |
| Issue | 1 | Pages | 1-13 |
| PubMed ID | 10188929 | Mgi Jnum | J:53824 |
| Mgi Id | MGI:1333449 | Doi | 10.1016/s0306-4522(98)00410-2 |
| Citation | Dawson GR, et al. (1999) Age-related cognitive deficits, impaired long-term potentiation and reduction in synaptic marker density in mice lacking the beta-amyloid precursor protein. Neuroscience 90(1):1-13 |
| abstractText | Mutations in the beta-amyloid precursor protein are strongly associated with some cases of familial Alzheimer's disease. The normal physiological role of beta-amyloid precursor protein in the brain was evaluated in a cross-sectional analysis of mice deficient in beta-amyloid precursor protein. Compared with wild-type control mice the beta-amyloid precursor protein-null mice developed age-dependent deficits in cognitive function and also had impairments in long-term potentiation. In addition, the brains of the beta-amyloid precursor protein-null mice had marked reactive gliosis in many areas, especially in the cortex and hippocampus. A subpopulation of mice (n = 15) died prematurely (between three and 18 months of age). Analysis of another six mice from the same population that were showing weight loss and hypolocomotor activity exhibited a marked reactive gliosis as detected by immunoreactivity for glial fibrillary acidic protein and a profound loss of immunoreactivities for the presynaptic terminal vesicle marker proteins synaptophysin and synapsin and the dendritic marker microtubule-associated protein-2 in many brain areas, but most predominantly in the cortex and hippocampus. These results suggest that normal beta-amyloid precursor protein may serve an essential role in the maintenance of synaptic function during ageing. A compromise of this function of the beta-amyloid precursor protein may contribute to the progression of the memory decline and the neurodegenerative changes seen in Alzheimer's disease. |
