Environmental enrichment eliminates the anxiety phenotypes in a triple transgenic mouse model of Alzheimer’s disease.
Cogn Affect Behav Neurosci. 2014-02-04; 14(3): 996-1008
DOI: 10.3758/s13415-014-0253-3
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Pietropaolo S(1), Feldon J, Yee BK.
Author information:
(1)Laboratory of Behavioural Neurobiology, Swiss Federal Institute of Technology
Zurich, Schorenstrasse 16, 8603, Schwerzenbach, Switzerland,
.
Although the impacts of environmental enrichment (EE) in several genetic models
of Alzheimer’s disease (AD) have been documented, the focus has remained
predominantly on cognition. Few have investigated the expression of emotional
phenotypes that mimic the notable affective features in AD. Here, we studied the
interaction between EE and the coexpression of three genetic risk factors
(mutations) for AD. In a longitudinal design, 3×Tg-AD mutants and wild type
controls were compared at 6-7 months and subsequently at 12-13 months of age.
Under standard housing, phenotypes of heightened anxiety levels were identified
in the 3×Tg-AD mice in the elevated plus maze and open-field tests. Such trait
differences between genotypes were substantially diminished under EE housing,
which was attributable to the anxiolytic impact of EE on the mutant mice as much
as the anxiogenic impact of EE on the wild type mice. In contrast, the
phenotypes in learned fear were not significantly modified by EE in the tests of
Pavlovian freezing and conditioned active avoidance conducted at either age.
Rearing under EE thus has uncovered a novel distinction between innate and
acquired expressions of fear response in the 3×Tg-AD mouse model that might be
relevant to the mental health management of AD.