Behavioral characterization of the Tg2576 transgenic model of Alzheimer's disease through 19 months

Physiol Behav. 2002 Apr 15;75(5):627-42. doi: 10.1016/s0031-9384(02)00639-x.

Abstract

Behavioral characterization of Alzheimer's disease (AD) transgenic models over multiple time points during aging has been largely inadequate, usually being limited to one or two cognitive-based tasks. In this context, the present study utilized a comprehensive 6-week behavioral battery to characterize sensorimotor and cognitive performance of Tg2576 AD transgenic (Tg+) mice and nontransgenic (Tg-) controls aged 3, 9, 14, and 19 months. Compared collectively to Tg- mice over all four time points, Tg+ mice were impaired in Y-maze spontaneous alternation, visible platform recognition, and several sensorimotor tasks; Tg+ mice also showed an overall increase in activity measures. The deficits in visible platform became evident by 9 months of age, while those in sensorimotor tasks became clearly manifest by 14 months. Although the behavioral impairments exhibited by Tg+ mice were usually progressive through 19 months, Tg- animals also showed similar progressive decline in the same behavioral measures; thus, no task revealed a progressive behavioral decline exclusive to Tg+ mice. Moreover, although the 6-week behavioral battery included six cognitively based tasks (i.e., Y-maze, visible platform, Morris water maze, circular platform, passive avoidance, and active avoidance), behavioral analysis through 19 months revealed Tg+ mice to be impaired in only the Y-maze and visible platform tasks. Consequently, Tg2576 mice do not exhibit widespread, profound cognitive impairment, even into old age. This may reflect their predominant C57BL/6 background and an apparent inability of the mutant transgene to profoundly alter performance therein.

Publication types

  • Comparative Study
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Age Factors
  • Alzheimer Disease / genetics
  • Alzheimer Disease / mortality
  • Alzheimer Disease / physiopathology*
  • Amyloid beta-Peptides / genetics*
  • Animals
  • Avoidance Learning / physiology
  • Behavior, Animal / physiology*
  • Disease Models, Animal
  • Female
  • Genetics, Behavioral
  • Genotype
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Maze Learning / physiology
  • Mice
  • Mice, Inbred C57BL
  • Mice, Transgenic
  • Psychomotor Performance / physiology
  • Survival Analysis
  • Survival Rate

Substances

  • Amyloid beta-Peptides