Complex and region-specific changes in astroglial markers in the aging brain

Rodrı́guez, José J.; Yeh, Chia-Yu; Terzieva, Slavica; Olabarria, Markel; Kulijewicz-Nawrot, Magdalena; Verkhratsky, Alexei

doi:10.1016/j.neurobiolaging.2013.07.002

Cited by 151 publications

(133 citation statements)

References 52 publications

Supporting

Mentioning

118

Contrasting

Unclassified

Order By: Relevance

“…However, neurogenesis rates do decline with age in the rodent hippocampus (158,261,349). Furthermore, astroglia in the dentate gyrus and CA1 region of the hippocampus in male mice show increased surface, somatic volume, and volume with aging, suggesting regional remodeling of astroglia with age (525). Neuropil, synaptic density, and neurogenesis levels all decrease with age in humans, non-human primates, and rodents (159,300,372,428,520,531,584,628).…”

Section: The Hippocampus and Htmentioning

confidence: 98%

Sex Hormones and Cognition: Neuroendocrine Influences on Memory and Learning

Hamson

Roes

Galea

2016

Comprehensive Physiology

164

104

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Sex differences in neurological disease exist in incidence, severity, progression, and symptoms and may ultimately influence treatment. Cognitive disturbances are frequent in neuropsychiatric disease with men showing greater cognitive impairment in schizophrenia, but women showing more severe dementia and cognitive decline with Alzheimer's disease. Although there are no overall differences in intelligence between the sexes, men, and women demonstrate slight but consistent differences in a number of cognitive domains. These include a male advantage, on average, in some types of spatial abilities and a female advantage on some measures of verbal fluency and memory. Sex differences in traits or behaviors generally indicate the involvement of sex hormones, such as androgens and estrogens. We review the literature on whether adult levels of testosterone and estradiol influence spatial ability in both males and females from rodent models to humans. We also include information on estrogens and their ability to modulate verbal memory in men and women. Estrone and progestins are common components of hormone therapies, and we also review the existing literature concerning their effects on cognition. We also review the sex differences in the hippocampus and prefrontal cortex as they relate to cognitive performance in both rodents and humans. There has been greater recognition in the scientific literature that it is important to study both sexes and also to analyze study findings with sex as a variable. Only by examining these sex differences can we progress to finding treatments that will improve the cognitive health of both men and women. © 2016 American Physiological Society. Compr Physiol 6:1295-1337, 2016.

show abstract

Section: The Hippocampus and Htmentioning

confidence: 98%

Sex Hormones and Cognition: Neuroendocrine Influences on Memory and Learning

Hamson

Roes

Galea

2016

Comprehensive Physiology

164

104

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…Altered astrocyte morphology in aging and diseased brain is complex and region-specific [31]; however, the accumulation of activated astrocytes, often in clusters around amyloid plaques [6], correlates strongly with Braak staging in AD [32]. Importantly, astrocyte activation, together with the presence of phosphorylated tau in synapses, is one of the best biological correlates of cognitive decline in AD [33].…”

Section: Astrocytes In Healthy and Ad Brainmentioning

confidence: 99%

Astrocytes and neuroinflammation in Alzheimer's disease

Phillips

Croft

Kurbatskaya

et al. 2014

Biochemical Society Transactions

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Increased production of amyloid β-peptide (Aβ) and altered processing of tau in Alzheimer's disease (AD) are associated with synaptic dysfunction, neuronal death and cognitive and behavioural deficits. Neuroinflammation is also a prominent feature of AD brain and considerable evidence indicates that inflammatory events play a significant role in modulating the progression of AD. The role of microglia in AD inflammation has long been acknowledged. Substantial evidence now demonstrates that astrocyte-mediated inflammatory responses also influence pathology development, synapse health and neurodegeneration in AD. Several anti-inflammatory therapies targeting astrocytes show significant benefit in models of disease, particularly with respect to tau-associated neurodegeneration. However, the effectiveness of these approaches is complex, since modulating inflammatory pathways often has opposing effects on the development of tau and amyloid pathology, and is dependent on the precise phenotype and activities of astrocytes in different cellular environments. An increased understanding of interactions between astrocytes and neurons under different conditions is required for the development of safe and effective astrocyte-based therapies for AD and related neurodegenerative diseases.

show abstract

“…In the hippocampus, for example, a prominent increase in the surface and volume of GFAP positive profiles in old (24 month) mice was not paralleled with substantial increases in the morphology of GS and or S100β positive profiles; in the entorhinal cortex, aging resulted in a significant reduction of the surface and volume of GFAP-positive profiles with an increase in the expression of S100β-positive astrocytes (Figs. 12.4, 12.5, 12.6) (Rodriguez et al 2013b). …”

Section: Note On Astroglia In Agingmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Bars represent mean± SEM (*p ≤ 0.05; **p ≤ 0.01; ***p ≤ 0.0001 compared with 3 months of age; ◊ p ≤ 0.05; ◊◊ p ≤ 0.01 compared with 9 months of age; in DG, n = 6, 7, 3 and 4 for 3, 9, 12 and 18 months, respectively; in CA1, n = 4, 3, 3, 4 for 3, 9, 12 and 18 months, respectively; in EC, n = 4,5, 3, 3 for 3, 9, 12 and 18 months, respectively). (Reproduced from Rodriguez et al (2013b) with permission.) β-amyloid is reported to trigger reactive changes in astrocytes in vitro (DeWitt et al 1998).…”

Section: Astrogliosis In Admentioning

confidence: 99%

Neurodegeneration and Neuroglia: Emphasis on Astroglia in Alzheimer’s Disease

Verkhratsky

Parpura

Rodrı́guez

2014

Pathological Potential of Neuroglia

Self Cite

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Neurodegenerative diseases, which affect almost exclusively humans, are chronic disorders that ultimately result in atrophy of the brain and profound cognitive deficit. Neurodegenerative process reflects a profound failure of brain homeostasis. Neuroglial cells, being primarily the cells responsible for brain homeostasis and defense, naturally contribute to an overall homeostatic failure underlying neurodegeneration. In this chapter we shall deliver a brief on astroglial contribution to common neurodegenerative disorders and then continue with a detailed account on the pathological potential of astroglia in Alzheimer's disease. Astrocytes undergo complex alterations in Alzheimer's disease, which are represented by region-specific atrophy and asthenia at the early stages and reactivity at the late stages of the disease. These complex changes can be considered as pathologically relevant because they may define the early cognitive deficits and the later neurotoxicity in Alzheimer's disease. Targeting astroglia in neurodegeneration may result in new therapeutic strategies aimed at preventing and delaying the progression of Alzheimer's disease.

show abstract

Complex and region-specific changes in astroglial markers in the aging brain

Cited by 151 publications

References 52 publications

Sex Hormones and Cognition: Neuroendocrine Influences on Memory and Learning

Sex Hormones and Cognition: Neuroendocrine Influences on Memory and Learning

Astrocytes and neuroinflammation in Alzheimer's disease

Neurodegeneration and Neuroglia: Emphasis on Astroglia in Alzheimer’s Disease

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About