Age-related Memory Declines in Mice Linked to NMDA Receptor Changes
Author Information
Author(s): Kathy R. Magnusson, Brandi Scruggs, Xue Zhao, Rebecca Hammersmark
Primary Institution: Oregon State University
Hypothesis
There is a relationship between NMDA receptor subunit expression and spatial reference memory performance in aging mice.
Conclusion
The study found that older mice showed significant declines in spatial reference memory performance, which were associated with decreased expression of specific NMDA receptor subunits in the brain.
Supporting Evidence
- Young mice showed significant improvement in memory tasks when tested over two days.
- Older mice exhibited a significant decline in performance in memory tasks compared to younger mice.
- Changes in NMDA receptor subunit expression correlated with memory performance.
Takeaway
As mice get older, they have a harder time remembering where things are, and this is linked to changes in certain brain proteins that help with memory.
Methodology
Mice were trained in a two-day reference memory task using the Morris water maze, and NMDA receptor subunit expression was analyzed using Western blotting.
Potential Biases
Potential bias due to the exclusion of aged mice that performed poorly in cued trials.
Limitations
The study only included male C57BL/6 mice, which may limit the generalizability of the findings.
Participant Demographics
Thirty-two male C57BL/6JNia mice aged 3 and 26 months.
Statistical Information
P-Value
p = .0005
Statistical Significance
p<0.05
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
Want to read the original?
Access the complete publication on the publisher's website