Na doença de Alzheimer, o grau de demência pode ser correlacionado com o dano dos neurônios colinérgicos, particularmente aqueles que inervam o hipocampo e neocórtex. Lesões no núcleo basal magnocelular (nbm) são extremamente utilizados para estudar déficits cognitivos e alterações comportamentais envolvendo a disfunção colinérgica. Neste modelo, astrogliose cortical é descrita, mas ainda não está claro se há ativação dos astrócitos hipocampais. Para tanto, este estudo buscou avaliar possíveis alterações astrogliais no hipocampo de ratos Wistar machos adultos após lesão do nbm através da infusão de ácido ibotênico. Foram investigados os conteúdos de GFAP (proteína glial fibrilar ácida), S100B (tecido e líquor), GSH (glutationa), atividade da GS (glutamina sintetase) e da AChE (acetilcolinesterase), além da captação de glutamato, secreção de S100B (com alta e baixa concentração de K+) e imunoistoquímica para GFAP após 7 e 28 dias de lesão. O déficit cognitivo foi confirmado através da tarefa de esquiva inibitória (parâmetro demência/não demência). Nossos resultados confirmam alterações astrogliais hipocampais, particularmente uma diminuição da defesa antioxidante (diminuição do conteúdo de GSH), diminuição da captação de glutamato, diminuição do conteúdo de GFAP e S100B (tecido) e diminuição da atividade da AChE após 28 dias de lesão no nbm. O conteúdo de S100B e GFAP após 7 dias de lesão não sofreu modificações significativas assim como o conteúdo de S100B no líquor. A atividade da GS também não alterou após 7 ou 28 dias de lesão com ácido ibotênico, bem como a secreção de S100B, que se manteve em níveis basais após 28 dias de lesão. Esses dados contribuem para o entendimento de lesão no nbm através da infusão de IBO, particularmente provocando uma disfunção colinérgica no hipocampo acompanhada de hipofunção glial; este procedimento pode ser considerado um modelo adequado para estudar alguns aspectos da demência, comumente associada à disfunção colinérgica. / In Alzheimer’s disease, the degree of dementia could be correlated with the damage of cholinergic neurons, particularly with those supply the hippocampus and neocortex. Lesions of the nucleus basalis magnocellularis (nbm) was extremely used to study cognitive deficits and behavior alterations involved cholinergic dysfunction. In this model cortical astrogliosis is described, but it is not clear if the activation of hippocampal neurons exist. Despite this, the present study evaluates the possible astroglial alterations in the hippocampus of Wistar male rats after lesion in the nbm with ibotenic acid infusion. Was investigate the GFAP, S100B, GSH content and AChE and GS activity, glutamate uptake, secretion of S100B (with high and low concentration of K+) and immunohistochemistry of GFAP after 7 and 28 days of lesion. The cognitive deficit was confirmed through the stepdown inhibitory avoidance task (dementia/no dementia). Our results confirm hippocampal astroglial alterations, particularly a decrease of antioxidant defense (decrease of GSH content), decrease of glutamate uptake, decrease of GFAP and S100B content and decrease of AChE activity after 28 days of lesion. The content of GFAP and S100B after 7 days of lesion was not modified as well as the S100B content in the CSF (cerebrospinal fluid). The GS activity was not altered after 7 or 28 days of lesion and the S100B secretion was maintained in basal levels after 28 days of insult. These data contribute to understand the nbm lesion with ibotenic acid, particularly a cholinergic dysfunction caused in the hippocampus together with glial hypofunction; this procedure could be considered a good model to study some aspects of dementia, commonly associated with cholinergic dysfunction.

Na doença de Alzheimer, o grau de demência pode ser correlacionado com o dano dos neurônios colinérgicos, particularmente aqueles que inervam o hipocampo e neocórtex. Lesões no núcleo basal magnocelular (nbm) são extremamente utilizados para estudar déficits cognitivos e alterações comportamentais envolvendo a disfunção colinérgica. Neste modelo, astrogliose cortical é descrita, mas ainda não está claro se há ativação dos astrócitos hipocampais. Para tanto, este estudo buscou avaliar possíveis alterações astrogliais no hipocampo de ratos Wistar machos adultos após lesão do nbm através da infusão de ácido ibotênico. Foram investigados os conteúdos de GFAP (proteína glial fibrilar ácida), S100B (tecido e líquor), GSH (glutationa), atividade da GS (glutamina sintetase) e da AChE (acetilcolinesterase), além da captação de glutamato, secreção de S100B (com alta e baixa concentração de K+) e imunoistoquímica para GFAP após 7 e 28 dias de lesão. O déficit cognitivo foi confirmado através da tarefa de esquiva inibitória (parâmetro demência/não demência). Nossos resultados confirmam alterações astrogliais hipocampais, particularmente uma diminuição da defesa antioxidante (diminuição do conteúdo de GSH), diminuição da captação de glutamato, diminuição do conteúdo de GFAP e S100B (tecido) e diminuição da atividade da AChE após 28 dias de lesão no nbm. O conteúdo de S100B e GFAP após 7 dias de lesão não sofreu modificações significativas assim como o conteúdo de S100B no líquor. A atividade da GS também não alterou após 7 ou 28 dias de lesão com ácido ibotênico, bem como a secreção de S100B, que se manteve em níveis basais após 28 dias de lesão. Esses dados contribuem para o entendimento de lesão no nbm através da infusão de IBO, particularmente provocando uma disfunção colinérgica no hipocampo acompanhada de hipofunção glial; este procedimento pode ser considerado um modelo adequado para estudar alguns aspectos da demência, comumente associada à disfunção colinérgica. / In Alzheimer’s disease, the degree of dementia could be correlated with the damage of cholinergic neurons, particularly with those supply the hippocampus and neocortex. Lesions of the nucleus basalis magnocellularis (nbm) was extremely used to study cognitive deficits and behavior alterations involved cholinergic dysfunction. In this model cortical astrogliosis is described, but it is not clear if the activation of hippocampal neurons exist. Despite this, the present study evaluates the possible astroglial alterations in the hippocampus of Wistar male rats after lesion in the nbm with ibotenic acid infusion. Was investigate the GFAP, S100B, GSH content and AChE and GS activity, glutamate uptake, secretion of S100B (with high and low concentration of K+) and immunohistochemistry of GFAP after 7 and 28 days of lesion. The cognitive deficit was confirmed through the stepdown inhibitory avoidance task (dementia/no dementia). Our results confirm hippocampal astroglial alterations, particularly a decrease of antioxidant defense (decrease of GSH content), decrease of glutamate uptake, decrease of GFAP and S100B content and decrease of AChE activity after 28 days of lesion. The content of GFAP and S100B after 7 days of lesion was not modified as well as the S100B content in the CSF (cerebrospinal fluid). The GS activity was not altered after 7 or 28 days of lesion and the S100B secretion was maintained in basal levels after 28 days of insult. These data contribute to understand the nbm lesion with ibotenic acid, particularly a cholinergic dysfunction caused in the hippocampus together with glial hypofunction; this procedure could be considered a good model to study some aspects of dementia, commonly associated with cholinergic dysfunction.

Na doença de Alzheimer, o grau de demência pode ser correlacionado com o dano dos neurônios colinérgicos, particularmente aqueles que inervam o hipocampo e neocórtex. Lesões no núcleo basal magnocelular (nbm) são extremamente utilizados para estudar déficits cognitivos e alterações comportamentais envolvendo a disfunção colinérgica. Neste modelo, astrogliose cortical é descrita, mas ainda não está claro se há ativação dos astrócitos hipocampais. Para tanto, este estudo buscou avaliar possíveis alterações astrogliais no hipocampo de ratos Wistar machos adultos após lesão do nbm através da infusão de ácido ibotênico. Foram investigados os conteúdos de GFAP (proteína glial fibrilar ácida), S100B (tecido e líquor), GSH (glutationa), atividade da GS (glutamina sintetase) e da AChE (acetilcolinesterase), além da captação de glutamato, secreção de S100B (com alta e baixa concentração de K+) e imunoistoquímica para GFAP após 7 e 28 dias de lesão. O déficit cognitivo foi confirmado através da tarefa de esquiva inibitória (parâmetro demência/não demência). Nossos resultados confirmam alterações astrogliais hipocampais, particularmente uma diminuição da defesa antioxidante (diminuição do conteúdo de GSH), diminuição da captação de glutamato, diminuição do conteúdo de GFAP e S100B (tecido) e diminuição da atividade da AChE após 28 dias de lesão no nbm. O conteúdo de S100B e GFAP após 7 dias de lesão não sofreu modificações significativas assim como o conteúdo de S100B no líquor. A atividade da GS também não alterou após 7 ou 28 dias de lesão com ácido ibotênico, bem como a secreção de S100B, que se manteve em níveis basais após 28 dias de lesão. Esses dados contribuem para o entendimento de lesão no nbm através da infusão de IBO, particularmente provocando uma disfunção colinérgica no hipocampo acompanhada de hipofunção glial; este procedimento pode ser considerado um modelo adequado para estudar alguns aspectos da demência, comumente associada à disfunção colinérgica. / In Alzheimer’s disease, the degree of dementia could be correlated with the damage of cholinergic neurons, particularly with those supply the hippocampus and neocortex. Lesions of the nucleus basalis magnocellularis (nbm) was extremely used to study cognitive deficits and behavior alterations involved cholinergic dysfunction. In this model cortical astrogliosis is described, but it is not clear if the activation of hippocampal neurons exist. Despite this, the present study evaluates the possible astroglial alterations in the hippocampus of Wistar male rats after lesion in the nbm with ibotenic acid infusion. Was investigate the GFAP, S100B, GSH content and AChE and GS activity, glutamate uptake, secretion of S100B (with high and low concentration of K+) and immunohistochemistry of GFAP after 7 and 28 days of lesion. The cognitive deficit was confirmed through the stepdown inhibitory avoidance task (dementia/no dementia). Our results confirm hippocampal astroglial alterations, particularly a decrease of antioxidant defense (decrease of GSH content), decrease of glutamate uptake, decrease of GFAP and S100B content and decrease of AChE activity after 28 days of lesion. The content of GFAP and S100B after 7 days of lesion was not modified as well as the S100B content in the CSF (cerebrospinal fluid). The GS activity was not altered after 7 or 28 days of lesion and the S100B secretion was maintained in basal levels after 28 days of insult. These data contribute to understand the nbm lesion with ibotenic acid, particularly a cholinergic dysfunction caused in the hippocampus together with glial hypofunction; this procedure could be considered a good model to study some aspects of dementia, commonly associated with cholinergic dysfunction.

The purpose of these experiments was to determine the effects of cholinergic depletion on spontaneous and evoked activity of neurons in the different layers of the posteromedial barrel subfield (PMBSF) of the rat somatosensory cortex. Acetylcholine neurons in nucleus basalis of Meynert (NBM) were selectively lesioned with an immunotoxin (IT), 192 IgG-saporin. Spontaneous activity was significantly lower in layers II-III, Va, and VI in IT-injected animals compared to control animals. Evoked activity was significantly lower in layers II-III, IV, Vb, and VI of IT-injected animals compared to control animals. The largest difference was observed in layer Vb. Thus, cholinergic depletion causes significant changes in the magnitude of spontaneous and evoked activity but these differences are not completely in register with one another.

Η αντιπονεκτίνη και οι υποδοχείς αντιπονεκτίνης, AdipoR1 και AdipoR2, αποτελούν συστατικά στοιχεία των ενεργειακών ομοιοστατικών μηχανισμών στους περιφερικούς ιστούς. Σύμφωνα με πρόσφατες μελέτες, η αντιπονεκτίνη φαίνεται, επιδρώντας σε κεντρικά νευρωνικά κυκλώματα, να συμμετέχει στη ρύθμισης πρόσληψης τροφής και κατανάλωσης ενέργειας. Σκοπός της παρούσας μελέτης ήταν η διερεύνηση της πιθανής έκφρασης και της κατανομής της αντιπονεκτίνης και των υποδοχέων της στην ανθρώπινη υπόφυση, στον υποθάλαμο και σε άλλες περιοχές του ανθρώπινου εγκεφάλου. Τομές υπόφυσης, υποθαλάμου και της παρακείμενης βασικής τηλεγκεφαλικής περιοχής, εγκεφαλικού φλοιού και παρεγκεφαλίδας μονιμοποιημένες σε ουδέτερη φορμόλη και εγκλεισμένες σε παραφίνη, από σαράντα περιστατικά, μελετήθηκαν ιστολογικά με τη χρήση ηωσίνης-αιματοξυλίνης, και των ειδικών χρώσεων PAS-orange G και luxol fast blue-cresyl violet. Εν συνεχεία, εφαρμόσθηκε απλή και διπλή ανοσοϊστοχημική μέθοδος, χρησιμοποιώντας ειδικά αντισώματα έναντι της αντιπονεκτίνης, του AdipoR1 και AdipoR2, της ακετυλομεταφοράσης της χολίνης, της FSH, LH, TSH, GH, ACTH και προλακτίνης. Ο μέσος όρος (± SD) ηλικίας και δείκτη μάζας σώματος (ΒΜΙ) των υπό εξέταση περιπτώσεων ήταν 56 (±18) έτη και 27 (±5) kg/m2, αντίστοιχα. Έντονη έκφραση της αντιπονεκτίνης παρατηρήθηκε στον πρόσθιο λοβό (pars distalis/PD) της υπόφυσης και στο χοανικό δακτύλιο (pars tuberalis/PT). Ειδικότερα, ισχυρή ανοσοϊστοχημική χρώση για την αντιπονεκτίνη παρατηρήθηκε στα κύτταρα που παράγουν GH, FSH, LH , TSH και FSH, LH, TSH, στον πρόσθιο λοβό και στο χοανικό δακτύλιο αντίστοιχα.. Στο PD, ισχυρή έως μέτρια έκφραση του AdipoR1 και AdipoR2 ανιχνεύθηκε στους ίδιους κυτταρικούς τύπους στους οποίους εντοπίσθηκε και η αντιπονεκτίνη. Δεν παρατηρήθηκε ανοσοθετικότητα για τους υποδοχείς της αντιπονεκτίνης στα κύτταρα του ΡT. Έντονη ανοσοϊστοχημική χρώση για τον AdipoR1 παρουσίασαν οι νευρώνες της πλάγιας υποθαλαμικής περιοχής και του βασικού πυρήνα του Meynert (NBM). Η έκφραση της αντιπονεκτίνης και των υποδοχέων της στην ανθρώπινη υπόφυση ενδεχομένως αποτελεί μία ένδειξη της ύπαρξης ενός τοπικού ρυθμιστικού συστήματος, το οποίο ασκεί τροποποιητικές δράσεις στους ενδοκρινικούς άξονες. Επιπρόσθετα, η παρουσία του AdipoR1 στον υποθάλαμο και στο NBM υποδεικνύει ότι η αντιπονεκτίνη μπορεί να 118 συμμετέχει σε κεντρικά νευρωνικά σηματοδοτικά μονοπάτια, ελέγχοντας την ενεργειακή ομοιόσταση και άλλες εγκεφαλικές λειτουργίες. / Adiponectin and its receptors, AdipoR1 and AdipoR2, constitute integral components of energy homeostatic mechanism, in peripheral tissues. Recent studies have implicated adiponectin in central neural networks regulating food intake and energy expenditure. The present study aimed at investigating the possible expression and distribution of adiponectin and its receptors in human pituitary gland, hypothalamus and different brain areas. Sections of the pituitary gland, hypothalamus and adjacent basal forebrain area, cerebrum and cerebellum from forty autopsy cases, were examined using H&E, PAS-Orange G, luxol fast blue/cresyl violet stains and single and double immunohistochemistry using adiponectin, AdipoR1, AdipoR2, choline acetyltransferase, FSH, LH, TSH, GH, ACTH and prolactinspecific antibodies. Age and BMI mean values ± SD of the autopsy cases were 56±18 years and 27±5 kg/m2, respectively. Strong adiponectin expression was observed in pituitary gland. In pars distalis (PD), adiponectin localized in GH, FSH, LH and TSH-producing cells and in pars tuberalis (PT) in FSH, LH and TSH-producing cells. Strong to moderate expression of AdipoR1 and AdipoR2 was observed in PD by the same cell types as adiponectin. No immunoreactivity for adiponectin receptors was noted in cells of PT. Intense AdipoR1 immunostaining was observed in neurons of lateral hypothalamic area and of nucleus basalis of Meynert (NBM). Adiponectin and its receptors expression in human pituitary might indicate the existence of a local system, modulating endocrine axes. Furthermore, the presence of AdipoR1 in hypothalamus and NBM suggests that adiponectin may participate in central neural signaling pathways controlling energy homeostasis and higher brain functions.

Estudamos os efeitos da estimulação elétrica no nucleus basalis magnocelular (Meynert), núcleo colinégico que projeta aferências para o córtex cerebral e tem sido associado a mecanismos de aprendizagem e memória. Verificamos os efeitos eletrofisiológicos induzidos pela estimulação elétrica do núcleo basalis pareado com apresentação de um tom puro. Caracterizamos a dinâmica da atividade elétrica neural do cortex auditivo primário e de núcleos subcorticais relacionados à circuitaria da aprendizagem e memória, durante o condicionamento auditivo nos momentos de aquisição e de revocação além correlacioná-las a dinâmica de freqüência cardiaca, variável que pode exprimir a relevância de um estímulo / Acetilcholine is related to learning and memory and is related to cortical activation. We studied the effects electrically stimulating the basal forebrain - the main cholinergic afferent to the cortex, while presenting paired and unpaired pure tones. Mathematical techniques were used to analyze electrophysiological data. The dynamics from primary auditory cortex and related subcortical nuclei were correlated to the auditory conditioning. We also correlated brain activity to the heart dynamics, considered a reliable measure of learning and conditioning, an interesting approach that uncovers the relevance of stimulus that is not detectable through other behavioral variables

Estudamos os efeitos da estimulação elétrica no nucleus basalis magnocelular (Meynert), núcleo colinégico que projeta aferências para o córtex cerebral e tem sido associado a mecanismos de aprendizagem e memória. Verificamos os efeitos eletrofisiológicos induzidos pela estimulação elétrica do núcleo basalis pareado com apresentação de um tom puro. Caracterizamos a dinâmica da atividade elétrica neural do cortex auditivo primário e de núcleos subcorticais relacionados à circuitaria da aprendizagem e memória, durante o condicionamento auditivo nos momentos de aquisição e de revocação além correlacioná-las a dinâmica de freqüência cardiaca, variável que pode exprimir a relevância de um estímulo / Acetilcholine is related to learning and memory and is related to cortical activation. We studied the effects electrically stimulating the basal forebrain - the main cholinergic afferent to the cortex, while presenting paired and unpaired pure tones. Mathematical techniques were used to analyze electrophysiological data. The dynamics from primary auditory cortex and related subcortical nuclei were correlated to the auditory conditioning. We also correlated brain activity to the heart dynamics, considered a reliable measure of learning and conditioning, an interesting approach that uncovers the relevance of stimulus that is not detectable through other behavioral variables

abstract: Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is characterized by the degeneration of cholinergic basal forebrain (CBF) neurons in the nucleus basalis of Meynert (nbM), which provides the majority of cholinergic input to the cortical mantle and together form the basocortical cholinergic system. Histone deacetylase (HDAC) dysregulation in the temporal lobe has been associated with neuronal degeneration during AD progression. However, whether HDAC alterations play a role in cortical and cortically-projecting cholinergic nbM neuronal degeneration during AD onset is unknown. In an effort to characterize alterations in the basocortical epigenome semi-quantitative western blotting and immunohistochemistry were utilized to evaluate HDAC and sirtuin (SIRT) levels in individuals that died with a premortem clinical diagnosis of no cognitive impairment (NCI), mild cognitive impairment (MCI), mild/moderate AD (mAD), or severe AD (sAD). In the frontal cortex, immunoblots revealed significant increases in HDAC1 and HDAC3 in MCI and mAD, followed by a decrease in sAD. Cortical HDAC2 levels remained stable across clinical groups. HDAC4 was significantly increased in prodromal and mild AD compared to aged cognitively normal controls. HDAC6 significantly increased during disease progression, while SIRT1 decreased in MCI, mAD, and sAD compared to controls. Basal forebrain levels of HDAC1, 3, 4, 6 and SIRT1 were stable across disease progression, while HDAC2 levels were significantly decreased in sAD. Quantitative immunohistochemistry was used to identify HDAC2 protein levels in individual cholinergic nbM nuclei immunoreactive for the early phosphorylated tau marker AT8, the late-stage apoptotic tau marker TauC3, and Thioflavin-S, a marker of mature neurofibrillary tangles (NFTs). HDAC2 nuclear immunoreactivity was reduced in individual cholinergic nbM neurons across disease stages, and was exacerbated in tangle-bearing cholinergic nbM neurons. HDAC2 nuclear reactivity correlated with multiple cognitive domains and with NFT formation. These findings identify global HDAC and SIRT alterations in the cortex while HDAC2 dysregulation contributes to cholinergic nbM neuronal dysfunction and NFT pathology during the progression of AD. / Dissertation/Thesis / Doctoral Dissertation Neuroscience 2018

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Washington, 2002. / Vita. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 118-136).

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Washington, 2001. / Vita. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 98-112).