| Grant number: | 16/20574-0 |
| Support Opportunities: | Scholarships in Brazil - Scientific Initiation |
| Start date: | December 01, 2016 |
| End date: | November 30, 2017 |
| Field of knowledge: | Biological Sciences - Pharmacology - Neuropsychopharmacology |
| Principal Investigator: | Tânia Araújo Viel |
| Grantee: | Helena Nascimento Malerba |
| Host Institution: | Faculdade de Ciências Médicas da Santa Casa de São Paulo (FCMSCSP). Fundação Arnaldo Vieira de Carvalho. São Paulo , SP, Brazil |
Abstract With increasing longevity of the population, it is necessary to increase the application of gerontological knowledge for promoting healthy aging. The proximity of old age entails increasing prevalent diseases in this age group, especially the chronic diseases that can often be debilitating. In recent years, our research group has shown the benefits of environmental enrichment and microdosing administration of lithium ions to improve memory in animals and humans, which can lead to longevity with health. According to these factors the hypothesis of this project is that the treatment with lithium ions in microdose along with the application of environmental enrichment can increase the prevention and treatment of organic dysfunctions that occur in old age and promote brain resilience. So the aim of the project is to verify the effectiveness of treatment with microdosing lithium, orally, in mice belonging to the lineage that has accelerated aging (SAMP-8, "senescence-accelerated mouse") combined or not with environmental enrichment for promoting healthy aging. The animals will be divided into four groups: 1) Control group: without treatment and without stimulation; 2) Lithium group: treated with 0.25 mg/kg of lithium carbonate, dissolved in water; 3) Stimulated Group (SG): placed daily in an enriched environment, that have different objects; 4) SG + Lithium Group: treated with lithium and placed in an enriched environment. During the observation, the animals will be evaluated for spatial memory (in Barnes maze), recognition memory of objects, memory related to aversive stimulus (in inhibitory avoidance equipement) and anxiety (in the elevated plus maze). The treatments, stimulus and observations will be held and the animals will be killed according to an "end point", from general observations of their health (reduction in eating behavior, pain, tumor appearance, etc.). We intend to verify if the proposed treatments will promote neuroprotection, preventing cognitive decline and associated disorders, observed in this experimental model. (AU) | |
| News published in Agência FAPESP Newsletter about the scholarship: | |
| More itemsLess items | |
| TITULO | |
| Articles published in other media outlets ( ): | |
| More itemsLess items | |
| VEICULO: TITULO (DATA) | |
| VEICULO: TITULO (DATA) | |