Aging process and memory behavior in rats: relevance of the cholinergic system

• Grant number: 08/04215-3
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Scientific Initiation
• Start date: September 01, 2008
• End date: November 30, 2009
• Field of knowledge: Biological Sciences - Pharmacology - Neuropsychopharmacology
• Principal Investigator: Tânia Araújo Viel
• Grantee: Marilia Silva de Albuquerque
• Host Institution: Escola de Artes, Ciências e Humanidades (EACH). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). São Paulo , SP, Brazil

Abstract

Aging is a prominent world phenomena. Understanding aging process is necessary to accept organic changes that naturally appear. Among them we find the loss of cognitive capacities, one of the most contemporary frightening worries. Formation of memory processes depend on brain areas like cortex, hippocampus and other related limbic structures. Cholinergic system plays a critical role in modulation of learning and memory functions. Most of cholinergic efference arises from basal forebrain and are projected to the hippocampus, neocortex, areas from limbic cortex and amygdala. Cholinergic neurons activate specific receptors; among them are the alpha7 nicotinic receptors. Few works show changes in densities of this receptor relating to memory losses during aging process. The same is observed in studies with human brain, where alterations in densities of these receptors related to aging are not clear. In this way, the study of cholinergic adaptation and its implications for memory during normal aging process is unequivocally necessary. This work will evaluate the memory consolidation of rats from different ages and analyze the role of alpha7 receptors in this context. This study can provide important information of molecular mechanisms concerned to cognitive functions during the aging process. (AU)

Scientific publications

(References retrieved automatically from Web of Science and SciELO through information on FAPESP grants and their corresponding numbers as mentioned in the publications by the authors)

BARALDI, TICIANA; SCHOEWE, NATALIA MENDES; BALTHAZAR, JANAINA; MONTEIRO-SILVA, KARLA CRISTINA; ALBUQUERQUE, MARILIA SILVA; BUCK, HUDSON SOUSA; VIEL, TANIA ARAUJO. Cognitive stimulation during lifetime and in the aged phase improved spatial memory, and altered neuroplasticity and cholinergic markers of mice. Experimental Gerontology, v. 48, n. 8, p. 831-838, AUG 2013. (07/07433-9, 08/04215-3, 11/14636-9)