Possible role of locus coeruleus neuronal loss in age-related memory and attention deficits.

ABSTRACT:

Introduction

Aging is associated with a decline in cognitive abilities, including memory and attention. It is generally accepted that age-related histological changes such as increased neuroinflammatory glial activity and a reduction in the number of specific neuronal populations contribute to cognitive aging. Noradrenergic neurons in the locus coeruleus (LC) undergo an approximately 20 % loss during ageing both in humans and mice, but whether this change contributes to cognitive deficits is not known. To address this issue, we asked whether a similar loss of LC neurons in young animals as observed in aged animals impairs memory and attention, cognitive domains that are both influenced by the noradrenergic system and impaired in aging.

Methods

For that, we treated young heal

SUBMITTER: Gargano A 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC10492095 | biostudies-literature | 2023

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature