Anesthesia in presymptomatic Alzheimer's disease: a study using the triple-transgenic mouse model.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Experimental evidence suggests that anesthetics accelerate symptomatic neurodegenerative disorders such as Alzheimer's disease (AD). Because AD pathology precedes symptoms, we asked ourselves whether anesthetic exposure in the presymptomatic interval accelerated neuropathology and appearance of symptoms.

Methods

Triple-transgenic AD mice were exposed to general aesthetics, either halothane or isoflurane, at 2, 4, and 6 months of age, they then underwent water maze cognitive testing 2 months later, and subsequently their brains were analyzed using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, immunoblots, and immunohistochemistry for amyloid and tau pathology and biomarkers.

Results

Learning and memory improved after halothane exposure in the 2-month-old group relative

SUBMITTER: Tang JX 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3167023 | biostudies-literature | 2011 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature