Maturation of neonatal reflexes and behavioral features in 5xFAD mice, a model of Alzheimer’s disease

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Abstract

Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is a progressive age-related neurodegenerative pathology leading to dementia. Genetic models of AD in mice have been established aimed to elucidate the mechanisms of this pathology and to find possible ways of its correction. Transgenic mice of the 5xFAD strain with two human transgenes App and Psen1 and five mutations represent the popular model for investigating AD. The aim of this work was to evaluate the maturation of neonatal reflexes and the body mass increase during early postnatal ontogenesis in 5xFAD mice, as well as behavioral features of these mice at the age of three months. Wild type (WT) mice of the same sex and age from the same litters were used as controls. The results obtained indicate that 5xFAD mice do not differ from their WT sibs in body mass increase and the rate of neonatal reflexes maturation during weaning period. At the age of three months, 5xFAD males showed sex differences in behavior: males exhibited lower overall locomotor activity than females and showed signs of beginning to develop depressive-like behavior. Lower anxiety level in males as well as higher exploratory activity in females were revealed in the three-mo.-old 5xFAD mice compared to WT siblings of the same sex. As a result of this study, behavioral features of young 5xFAD mice were characterized at the age of three months. The maturation of neonatal reflexes during the weaning period was studied for the first time in this transgenic model of AD.

About the authors

I. N. Rozhkova

Institute of Cytology and Genetics Siberian Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences

Novosibirsk, Russia

E. Yu. Brusentsev

Institute of Cytology and Genetics Siberian Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences

Novosibirsk, Russia

T. A. Rakhmanova

Institute of Cytology and Genetics Siberian Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences; Novosibirsk State University

Novosibirsk, Russia; Novosibirsk, Russia

V. S. Kozeneva

Institute of Cytology and Genetics Siberian Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences; Novosibirsk State University

Novosibirsk, Russia; Novosibirsk, Russia

N. V. Khotskin

Institute of Cytology and Genetics Siberian Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences

Novosibirsk, Russia

S. Ya. Amstislavsky

Institute of Cytology and Genetics Siberian Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences

Email: amstis@yandex.ru
Novosibirsk, Russia

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