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Investigating the Spreading and Toxicity of Prion-like Proteins Using the Metazoan Model Organism C. elegans
Published on: January 8, 2015
Burrowing into prion disease
R M Deacon1, J M Raley, V H Perry
1Department of Experimental Psychology, University of Oxford, South Parks Road, Oxford OX1 3UD, UK.
Neuroreport
|July 4, 2001
Summary
Scrapie infection in mice caused increased activity and decreased burrowing behavior, a sensitive indicator of preclinical prion disease. This behavioral change preceded later motor impairments, highlighting its utility in early detection.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Prion Disease Research
- Animal Behavior
Background:
- Prion diseases, like scrapie, are neurodegenerative disorders.
- Early detection of prion diseases is crucial for understanding pathogenesis and developing treatments.
- Ethological measures offer objective assessments of neurological function.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the utility of burrowing behavior as an early, objective measure of preclinical prion disease in a mouse model.
- To correlate changes in burrowing behavior with other behavioral and motor alterations following scrapie infection.
Main Methods:
- Intra-hippocampal injection of scrapie-infected brain homogenate into mice.
- Monitoring of open field activity and burrowing behavior (food displacement from a tube).
- Assessment of general motor impairments at later time points.
Main Results:
- Increased open field activity was observed around 12 weeks post-injection.
- Burrowing behavior significantly decreased concurrently with increased activity.
- Motor impairments became apparent later, around 18 weeks post-injection.
- Decreased burrowing preceded the onset of general motor dysfunction.
Conclusions:
- Burrowing behavior is a sensitive, objective, and early indicator of preclinical prion disease in mice.
- This ethological measure is not dependent on motor dysfunction and can be used independently of food restriction.
- Burrowing assays show potential for use in various research areas, including aging, Alzheimer's disease models, and pharmacology.
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