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Preparation of Acute Hippocampal Slices from Rats and Transgenic Mice for the Study of Synaptic Alterations during Aging and Amyloid Pathology
Published on: March 23, 2011
Choline in the aging brain.
Rachel Katz-Brull1, Alexei R Koudinov, Hadassa Degani
1Department of Biological Regulation, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot 76100, Israel. rkatzbr@caregroup.harvard.edu
Brain Research
|September 25, 2002
Summary
Aging alters brain metabolite ratios and choline transport in rats. Specifically, aged rat hippocampi showed increased choline to N-acetyl aspartate and choline to creatine ratios, while choline uptake mechanisms adapted in aged brain tissues.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Biochemistry
- Medical Imaging
Background:
- Proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS) is a key non-invasive tool for monitoring brain metabolites like N-acetyl aspartate (NAA), creatine (Cr), and choline (Cho).
- Understanding the impact of aging on brain metabolism and transport is crucial for neurodegenerative disease research.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the effects of aging on in vivo brain metabolite ratios (NAA, Cr, Cho) in rats.
- To examine age-related changes in choline transport and lipid synthesis in rat brain slices in vitro.
Main Methods:
- In vivo proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS) was used to measure metabolite ratios in adult and aged rat brains.
- In vitro studies on rat brain slices assessed choline transport kinetics (high and low affinity) and incorporation into phospholipids.
Main Results:
- In aged rat hippocampi, the ratios of choline/NAA and choline/Cr increased, while Cr/NAA remained unchanged.
- Metabolite ratios in the aged rat cortex were similar to those in adult rats.
- Low-affinity choline uptake activity increased in aged cortex and hippocampus, potentially compensating for reduced high-affinity uptake and diffusion.
- Choline incorporation into phospholipids showed consistent high and low affinity kinetics across age groups.
Conclusions:
- Aging significantly alters specific brain metabolite ratios, particularly in the hippocampus.
- Compensatory mechanisms in choline transport, such as increased low-affinity uptake, are observed in aged brain regions.
- Aging does not appear to affect the fundamental kinetics of choline incorporation into phospholipids.
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