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High-resolution In Vivo Manual Segmentation Protocol for Human Hippocampal Subfields Using 3T Magnetic Resonance Imaging
Published on: November 10, 2015
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Hippocampal Transcriptomic Profiles: Subfield Vulnerability to Age and Cognitive Impairment
Lara Ianov1,2, Matt De Both3, Monica K Chawla4
1Departments of Neuroscience and Genetics and Genomics Program, Evelyn F. and William L. McKnight Brain Institute, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, United States.
Frontiers in Aging Neuroscience
|December 26, 2017
Summary
Brain aging impacts gene expression in specific hippocampal subfields. Aging increases immune genes in the dentate gyrus and affects synaptic function in CA1, correlating with cognitive decline.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Genomics
- Molecular Biology
Background:
- Brain aging is associated with cognitive decline.
- The hippocampus, particularly its subfields, is crucial for memory and vulnerable to aging.
- Understanding gene expression changes in specific hippocampal regions is key to deciphering aging-related cognitive impairments.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate gene expression differences in hippocampal subfields (CA1, CA3, dentate gyrus) of young and aged rats.
- To identify genes associated with cognitive decline during aging.
- To characterize the transcriptomic profiles of hippocampal subfields.
Main Methods:
- Next-generation RNA sequencing (Illumina and Ion Proton platforms) was used to analyze poly-A mRNA.
- Spatial episodic memory task performance was assessed in young and aged rats.
- Differential gene expression analysis was performed across ages, hippocampal regions, and cognitive performance.
Main Results:
- Significant differences in gene expression were observed across hippocampal subfields and with age.
- Aging correlated with increased expression of immune response genes, especially in the dentate gyrus.
- Impaired memory performance in aged rats was linked to altered calcium (Ca2+) and synaptic function gene expression in the CA1 region.
Conclusions:
- Hippocampal subfields exhibit distinct transcriptomic profiles and differential vulnerability to aging.
- Aging-induced changes in gene expression, particularly immune and synaptic genes, contribute to cognitive decline.
- Transcriptomic data supports a correlation between hippocampal cytoarchitecture and molecular characteristics.
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