Dendritic spine loss in hippocampus of aged rats. Effect of brain phosphatidylserine administration

Dendritic spine density of pyramidal cells in region CA1 of the hippocampus has been evaluated in young (3 months), old (27 months) and old phosphatidylserine (BC-PS)-treated rats. BC-PS (50 mg/kg, suspended in tap water) was administered daily, starting at the age of 3 months until 27 months. Spine density was analyzed on Golgi-stained pyramidal neurons by a computerized analysis system. In 27-month-old rats, spine density showed with respect to 3-month-old animals, a significant decrease in both basal and apical dendrites (p less than 0.01; one-way ANOVA), with a mean loss of 12.11% in the basal dendrites and of 10.64% in the apical ones. In 27-month-old rats treated with BC-PS, values of spine density were not statistically different when compared to those of 3-month-old animals. The mechanisms underlying the beneficial effect of BC-PS treatment on neuronal connectivity might be explained on the basis of its pharmacological actions on neuronal membranes [9], neurotransmission [43] and/or interaction with NGF [7].