Transcorneal electrical stimulation enhances cognitive functions in aged and 5XFAD mouse models

Area of Science:

• Neuroscience
• Neurology
• Gerontology

Background:

• Dementia represents a significant global health challenge with no effective treatments.
• Noninvasive visual stimulation is an emerging concept for cognitive deficit amelioration.
• Alzheimer's disease is a leading cause of dementia, characterized by amyloid plaques and cognitive decline.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the effects of transcorneal electrical stimulation (TES) on memory enhancement.
• To evaluate TES efficacy in aged mice and a 5XFAD mouse model of Alzheimer's disease.
• To explore the impact of TES on amyloid pathology and synaptic function in the hippocampus.

Main Methods:

• Two mouse models were used: aged mice and 5XFAD mice.
• Mice received 3 weeks of transcorneal electrical stimulation (TES).
• Cognitive function was assessed using Y-maze and Morris water maze tests; hippocampal amyloid plaques and protein levels were analyzed.

Main Results:

• TES treatment significantly improved memory performance in both aged and 5XFAD mice.
• TES reduced hippocampal amyloid plaque deposition in male 5XFAD mice but not in females.
• TES reversed the downregulation of postsynaptic protein 95 in male 5XFAD mice, indicating a postsynaptic mechanism.

Conclusions:

• Transcorneal electrical stimulation (TES) shows promise as a potential therapeutic strategy for cognitive dysfunction associated with dementia.
• The findings support further research into TES for dementia treatment and mechanistic studies in various models.
• TES may offer a novel noninvasive approach to ameliorate cognitive deficits and target specific pathologies in Alzheimer's disease.