Learning and memory are fundamental brain functions affected by dietary and environmental factors. Magnesium is essential for maintaining normal body and brain functions. Here,
Preliminary work by our research team revealed that Schisandra, a renowned traditional Chinese medicine, causes learning and memory improvements in ovariectomized mice. This activity was attributed to active ingredien...Preliminary work by our research team revealed that Schisandra, a renowned traditional Chinese medicine, causes learning and memory improvements in ovariectomized mice. This activity was attributed to active ingredients extracted with N-butyl alcohol, named Schisandra N-butanol extract. In this study, ovariectomized mice were pretreated with Schisandra N-butanol extract given by intragastric administration. This treatment led to the enhancement of learning, and an increase in hippocampal CA1 synaptic, surface and postsynaptic density. A decrease in the average size of the synaptic active zone was also observed. These experimental findings showing that Schisandra N-butanol extract improved synaptic morphology indicate an underlying mechanism by which the ability of learning is enhanced in ovariectomized mice.展开更多
Dementia is characterized by synaptic and neuronal dysfunction in disease-specific brain regions.Repeated failure of dementia clinical trials with therapeutic drugs targeting abnormal protein aggregates has caused res...Dementia is characterized by synaptic and neuronal dysfunction in disease-specific brain regions.Repeated failure of dementia clinical trials with therapeutic drugs targeting abnormal protein aggregates has caused researchers to shift their focus to synaptic functions and increased the importance of clinically available imaging for synaptic density and the development of synapse-targeted intervention.Synaptic density imaging with positron emission tomography(PET)tracer enables non-invasive detection of synaptic loss and hence investigates the association with other neuropathological events exemplified by disease-specific abnormal protein accumulation.Many studies have reviewed the progress of synaptic density imaging;however,to our knowledge,there is no article yet that summarizes the research progress of multimodal imaging of synaptic density tracers combined with other dementia biomarkers.Moreover,synaptic function intervention for dementia therapy has not yet been summarized.In this review,first we detail the progress of synaptic density imaging including tracer development and preclinical/clinical application,followed by a discussion of multimodal imaging of synaptic density tracers combined with classic dementia biomarkers in the clinical research stage.Finally,we briefly summarize the synapse-targeted drugs for dementia therapy.展开更多
Bushen Tiansui decoction is composed of six traditional Chinese medicines：Herba Epimedii,Radix Polygoni multiflori,Plastrum testudinis,Fossilia Ossis Mastodi,Radix Polygalae,and Rhizoma Acorus tatarinowii.Because Bus...Bushen Tiansui decoction is composed of six traditional Chinese medicines：Herba Epimedii,Radix Polygoni multiflori,Plastrum testudinis,Fossilia Ossis Mastodi,Radix Polygalae,and Rhizoma Acorus tatarinowii.Because Bushen Tiansui decoction is effective against amyloid beta（Aβ） toxicity,we hypothesized that it would reduce hippocampal synaptic damage and improve cognitive function in Alzheimer＇s disease.To test this hypothesis,we used a previously established animal model of Alzheimer＇s disease,that is,microinjection of aggregated Aβ25–35 into the bilateral brain ventricles of Sprague-Dawley rats.We found that long-term（28 days） oral administration of Bushen Tiansui decoction（0.563,1.688,and 3.375 g/m L;4 m L/day） prevented synaptic loss in the hippocampus and increased the expression levels of synaptic proteins,including postsynaptic density protein 95,the N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor 2 B subunit,and Shank1.These results suggested that Bushen Tiansui decoction can protect synapses by maintaining the expression of these synaptic proteins.Bushen Tiansui decoction also ameliorated measures reflecting spatial learning and memory deficits that were observed in the Morris water maze（i.e.,increased the number of platform crossings and the amount of time spent in the target quadrant and decreased escape latency） following intraventricular injections of aggregated Aβ25–35 compared with those measures in untreated Aβ_（25–35）-injected rats.Overall,these results provided evidence that further studies on the prevention and treatment of dementia with this traditional Chinese medicine are warranted.展开更多
文摘Learning and memory are fundamental brain functions affected by dietary and environmental factors. Magnesium is essential for maintaining normal body and brain functions. Here,
文摘Preliminary work by our research team revealed that Schisandra, a renowned traditional Chinese medicine, causes learning and memory improvements in ovariectomized mice. This activity was attributed to active ingredients extracted with N-butyl alcohol, named Schisandra N-butanol extract. In this study, ovariectomized mice were pretreated with Schisandra N-butanol extract given by intragastric administration. This treatment led to the enhancement of learning, and an increase in hippocampal CA1 synaptic, surface and postsynaptic density. A decrease in the average size of the synaptic active zone was also observed. These experimental findings showing that Schisandra N-butanol extract improved synaptic morphology indicate an underlying mechanism by which the ability of learning is enhanced in ovariectomized mice.
基金funding support from the National Natural Science Foundation of China(81971016)Shanghai Science and Technology program(21010502300)Construction project of Shanghai Key Laboratory of Molecular Imaging(18DZ2260400).
文摘Dementia is characterized by synaptic and neuronal dysfunction in disease-specific brain regions.Repeated failure of dementia clinical trials with therapeutic drugs targeting abnormal protein aggregates has caused researchers to shift their focus to synaptic functions and increased the importance of clinically available imaging for synaptic density and the development of synapse-targeted intervention.Synaptic density imaging with positron emission tomography(PET)tracer enables non-invasive detection of synaptic loss and hence investigates the association with other neuropathological events exemplified by disease-specific abnormal protein accumulation.Many studies have reviewed the progress of synaptic density imaging;however,to our knowledge,there is no article yet that summarizes the research progress of multimodal imaging of synaptic density tracers combined with other dementia biomarkers.Moreover,synaptic function intervention for dementia therapy has not yet been summarized.In this review,first we detail the progress of synaptic density imaging including tracer development and preclinical/clinical application,followed by a discussion of multimodal imaging of synaptic density tracers combined with classic dementia biomarkers in the clinical research stage.Finally,we briefly summarize the synapse-targeted drugs for dementia therapy.
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China,No.81373705the Natural Science Foundation of Hunan Province in China,No.13JJ3030
文摘Bushen Tiansui decoction is composed of six traditional Chinese medicines：Herba Epimedii,Radix Polygoni multiflori,Plastrum testudinis,Fossilia Ossis Mastodi,Radix Polygalae,and Rhizoma Acorus tatarinowii.Because Bushen Tiansui decoction is effective against amyloid beta（Aβ） toxicity,we hypothesized that it would reduce hippocampal synaptic damage and improve cognitive function in Alzheimer＇s disease.To test this hypothesis,we used a previously established animal model of Alzheimer＇s disease,that is,microinjection of aggregated Aβ25–35 into the bilateral brain ventricles of Sprague-Dawley rats.We found that long-term（28 days） oral administration of Bushen Tiansui decoction（0.563,1.688,and 3.375 g/m L;4 m L/day） prevented synaptic loss in the hippocampus and increased the expression levels of synaptic proteins,including postsynaptic density protein 95,the N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor 2 B subunit,and Shank1.These results suggested that Bushen Tiansui decoction can protect synapses by maintaining the expression of these synaptic proteins.Bushen Tiansui decoction also ameliorated measures reflecting spatial learning and memory deficits that were observed in the Morris water maze（i.e.,increased the number of platform crossings and the amount of time spent in the target quadrant and decreased escape latency） following intraventricular injections of aggregated Aβ25–35 compared with those measures in untreated Aβ_（25–35）-injected rats.Overall,these results provided evidence that further studies on the prevention and treatment of dementia with this traditional Chinese medicine are warranted.
