32nd Annual Student Research Conference
Respiratory Responses of an Alzheimer’s Disease Model (APP/PS1 Mice) to Chemoreflex Stimulation
Christian R. Castellanos* and Ilennah Fanega
Dr. Daniela Ostrowski and Dr. Tim Ostrowski (ATSU), Faculty Mentors
Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is a neurodegenerative disorder resulting in cognitive impairment and other symptoms including respiratory dysfunction. One major contributor to these conditions is accumulation of amyloid beta (Aβ) in the brain.
We used the APP/PS1- AD mouse model (48 ± 5g, n=8) that over expresses Aβ to study respiratory dysfunction, specifically focusing on the peripheral and central chemoreflexes. The Morris Water Maze paradigm verified significant decline of spatial memory in APP/PS1 mice when compared to control (p<0.001). Respiratory responses were observed during hypoxic (10% O2, peripheral chemoreflex stimulation) and hypercapnic (5% CO2, central chemoreflex) conditions using a plethysmography chamber. While there was no change in chemoreflex under hypoxic conditions, hypercapnia induced a slight but non-significant blunting of the central chemoreflex (minute ventilation: p=0.09), mainly due to reduced breathing rate (p=0.06). These data suggest that Aβ may contribute to the respiratory dysfunction in AD.
Keywords: Hypoxia, Hypercapnia, Plethysmography , Alzheimer's Disease, Morris Water Maze , Chemoreflex, APP/PS1, Amyloid Beta
Topic(s):Biology
Presentation Type: Poster
Session: 8-1
Location: SUB GEO
Time: 3:00