33rd Annual Student Research Conference
Progression of Chemoreflex (Dys-)function in the Streptozotocin-Induced Rat Model for Alzheimer’s Disease
Mahima Thapa* and Mansi Trivedi
Dr. Daniela Ostrowski, Faculty Mentor
Alzheimer’s disease (AD) induces memory decline and many co-morbidities including sleep-disordered breathing, which reduces the ability to adjust respiration to low O2 and/or high CO2 conditions.
We measured respiratory responses of the Streptozotocin (STZ)-induced rat model of AD to hypoxia (10% O2) and hypercapnia (7% CO2) at three weeks and three months following STZ induction (N=6/group).
At three weeks, respiratory responses to hypoxia were significantly blunted in STZ-AD (~25% lower respiratory rate [RR]). At three months, STZ-AD rats additionally developed higher baseline RR at normoxia (21% O2). Tidal volume (TV) increased normally (bigger lungs with age), leading to a ~15% higher minute ventilation (MV; product of RR and TV) in STZ-AD rats when compared to CTL (long-term change). Hypercapnic responses were mostly similar between CTL and STZ-AD rats.
These data provide the first insight into progressive changes with STZ-induced AD.
Funding: Seed money from ATSU to TDO
Keywords: Alzheimer’s disease, Streptozotocin (STZ) -induced rat model, peripheral chemoreflex, hypoxia, Plethysmography
Topic(s):Biology
Presentation Type: Poster
Session: TBA
Location: TBA
Time: TBA