A preliminary study targeting neuronal pathways activated following environmental enrichment by resting state functional magnetic resonance imaging

Abstract

We have shown that experience of transgenic mice harboring familial Alzheimer's disease (FAD)-linked AβPPswe/PS1ΔE9 in an enriched environment enhances hippocampal neurogenesis and synaptic plasticity and attenuates neuropathology. Nevertheless, the neuronal pathways activated following environmental enrichment underlying this effect are unknown. Using resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging, we present preliminary evidence to show that transgenic mice, which had been housed in an enriched environment, show increased connectivity between CA1 and cortical areas compared to mice from standard housing. This is the first preliminary demonstration of live-activated neuronal pathways following environmental enrichment in FAD mice. Understanding the activated pathways may unravel the molecular mechanism underlying environmental enrichment-enhanced neuroplasticity in FAD. © 2012 - IOS Press and the authors. All rights reserved.