Authors
Marriott, A. E., Schroeder, J. P., Korukonda, A., Pate, B. S., McCann, K. E., Weinshenker, D., Kelberman, M. A.
Abstract
INTRODUCTION: In murine models of Alzheimer's disease (AD), lesioning the locus coeruleus-norepinephrine (LC-NE) system with DSP-4 exacerbates AD-like neuropathology and cognitive impairment. However, the impact of LC lesions during prodromal stages is poorly characterized. METHODS: TgF344-AD and wild-type rats received monthly injections of DSP-4 or saline from 1-5 months of age, a time point preceding forebrain plaque or tangle deposition in TgF344-AD rats, after which behavior and pathology were assessed. RESULTS: DSP-4 compromised LC cell bodies, fibers, and NE content. LC lesion and the AD transgene each affected several affective behaviors and/or cognition individually, but few interactions were found and DSP-4 failed to exacerbate behavioral phenotypes or neuropathology in TgF344-AD rats. DISCUSSION: Combined with previous literature, our data suggest that LC lesions exacerbate pre-existing AD-like pathology and behavioral impairments, rather than accelerate their onset. Further characterization of LC lesions in TgF344-AD rats at different ages is warranted.
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bioRxiv
The authors list and abstract were imported from bioRxiv on 12 Nov 2025.
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