image: Tyrosine hydroxylase-positive noradrenergic neurons (arrow) in the locus coeruleus of aged mice carrying mutant amyloid-β precursor protein and presenilin-1 genes were decreased. view more
Credit: <i>Neural Regeneration Research</i>
Death of neurons in the dorsal raphe nucleus and locus coeruleus is a pathological characteristic of the disease. Previous studies concerning the pathological characteristic of Alzheimer's disease mainly focus on learning and memory-related hippocampus, and less attention has been paid to the locus coeruleus. Noradrenergic neurons in the locus coeruleus can produce norepinephrine that has excitatory effects on the hippocampus and cortex, suggesting that the locus coeruleus has an important role for learning, memory and other cognitive functions. A recent study published in the Neural Regeneration Research (Vol. 8, No. 24, 2013) showed that noradrenergic neurons and fibers in the locus coeruleus are predisposed to degenerative alterations in mice carrying mutant amyloid-β precursor protein and presenilin-1 genes. Authors believe that these changes were consistent with pathological alterations in locus coeruleus neurons in the brains of patients with Alzheimer's disease, demonstrating that this animal model can simulate closely this pathological process observed clinically.
Article: " Degenerative alterations in noradrenergic neurons of the locus coeruleus in Alzheimer's disease," by Lihua Liu1, 2, Saiping Luo3, Leping Zeng4, Weihong Wang2, Liming Yuan5, Xiaohong Jian5 (1 Department of Histology & Embryology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Central South University, Changsha 410013, Hunan Province, China; 2 Department of Nursing, Medical College of Hunan Normal University, Changsha 10013, Hunan Province, China; 3 Third Department of Surgery, Agricultural Division Four Hospital, Xinjiang Production and Construction Corps, Yili 835000, Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, China; 4 Department of Anatomy & Neurobiology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Central South University, Changsha 410013, Hunan Province, China; 5 Department of Anatomy, Medical College of Hunan Normal University, Changsha 410013, Hunan Province, China)
Liu LH, Luo SP, Zeng LP, Wang WH, Yuan LM, Jian XH. Degenerative alterations in noradrenergic neurons of the locus coeruleus in Alzheimer's disease. Neural Regen Res. 2013;8(24):2249-2255.
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Neural Regeneration Research