Effects of an Ependymin Mimetic on Learning and Memory on a Transgenic Mouse Model of Alzheimer's Disease, Poster 2

Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is the most common form of dementia, affecting over 5 million individuals in the U.S. in 2015. This neurodegenerative disorder targets brain structures that are critical for learning, memory, and... [ view full abstract ]

Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is the most common form of dementia, affecting over 5 million individuals in the U.S. in 2015. This neurodegenerative disorder targets brain structures that are critical for learning, memory, and other cognitive functions. Clinical research has recently favored the use of neural growth factors to potentially alleviate the cognitive decline of AD patients. The goal of this study was to investigate whether an ependymin mimic, BTX-1039, could help alleviate memory deficits caused by AD in a transgenic mouse model. Ependymin is a glycoprotein that acts similarly to neurotrophic factors, playing a role in learning, memory, and neural plasticity. In this study, wild-type and transgenic mice received daily 0.2 mL intraperitoneal injections of saline or one of two doses of BTX-1039 (60 mg/kg and 100 mg/kg) over a two week period. The transgenic mice expressed three mutations of human amyloid beta precursor protein and exhibit amyloid-β plaque accumulation, a major symptom of AD. Following injections, we subjected each mouse to behavioral testing in the Morris water maze, a 10-day protocol designed to assess spatial memory consolidation, retrieval, and stimulus-response learning. The results of this experiment will allow us to determine the therapeutic value of BTX-1039 for treating AD.