Effects of Aging and Nerve Growth Factor on Neuropeptide Expression and Cholinergic Innervation of the Rat Basolateral Amygdala
The basolateral amygdala (BLA) contains interneurons that express neuropeptide Y (NPY) and vasoactive intestinal polypeptide (VIP), both of which are involved in the regulation of functions and behaviors that undergo deterioration with aging. There is considerable evidence that, in some brain areas,...
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MDPI AG
2024-02-01
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| author | Pedro A. Pereira Marta Tavares Miguel Laires Bárbara Mota Maria Dulce Madeira Manuel M. Paula-Barbosa Armando Cardoso |
| author_facet | Pedro A. Pereira Marta Tavares Miguel Laires Bárbara Mota Maria Dulce Madeira Manuel M. Paula-Barbosa Armando Cardoso |
| author_sort | Pedro A. Pereira |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | The basolateral amygdala (BLA) contains interneurons that express neuropeptide Y (NPY) and vasoactive intestinal polypeptide (VIP), both of which are involved in the regulation of functions and behaviors that undergo deterioration with aging. There is considerable evidence that, in some brain areas, the expression of NPY and VIP might be modulated by acetylcholine. Importantly, the BLA is one of the brain regions that has one of the densest cholinergic innervations, which arise mainly from the basal forebrain cholinergic neurons. These cholinergic neurons depend on nerve growth factor (NGF) for their survival, connectivity, and function. Thus, in this study, we sought to determine if aging alters the densities of NPY- and VIP-positive neurons and cholinergic varicosities in the BLA and, in the affirmative, if those changes might rely on insufficient trophic support provided by NGF. The number of NPY-positive neurons was significantly reduced in aged rats, whereas the number of VIP-immunoreactive neurons was unaltered. The decreased NPY expression was fully reversed by the infusion of NGF in the lateral ventricle. The density of cholinergic varicosities was similar in adult and old rats. On the other hand, the density of cholinergic varicosities is significantly higher in old rats treated with NGF than in adult and old rats. Our results indicate a dissimilar resistance of different populations of BLA interneurons to aging. Furthermore, the present data also show that the BLA cholinergic innervation is particularly resistant to aging effects. Finally, our results also show that the reduced NPY expression in the BLA of aged rats can be related to changes in the NGF neurotrophic support. |
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| spelling | doaj.art-9bb7b88d8f85408f92e84e47d68166892024-03-27T13:22:08ZengMDPI AGBiology2079-77372024-02-0113315510.3390/biology13030155Effects of Aging and Nerve Growth Factor on Neuropeptide Expression and Cholinergic Innervation of the Rat Basolateral AmygdalaPedro A. Pereira0Marta Tavares1Miguel Laires2Bárbara Mota3Maria Dulce Madeira4Manuel M. Paula-Barbosa5Armando Cardoso6Unit of Anatomy, Department of Biomedicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Porto, Alameda Professor Hernâni Monteiro, 4200-319 Porto, PortugalUnit of Anatomy, Department of Biomedicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Porto, Alameda Professor Hernâni Monteiro, 4200-319 Porto, PortugalUnit of Anatomy, Department of Biomedicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Porto, Alameda Professor Hernâni Monteiro, 4200-319 Porto, PortugalUnit of Anatomy, Department of Biomedicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Porto, Alameda Professor Hernâni Monteiro, 4200-319 Porto, PortugalUnit of Anatomy, Department of Biomedicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Porto, Alameda Professor Hernâni Monteiro, 4200-319 Porto, PortugalUnit of Anatomy, Department of Biomedicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Porto, Alameda Professor Hernâni Monteiro, 4200-319 Porto, PortugalUnit of Anatomy, Department of Biomedicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Porto, Alameda Professor Hernâni Monteiro, 4200-319 Porto, PortugalThe basolateral amygdala (BLA) contains interneurons that express neuropeptide Y (NPY) and vasoactive intestinal polypeptide (VIP), both of which are involved in the regulation of functions and behaviors that undergo deterioration with aging. There is considerable evidence that, in some brain areas, the expression of NPY and VIP might be modulated by acetylcholine. Importantly, the BLA is one of the brain regions that has one of the densest cholinergic innervations, which arise mainly from the basal forebrain cholinergic neurons. These cholinergic neurons depend on nerve growth factor (NGF) for their survival, connectivity, and function. Thus, in this study, we sought to determine if aging alters the densities of NPY- and VIP-positive neurons and cholinergic varicosities in the BLA and, in the affirmative, if those changes might rely on insufficient trophic support provided by NGF. The number of NPY-positive neurons was significantly reduced in aged rats, whereas the number of VIP-immunoreactive neurons was unaltered. The decreased NPY expression was fully reversed by the infusion of NGF in the lateral ventricle. The density of cholinergic varicosities was similar in adult and old rats. On the other hand, the density of cholinergic varicosities is significantly higher in old rats treated with NGF than in adult and old rats. Our results indicate a dissimilar resistance of different populations of BLA interneurons to aging. Furthermore, the present data also show that the BLA cholinergic innervation is particularly resistant to aging effects. Finally, our results also show that the reduced NPY expression in the BLA of aged rats can be related to changes in the NGF neurotrophic support.https://www.mdpi.com/2079-7737/13/3/155agingbasolateral amygdalacholinergic innervationnerve growth factorneuropeptide Yvasoactive intestinal polypeptide |
| spellingShingle | Pedro A. Pereira Marta Tavares Miguel Laires Bárbara Mota Maria Dulce Madeira Manuel M. Paula-Barbosa Armando Cardoso Effects of Aging and Nerve Growth Factor on Neuropeptide Expression and Cholinergic Innervation of the Rat Basolateral Amygdala Biology aging basolateral amygdala cholinergic innervation nerve growth factor neuropeptide Y vasoactive intestinal polypeptide |
| title | Effects of Aging and Nerve Growth Factor on Neuropeptide Expression and Cholinergic Innervation of the Rat Basolateral Amygdala |
| title_full | Effects of Aging and Nerve Growth Factor on Neuropeptide Expression and Cholinergic Innervation of the Rat Basolateral Amygdala |
| title_fullStr | Effects of Aging and Nerve Growth Factor on Neuropeptide Expression and Cholinergic Innervation of the Rat Basolateral Amygdala |
| title_full_unstemmed | Effects of Aging and Nerve Growth Factor on Neuropeptide Expression and Cholinergic Innervation of the Rat Basolateral Amygdala |
| title_short | Effects of Aging and Nerve Growth Factor on Neuropeptide Expression and Cholinergic Innervation of the Rat Basolateral Amygdala |
| title_sort | effects of aging and nerve growth factor on neuropeptide expression and cholinergic innervation of the rat basolateral amygdala |
| topic | aging basolateral amygdala cholinergic innervation nerve growth factor neuropeptide Y vasoactive intestinal polypeptide |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2079-7737/13/3/155 |
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