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March 11, 2005
A group of researchers from the University of Chicago have said that
an enriched environment revolving around exercises, more exploration
and interaction with others had the probability of drastically
reducing biological characteristics of Alzheimer's disease in mice,
which were genetically predisposed to the disorder.
The findings, which appear in the March 2005 issue of Cell
further states that mice raised in a deluxe setting with large cages
filled with running wheels, coloured tunnels and multiple toys, had
much less of the beta-amyloid peptides, characteristic of
Alzheimer's disease, deposited in their brains and far lower levels
of these peptides in their blood than genetically similar mice
raised in a standard environment.
The study further revealed that mice from enriched settings also
had more of an enzyme that broke down amyloid as well as increased
activity of several genes involved in learning and memory, brain
cell survival and growth of new blood vessels.
For the study mice carrying two distinct genes (amyloid precursor
protein and presenilin-1) that predispose the animals to develop
Alzheimer's early in life were used.
Experiments conducted on the mice revealed that those reared in
an enriched environment had a dramatic reduction of amyloid deposits
in their brains, including less than half the volume of amyloid
deposits in the hippocampus and cortex, regions involved in memory
and reasoning, compared to the ones raised in a standard
environment.
Also they showed greater activity for several other genes
involved in memory and learning, the growth of new nerve cells, cell
survival, and the growth of new blood vessels within the brain as
well as traits showing extremely active behaviour, like frequently
exploring their cages or running on the wheel, compared to the
couch-potato mice, who had the same opportunities for exercise but
chose much less activity.
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