Digital Commons Network^™

Evaluating Cognitive Impairment, Imaging And Blood Biomarkers In A Pre-Clinical Model Of Concussion, Brainscan, Western University, Arthur Brown, Marco Prado, Rob Bartha, Ravi Menon, Mark Daley

Project Summaries

The foundational milestone for the research, that we are addressing in this project, is to demonstrate that cognitive impairments in mouse models and humans are similar by using touchscreen technology. We will also be applying fMRI and MRS analyses to mouse models since they are analogous to that used in human studies - it will help us establish relevant endpoints for the studies as part of understanding the underlying characteristics, pathways and effects of concussion.

Using Automated Touchscreen Tasks For Cognitive Assessment In A Novel Model Of Parkinson's Disease, Brainscan, Western University, Flavio Henrique Beraldo De Paiva, Marco Prado, Vania Prado

Project Summaries

This research will focus specifically on evaluating cognitive flexibility (the ability to respond and adapt behaviours to changes in the environment), cognitive dysfunction (changes in the intellectual processing and reasoning that impact daily functions, to a greater severity than what might be expected from typical age-related decline) and long-term memory in a PD model using touchscreens.

The Role Of Astrocytes In Memory: Focus On Pattern Separation, Brainscan , Western University, Timothy Bussey, Vania Prado, Ceci Kramar, Marco Prado, Lisa Saksida

Project Summaries

It has recently been shown that astrocytes play a leading role in a particular aspect of memory known as 'pattern separation' - differentiating between similar experiences or episodes in memory (say, recalling where you parked your car today compared to where you parked it yesterday). Pattern separation is disrupted in a wide variety of diseases of the brain so it is of considerable interest to memory researchers.

We have already shown in a small pilot study that we can improve pattern separation with selective manipulation of astrocytes in a specific brain region. In this project, we will attempt to demonstrate …

Integrating Behavioural, Imaging And Transcriptional Profiling To Discover The Impact Of Midlife Stress In Alzheimer's Disease, Brainscan , Western University, Tim Bussey, Flavio Beraldo, Chakravarty Maller, Rosemary Bagot, Sylvain Williams, Claudia Kleinman

Project Summaries

We will be integrating this cognitive assessment with imaging of brain structure and function to understand the mechanisms by which a risk factor, in this case modifiable life stress, influences Alzheimer's disease-related decline. The resultant data will be integrated and disseminated using a new open-access neuroinformatics platform developed at Western (MouseBytes.ca), which will become a unique resource for open science investigations and set the standard for sharing of behavioural data across the world.

Developing Behavioural Testing And Mr Imaging To Evaluate Cognitive Impairment In Models Of Cns Autoimmunity, Brainscan, Western University, Steven Kerfoot, Sarah Morrow, Ravi Menon, Flavio Beraldo

Project Summaries

This project will investigate cognition and cognitive fatigue in models of CNS autoimmunity. We will use automated touchscreens and fMRI to measure deficits in higher order brain functions.

We have two critical milestones in this project:

• to use touchscreen testing protocols to determine if mouse models demonstrate the same kinds of attention, working memory and cognitive fatigue deficits observed in MS, and
• to use fMRI to measure higher-order defects in the autoimmune models and identify any changes present that might be associated with cognitive dysfunction and the findings from human studies.