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Age-Dependent Modifications Of Axons, Mitochondrial Dynamics, And Ca2+ Homeostasis Underlie The Vulnerability Of Aging White Matter To Ischemia, Katharine E. Stahon
Age-Dependent Modifications Of Axons, Mitochondrial Dynamics, And Ca2+ Homeostasis Underlie The Vulnerability Of Aging White Matter To Ischemia, Katharine E. Stahon
Senior Honors Projects
Aging white matter (WM) is increasingly susceptible to neurodegenerative diseases and stroke. Among others, changes in ATP production, mitochondrial dynamics, and Ca2+ homeostasis contribute to increased susceptibility of aging WM to stroke. We utilized a pure white matter tract, mouse optic nerve (MON), obtained from 2- and 12-month old mice to quantify axon structure and function using electrophysiology, 3D-EM, immunoblots, and ATP assays. Functionally, aging axons did not recover as well after ischemia compared to young axons. Structurally, aging axons became thicker with lower G ratios, indicating increased myelin thickness, as well as increased internodal distances and nodal lengths. …