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Object recognition as a measure of memory in 1–2 years old transgenic minipigs carrying the APPsw mutation for Alzheimer’s disease

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Abstract

Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is a disabling, fatal disease, where animal models potentially can enable investigation of aetiology and treatment. The first litter of Göttingen minipigs carrying a mutation for human AD was born in 2007, showing transgene expression. In human AD patients, memory impairment is the most striking and consistent feature. The aim of the present study was to examine effects of the APPsw transgene on memory of AD minipigs compared with non-transgenic controls at two ages (1–2 years) using the spontaneous object recognition test (SORT), which is based on behavioural discrimination of familiar and novel objects. No significant difference between AD minipigs and controls was found when comparing object recognition as a measure of memory. The minipigs did explore the novel object significantly more than the familiar, indicating the expected recognition of the familiar object. Two different inter-phase intervals were used (IPI: 10–40 min). For both ages, object recognition was evident using 10 min IPI. When using 40 min IPI, object recognition was evident only at age 1 year. Comparing memory of a relatively small group of AD minipigs and controls at two rather young ages using the SORT, we were not able to show memory impairment in APPsw carrying minipigs. Being an age-dependent disease, the transgene is expected to cause AD-like symptoms in this porcine model, and the SORT should be repeated at older ages.

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Acknowledgments

This work was supported by the Danish Agency for Science Technology and Innovation [grant number 274-05-0197], and supported by Institute of Clinical Medicine, Aarhus University. We owe Birgitte R. Kornum many thanks for her valuable contribution through all phases of the study.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Biomedicine, Aarhus University, Wilhelm Meyers Allé 4, 8000, Aarhus C, Denmark

    Lene Vammen Søndergaard & Frederik Dagnæs-Hansen

  2. Department of Animal Science, Aarhus University, Blichers Allé 20, Postboks 50, 8830, Tjele, Denmark

    Lene Vammen Søndergaard & Mette S. Herskin

  3. Department of Large Animal Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Grønnegårdsvej 8, 1870, Frederiksberg C, Denmark

    Jan Ladewig

  4. Laboratory for Experimental Neuropathology, Department of Pathology, Randers Hospital, Skovlyvej 1, 8930, Randers NØ, Denmark

    Ida Elisabeth Holm

  5. Institute for Clinical Medicine, Aarhus University, 8000, Aarhus, Denmark

    Ida Elisabeth Holm

Authors
  1. Lene Vammen Søndergaard
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  2. Jan Ladewig
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  3. Frederik Dagnæs-Hansen
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  4. Mette S. Herskin
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  5. Ida Elisabeth Holm
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Correspondence to Lene Vammen Søndergaard.

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Søndergaard, L.V., Ladewig, J., Dagnæs-Hansen, F. et al. Object recognition as a measure of memory in 1–2 years old transgenic minipigs carrying the APPsw mutation for Alzheimer’s disease. Transgenic Res 21, 1341–1348 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11248-012-9620-4

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11248-012-9620-4

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