Stephanie L. Proskauer Pena

Charles University

Author Statistics

Papers

Citation

H-Index

i-10 index

Research Trends

Author Order

Document Type

Co-Authors

Karel Ježek

Charles University

Annu Kala

Charles University

Athira Nataraj

Charles University

Michaela Kavková

Central European Institute of Technology

Tomáš Zikmund

Central European Institute of Technology

Jozef Kaiser

Central European Institute of Technology

André M. Oliveira

Mayo Clinic

Konstantinos Mallouppas

Charles University

Frantisek Zitricky

Charles University

JŠ

Jakub Šalplachta

Central European Institute of Technology

Cooperative Institutions

Charles University

Central European Institute of Technology

Brno University of Technology

Masaryk University

Central European Institute of Technology – Masaryk University

Czech Academy of Sciences

Czech Academy of Sciences, Institute of Physiology

Queen Mary University of London

Czech Academy of Sciences, Institute of Animal Physiology and Genetics

University Hospital Ostrava

Author Statistics

Papers

Citation

H-Index

i-10 index

Research Field

Impaired Dynamics of Positional and Contextual Neural Coding in an Alzheimer’s Disease Rat Model

Journal of Alzheimer s Disease (2024)

Athira Nataraj Annu Kala Stephanie L. Proskauer Pena Karel Ježek Karel Blahna

Background: The hippocampal representation of space, formed by the collective activity of populations of place cells, is considered as a substrate of spatial memory. Alzheimer’s disease (AD), a widespread severe neurodegenerative condition of multifactorial origin, typically exhibits spatial memory deficits among its early clinical signs before more severe cognitive impacts develop. Objective: To investigate mechanisms of spatial memory impairment in a double transgenic rat model of AD. Methods: In this study, we utilized 9–12-month-old double-transgenic TgF344-AD rats and age-matched controls to analyze the spatial coding properties of CA1 place cells. We characterized the spatial memory representation, assessed cells’ spatial information content and direction-specific activity, and compared their population coding in familiar and novel conditions. Results: Our findings revealed that TgF344-AD animals exhibited lower precision in coding, as evidenced by reduced spatial information and larger receptive zones. This impairment was evident in maps representing novel environments. While controls instantly encoded directional context during their initial exposure to a novel environment, transgenics struggled to incorporate this information into the newly developed hippocampal spatial representation. This resulted in impairment in orthogonalization of stored activity patterns, an important feature directly related to episodic memory encoding capacity. Conclusions: Overall, the results shed light on the nature of impairment at both the single-cell and population levels in the transgenic AD model. In addition to the observed spatial coding inaccuracy, the findings reveal a significantly impaired ability to adaptively modify and refine newly stored hippocampal memory patterns.

Place cell

Memory Impairment

10.3233/jad-231386

Cite

Citations (0)

Contrast enhanced X-ray computed tomography imaging of amyloid plaques in Alzheimer disease rat model on lab based micro CT system

Scientific Reports (2021)

Michaela Kavková Tomáš Zikmund Annu Kala Jakub Šalplachta Stephanie L. Proskauer Pena

Abstract Amyloid plaques are small (~ 50 μm), highly-dense aggregates of amyloid beta (Aβ) protein in brain tissue, supposed to play a key role in pathogenesis of Alzheimer’s disease (AD). Plaques´ in vivo detection, spatial distribution and quantitative characterization could be an essential marker in diagnostics and evaluation of AD progress. However, current imaging methods in clinics possess substantial limits in sensitivity towards Aβ plaques to play a considerable role in AD screening. Contrast enhanced X-ray micro computed tomography (micro CT) is an emerging highly sensitive imaging technique capable of high resolution visualization of rodent brain. In this study we show the absorption based contrast enhanced X-ray micro CT imaging is viable method for detection and 3D analysis of Aβ plaques in transgenic rodent models of Alzheimer’s disease. Using iodine contrasted brain tissue isolated from the Tg-F344-AD rat model we show the micro CT imaging is capable of precise imaging of Aβ plaques, making possible to further analyze various aspects of their 3D spatial distribution and other properties.

Amyloid (mycology)

Molecular Imaging

10.1038/s41598-021-84579-x

Cite

Citations (18)

Early Spatial Memory Impairment in a Double Transgenic Model of Alzheimer’s Disease TgF-344 AD

Brain Sciences (2021)

Stephanie L. Proskauer Pena Konstantinos Mallouppas André M. Oliveira Frantisek Zitricky Athira Nataraj

Before the course of Alzheimer’s disease fully manifests itself and largely impairs a patient’s cognitive abilities, its progression has already lasted for a considerable time without being noticed. In this project, we mapped the development of spatial orientation impairment in an active place avoidance task—a highly sensitive test for mild hippocampal damage. We tested vision, anxiety and spatial orientation performance at four age levels of 4, 6, 9, and 12 months across male and female TgF-344 AD rats carrying human genes for presenilin-1 and amyloid precursor protein. We found a progressive deterioration of spatial navigation in transgenic animals, beginning already at the age of 4 months, that fully developed at 6 months of age across both male and female groups, compared to their age-matched controls. In addition, we described the gradual vision impairment that was accentuated in females at the age of 12 months. These results indicate a rather early onset of cognitive impairment in the TgF-344 AD Alzheimer’s disease model, starting earlier than shown to date, and preceding the reported development of amyloid plaques.

Memory Impairment

10.3390/brainsci11101300

Cite

Citations (15)