Date of Graduation

Spring 2021

Degree

Master of Science in Cell and Molecular Biology

Department

Biomedical Sciences

Committee Chair

Scott Zimmerman

Abstract

Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is a complex neurodegenerative disease that is characterized by the deposition of amyloid beta (Ab) peptides and, consecutively, by a loss of memory and cognitive functions. The amyloid cascade hypothesis suggests that Ab deposition is the main pathogenic of AD. There is evidence that both changes in production and clearance of Ab may be involved in AD pathology. Past studies have shown that exercise training leads to an upregulation in proteins directly involved with Ab clearance. Chronic stress is thought to exacerbate AD pathology by increasing production of Ab. Studies have also demonstrated a link between serotonin signaling and decreased Ab production. Although these factors affecting AD pathology have each been investigated, the interplay between all three has yet to be evaluated. This study aimed to examine the effects of chronic stress and exercise training on both Ab levels, as well as serotonin signaling. APP/PS1 mice were divided into housing and exercise groups: sedentary and isolated, sedentary and socially housed, exercise trained and isolated, and exercise trained and socially housed. Mice were also divided based on sex. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic not all goals of this project were met. The results demonstrate that exercise training may be able to rescue the negative effects of isolation on Ab deposition; however, a training effect was not produced in the exercise trained groups, so the trends of this research may need to be reevaluated.

Keywords

Alzheimer’s disease, exercise training, amyloid beta, chronic stress, isolation, serotonin

Subject Categories

Medical Neurobiology | Nervous System Diseases

Copyright

© Bailey J. Dansby

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