Open AccessEffects of a Copper-Deficient Diet on the Biochemistry, Neural Morphology and Behavior of Aged Mice
Author(s) -
Silvia Bolognin,
Federica Pasqualetto,
Carla MucignatCaretta,
Janez Ščančar,
Radmila Milačić,
Pamela Zambenedetti,
Bruno Cozzi,
Paolo Zatta
Publication year - 2012
Publication title -
plos one
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.99
H-Index - 332
ISSN - 1932-6203
DOI - 10.1371/journal.pone.0047063
Subject(s) - copper , habituation , endocrinology , medicine , calcium , open field , copper deficiency , tyrosine hydroxylase , physiology , chemistry , biology , biochemistry , neuroscience , dopamine , organic chemistry
Copper dyshomeostasis has been suggested as an aetiological risk factor for some neurodegenerative diseases, such as Alzheimer’s disease. However, the precise mechanism at the base of this involvement is still obscure. In this work, we show the effects of a copper-deficient diet in aged CD1 mice and the influence of such a diet on: a) the concentration of various metal ions (aluminium, copper, iron, calcium, zinc) in the main organs and in different brain areas; b) the alteration of metallothioneins I-II and tyrosine hydroxylase immunopositivity in the brain; c) behavioural tests (open field, pole, predatory aggression, and habituation/dishabituation smell tests). Our data suggested that the copper-deficiency was able to produce a sort of “domino effect” which altered the concentration of the other tested metal ions in the main organs as well as in the brain, without, however, significantly affecting the animal behaviour.