Abstract
The neural cell adhesion molecule (NCAM) is involved in developmental processes and age-associated cognitive decline; however, little is known concerning the effects of NCAM in the visual system during aging. Using anatomical, electrophysiological, and behavioral assays, we analyzed age-related changes in visual function of NCAM deficient (-/-) and wild-type mice. Anatomical analyses indicated that aging NCAM -/- mice had fewer retinal ganglion cells, thinner retinas, and fewer photoreceptor cell layers than age-matched controls. Electroretinogram testing of retinal function in young adult NCAM -/- mice showed a 2-fold increase in a- and b-wave amplitude compared with wild-type mice, but the retinal activity dropped dramatically to control levels when the animals reached 10 months. In behavioral tasks, NCAM -/- mice had no visual pattern discrimination ability and showed premature loss of vision as they aged. Together, these findings demonstrate that NCAM plays significant roles in the adult visual system in establishing normal retinal anatomy, physiology and function, and in maintaining vision during aging.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 93-106 |
| Number of pages | 14 |
| Journal | Neurobiology of Aging |
| Volume | 41 |
| DOIs | |
| Publication status | Published - May 1 2016 |
Bibliographical note
Funding Information:This study was supported by funding from the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (grant number: 7115563 ), and the Department of Surgery (Neurosurgery) at Dalhousie University . The authors thank Rhian Gunn for technical assistance, Aimee Wong for suggestions and discussions related to visual ability testing, and Philip Nickerson for valuable editorial input.
Publisher Copyright:
© 2016 Elsevier Inc.
ASJC Scopus Subject Areas
- General Neuroscience
- Ageing
- Developmental Biology
- Clinical Neurology
- Geriatrics and Gerontology
PubMed: MeSH publication types
- Journal Article
- Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't