Effects of long-term tactile deprivation on anxiety-like behavior and c-Fos expression in elderly mice
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.31117/neuroscirn.v8i4.444Keywords:
Whiskers, Aging, Amygdala, Hippocampus, Neuronal activityAbstract
Sensory impairments have been associated with cognitive decline and behavioral changes in aging populations. Early whisker removal in mice is a valuable model for studying tactile deprivation, as it relates to a primary sensory function of this species that parallels the loss of a primary sensory function in humans. While studies have explored the effects of auditory, visual, and olfactory deprivation, the impact of long-term tactile deprivation (LTD) on cognitive and emotional function in aging remains poorly understood. This study aimed to investigate the effects of LTD on anxiety-like behavior and neuronal activity in aged mice. Six-month-old male CD1 mice underwent permanent tactile deprivation by infraorbital nerve sectioning (LTD group) or simulated surgery (Sham group). Six months later, anxiety-like behaviors were assessed using the open field test and elevated plus maze. Following the behavioral testing, immunohistochemical analysis of c-Fos expression was performed in key regions involved in emotional and cognitive processing, including the basolateral amygdala (BLA), central amygdala (CeA), and hippocampal regions (CA1, CA3, and dentate gyrus). LTD mice exhibited increased anxiety-like behavior in the open field test. Additionally, LTD mice exhibit increased c-Fos expression in the amygdala and hippocampal subregions analyzed, indicating increased neuronal activation in these regions. These findings suggest that sensory deprivation may contribute to emotional dysregulation in aging.
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Copyright (c) 2025 Gerardo Monroy-Alcantar, David Zarate-Lopez, Oscar Gonzalez-Perez, Veronica Lopez-Virgen
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