老年性痴呆动物模型研究进展

Progresses in studies on animal models of Alzheimers disease

老年性痴呆 (Alzheimersdisease ,AD )是一种进行性的神经退行性疾病 ,临床主要表现为中枢认知功能障碍 ,老年斑、淀粉样蛋白沉积及神经元纤维缠结 (NFT)是其脑部主要的病理学特征。由于AD的发病机制尚不清楚 ,给AD模型动物的研制带来了很大困难。自然衰老动物模型、损毁模型、脑室注射模型及自身免疫模型虽表现有中枢学习记忆功能的衰退 ,但缺乏AD脑内特征性的病理学变化。转基因模型虽然是十分有希望的模型 ,但目前的转基因模型尚不能全面反映AD的特征。因此 ,迄今为止还没有一个能够准确反应AD特征的理想的动物模型。比较而言 ,SAMP8是一个较好的AD替代模型 ,它既有AD学习记忆功能障碍的特征 ,又有部分AD病理学的特征。目前自身免疫模型和转基因模型已成为AD模型研究的新热点。

Alzheimers disease(AD), a neurodegenerative disease which develops with age, is neuropathologically characterized by senile plaques, neurofibrillary tangles(NFT) and cerebrovascular amyloidosis accompanied by evident learning and memory impairment. Because the pathogenesis of AD is not understood yet, it is difficult to study and develop the animal models of AD. The animal models of natural aging, brain impairment, intracerebroventricular injection of chemicals and autoimmunity show the evident deterioration of learning and memory function, but they do not exnibit the neuropathological characteristics of AD. Transgenic and autoimmunity model mice are very hopeful models, however, the models developed recently can not reflect all the characteristics of AD. SAMP8, a substrain of senescence accelerated mouse (SAM), shows both learning and memory impairment and some characteristics of AD and can be used as a substitutive model of AD. Up to now, there are no ideal AD models yet. The present studies of AD models have focused on autoimmune and transgenic models. It is very important for the studies of AD pathogenesis and therapeutic drugs to develop proper AD models.