𝛼-Motor neurons are spared from aging while their synaptic inputs degenerate in monkeys and mice

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dc.contributor.authorMaxwell, Nicholasen
dc.contributor.authorCastro, Ryan W.en
dc.contributor.authorSutherland, Natalia M.en
dc.contributor.authorVaughan, Kelli L.en
dc.contributor.authorSzarowicz, Mark D.en
dc.contributor.authorde Cabo, Rafaelen
dc.contributor.authorMattison, Julie A.en
dc.contributor.authorValdez, Gregorioen
dc.date.accessioned2018-11-19T18:32:08Zen
dc.date.available2018-11-19T18:32:08Zen
dc.date.issued2017en
dc.description.abstractMotor function deteriorates with advancing age, increasing the risk of adverse health outcomes. While it is well established that skeletal muscles and neuromuscular junctions (NMJs) degenerate with increasing age, the effect of aging on 𝛼-motor neurons and their innervating synaptic inputs remains largely unknown. In this study, we examined the soma of 𝛼-motor neurons and innervating synaptic inputs in the spinal cord of aged rhesus monkeys and mice, two species with vastly different lifespans. We found that, in both species, 𝛼-motor neurons retain their soma size despite an accumulation of large amounts of cellular waste or lipofuscin. Interestingly, the lipofuscin profile varied considerably, indicating that 𝛼-motor neurons age at different rates. Although the rate of aging varies, 𝛼-motor neurons do not atrophy in old age. In fact, there is no difference in the number of motor axons populating ventral roots in old mice compared to adult mice. Moreover, the transcripts and proteins associated with 𝛼-motor neurons do not decrease in the spinal cord of old mice. However, in aged rhesus monkeys and mice, there were fewer cholinergic and glutamatergic synaptic inputs directly abutting 𝛼-motor neurons, evidence that aging causes 𝛼-motor neurons to shed synaptic inputs. Thus, the loss of synaptic inputs may contribute to age-related dysfunction of 𝛼-motor neurons. These findings broaden our understanding of the degeneration of the somatic motor system that precipitates motor dysfunction with advancing age.en
dc.description.sponsorshipThis work was supported by the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (K01NS085071 to GV), the National Institute on Aging (RO1AG055545 and R56AG051501 to GV), and the NIA Intramural Research Program of the National Institutes of Health. KLV, MDS, RdC, and JAM are supported by the Intramural Research Program of the National Institute on Aging.en
dc.identifier.doihttps://doi.org/10.1111/acel.12726en
dc.identifier.issue2en
dc.identifier.urihttp://hdl.handle.net/10919/85894en
dc.identifier.volume17en
dc.language.isoen_USen
dc.publisherWileyen
dc.rightsCreative Commons Attribution 4.0 Internationalen
dc.rights.urihttp://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/en
dc.subjectAgingen
dc.subjectalpha-motor neuronen
dc.subjectsynapseen
dc.subjectlipofuscinen
dc.subjectneurodegenerationen
dc.subjectspinal corden
dc.title𝛼-Motor neurons are spared from aging while their synaptic inputs degenerate in monkeys and miceen
dc.title.serialAging Cellen
dc.typeArticle - Refereeden
dc.type.dcmitypetexten

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