Frontiers in Behavioral Neuroscience最新文献

{"title":"A panel of medaka isogenic lines suggests individual, seasonal, and sexual genetic variation of <i>bdnf</i> gene expression in the brain.","authors":"Eleonora Rovegno, Christina Vasilopoulou, Saul Pierotti, Tomas Fitzgerald, Joachim Wittbrodt, Ewan Birney, Daniela Vallone, Felix Loosli, Cristiano Bertolucci, Nicholas S Foulkes, Tyrone Lucon-Xiccato","doi":"10.3389/fnbeh.2026.1681619","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3389/fnbeh.2026.1681619","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Introduction: </strong>Once recognized only in humans, variance in the cognitive phenotype is now acknowledged in a range of vertebrate species. However, our understanding of its underlying causes is still incomplete. Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) is an essential protein for brain functioning and plays a key role in cognitive processes such as learning and memory, including interindividual variation. Environmental factors influence BDNF abundance in the brain, and so do genetic polymorphisms in humans and mice.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>Using the Medaka Inbred Kiyosu-Karlsruhe (MIKK) panel of near-isogenic medaka lines, which captures a wide range of natural genetic variation in this species, we investigated the potential quantitative genetic variation in <i>bdnf</i> gene expression in the brain.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Our findings show significant variation in <i>bdnf</i> mRNA expression levels across MIKK lines, with a two-fold difference between the lines exhibiting lower and higher expression. Seasonal variation was also observed, with higher average <i>bdnf</i> levels in summer. However, a tentative analysis suggested that this average effect was not consistent across the lines, with some lines even showing significantly greater expression in winter. Similarly, across the entire sample, males and females did not differ in <i>bdnf</i> expression overall, although some lines displayed sex differences greater than expected by chance.</p><p><strong>Discussion: </strong>These results suggest that quantitative genetic differences, in concert with environmental influences, contribute to <i>bdnf</i> expression variability.</p>","PeriodicalId":12368,"journal":{"name":"Frontiers in Behavioral Neuroscience","volume":"20 ","pages":"1681619"},"PeriodicalIF":2.9,"publicationDate":"2026-04-22","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13143953/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147835547","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Establishment and preliminary application of object recognition system based on DeepLabCut.","authors":"Cenfei Zhou, Yihua Sheng, Jing Xu, Xiaorui Peng, Zhujun Jia, Jianfei Wang, Yuanyun Zheng, Sidi Li","doi":"10.3389/fnbeh.2026.1819151","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3389/fnbeh.2026.1819151","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>This study aimed to develop a DeepLabCut (DLC)-based object recognition analysis system for assessing rodent cognitive function and validate its application in natural aging and elderly periodontitis mouse models. The system's hardware was constructed with a custom arena and high-definition industrial camera, and the DLC deep learning algorithm was trained to track five mouse body landmarks, enabling automatic quantification of 36 indicators across three categories: sniffing frequency, exploration duration, and novelty preference. The system subdivided exploratory behaviors by calibrating nose tip and body center, and set dynamic distance thresholds (1 cm, 1.5 cm, 2 cm) for the nose tip to capture fine-grained exploration. In the novel object recognition (NOR) and object location recognition (OLR) paradigms, traditional visual inspection failed to detect significant cognitive differences between young and aged mice, while the DLC system identified marked reductions in aged mice in the frequency and duration of body center and combined nose tip-body center exploration of the new object (2 cm away from the object), as well as corresponding novelty preference indices. In the elderly periodontitis models, traditional metrics showed increased nose tip exploration of the old object (2 cm away from the object) and reduced novelty preference in model mice; the DLC system further detected significantly elevated nose tip exploration frequency toward the old object (1.5 cm away from the object), accompanied by decreased frequency preference for exploration (1 cm away from the object). Collectively, this DLC-based system achieves sensitive, precise, and multidimensional quantification of mouse exploratory behavior, effectively distinguishing cognitive characteristics of aged and disease model mice. By overcoming the limitations of traditional methods, it captures subtle cognitive changes in aging and periodontitis models, screens key indicators for cognitive decline, and provides comprehensive behavioral evidence for elucidating the neural mechanisms underlying aging- and inflammation-associated cognitive impairment.</p>","PeriodicalId":12368,"journal":{"name":"Frontiers in Behavioral Neuroscience","volume":"20 ","pages":"1819151"},"PeriodicalIF":2.9,"publicationDate":"2026-04-21","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13139089/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147835490","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Tannic acid attenuates glyphosate-based herbicide-induced dopaminergic neurotoxicity associated with motor dysfunction in mice.","authors":"Patrick Oluwole Abolarin, Bamidele Victor Owoyele","doi":"10.3389/fnbeh.2026.1785573","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3389/fnbeh.2026.1785573","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Introduction: </strong>Glyphosate, a widely used herbicide, has gained attention due to its potential link to neurobehavioral and dopaminergic dysfunctions. Data on interventions against glyphosate-induced neurotoxicity are limited. Hence, the neuroprotective role of tannic acid (TA), a polyphenolic anti-inflammatory and antioxidant agent, was investigated in mice chronically exposed to glyphosate-based herbicide (GBH).</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>Male Swiss mice were randomly allocated into six groups (<i>n</i> = 8) and received daily oral gavages of specific solutions that were prepared daily: Control (distilled water 1 mL/kg body weight), GBH (500 mg/kg body weight), Pre-TA + GBH (TA 50 mg/kg body weight, pre-treated, then GBH-exposed), TA + GBH (TA 50 mg/kg body weight and GBH-co-treatment), Pre-AA + GBH [ascorbic acid (AA) 100 mg/ kg body weight, pre-treated, then GBH-exposed], and AA + GBH (AA 100 mg/ kg body weight and GBH-co-treatment). Motor function tests, biochemical, and histological analyses of the midbrain were performed 6 weeks post-treatment.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>TA significantly inhibited GBH-induced motor dysfunction. As compared to the GBH group, TA treatments significantly (p < 0.0001) decreased midbrain malondialdehyde (MDA), TNF-α, IL-1β, and IL-6 levels. TA treatments increased significantly (<i>p</i> < 0.0001) the concentrations of dopamine, the activities of catalase (CAT), glutathione peroxidase (GPx), and superoxide dismutase (SOD) enzymes in the midbrain relative to the GBH group. These effects were similar to those of the control and AA-treated mice. Conclusively, TA ameliorated GBH-induced motor dysfunction in mice and attenuated associated midbrain oxidative stress, inflammatory responses, and dopaminergic alterations.</p><p><strong>Discussion: </strong>These findings are suggestive of the neuroprotective effects of TA against environmental toxicant-induced neurotoxicity.</p>","PeriodicalId":12368,"journal":{"name":"Frontiers in Behavioral Neuroscience","volume":"20 ","pages":"1785573"},"PeriodicalIF":2.9,"publicationDate":"2026-04-17","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13132873/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147812985","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Same dose, different impact: acute cannabis intoxication impairs visuospatial working memory in both sexes, with disproportionate male vulnerability.","authors":"Chen Hanna Ryder, Carmit Gal, Einav Levy, Yifaat Tamarkin Leider, Tal Katzenelson, Tomer Vainshtein, Mohammad Ebrahim Naffaa, Samih Badarny, Yazid Badarny","doi":"10.3389/fnbeh.2026.1785335","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3389/fnbeh.2026.1785335","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Introduction: </strong>With expanding global cannabis legalization and rising usage rates, elucidating the specific neurocognitive impact of acute cannabis intoxication across biological sexes is critical.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>Using a 2 × 2 factorial design, we examined 154 adults: 77 individuals who use cannabis regularly (≥ 5 days/week for ≥ 1 year; 46 males, 31 females) and 77 matched controls (32 males, 45 females). Participants completed standardized Wechsler Memory Scale subtests assessing four distinct memory domains during the peak pharmacokinetic window (45 min post-consumption of medical-grade cannabis: 16.1% THC, < 1% CBD).</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Results demonstrated notable neuropsychological specificity: visuospatial working memory was selectively impaired, whereas auditory-verbal and short-term memory domains remained completely intact-a pattern strongly implicating disruption of fronto-parietal networks rich in CB1 receptors. Crucially, a significant Group × Sex interaction, <i>F</i>(1, 150) = 9.74, <i>p</i> < 0.01, η<i>p</i> ² = 0.061, revealed differential vulnerability: males exhibited a disproportionately larger deficit relative to male controls (Cohen's <i>d</i> = -0.87, <i>p</i> < 0.001)-nearly double the impairment magnitude observed in females (<i>d</i> = -0.48, <i>p</i> < 0.05).</p><p><strong>Discussion: </strong>These findings advance our understanding of cannabis neuropharmacology by demonstrating that cognitive vulnerability is both domain-specific and sex-dependent, with direct implications for precision medicine approaches to cannabis therapeutics and sex-informed harm reduction strategies.</p>","PeriodicalId":12368,"journal":{"name":"Frontiers in Behavioral Neuroscience","volume":"20 ","pages":"1785335"},"PeriodicalIF":2.9,"publicationDate":"2026-04-16","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13128569/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147812937","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Substrain-specific behavioral variation in female C57BL/6 and C57BL/10 mice.","authors":"Celine L St Pierre, Natalia M Gonzales, Greta Sokoloff, Oksana Polesskaya","doi":"10.3389/fnbeh.2026.1805176","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3389/fnbeh.2026.1805176","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Introduction: </strong>Inbred mouse strains are essential to biomedical research, yet accumulating mutations and substrain divergence introduce phenotypic variability that can confound experimental outcomes. This study investigates behavioral differences among 13 inbred mouse substrains: eight C57BL/6 (B6) and five C57BL/10 (B10), bred in-house to control for environmental effects.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>Female F1 offspring underwent a standardized battery of behavioral assays-open field test (OFT), locomotor response to cocaine (LOCO), fear conditioning (FC), prepulse inhibition (PPI), and the forced swim test (FST)-chosen for their relevance to models of psychiatric and substance use disorders.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Significant substrain-specific differences were observed across all behaviors. In the OFT, B6 substrains such as C57BL/6J showed higher activity than others, while B10 substrains exhibited distinct edge-zone preference patterns. Cocaine-induced locomotor stimulation varied significantly among B6 substrains but not among B10. In FC, substrain differences emerged in pre-training, contextual, and cued freezing behavior, particularly among B10 substrains. PPI testing revealed substrain-dependent variation in acoustic startle responses, with C57BL/10J displaying consistently lower startle amplitudes. In the FST, substrain-specific differences in swimming velocity and high mobility duration and frequency were found within the B6 group, while swimming distance showed substrain variation within the B10 group.</p><p><strong>Discussion: </strong>These findings demonstrate substantial phenotypic variability among closely related substrains, underscoring the critical importance of substrain selection in behavioral research. By focusing on female mice (a group underrepresented in prior work), this study addresses an essential gap and provides insights for researchers designing preclinical models of psychiatric disorders. The results provide the basis for studies in reduced complexity crosses to identify causal genetic variants underlying behavioral traits.</p>","PeriodicalId":12368,"journal":{"name":"Frontiers in Behavioral Neuroscience","volume":"20 ","pages":"1805176"},"PeriodicalIF":2.9,"publicationDate":"2026-04-15","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13125034/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147812982","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"A potential role for BDNF in recognition behavior revealed through knockout in zebrafish.","authors":"Eleonora Rovegno, Tyrone Lucon-Xiccato, Salvatore D'Aniello, Cristiano Bertolucci, Elia Gatto","doi":"10.3389/fnbeh.2026.1710671","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3389/fnbeh.2026.1710671","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Introduction: </strong>Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) is a key player in the molecular mechanisms underlying learning and memory in mammals. Recent studies have shown that mutant fish lacking BDNF exhibit widespread deficits in learning tasks. Moreover, natural variation in brain BDNF gene expression predicts individual differences in learning ability in fish. These findings suggest that the role of BDNF in cognition may be widespread among vertebrates.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>Following this hypothesis, we used a <i>bdnf</i> knockout zebrafish model to investigate whether BDNF is involved in recognition memory in fish. Zebrafish larvae were tested in a novel object recognition test, where their response to a previously encountered stimulus and a novel one was recorded.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Overall, zebrafish did not demonstrate a group-level preference for either stimulus. However, individuals appeared to show variation in their responses to the novel stimulus (either approaching or avoiding it). When accounting for the individual variation, the strength of recognition memory performance was lower in zebrafish lacking <i>bdnf</i> compared with control zebrafish, although this effect was influenced by the type of stimulus used. Moreover, the absence of BDNF resulted in less variability in the behavioral response towards the novel stimulus, supporting the role of this protein in shaping individual differences in behavior.</p><p><strong>Discussion: </strong>Our findings suggest that BDNF may be involved in recognition test performance and the underlying behavior, although the nature of this involvement and the contribution of memory processes remain unclear.</p>","PeriodicalId":12368,"journal":{"name":"Frontiers in Behavioral Neuroscience","volume":"20 ","pages":"1710671"},"PeriodicalIF":2.9,"publicationDate":"2026-04-14","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13121150/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147766977","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Revisiting food addiction in the era of GLP-1-based obesity pharmacotherapy via neural reward pathways linking feeding and substance use.","authors":"Richard M O'Connor","doi":"10.3389/fnbeh.2026.1805953","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3389/fnbeh.2026.1805953","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Obesity rates, once thought to be on an inevitable rise with limited treatment options, have recently stabilized and begun to decline in the US, a trend that coincides with the increased use of GLP-1 receptor agonist medications for weight management. Accumulating evidence indicates that GLP-1 receptor agonists influence feeding behavior through central neural pathways that also regulate compulsive and reward-driven actions. GLP-1 receptor agonists not only reduce appetite but also reshape food preferences, shedding light on the neural mechanisms underlying compulsive consumption and offering potential therapeutic avenues for metabolic and behavioral disorders. As such, GLP-1 receptor agonists have the potential to reinforce the concept of obesity as a treatable medical condition. As these pharmacotherapies reshape household grocery expenditures and inspire new food product lines tailored to users' nutritional needs, they are catalyzing broader economic and social transformations. Furthermore, ongoing innovations in these therapies hold promise for expanded clinical applications and improved health outcomes. This review reconsiders the debated concept of 'food addiction' in light of these pharmacological advances, drawing on neurobiological, societal, and emerging clinical perspectives.</p>","PeriodicalId":12368,"journal":{"name":"Frontiers in Behavioral Neuroscience","volume":"20 ","pages":"1805953"},"PeriodicalIF":2.9,"publicationDate":"2026-04-13","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13111218/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147766961","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"The role of AI and team topologies in enhancing decision-making flexibility by reducing cognitive overload.","authors":"Hugo Matos-Sousa, Nuno Sousa","doi":"10.3389/fnbeh.2026.1820247","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3389/fnbeh.2026.1820247","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Decision-making is a critical skill that impacts the performance of teams, particularly in high-stakes and complex environments, and is known to be affected by cognitive load. When teams face an overload of information and multiple decisions are needed, the process of decision-making becomes slower, performance becomes reduced, and, eventually, there is a burden and exhaustion of the team. This article provides an informed behavioral neuroscience perspective on how psychobiological constraints on behavior, particularly cognitive load, working memory limits, and decision-making under pressure, become relevant in socially organized team settings, and on how the combination of artificial intelligence (AI) with team topologies (TT) may reduce cognitive load and produce an applied framework for understanding the optimization of team architecture and performance by leveraging AI as a tool to reduce cognitive load. By combining a psychobiological perspective with an organizational and translational perspective, the future of the intersection of AI with TT may be generalized and impact teams well-being and performance.</p>","PeriodicalId":12368,"journal":{"name":"Frontiers in Behavioral Neuroscience","volume":"20 ","pages":"1820247"},"PeriodicalIF":2.9,"publicationDate":"2026-04-13","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13111189/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147767049","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Examining aggressive behavior in patients with epilepsy under treatment with Levetiracetam, Brivaracetam and Perampanel: a comparison to healthy controls.","authors":"Vanessa Murray, Laura Dukek, Salma Lamine, Vesal Moaiyed, Philipp Honrath, Yvonne Weber, Ute Habel, Stefan Wolking, Lisa Wagels","doi":"10.3389/fnbeh.2026.1799427","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3389/fnbeh.2026.1799427","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Introduction: </strong>Epilepsy is frequently associated with behavioral and emotional difficulties. Among antiseizure medications, Levetiracetam, Perampanel, and Brivaracetam are notorious to cause behavioral adverse drug reactions, including increased anger, irritability, and aggression. While these effects are often described in self-report data, experimental studies examining aggressive behavior in patients with epilepsy are scarce. This study aims to assess aggression in patients with epilepsy and compare it to healthy controls, using self-report measures and two experimental provocation paradigms.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>Thirty seven patients with epilepsy treated with Levetiracetam, Perampanel, or Brivaracetam (with an overrepresentation of patients treated with Levetiracetam) and 38 healthy controls completed the Buss and Perry Aggression Questionnaire, Barratt Impulsiveness Scale, Beck's Depression Inventory, and Affective Style Questionnaire. Aggressive behavior and reaction were investigated using a modified version of the Taylor Aggression Paradigm and the Technical Provocation Paradigm, alongside with emotional state ratings during the paradigms.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Patients with epilepsy reported higher aggression, impulsivity, and depression in the self-report questionnaires compared to healthy controls. However, behaviorally, patients did not show increased aggression. Instead, they showed reduced emotional reactivity to provocation, with lower changes in the emotional state ratings. Higher desire for revenge and higher frustration during the task predicted stronger aggressive responses in the patient group, but not in the control group.</p><p><strong>Discussion: </strong>Our findings suggest reduced emotional responsiveness to provocation, and a discrepancy between self-perceived and observed aggression in patients with epilepsy. Aggressive responses in this group appeared to be influenced by situational emotions such as revengefulness and frustration. These results underline the need to differentiate between subjective and observable behavioral changes in patients with epilepsy, and of considering the impact of psychiatric comorbidities and emotion regulation difficulties.</p>","PeriodicalId":12368,"journal":{"name":"Frontiers in Behavioral Neuroscience","volume":"20 ","pages":"1799427"},"PeriodicalIF":2.9,"publicationDate":"2026-04-13","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13111316/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147766987","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Oropharyngeal dysphagia and amyloid beta pathology in the TgF344-AD rat model of Alzheimer's disease.","authors":"M J Cullins, A K Converse, L M Rowe, A G Hoerst, W K Hibbard, J A Russell, N P Connor, M R Ciucci","doi":"10.3389/fnbeh.2026.1812480","DOIUrl":"10.3389/fnbeh.2026.1812480","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Introduction: </strong>Dysphagia is a major consequence of Alzheimer's disease (AD) that is understudied and undertreated. Neuropathology in AD occurs early in the disease progression, but little is known about pathologies underlying functional swallowing changes; this knowledge gap is a barrier to developing effective treatment. We hypothesized that an established AD rat model (TgF344-AD) would demonstrate significant deficits in oromotor/swallowing function versus Wild Type (WT) with corresponding amyloid beta pathology in brain structures critical to swallowing.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>Nine male TgF344-AD and 6 Wildtype Fisher 344 rats underwent deglutition assessments and PET imaging using the radiotracer [¹¹C]PiB to assess brain and brainstem amyloid beta (Aβ) pathology at 11 months of age-a time point corresponding to early-middle stage AD progression. <i>A priori</i> brain regions of interest (ROIs) included those commonly associated with Aβ pathology and more specific swallowing associated structures such as brainstem nuclei and cortical motor areas. Deglutition was assessed using a videofluoroscopic swallow study and a pasta biting task.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Significantly increased levels of Aβ in the AD group were found in regions critical to swallowing motor control including the secondary motor area, thalamus, nucleus ambiguus, and hypoglossal nuclei. The AD group demonstrated significant changes in aerodigestive coordination, including delayed swallow onset, increased apnea duration, and increased frequency of aberrant post-swallow inhale pattern that was correlated with nucleus ambiguus Aβ levels. The AD group also exhibited altered oral processing including reduced bolus size and mastication rate.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>The TgF344-AD rat model of Alzheimer's exhibits robust changes in oral processing and respiratory-swallow coordination that parallel clinical AD dysphagia. At this early-middle stage timepoint, Aβ pathology is primarily impacting cerebral swallowing networks as well as the nucleus ambiguus and hypoglossal nuclei in the brainstem. Our finding of increased Aβ in the nucleus ambiguus warrants further study as this motor nucleus plays a role in swallowing, respiration, and vocalization-all factors that are known to be impacted by AD in the clinical population.</p>","PeriodicalId":12368,"journal":{"name":"Frontiers in Behavioral Neuroscience","volume":"20 ","pages":"1812480"},"PeriodicalIF":2.9,"publicationDate":"2026-04-13","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13111396/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147766992","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}