Age-related cognitive decline refers to the memory impairment and difficulty learning new tasks that occurs during the normal process of aging. There are many possible changes that occur at the neuronal level that could account for age-related cognitive decline. One hypothesis suggests that a dysregulation of neuronal intracellular calcium concentration contributes to age-related cognitive deficits. Previous research suggests that an increase in neuronal L-type voltage-gated calcium channels (LVGCCs) occurs in the brain during aging. This increase could account for altered intracellular calcium concentration and lead to agerelated cognitive decline. A line of transgenic mice that over-express the LVGCC CaV1.3 in the forebrain was developed in order to investigate the relative contribution of this change to age-related cognitive decline. These animals were also characterized on both on a molecular and behavioral level. Molecular characterization revealed approximately 20% overexpression of CaV1.3 in the forebrain of transgenic animals, while neurobehavioral experiments indicate these mice have unimpaired motor function and exploratory behaviors. Based upon these results, this new line of mice will be an excellent model for studies of agerelated cognitive decline.
","abstract_html":"<p>Age-related cognitive decline refers to the memory impairment and difficulty learning new tasks that occurs during the normal process of aging. There are many possible changes that occur at the neuronal level that could account for age-related cognitive decline. One hypothesis suggests that a dysregulation of neuronal intracellular calcium concentration contributes to age-related cognitive deficits. Previous research suggests that an increase in neuronal L-type voltage-gated calcium channels (LVGCCs) occurs in the brain during aging. This increase could account for altered intracellular calcium concentration and lead to agerelated cognitive decline. A line of transgenic mice that over-express the LVGCC Ca<sub>V</sub>1.3 in the forebrain was developed in order to investigate the relative contribution of this change to age-related cognitive decline. These animals were also characterized on both on a molecular and behavioral level. Molecular characterization revealed approximately 20% overexpression of Ca<sub>V</sub>1.3 in the forebrain of transgenic animals, while neurobehavioral experiments indicate these mice have unimpaired motor function and exploratory behaviors. Based upon these results, this new line of mice will be an excellent model for studies of agerelated cognitive decline.</p>","abstract_has_math":false,"creators":["Slater, Jamie Nicole"],"institution":null,"degree_name":"Master of Science (MS)","degree_level":"Open Access Thesis","degree_discipline":"Biology","degree_department":null,"school":null,"contributors":["Robert Winning, PhD, Chair","Geoffrey G. Murphy, PhD, Project Supervisor","Daniel Clemans, PhD"],"advisors":[],"committee_chairs":[],"committee_members":[],"year":2012,"date_issued":"2012-01-01T08:00:00Z","date_published":"2012-01-01T08:00:00Z","updated_at":"2026-07-24T02:16:44Z","subjects":["aging","mice behavior","cognitive decline","age-related behavior","Biology"],"languages":[],"rights":[],"rights_urls":[],"identifier_entries":[]},"links":{"outbound_url":"https://commons.emich.edu/theses/389","outbound_label":"Repository record","outbound_source":"dc:identifier"},"metadata_groups":[{"id":"people","label":"People","entries":[{"key":"dc:contributor","label":"Contributor","values":["Robert Winning, PhD, Chair","Geoffrey G. Murphy, PhD, Project Supervisor","Daniel Clemans, PhD"]},{"key":"dc:creator","label":"Author","values":["Slater, Jamie Nicole"]}]},{"id":"academic_context","label":"Academic Context","entries":[{"key":"dc:date.available","label":"Dc Date Available","values":["2012-06-06T07:00:00Z"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_discipline","label":"Discipline","values":["Biology"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_level","label":"Degree Level","values":["Open Access Thesis"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_name","label":"Degree Name","values":["Master of Science (MS)"]}]},{"id":"subjects_keywords","label":"Subjects and Keywords","entries":[{"key":"dc:subject","label":"Dc Subject","values":["aging","mice behavior","cognitive decline","age-related behavior","Biology"]}]},{"id":"identifiers","label":"Identifiers","entries":[{"key":"dc:identifier","label":"Identifier","values":["https://commons.emich.edu/theses/389"]}]},{"id":"additional","label":"Additional Metadata","entries":[{"key":"dc:description.abstract","label":"Abstract","values":["Age-related cognitive decline refers to the memory impairment and difficulty learning new tasks that occurs during the normal process of aging. There are many possible changes that occur at the neuronal level that could account for age-related cognitive decline. One hypothesis suggests that a dysregulation of neuronal intracellular calcium concentration contributes to age-related cognitive deficits. Previous research suggests that an increase in neuronal L-type voltage-gated calcium channels (LVGCCs) occurs in the brain during aging. This increase could account for altered intracellular calcium concentration and lead to agerelated cognitive decline. A line of transgenic mice that over-express the LVGCC CaV1.3 in the forebrain was developed in order to investigate the relative contribution of this change to age-related cognitive decline. These animals were also characterized on both on a molecular and behavioral level. Molecular characterization revealed approximately 20% overexpression of CaV1.3 in the forebrain of transgenic animals, while neurobehavioral experiments indicate these mice have unimpaired motor function and exploratory behaviors. Based upon these results, this new line of mice will be an excellent model for studies of agerelated cognitive decline.
"]},{"key":"dc:title","label":"Title","values":["The molecular and behavioral characterization of cav1.3 over-expressing mice"]}]}],"canonical_facts":{"dc:contributor":["Robert Winning, PhD, Chair","Geoffrey G. Murphy, PhD, Project Supervisor","Daniel Clemans, PhD"],"dc:creator":["Slater, Jamie Nicole"],"dc:date.available":["2012-06-06T07:00:00Z"],"dc:description.abstract":["Age-related cognitive decline refers to the memory impairment and difficulty learning new tasks that occurs during the normal process of aging. There are many possible changes that occur at the neuronal level that could account for age-related cognitive decline. One hypothesis suggests that a dysregulation of neuronal intracellular calcium concentration contributes to age-related cognitive deficits. Previous research suggests that an increase in neuronal L-type voltage-gated calcium channels (LVGCCs) occurs in the brain during aging. This increase could account for altered intracellular calcium concentration and lead to agerelated cognitive decline. A line of transgenic mice that over-express the LVGCC CaV1.3 in the forebrain was developed in order to investigate the relative contribution of this change to age-related cognitive decline. These animals were also characterized on both on a molecular and behavioral level. Molecular characterization revealed approximately 20% overexpression of CaV1.3 in the forebrain of transgenic animals, while neurobehavioral experiments indicate these mice have unimpaired motor function and exploratory behaviors. Based upon these results, this new line of mice will be an excellent model for studies of agerelated cognitive decline.
"],"dc:identifier":["https://commons.emich.edu/theses/389"],"dc:subject":["aging","mice behavior","cognitive decline","age-related behavior","Biology"],"dc:title":["The molecular and behavioral characterization of cav1.3 over-expressing mice"],"thesis:degree_discipline":["Biology"],"thesis:degree_level":["Open Access Thesis"],"thesis:degree_name":["Master of Science (MS)"]},"updated_at":"2026-07-24T02:16:44Z"}