Cadmium exposure impairs adult neurogenesis, cognition, and olfactory memory in mice
type: CreativeWork
description: Cadmium (Cd) is a ubiquitous toxic heavy metal of high interest to the Superfund initiative. It causes toxic effects to many organs, including kidney, liver, lung, and bone. Cd is also a potential neurotoxicant. Recently, several epidemiology studies have found an association between Cd exposure and cognitive as well as olfactory impairments in humans. However, studies in animal models are needed to establish a direct causal relationship between Cd exposure and impaired cognitive and olfactory functions. In this study, by exposing adult male mice to 3 mg/L Cd through drinking water, I found that Cd exposure induces persistent impairments of hippocampus-dependent learning and memory in the novel object location test, the T-maze test, and the contextual fear memory test, but not in the water maze test in young adult mice. In addition, I also found that Cd exposure impairs olfactory memory in mice. Adult neurogenesis is a process that generates functional new neurons from adult neural progenitor/stem cells (aNPCs). It is spatially restricted to two specific regions in the adult brain: the subgranular zone (SGZ) in the dentate gyrus of the hippocampus and the subventricular zone (SVZ) along the lateral ventricles. These adult-born neurons in the SGZ and SVZ contribute to hippocampus-dependent memory and olfaction, respectively. The process of adult neurogenesis can be modulated by various extracellular and intracellular stimuli, but the studies on how neurotoxicants affect this important process are still lacking. Using an in vitro model of adult neurogenesis, I found that Cd significantly increases apoptosis, inhibits proliferation, and impairs spontaneous neuronal differentiation. In addition, activation of JNK and p38 MAPK signaling pathways are involved in Cd cytotoxicity in aNPCs. Furthermore, I also observed that adult Cd exposure impairs SGZ and SVZ adult neurogenesis in vivo. Additionally, by using caMEK5 mice, a gain-of-function knock-in transgenic mouse line t…
abstract: Cadmium (Cd) is a ubiquitous toxic heavy metal of high interest to the Superfund initiative. It causes toxic effects to many organs, including kidney, liver, lung, and bone. Cd is also a potential neurotoxicant. Recently, several epidemiology studies have found an association between Cd exposure and cognitive as well as olfactory impairments in humans. However, studies in animal models are needed to establish a direct causal relationship between Cd exposure and impaired cognitive and olfactory functions. In this study, by exposing adult male mice to 3 mg/L Cd through drinking water, I found that Cd exposure induces persistent impairments of hippocampus-dependent learning and memory in the novel object location test, the T-maze test, and the contextual fear memory test, but not in the water maze test in young adult mice. In addition, I also found that Cd exposure impairs olfactory memory in mice. Adult neurogenesis is a process that generates functional new neurons from adult neural progenitor/stem cells (aNPCs). It is spatially restricted to two specific regions in the adult brain: the subgranular zone (SGZ) in the dentate gyrus of the hippocampus and the subventricular zone (SVZ) along the lateral ventricles. These adult-born neurons in the SGZ and SVZ contribute to hippocampus-dependent memory and olfaction, respectively. The process of adult neurogenesis can be modulated by various extracellular and intracellular stimuli, but the studies on how neurotoxicants affect this important process are still lacking. Using an in vitro model of adult neurogenesis, I found that Cd significantly increases apoptosis, inhibits proliferation, and impairs spontaneous neuronal differentiation. In addition, activation of JNK and p38 MAPK signaling pathways are involved in Cd cytotoxicity in aNPCs. Furthermore, I also observed that adult Cd exposure impairs SGZ and SVZ adult neurogenesis in vivo. Additionally, by using caMEK5 mice, a gain-of-function knock-in transgenic mouse line t…
author: Wang, Hao
language: en_US
keywords: adult neurogenesis, Cadmium, neurotoxicity, Toxicology
date published: 2019-02-22
date modified: 2026-07-24T05:58:03Z
provider: University of Washington
publisher: Networked Digital Library of Theses and Dissertations
type: WebPage
source organization: University of Washington

PropertyValue
property ID: Handle
value: http://hdl.handle.net/1773/43369