ePoster

Continuous theta-burst stimulation improves learning/memory deficits and behavioral disturbances in the trimethyltin-induced Alzheimer's-like disease model - relevance for the treatment of neurodegenerative disorders?

Marina Zaric Kontic, Milica Zeljkovic Jovanovic, Andjela Stekic, Jelena Stanojevic, Ivana Stevanovic, Dejan Stevic, Milica Ninkovic, Milorad Dragic
FENS Forum 2024(2024)
Messe Wien Exhibition & Congress Center, Vienna, Austria

Conference

FENS Forum 2024

Messe Wien Exhibition & Congress Center, Vienna, Austria

Resources

Authors & Affiliations

Marina Zaric Kontic, Milica Zeljkovic Jovanovic, Andjela Stekic, Jelena Stanojevic, Ivana Stevanovic, Dejan Stevic, Milica Ninkovic, Milorad Dragic

Abstract

Trimethyltin (TMT)-induced neurodegeneration leads to molecular and behavioral changes similar to those of Alzheimer's disease (AD). Continuous theta burst stimulation (cTBS) has shown promise in psychiatric and neurological disorders but remains largely unexplored in AD models. For this reason, a well-characterized animal model of TMT-induced hippocampal neurodegeneration was used to investigate, for the first time, the effects of cTBS on learning/memory and behavioral disturbances.Adult male Wistar rats were divided into four experimental groups: intact control, TMT (8mg/kg, ip) and TMT treated with cTBS or a sham protocol for three weeks. The Novel Object Recognition Test and the Open Field Test were used to assess learning/memory and anxiety-like behavior, respectively.cTBS successfully attenuated the learning and memory deficits, as evidenced by an increased recognition index in the cTBS-treated group compared to the TMT and sham groups. Parameters indicating increased anxiety-like behavior, such as the number of total crosses in the arena and the number of entries into the central field, were significantly reduced in the TMT- and sham-treated groups and successfully returned to control levels after cTBS treatment, while the time spent in the central field even exceeded the values of the control group.These are the first data on the beneficial effects of cTBS on learning/memory and behavioral changes in a model of neurodegeneration that mimics some of the key aspects of AD pathology. Future research is needed to further clarify the therapeutic capacity of cTBS. Supported by NITRA, grants: 451-03-66/2024-03/200017, 451-03-65/2024-03/200178, 451-03-66/2024-03/200178, and University of Defense, grant: MFVMA/02/22-24.

Unique ID: fens-24/continuous-theta-burst-stimulation-9fdd2fac