Abstract
Early impairments to neurovascular coupling have been proposed to be a key pathogenic factor in the onset and progression of Alzheimer’s disease (AD). Studies have shown impaired neurovascular function in several mouse models of AD, including the J20-hAPP mouse. In this study, we aimed to investigate early neurovascular changes using wild-type (WT) controls and J20-hAPP mice at 6-9 months of age, by measuring cerebral haemodynamics and neural activity to physiological sensory stimulations. A thinned cranial window was prepared to allow access to cortical vasculature and imaged using 2D-optical imaging spectroscopy (2D-OIS). After chronic imaging sessions where the skull was intact, a terminal acute imaging session was performed where an electrode was inserted into the brain to record simultaneous neural activity. We found that cerebral haemodynamic changes were significantly enhanced in J20-hAPP mice compared with controls in response to physiological stimulations, potentially due to the significantly higher neural activity (hyperexcitability) seen in the J20-hAPP mice. Thus, neurovascular coupling remained preserved under a chronic imaging preparation. Further, under hyperoxia, the baseline blood volume and saturation of all vascular compartments in the brains of J20-hAPP mice were substantially enhanced compared to WT controls, but this effect disappeared under normoxic conditions. This study highlights novel findings not previously seen in the J20-hAPP mouse model, and may point towards a potential therapeutic strategy by driving an increased baseline blood flow to the brain, thereby potentially enhancing the clearance of beta-amyloid.
