Faculty Mentor(s)

Dr. Erika Calvo-Ochoa, Biology and Neuroscience

Document Type

Poster

Event Date

4-12-2024

Abstract

Zebrafish provide an ideal model to study neurodegenerative diseases and regenerative processes as they present neurogenesis and a high degree of neuroplasticity throughout their lifespan. It has been suggested that dopamine has an important role in regulating olfaction. We aimed to study the structural and functional effects of dopaminergic loss in the olfactory system. We injected 6-hydroxydopamine (6-OHDA) int the ventricular zone of adult zebrafish at the interphase between the olfactory bulbs and the telencephalon to target dopaminergic neurons in the olfactory bulb.Then, we assessed dopaminergic neural loss, markers of inflammation, morphological changes of olfactory axons, and synaptic connections. Olfactory function was evaluated using behavioral assays. 6OHDA injections cause an increase in apoptosis (TUNEL) in the olfactory bulb as well as a significant loss of dopaminergic neurons (TH) at 1- and 3- days post injection (dpi), confirming the success of our approach. Morphological changes in the olfactory glomeruli were discovered by differences in the distribution of the presynaptic marker, SV2. Astroglial activation (GFAP) and cell proliferation (PCNA) were also increased. Furthermore, we found disturbances in olfactory-mediated behavior that suggest olfactory functional alterations. Further studies will explore the relationship between olfactory function, dopaminergic neurons, and the adverse effects of 6-OHDA.

Comments

This research was supported by the Alfred and Dorothy Popma Fund for Biology, by the Kenneth Campbell Foundation and by a Stewart Award.

Title on poster differs from abstract booklet. Poster title: Olfactory System Alterations in a Novel Model of Parkinson’s Disease in Adult Zebrafish

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