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Environmental enrichment exacerbates amyloid plaque formation in a transgenic mouse model of Alzheimer disease
Jankowsky JL, Xu G, Fromholt D, Gonzales V, Borchelt DR.. Journal of neuropathology and experimental neurology, 2003-12-01
Topic: Brain proteins, microglia and lab models
Epidemiological studies of Alzheimer patients from a wide variety of ethnic and socioeconomic backgrounds have identified education and occupation as environmental factors that can affect the risk of developing disease. A model of environmental manipulation in rodents uses enriched housing to provide cognitive and social stimulation. Previous studies have established elevations in synaptic number and function in rodents housed under enriched conditions.
Key findings
- A model of environmental manipulation in rodents uses enriched housing to provide cognitive and social stimulation.
- Previous studies have established elevations in synaptic number and function in rodents housed under enriched conditions.
- Recent experiments in hippocampal cultures have demonstrated that synaptic activity can influence the processing of amyloid precursor protein (APP).
- Here we examined whether changes in synaptic activity brought about by enriched housing might also influence the deposition of amyloid plaques in vivo using a transgenic mouse model of Alzheimer disease (AD).
Why it matters
This study found that enriched housing, which provides cognitive and social stimulation, worsened amyloid plaque formation in a transgenic mouse model of Alzheimer's disease. It is animal research and does not show that environmental enrichment treats or prevents Alzheimer's disease in people.
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Study details
- Evidence strengthLow
How this study scored 44/100
Published in a peer-reviewed journal. Scored zero for study design, sample size, effect reported and randomised / blinded because the record does not state it.
| Component | Points | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Journal tier | 7 / 10 | Tier 3 — peer-reviewed journal (Journal of neuropathology and experimental neurology) |
| Journal's citation record | 2 / 4 | Journal of Neuropathology & Experimental Neurology: journal h-index 239 (OpenAlex, 2026-10-29) |
| Study design | 0 / 12 | No study design recorded — scores zero, not guessed (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Strength of evidence | 1 / 5 | Rated “low” in our summary |
| Peer-review validation | 10 / 10 | Peer-reviewed. Published as an article in a named peer-reviewed journal. |
| How recent | 1 / 5 | 2003 — older than 20 years, still counted |
| Sample size | 0 / 4 | Participant count not stated — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Effect reported | 0 / 3 | No effect size reported — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Studied in people | 0 / 3 | Laboratory or animal study (title names “transgenic”) — scores zero |
| Randomised / blinded | 0 / 2 | No randomisation or blinding stated — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Times cited | 5 / 7 | Cited 240 times (OpenAlex, 2026-10-10) |
| Citations per year | 3 / 5 | 9.6 citations a year over 25 year(s) since 2003 |
| Impact for its field and year | 3 / 6 | Cited 4.9× the average for papers of its field and year (OpenAlex FWCI) |
| Cited by studies here | 2 / 6 | Cited by 6 other studies in this library |
| Still being cited | 2 / 4 | Cited 30 times in 2024–2026 (2026 still in progress; OpenAlex) |
| Senior author's track record | 3 / 4 | Last-listed author David Borchelt: h-index 85 (OpenAlex, whole career) |
| Institution's track record | 2 / 3 | Johns Hopkins University: institution h-index 2,306 (OpenAlex) |
| Multi-centre collaboration | 1 / 3 | OpenAlex lists 2 institution(s) in 1 country |
| Indexed in PubMed | 2 / 2 | Indexed in PubMed (PMID 14692698) |
| Free to read | 0 / 2 | Behind a paywall — scores zero |
| Total | 44 / 100 | — |
What each of these 20 components measures, and what this score is not →
Read the original
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Cite this study APA, Vancouver, BibTeX · download .bib or .ris
Built from the record alzhub holds for this paper, not looked up. Volume, issue and page numbers are not held in the record. Check the citation against the original before you use it.
APA 7th
Jankowsky, J. L., Xu, G., Fromholt, D., Gonzales, V., & Borchelt, D. R. (2003). Environmental enrichment exacerbates amyloid plaque formation in a transgenic mouse model of Alzheimer disease. Journal of neuropathology and experimental neurology. https://doi.org/10.1093/jnen/62.12.1220
Vancouver
Jankowsky JL, Xu G, Fromholt D, Gonzales V, Borchelt DR. Environmental enrichment exacerbates amyloid plaque formation in a transgenic mouse model of Alzheimer disease. Journal of neuropathology and experimental neurology. 2003. doi:10.1093/jnen/62.12.1220. PMID: 14692698.
BibTeX
@article{jankowsky2003-14692698,
author = {Jankowsky, J. L. and Xu, G. and Fromholt, D. and Gonzales, V. and Borchelt, D. R.},
title = {{Environmental enrichment exacerbates amyloid plaque formation in a transgenic mouse model of Alzheimer disease}},
journal = {Journal of neuropathology and experimental neurology},
year = {2003},
doi = {10.1093/jnen/62.12.1220},
pmid = {14692698},
url = {https://doi.org/10.1093/jnen/62.12.1220}
}
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