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Simvastatin enhances learning and memory independent of amyloid load in mice
Li L, Cao D, Kim H, Lester R, Fukuchi K.. Annals of neurology, 2006-12-01
Topic: Brain proteins, microglia and lab models
Plain-language summary
Objective Normal aging is often associated with a decline in learning and memory functions. This decline is manifested to a much greater extent in Alzheimer's disease. Recent studies have indicated statins, a class of cholesterol-lowering drugs, as a potential therapy for Alzheimer's disease. Our objective was to determine whether administering a statin drug (simvastatin) would protect against the development of behavioral deficits in an established mouse model of Alzheimer's disease. Methods Tg2576 mice and their nontransgenic littermates were treated with simvastatin and assessed by behavioral tests and biochemical analyses. Results Simvastatin treatment not only reversed learning and memory deficits in the Tg2576 mice, but also enhanced learning and memory in the nontransgenic mice. Moreover, levels of amyloid beta protein in the brains of treated mice did not differ from those of untreated mice. Simvastatin treatment was associated with increased expression levels of protein kinase B (Akt) and endothelial nitric oxide synthase in the mouse brain. Interpretation Our findings demonstrate that the effects of simvastatin on learning and memory are independent of amyloid beta protein levels. The mechanisms by which simvastatin exerts its beneficial effects may be related to modulation of signaling pathways in memory formation.
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APA 7th
Li, L., Cao, D., Kim, H., Lester, R., & Fukuchi, K. (2006). Simvastatin enhances learning and memory independent of amyloid load in mice. Annals of neurology. https://doi.org/10.1002/ana.21053
Vancouver
Li L, Cao D, Kim H, Lester R, Fukuchi K. Simvastatin enhances learning and memory independent of amyloid load in mice. Annals of neurology. 2006. doi:10.1002/ana.21053. PMID: 17192930.
BibTeX
@article{li2006-17192930,
author = {Li, L. and Cao, D. and Kim, H. and Lester, R. and Fukuchi, K.},
title = {{Simvastatin enhances learning and memory independent of amyloid load in mice}},
journal = {Annals of neurology},
year = {2006},
doi = {10.1002/ana.21053},
pmid = {17192930},
url = {https://doi.org/10.1002/ana.21053}
}
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Key findings
- Objective Normal aging is often associated with a decline in learning and memory functions.
- Results Simvastatin treatment not only reversed learning and memory deficits in the Tg2576 mice, but also enhanced learning and memory in the nontransgenic mice.
- Simvastatin treatment was associated with increased expression levels of protein kinase B (Akt) and endothelial nitric oxide synthase in the mouse brain.
- Interpretation Our findings demonstrate that the effects of simvastatin on learning and memory are independent of amyloid beta protein levels.
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Study details
- Evidence strengthLow
How this study scored 40/100
Published in a leading specialty journal. Scored zero for study design, sample size, effect reported and randomized / blinded because the record does not state it. We have no data on journal's citation record, times cited, citations per year, impact for its field and year, cited by studies here, still being cited, senior author's track record, institution's track record and multicenter collaboration, so those were left out: it earned 23 of the 58 points we could judge it on, which is 40 out of 100.
| Component | Points | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Journal tier | 9 / 10 | Tier 2 — leading specialty journal (Annals of neurology) |
| Journal's citation record | — / 4 | No journal record from OpenAlex — left out of this score |
| 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 | 2006 — 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 “mice”) — scores zero |
| Randomized / blinded | 0 / 2 | No randomization or blinding stated — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Times cited | — / 7 | No citation count (not found in OpenAlex) — left out of this score |
| Citations per year | — / 5 | No citation count or no year — left out of this score |
| Impact for its field and year | — / 6 | No field-weighted citation impact (OpenAlex has none yet) — left out of this score |
| Cited by studies here | — / 6 | Not yet checked against this library's citation graph — left out of this score |
| Still being cited | — / 4 | No yearly citation counts — left out of this score |
| Senior author's track record | — / 4 | Senior author's record not available — left out of this score |
| Institution's track record | — / 3 | No institution listed in OpenAlex — left out of this score |
| Multicenter collaboration | — / 3 | Institutions not listed — left out of this score |
| Indexed in PubMed | 2 / 2 | Indexed in PubMed (PMID 17192930) |
| Free to read | 0 / 2 | Behind a paywall — scores zero |
| Points | 23 / 58 | Scored on 11 of 20 parts. We have no data for the rest, so they are left out: 23 of the 58 points we could judge it on is 40 out of 100. |
| Total | 40 / 100 | — |
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