NR ATOX
AU Machatschke,I.H.; Strijkstra,A.; Kaup,F.J.; Bodemer,W.; Schober,F.; Dittami,J.
TI Application of Chronobiological and Ethological Methods in a Rhesus Monkey TSE Model
QU International Conference - Prion 2005: Between fundamentals and society's needs - 19.10.-21.10.2005, Congress Center Düsseldorf - Poster Session: Pathogenesis PATH-08
PT Konferenz-Poster
AB A wide range of psychiatric and neurological symptoms have been reported for TSE syndromes. Although disease progression is relatively fast once overt signs have been discerned, the latencies from seeding start to infection and clinical expression are unknown. An aspect of behaviour that has received little attention in prion research outside of FFI studies is the analysis of disturbances in sleep structure and patterns of activity and rest. This is surprising in view of the pivotal role changes in the circadian timing system are generally assumed to play in the aetiology of neurodegenerative diseases. Circadian rhythms are rhythms of about 24 hrs that are associated with virtually all physiological and behavioural processes. The mechanisms and components of the underlying clock combine zeitgebers, pacemakers, sub oscillators, passive elements, couplers, and output functions. Together, they maintain the physiological and behavioural integrity of the organism on a 24-hour basis. Interactions among the components are complex and often bi-directional. As a result, derangements could produce changes in other components, which may then amplify the original problem, in a kind of feedback/feed-forward system. Within the framework of an ongoing project on BSE-, sCJD-, and vCJD-inoculated Rhesus monkeys at the DPZ Göttingen, changes in social behaviour, locomotion, sleep structure and activity/rest cycles have been being documented and compared with disease progression. Methods used include not only classical ethological observations but also long-term longitudinal, telemetry-based surveillance of activity and body core temperature. The aim is to bring potential pathologies into context with sleep dysfunction. At present, animals are theoretically at midpoint between inoculation and overt expression of clinically significant symptoms. Apart from a presentation of techniques used, preliminary results will be presented.
AD I.H.Machatschke, J.Dittami, University of Vienna, Austria; A.Strijkstra, MC-Neuropharmacology Rijswijk, The Netherlands; F.-J.Kaup, W.Bodemer, German Primate Center, Göttingen, Germany; F.Schober, University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna, Austria
SP englisch
PO Deutschland