OBJECTIVE:This work thoroughly evaluated the association between cognitive status, mental disorders, and semantic verbal fluency (SVF). METHODS:Correlations between mental disorders, cognitive status, and demographic and medical history of 74 participants were analyzed. The SVF temporal course per 15-second period of a five-category task was assessed. RESULTS:Eight SVF principal components, led by a component consisting of the first fifteen-second periods (P1), were extracted. Regression analyses for cognitive status showed that the P1 component was the best predictor. CONCLUSION:Thus, the words articulated during the first fifteen seconds of the SVF task may improve the prognosis and diagnosis of cognitive decline.
Alzheimer's disease (AD) is the most common neurodegenerative disorder, marked by beta-amyloid plaques and tau protein tangles, leading to cognitive decline and motor impairments in advanced stages. The motor symptoms that could appear are bradykinesia, rigidity, gait disturbances, and a reduction in muscle strength and mass, all of which significantly affect patients' quality of life and increase their dependency. The triple-transgenic 3xTg-AD mouse model, carrying three mutations linked to hereditary AD, is widely used for research. Physical exercise, a non-pharmacological intervention, shows promise in managing AD symptoms, though its impact on motor and neuromuscular alterations remains unclear. A total of 64 male mice, aged 12 months, were used and divided into four groups ( n = 16 per group): 3xTg-AD sedentary, 3xTg-AD exercise, Non-Tg sedentary, and Non-Tg exercise. A 16-week physical exercise intervention was conducted using a mixed protocol combining voluntary exercise (3 times a week) and forced exercise (2 times a week). At the end of the intervention, behavioral tests were performed to evaluate locomotor activity, gait, strength, coordination, and balance using the open field test, four-limb pressure test, and the beam walk test, respectively. Additionally, memory was assessed using the novel object recognition test. Muscle mass was analyzed through bioimpedance studies and histological techniques. Finally, high-resolution respirometry analysis was conducted at cerebral and muscular levels to examine mitochondrial activity. Physical exercise improved motor impairments in the advanced stages of the AD model, positively impacted memory, reduced muscle atrophy, and promoted the enhancement of mitochondrial activity. The physical exercise intervention for AD patients is promising for reducing the effect of the disease on the locomotor system, preserving functionality, and preventing muscle and brain deterioration.
Alzheimer’s disease (AD) stands out as the most prevalent neurodegenerative condition globally, marked by a progressive cognitive decline. Its distinctive histopathological features include neurofibrillary tangles composed of Tau protein aggregates and amyloid beta (Aβ) aggregates forming neuritic plaques in the parenchyma and cerebral amyloid angiopathy (CAA) in blood vessels. Intriguingly, it has been hypothesized that CAA induces alterations in the cells comprising the neurovascular unit (NVU), exacerbating the disease’s symptoms. Currently, effective treatments for AD remain elusive. The triple transgenic mouse model for AD (3xTg-AD), harboring three mutations associated with familial AD ( PS1M146V , APPSWE , and tauP301L ), is widely employed to investigate molecular mechanisms and assess therapeutic strategies. One promising non-pharmacological approach is physical exercise, a planned, repetitive, and regulated physical activity. However, its impact on the cerebrovascular system remains unclear. This study aims to analyze the effect of physical exercise on the NVU in the 3xTg-AD model. A total of 40 ten-month-old female mice, including 3xTg-AD (n = 20) and non-Tg (n = 20), were equally divided into exercise and sedentary groups. A voluntary physical exercise intervention spanning three months, with a frequency of five times a week, was implemented. Subsequently, we evaluated cognitive functions, CAA, and NVU morphostructure through histological assays Our results demonstrate that 3xTg-AD mice develop vascular amyloid deposits, correlating with NVU alterations and cognitive deficits. Intriguingly, voluntary physical exercise reduces CAA and amyloid plaques, coinciding with improvements in cognitive abilities and NVU component integrity. The intervention with voluntary physical exercise holds promise for enhancing vascular system stability and reducing CAA in symptomatic stages of AD, presenting a potential therapeutic avenue for individuals affected by the disease.
The complexity of Alzheimer’s disease (AD) pathophysiology represents a significant challenge in the development of effective therapeutic agents for its treatment. CNEURO-201 (CN, also Amylovis-201) is a novel pharmaceutical agent with dual activity as an anti-amyloid-β (Aβ) agent and σ1 receptor agonist. CN exhibits great efficacy at very low doses, delaying cognitive impairment and alleviating Aβ load in animal models of AD. However, CN functions on other remains related to this pathology remain to be investigated. The present study sought to evaluate the effects of CN treatment at a dosage of 0.1 mg kg−1 (p.o) over an eight-week period in the 3xTg-AD mouse model. In silico studies, as well as biochemical and immunofluorescence assays, were conducted on brain tissue to investigate the CN effects on acetylcholine metabolism, redox system, and glial cell activation-related biomarkers in brain regions that are relevant for memory. The results demonstrated that CN effectively rescues cognitive impairment of 3xTg-AD mice by influencing glial activity to reduce existing Aβ plaques but also modulating acetylcholine metabolism and the enzymatic response of proteins involved in the redox system. Our outcomes reinforced the potential of CN in treating AD by acting on multiple pathways altered in this disease.
The astrocyte population, around 50% of human brain cells, plays a crucial role in maintaining the overall health and functionality of the central nervous system (CNS). Astrocytes are vital in orchestrating neuronal development by releasing synaptogenic molecules and eliminating excessive synapses. They also modulate neuronal excitability and contribute to CNS homeostasis, promoting neuronal survival by clearance of neurotransmitters, transporting metabolites, and secreting trophic factors. Astrocytes are highly heterogeneous and respond to CNS injuries and diseases through a process known as reactive astrogliosis, which can contribute to both inflammation and its resolution. Recent evidence has revealed remarkable alterations in astrocyte transcriptomes in response to several diseases, identifying at least two distinct phenotypes called A1 or neurotoxic and A2 or neuroprotective astrocytes. However, due to the vast heterogeneity of these cells, it is limited to classify them into only two phenotypes. This review explores the various physiological and pathophysiological roles, potential markers, and pathways that might be activated in different astrocytic phenotypes. Furthermore, we discuss the astrocyte heterogeneity in the main neurodegenerative diseases and identify potential therapeutic strategies. Understanding the underlying mechanisms in the differentiation and imbalance of the astrocytic population will allow the identification of specific biomarkers and timely therapeutic approaches in various neurodegenerative diseases.
Alzheimer’s disease (AD), the most prevalent neurodegenerative disorder and the leading cause of dementia worldwide, profoundly impacts health and quality of life. While cognitive impairments—such as memory loss, attention deficits, and disorientation—predominate in AD, motor symptoms, though common, remain underexplored. These motor symptoms, including gait disturbances, reduced cardiorespiratory fitness, muscle weakness, sarcopenia, and impaired balance, are often associated with advanced stages of AD and contribute to increased mortality. Emerging evidence, however, suggests that motor symptoms may be present in earlier stages and can serve as predictive markers for AD in older adults. Despite a limited understanding of the underlying mechanisms driving these motor symptoms, several key pathways have been identified, offering avenues for further investigation. This review provides an in-depth analysis of motor symptoms in AD, discussing its progression, potential mechanisms, and therapeutic strategies. Addressing motor symptoms alongside cognitive decline may enhance patient functionality, improve quality of life, and support more comprehensive disease management strategies.
Background: Over the last century, animal models have been employed to study the gut-brain axis and its relationship with physiological processes, including those necessary for survival, such as food intake regulation and thermoregulation; those involved in diseases, ranging from inflammation to obesity; and those concerned to the development of neurodegenerative diseases and neuropsychiatric disorders, such as Alzheimer’s disease and autism spectrum disorder, respectively. Summary: The gut microbiota has been recognized in the last decade as an essential functional component of this axis. Many reports demonstrate that the gut microbiota influences the development of a vast array of physiological processes. Experiments that use animal models to assess the effect of the gut microbiota on the brain and behavior may involve the acute or chronic administration of wide-spectrum antibiotics. Key Messages: This narrative review summarizes the beneficial or detrimental effects of antibiotics administered prenatally or postnatally to rodents during acute or chronic periods in a wide range of protocols. These include animal models of disease and behavioral paradigms of learning and memory, anxiety, obsessive-compulsive disorder, and autism spectrum disorder. Biomarkers and behavioral assays associated with antibiotic exposure are also included in this review.
Microglia are dynamic central nervous system cells crucial for maintaining homeostasis and responding to neuroinflammation, as evidenced by their varied morphologies. Existing morphology analysis often fails to detect subtle variations within the full spectrum of microglial morphologies due to their reliance on predefined categories. Here, we present MorphoGlia, an interactive, user-friendly pipeline that objectively characterizes microglial morphologies. MorphoGlia employs a machine learning ensemble to select relevant morphological features of microglia cells, perform dimensionality reduction, cluster these features, and subsequently map the clustered cells back onto the tissue, providing a spatial context for the identified microglial morphologies. We applied this pipeline to compare the responses between saline solution (SS) and scopolamine (SCOP) groups in a SCOP-induced mouse model of Alzheimer’s disease, with a specific focus on the hippocampal subregions CA1 and Hilus. Next, we assessed microglial morphologies across four groups: SS-CA1, SCOP-CA1, SS-Hilus, and SCOP-Hilus. The results demonstrated that MorphoGlia effectively differentiated between SS and SCOP-treated groups, identifying distinct clusters of microglial morphologies commonly associated with pro-inflammatory states in the SCOP groups. Additionally, MorphoGlia enabled spatial mapping of these clusters, identifying the most affected hippocampal layers. This study highlights MorphoGlia’s capability to provide unbiased analysis and clustering of microglial morphological states, making it a valuable tool for exploring microglial heterogeneity and its implications for central nervous system pathologies.
Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is the most common neurodegenerative disease in the world. It is characterized by impaired memory, thinking, orientation, and learning, thus affecting the quality of life of people whosuffer from it. The two pathognomonic hallmarks are the neuritic plaques and neurofibrillary tangles, however, the vascular system is also affected, aggravating the symptoms of the disease, being a possible hypothesis of the development of the disease. One of the most widely used animal models to study disease mechanisms is the 3xTg-AD triple transgenic mouse that contains three mutations associated with familial AD (PS1M146V, APPSWE, and tauP301L). Among the non-pharmacological treatments is physical exercise, which is a variety of planned, repetitive, and dosed physical activity, proving to be safe as part of the adjuvant treatment of the disease, however, its effect on the vascular system is unknown. A total of 40 ten-month-old female mice, 3xTg-AD (n = 20) and NonTg (n = 20), equally divided into exercise and sedentary groups, were used. An intervention of voluntary physical exercise was carried out for 3 months with a frequency of 5 times a week. Subsequently, memory and learning were evaluated using the Barnes maze test. The vascular morphostructure by anatomical analysis through histological assays using markers for vascular basement membrane (anti-Collagen IV) and pericytes (anti-PDGFR-β), in addition to amyloid deposits. No improvement in cognitive ability was observed, however, exercise promoted the recovery of the vascular system, as well as the reduction of amyloid deposits. No improvement in cognitive ability was observed, however, exercise promoted the recovery of the vascular system, as well as the reduction of amyloid deposits. The intervention with voluntary physical exercise promotes stability of the vascular system as well as the reduction of amyloid deposits in the symptomatic stages of the disease.
Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is the main neurodegenerative disorder characterized by several pathophysiological features, including the misfolding of the tau protein and the amyloid beta (Aβ) peptide, neuroinflammation, oxidative stress, synaptic dysfunction, metabolic alterations, and cognitive impairment. These mechanisms collectively contribute to neurodegeneration, necessitating the exploration of therapeutic approaches with multiple targets. Physical exercise has emerged as a promising non-pharmacological intervention for AD, with demonstrated effects on promoting neurogenesis, activating neurotrophic factors, reducing Aβ aggregates, minimizing the formation of neurofibrillary tangles (NFTs), dampening inflammatory processes, mitigating oxidative stress, and improving the functionality of the neurovascular unit (NVU). Overall, the neuroprotective effects of exercise are not singular, but are multi-targets. Numerous studies have investigated physical exercise’s potential in both AD patients and animal models, employing various exercise protocols to elucidate the underlying neurobiological mechanisms and effects. The objective of this review is to analyze the neurological therapeutic effects of these exercise protocols in animal models and compare them with studies conducted in AD patients. By translating findings from different approaches, this review aims to identify opportune, specific, and personalized therapeutic windows, thus advancing research on the use of physical exercise with AD patients.
Alzheimer's disease (AD) is the most common neurodegenerative disease in the world. It is classified as familial and sporadic. The dominant familial or autosomal presentation represents 1-5% of the total number of cases. It is categorized as early onset (EOAD; <65 years of age) and presents genetic mutations in presenilin 1 (PSEN1), presenilin 2 (PSEN2), or the Amyloid precursor protein (APP). Sporadic AD represents 95% of the cases and is categorized as late-onset (LOAD), occurring in patients older than 65 years of age. Several risk factors have been identified in sporadic AD; aging is the main one. Nonetheless, multiple genes have been associated with the different neuropathological events involved in LOAD, such as the pathological processing of Amyloid beta (A beta) peptide and Tau protein, as well as synaptic and mitochondrial dysfunctions, neurovascular alterations, oxidative stress, and neuroinflammation, among others. Interestingly, using genome-wide association study (GWAS) technology, many polymorphisms associated with LOAD have been identified. This review aims to analyze the new genetic findings that are closely related to the pathophysiology of AD. Likewise, it analyzes the multiple mutations identified to date through GWAS that are associated with a high or low risk of developing this neurodegeneration. Understanding genetic variability will allow for the identification of early biomarkers and opportune therapeutic targets for AD.
Alzheimer's disease (AD) is the most common neurodegenerative disorder worldwide. Histopathologically, AD presents two pathognomonic hallmarks: (1) neurofibrillary tangles, characterized by intracellular deposits of hyperphosphorylated tau protein, and (2) extracellular amyloid deposits (amyloid plaques) in the brain vasculature (cerebral amyloid angiopathy; CAA). It has been proposed that vascular amyloid deposits could trigger neurovascular unit (NVU) dysfunction in AD. The NVU is composed primarily of astrocytic feet, endothelial cells, pericytes, and basement membrane. Although physical exercise is hypothesized to have beneficial effects against AD, it is unknown whether its positive effects extend to ameliorating CAA and improving the physiology of the NVU. We used the triple transgenic animal model for AD (3xTg-AD) at 13 months old and analyzed through behavioral and histological assays, the effect of voluntary physical exercise on cognitive functions, amyloid angiopathy, and the NVU. Our results show that 3xTg-AD mice develop vascular amyloid deposits which correlate with cognitive deficits and NVU alteration. Interestingly, the physical exercise regimen decreases amyloid angiopathy and correlates with an improvement in cognitive function as well as in the underlying integrity of the NVU components. Physical exercise could represent a key therapeutic approach in cerebral amyloid angiopathy and NVU stability in AD patients.
Background Diet-induced obesity is associated with premature cognitive decline. Elevated consumption of fats and sugars in humans and rodents has been associated with deficits in recognition memory, which is modulated by the hippocampus. Alterations in excitatory and inhibitory neurotransmitters in this area have been observed after hypercaloric diets, but the effects on episodic-like memory are not conclusive. Objective To investigate the effects of hypercaloric diets on memory and their relationship with gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA), glutamate and glutamine and their genetic expression in the hippocampus. Design A control diet (CD), a high-fat diet (HFD) and a combined high-fat-high-fructose diet (HFFrD) were administered to 30 C57BL/6 adult mice for 10 weeks. The discrimination indexes and exploration time of the novel object recognition (NOR) and novel object location (NOL) tasks were evaluated and GABA, glutamate and glutamine concentrations and their genetic expression were obtained from the hippocampus. Results The HFFrD induced lower discrimination indexes, decreased exploration time in the recognition memory tasks, and lowered the concentrations of glutamate and glutamine, and HFD increased their expression in the hippocampus. Conclusions These findings suggest that a possible adaptative long-term mechanism in the hippocampal neurotransmitters, and this possibility may underlie the episodic-like memory deficits in mice fed HFD and HFFrD.
Resumen: Introducción: En el mundo, alrededor de 50 millones de personas padecen demencia; la forma más común es la enfermedad de Alzheimer (EA), que representa el 60-70% de los casos. Dada su alta incidencia, se hace imperativo diseñar estudios que permitan ampliar el conocimiento sobre su aparición y desarrollo, para proponer diagnósticos tempranos y/o posibles tratamientos. Una de las estrategias metodológicas que se han desarrollado son los modelos transgénicos murinos para el estudio de los factores involucrados en su etiología, y entre ellos, el estrés oxidativo y la respuesta inmune. Desarrollo: Se realizó una búsqueda de artículos originales y revisiones en PubMed, Scopus y Google Scholar (2013-2019). En esta revisión abordamos dos factores que han sido estudiados de forma independiente: el estrés oxidativo y la respuesta inmune en modelos transgénicos para la EA, y se discute la relación que existe entre ellos y que impacta en la pérdida de la plasticidad sináptica y estructural, produciendo como efecto final el deterioro cognitivo. Conclusión: Esta revisión describe posibles mecanismos en donde participan el estrés oxidativo y la respuesta inmune sobre los efectos moleculares, celulares y conductuales en la EA, observando una estrecha relación entre estos elementos que conducen hacia el deterioro cognitivo. Abstract: Introduction: Worldwide, approximately 50 million people have dementia, with Alzheimer disease (AD) being the most common type, accounting for 60%-70% of cases. Given its high incidence, it is imperative to design studies to expand our knowledge about its onset and development, and to develop early diagnosis strategies and/or possible treatments. One methodological strategy is the use of transgenic mouse models for the study of the factors involved in AD aetiology, which include oxidative stress and the immune response. Development: We searched the PubMed, Scopus, and Google Scholar databases for original articles and reviews published between 2013 and 2019. In this review, we address two factors that have been studied independently, oxidative stress and the immune response, in transgenic models of AD, and discuss the relationship between these factors and their impact on the loss of synaptic and structural plasticity, resulting in cognitive impairment. Conclusion: This review describes possible mechanisms by which oxidative stress and the immune response participate in the molecular, cellular, and behavioural effects of AD, observing a close relationship between these factors, which lead to cognitive impairment.
BACKGROUND:Tau hyperphosphorylation at several sites, including those close to its microtubule domain (MD), is considered a key pathogenic event in the development of tauopathies. Nevertheless, we recently demonstrated that at the very early disease stage, tau phosphorylation (pTau) at MD sites promotes neuroprotection by preventing seizure-like activity.OBJECTIVE:To further support the notion that very early pTau is not detrimental, the present work evaluated the young rTg4510 mouse model of tauopathy as a case study. Thus, in mice at one month of age (PN30-35), we studied the increase of pTau within the hippocampal area as well as hippocampal and locomotor function.METHODS:We used immunohistochemistry, T-maze, nesting test, novel object recognition test, open field arena, and electrophysiology.RESULTS:Our results showed that the very young rTg4510 mouse model has no detectable changes in hippocampal dependent tasks, such as spontaneous alternation and nesting, or in locomotor activity. However, at this very early stage the hippocampal neurons from PN30-35 rTg4510 mice accumulate pTau protein and exhibit changes in hippocampal oscillatory activity. Moreover, we found a significant reduction in the somatic area of pTau positive pyramidal and granule neurons in the young rTg4510 mice. Despite this, improved memory and increased number of dendrites per cell in granule neurons was found.CONCLUSION:Altogether, this study provides new insights into the early pathogenesis of tauopathies and provides further evidence that pTau remodels hippocampal function and morphology.
Introduction: Worldwide, approximately 50 million people have dementia, with Alzheimer disease (AD) being the most common type, accounting for 60%-70% of cases. Given its high incidence, it is imperative to design studies to expand our knowledge about its onset and development, and to develop early diagnosis strategies and/or possible treatments. One methodological strategy is the use of transgenic mouse models for the study of the factors involved in AD aetiology, which include oxidative stress and the immune response. Development: We searched the PubMed, Scopus, and Google Scholar databases for original articles and reviews published between 2013 and 2019. In this review, we address two factors that have been studied independently, oxidative stress and the immune response, in transgenic models of AD, and discuss the relationship between these factors and their impact on the loss of synaptic and structural plasticity, resulting in cognitive impairment. Conclusion: This review describes possible mechanisms by which oxidative stress and the immune response participate in the molecular, cellular, and behavioural effects of AD, observing a close relationship between these factors, which lead to cognitive impairment. (C) 2019 Sociedad Espanola de Neurologia. Published by Elsevier Espana, S.L.U.
Evolution has long been considered to be a conservative process in which new genes arise from pre-existing genes through gene duplication, domain shuffling, horizontal transfer, overprinting, retrotransposition, etc. However, this view is changing as new genes originating from non-genic sequences are discovered in different organisms. Still, rather limited functional information is available. Here, we have identified TWISTED1 (TWT1), a possible de novo-originated protein-coding gene that modifies microtubule arrangement and causes helicoidal growth in Arabidopsis thaliana when its expression is increased. Interestingly, even though TWT1 is a likely recent gene, the lack of TWT1 function affects A. thaliana development. TWT1 seems to have originated from a non-genic sequence. If so, it would be one of the few examples to date of how during evolution de novo genes are integrated into developmental cellular and organismal processes.
High-fat diet (HFD) consumption has been related to metabolic alterations, such as obesity and cardiovascular problems, and has pronounced effects on brain plasticity and memory impairment. HFD exposure has a pro-inflammatory effect associated with microglial cell modifications in the hippocampus, a region involved in the working memory process. Immune tolerance can protect from inflammation in periphery induced by HFD consumption, when the immune response is desensitized in development period with lipopolysaccharide (LPS) exposure, maybe this previously state can change the course of the diseases associated to HFDs but is not known if can protect the hippocampus's inflammatory response. In the present study, male mice were injected with LPS (100 μg.kg-1 body weight) on postnatal day 3 and fed with HFD for 16 weeks after weaning. Ours results indicated that postnatal exposure to LPS in the early postnatal developmental stage combined with HFD consumption prevented glycemia, insulin, HOMA-IR, microglial process, and increased pro-inflammatory cytokines mRNA expression, without changes in body weight gain and spatial working memory with respect vehicle + HFD group. These findings suggest that HFD consumption after postnatal LPS exposure induces hippocampal immune tolerance, without prevention in spatial working memory impairment on male mice.
Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a multifactorial pathology characterized by β-amyloid (Aβ) deposits, Tau hyperphosphorylation, neuroinflammatory response, and cognitive deficit. Changes in the bacterial gut microbiota (BGM) have been reported as a possible etiological factor of AD. We assessed in offspring (F1) 3xTg, the effect of BGM dysbiosisdysbiosis in mothers (F0) at gestation and F1 from lactation up to the age of 5 months on Aβ and Tau levels in the hippocampus, as well as on spatial memory at the early symptomatic stage of AD. We found that BGM dysbiosisdysbiosis with antibiotics (Abx) treatment in F0 was vertically transferred to their F1 3xTg mice, as observed on postnatal day (PD) 30 and 150. On PD150, we observed a delay in spatial memory impairment and Aβ deposits, but not in Tau and pTau protein in the hippocampus at the early symptomatic stage of AD. These effects are correlated with relative abundance of bacteria and alpha diversity, and are specific to bacterial consortia. Our results suggest that this specific BGM could reduce neuroinflammatory responses related to cerebral amyloidosis and cognitive deficit and activate metabolic pathways associated with the biosynthesis of triggering or protective molecules for AD.
The progression of amyloid plaques and neurofibrillary tangles in different brain areas is associated with the effects of Alzheimer’s disease (AD). In addition to cognitive impairment, circadian alterations in locomotor activity have also been detected, but they have not been characterized in a jet lag protocol. Therefore, the present study aimed to compare 3xTg-AD and non-transgenic mice in changes of 24 h cycles of spontaneous locomotor activity in a jet lag protocol, in an environment without a running wheel, at 3 different states of neuronal damage: early, intermediate and advanced (3, 8 and 13 months, respectively). The 3xTg-AD mice at 3 months presented differences in phase angle and acrophase, and differentially increased activity after advances more than after delays. At 13 months, a shortening of the free-running period in constant darkness was also noted. 3xTg-AD mice showed a significant increase (123%) in global activity at 8 to 13 months and in nighttime activity (153%) at 13 months. In the advance protocol (ADV), 3xTg-AD mice displayed a significant increase in global activity (171%) at 8 and 13 months. The differences in masking effect were evident at 8 months. To assess a possible retinal dysfunction that could interfere with photic entrainment as part of the neurodegenerative process, we compared electroretinogram recordings. The results showed early deterioration in the retinal response to light flashes in mesopic conditions, observed in the B-wave latency and amplitude. Thus, our study presents new behavioral and pathological characteristics of 3xTg-AD mice and reveals the usefulness of noninvasive tools in early diagnosis.