Optical imaging links altered metabolism and oxygen use in Alzheimer's disease
Alzheimer's disease is best known for its effects on memory and cognition, but the disease also involves changes in how brain cells produce and use energy. Mitochondria, the structures that supply much of a cell's energy, can become dysfunctional in Alzheimer's disease. At the same time, changes in blood flow and oxygen availability may place additional demands on brain tissue. Understanding how…
Recent research published in Neurophotonics reveals a connection between altered metabolism and reduced oxygen availability in the brains of mice with Alzheimer's disease. A team at the University of Virginia used two-photon lifetime microscopy to measure cellular metabolism and oxygen levels in the cerebral cortex of both Alzheimer's model mice and healthy wild-type mice.
By combining two techniques - FLIM (fluorescence lifetime imaging microscopy) and PLIM (phosphorescence lifetime imaging microscopy) - the researchers were able to simultaneously measure metabolic activity and oxygen levels in the same living tissue. NAD(P)H, a molecule involved in cellular energy production, was used as an indicator of mitochondrial activity, while a phosphorescence probe allowed for estimation of oxygen concentration.
The findings showed that Alzheimer's model mice had a higher proportion of protein-bound NAD(P)H, suggesting altered mitochondrial metabolism, and lower oxygen levels in their cortical vascular network compared to healthy mice. These results indicate that concurrent changes in cellular energy metabolism and oxygen use can be detected in the living brains of Alzheimer's disease models, highlighting the importance of considering both processes together in understanding the disease.
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