Partial Deficiency or Short-Term Inhibition of 11β-Hydroxysteroid Dehydrogenase Type 1 Improves Cognitive Function in Aging Mice

• DOI: 10.1523/jneurosci.2783-10.2010
• Publication Date: 2010-10-13T17:09:19Z
• Authors: Karen Sooy; Scott P. Webster; June Noble; Margaret Binnie; Brian R. Walker; Jonathan R. Seckl; Joyce L. W. Yau
• Keywords: Male; Mice, Knockout; Aging; Analysis of Variance; 0303 health sciences; Time Factors; Neuroscience(all); Radioimmunoassay; Hippocampus; 3. Good health; Mice; 03 medical and health sciences; Cognition; 11-beta-Hydroxysteroid Dehydrogenase Type 1; Animals; /dk/atira/pure/subjectarea/asjc/2800; Corticosterone; Maze Learning

11β-Hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase type 1 (11β-HSD1) regenerates active glucocorticoids (GCs) from intrinsically inert 11-keto substrates inside cells, including neurons, thus amplifying steroid action. Excess GC action exerts deleterious effects on the hippocampus and causes impaired spatial memory, a key feature of age-related cognitive dysfunction. Mice with complete deficiency of 11β-HSD1 are protected from spatial memory impairments with aging. Here, we tested whether lifelong or short-term decreases in 11β-HSD1 activity are sufficient to alter cognitive function in aged mice. Aged (24 months old) heterozygous male 11β-HSD1 knock-out mice, with ∼60% reduction in hippocampal 11β-reductase activity throughout life, were protected against spatial memory impairments in the Y-maze compared to age-matched congenic C57BL/6J controls. Pharmacological treatment of aged C57BL/6J mice with a selective 11β-HSD1 inhibitor (UE1961) for 10 d improved spatial memory performance in the Y-maze (59% greater time in novel arm than vehicle control). These data support the use of selective 11β-HSD1 inhibitors in the treatment of age-related cognitive impairments.