Evidence for involvement of dysfunctional teeth in the senile process in the hippocampus of SAMP8 mice

In order to evaluate the involvement of dysfunctional teeth in age-related deficits in hippocampal function, we examined the effect of removal of mola r teeth (molarless condition) on neuronal degeneration and glial fibrous ac idic protein (GFAP) expression in the hippocampus and on learning ability i n a water maze test in young, middle-aged, and aged accelerated senescence- prone mice (SAMP8). The molarless condition enhanced an age-dependent decre ase in both learning ability and the number of neurons in the hippocampal C A1 subfield and the age-dependent increase in the number and hypertrophy of GFAP-labeled astrocytes in the same subfield. These observations suggest t hat the molarless condition may be involved in the senile process in the hi ppocampus in SAMP8 mice. (C) 2001 Elsevier Science Inc. All rights reserved .