The Colgin Lab recently published a research article in the journal Hippocampus entitled "Impairments in spatial representations and rhythmic coordination of place cells in the 3xTg mouse model of Alzheimer's Disease".
Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is an irreversible and highly progressive neurodegenerative disease, and is the leading form of dementia. Clinically, AD initially manifests as subtle but progressive impairments in episodic and spatial memory. The hippocampus is crucial for spatial and episodic memory and Colgin hypothesized that abnormal representations of space in the hippocampus may contribute to memory deficits in AD. In this paper, Colgin's lab recorded from place cells in the hippocampus of 3xTG genetic mice. They report abnormal place cell firing patterns and unstable place cell representations of space, suggesting that disturbed rhythmic organization of place activity may result in spatial memory deficits seen in AD.
Mably AJ, Gereke BJ, Jones DT and Colgin LL. 2017. Impairments in spatial representations and rhythmic coordination of place cells in the 3xTg mouse model of Alzheimer's Disease. Hippocampus.10.1002/hipo.22697