Behavioral Deficits During Early Stages of Aging in Caenorhabditis elegans Result From Locomotory Deficits Possibly Linked to Muscle Frailty

Many behavioral responses require the coordination of sensory inputs with motor outputs. Aging is associated with progressive declines in both motor function and muscle structure. However, the consequences of age-related motor deficits on behavior have not been clearly defined. Here, we examined the...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:The journals of gerontology. Series A, Biological sciences and medical sciences Biological sciences and medical sciences, 2004-12, Vol.59 (12), p.1251-1260
Main Authors: Glenn, Charles F., Chow, David K., David, Lawrence, Cooke, Carol A., Gami, Minaxi S., Iser, Wendy B., Hanselman, Keaton B., Goldberg, Ilya G., Wolkow, Catherine A.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Acetylcholine - metabolism
Aging
Aging - physiology
Aging - psychology
Animal behavior
Animals
Caenorhabditis elegans - physiology
Caenorhabditis elegans Proteins
Gerontology
Locomotion
Motor ability
Motor Neurons - physiology
Muscarinic Agonists - pharmacology
Muscle Contraction - drug effects
Muscles - pathology
Muscles - physiology
Muscular system
Mutation
Nematodes
Nicotinic Agonists - pharmacology
Receptor, Insulin - genetics
Sensation
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Summary:Many behavioral responses require the coordination of sensory inputs with motor outputs. Aging is associated with progressive declines in both motor function and muscle structure. However, the consequences of age-related motor deficits on behavior have not been clearly defined. Here, we examined the effects of aging on behavior in the nematode, Caenorhabditis elegans. As animals aged, mild locomotory deficits appeared that were sufficient to impair behavioral responses to sensory cues. In contrast, sensory ability appeared well maintained during aging. Age-related behavioral declines were delayed in animals with mutations in the daf-2/insulin-like pathway governing longevity. A decline in muscle tissue integrity was correlated with the onset of age-related behavioral deficits, although significant muscle deterioration was not. Treatment with a muscarinic agonist significantly improved locomotory behavior in aged animals, indicating that improved neuromuscular signaling may be one strategy for reducing the severity of age-related behavioral impairments.
ISSN:1079-5006
1758-535X
DOI:10.1093/gerona/59.12.1251