Delaying the onset of Huntington's in mice (2000)

Van Dellen, A., Blakemore, C., Deacon, R. et al.

Abstract

Huntington's disease is an inherited (autosomal dominant) disorder in which there is progressive neurodegeneration, affecting the corpus striatum and cerebral cortex of the brain, and for which there is no known cure. Transgenic mice have been created that develop a neurodegenerative syndrome that closely models the human disease. Here we show that exposure of these mice to a stimulating, enriched environment from an early age helps to prevent the loss of cerebral volume and delays the onset of motor disorders.