Characterization of nonmotor behavioral impairments and their neurochemical mechanisms in the MitoPark mouse model of progressive neurodegeneration in Parkinson's disease

Mitochondrial dysfunction has been implicated as a key player in the pathogenesis of Parkinson's disease (PD). The MitoPark mouse, a transgenic mitochondrial impairment model developed by specific inactivation of TFAM in dopaminergic neurons, spontaneously exhibits progressive motor deficits and neurodegeneration, recapitulating several features of PD. Since nonmotor symptoms are now recognized as important features of the prodromal stage of PD, we comprehensively assessed the clinically relevant motor and nonmotor deficiencies from ages 8–24 wk in both male and female MitoPark mice and their littermate controls. As expected, motor deficits in MitoPark mice began around 12–14 wk and became severe by 16–24 wk. Interestingly, MitoPark mice exhibited olfactory deficits in the novel and social scent tests as early as 10–12 wk as compared to age-matched littermate controls. Additionally, male MitoPark mice showed spatial memory deficits before female mice, beginning at 8 wk and becoming most severe at 16 wk, as determined by the Morris water maze. MitoPark mice between 16 and 24 wk spent more time immobile in forced swim and tail suspension tests, and made fewer entries into open arms of the elevated plus maze, indicating a depressive and anxiety-like phenotype, respectively. Importantly, depressive behavior as determined by immobility in forced swim test was reversible by antidepressant treatment with desipramine. Neurochemical and mechanistic studies revealed significant changes in CREB phosphorylation, BDNF, and catecholamine levels as well as neurogenesis in key brain regions. Collectively, our results indicate that MitoPark mice progressively exhibit deficits in olfactory discrimination, cognitive learning and memory, and anxiety- and depression-like behaviors as well as key neurochemical signaling associated with nonmotor deficits in PD. Thus, MitoPark mice can serve as an invaluable model for studying nonmotor deficits in addition to studying the motor deficits related to pathology in PD. •MitoPark mice display clinically-relevant nonmotor behavioral impairments.•Cognitive and olfactory dysfunction precedes dopaminergic depletion in MitoPark mice.•Behavioral despair and anxiety-like behavior are present in MitoPark mice.•Altered neurogenesis in MitoPark mice is observed from 16 wk. of age.•Neurochemical and biochemical changes parallel observed behavioral deficits in MitoPark mice.