Oxygen treatment triggers cognitive impairment in Alzheimer's transgenic mice.

An association between major surgery in the elderly and precipitation of Alzheimer's disease has been reported. As 100% oxygen (hyperoxia) is commonly administered after surgery, we exposed cognitively unimpaired Alzheimer's transgenic mice to hyperoxia typical of human exposure in a hospital setting. Three-hour hyperoxia treatments to young adult Alzheimer's transgenic mice: (i) triggered cognitive impairment that was not otherwise present at that age, (ii) increased aberrant brain synaptophysin staining, and (iii) increased brain levels of isofurans (products of lipid peroxidation sensitive to hyperoxia). Thus, hyperoxia-induced synaptic dysfunction and brain oxidative stress are likely the triggering mechanisms of cognitive dysfunction in Alzheimer's mice. These results may suggest that exposure of elderly patients to excessive amounts of oxygen perioperatively hastens the development of Alzheimer's disease.