Environmental enrichment slows disease progression in R6/2 Huntington's disease mice

Abstract

Huntington's disease is a genetic disorder that causes motor dysfunction, personality changes, dementia, and premature death. There is currently no effective therapy. Several transgenic models of Huntington's disease are available, the most widely used of which is the R6/2 mouse, because of its rapid disease progression. Environmental enrichment alters gene expression in the normal mouse brain, and modulates the course of several neurological disorders. Environmentally enriched mice may actually mimic human disease more accurately. We found that even limited environmental enrichment slows decline in RotaRod performance in R6/2 mice, despite rapid disease progression, whereas in normal litter..