Department of Pharmacy, DIFAR, University of Genoa, Viale Cembrano 4, 16148 Genoa, Italy.
Center of Excellence for Biomedical Research, University of Genoa, Viale Benedetto XV, 16132 Genoa, Italy.
Curr Med Chem. 2019;26(20):3670-3684. doi: 10.2174/0929867325666180228170450.
Aging is an unavoidable, physiological process that reduces the complexity and the plasticity of the synaptic contacts in Central Nervous System (CNS), having profound implications for human well-being. The term "cognitive reserve" refers to central cellular adaptations that augment the resilience of human brain to damage and aging. The term "Cognitive training" indicates the cultural, social and physical stimulations proposed as add-on therapy for the cure of central neurological diseases. "Cognitive training" reinforces the "cognitive reserve" permitting to counteract brain impairments and rejuvenating synaptic complexity. The research has begun investigating the clinical impact of the "cognitive training" in aged people, but additional work is needed to definitively assess its effectiveness. In particular, there is a need to understand, from a preclinical point of view, whether "cognitive training" promotes compensatory effects or, alternatively, if it elicits genuine recovery of neuronal defects. Although the translation from rodent studies to the clinical situation could be difficult, the results from pre-clinical models are of high clinical relevance, since they should allow a better understanding of the effects of environmental interventions in aging-associated chronic derangements in mammals.
Data in literature and the recent results obtained in our laboratory concerning the impact of environmental stimulation on the presynaptic release of noradrenaline, glutamate and gamma amino butyric acid (GABA) suggest that these neurotransmitters undergo different adaptations during aging and that they are differently tuned by "cognitive training". The impact of "cognitive training" on neurotransmitter exocytosis might account for the cellular events involved in reinforcement of "cognitive reserve" in young and old animals.
衰老（aging）是一种不可避免的生理过程，它降低了中枢神经系统（Central Nervous System，CNS）中突触接触的复杂性和可塑性，对人类的健康福祉有着深远的影响。“认知储备（cognitive reserve）”一词是指中枢细胞的适应性变化，它增强了人类大脑对损伤和衰老的抵抗力。“认知训练（cognitive training）”一词指的是作为中枢神经系统疾病治疗的附加疗法而提出的文化、社会和身体刺激。“认知训练”增强了“认知储备”，从而可以对抗大脑损伤和恢复突触的复杂性。研究已经开始调查“认知训练”对老年人的临床影响，但需要做更多的工作来明确评估其效果。特别是，从临床前的角度来看，需要了解“认知训练”是促进代偿效应，还是引发神经元缺陷的真正恢复。尽管将啮齿动物研究转化为临床情况可能具有挑战性，但临床前模型的结果具有很高的临床相关性，因为它们应该有助于更好地理解环境干预对哺乳动物衰老相关慢性紊乱的影响。
文献中的数据和我们实验室最近关于环境刺激对去甲肾上腺素、谷氨酸和γ-氨基丁酸（GABA）的突触前释放的影响的结果表明，这些神经递质在衰老过程中会发生不同的适应性变化，并且它们可以通过“认知训练”进行不同的调节。“认知训练”对神经递质胞吐作用的影响可能解释了在年轻和老年动物中增强“认知储备”的细胞事件。
