Accelerated long‐term forgetting is a BACE1 inhibitor‐reversible incipient cognitive phenotype in Alzheimer’s disease model mice

AIM: After the continued failure of β‐secretase (BACE1) inhibitor clinical trials in prodromal as well as mild‐to‐moderate Alzheimer's disease (AD), they are shifting to further earlier or asymptomatic stages. The aim of this study is to explore a cognitive paradigm that allows us to more sensitively detect beneficial effects of BACE1 inhibitors in presymptomatic AD. METHODS: GRL‐8234 (33.4 mg/kg, ip), a small‐molecule BACE1 inhibitor, was administered once daily for 28 days to the 5XAFD transgenic mouse model of AD. The contextual fear conditioning was used to evaluate the effects of GRL‐8234 on memory deficits in 5XFAD mice at different ages. RESULTS: Chronic administration of GRL‐8234 to 5XFAD mice rescued their contextual memory deficits, when tested 1 day after training at 6‐8 months but not at 12 months of age. Importantly, 4‐month‐old 5XFAD mice retain the ability to form contextual memory equivalent to wild‐type controls, demonstrating that the standard method of 1‐day memory assessment is not suitable for evaluating BACE1 inhibitor efficacy in ameliorating cognitive declines during earlier disease stages. Despite normal contextual memory formation, young 5XFAD mice showed faster forgetting when a longer delay (28 days) intervened between training and memory testing. Notably, GRL‐8234 administered to 4‐month‐old 5XFAD mice during the 28‐day delay reversed accelerated long‐term forgetting almost completely back to wild‐type control levels. CONCLUSION: The results provide experimental evidence that accelerated long‐term forgetting represents more sensitive memory testing that can help evaluate BACE1 inhibitor therapy in presymptomatic AD populations.