Evidence map›Paper›PMID 42434904›Full record

ArticleThe international journal of neuropsychopharmacology2026

PDE4A knockdown rescues alcohol-induced cognitive impairment and synaptic dysfunction via the cAMP/PKA/CREB pathway.

Huan Tu, Rongzhen Sun, Shengyao Ma, Chunxu Li, Mingti Lv, Mei Han, Han-Ting Zhang

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in The international journal of neuropsychopharmacology, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

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1 · What the graph read from it

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2 · The registry

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3 · Its place in the literature

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4 · The record

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5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

7 authors.

Huan TuDepartment of Pharmacology, Qingdao University School of Pharmacy, Qingdao 266073, China.ORCID 0009-0009-0214-6015
Rongzhen SunQingdao Hospital, University of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences (Qingdao Municipal Hospital), Qingdao 266071, China.ORCID 0009-0005-4429-7226
Shengyao MaDepartment of Pharmacology, Qingdao University School of Pharmacy, Qingdao 266073, China.
Chunxu LiDepartment of Pharmacology, Qingdao University School of Pharmacy, Qingdao 266073, China.
Mingti LvDepartment of Pharmacology, Qingdao University School of Pharmacy, Qingdao 266073, China.
Mei HanDepartment of Pharmacology, Qingdao University School of Pharmacy, Qingdao 266073, China.
Han-Ting ZhangShandong Key Laboratory of Pathogenesis and Prevention of Brain Diseases, Qingdao 266073, China.

Funding

Key Program of Brain Science and Brain-Like Intelligence Technology of the China Ministry of Science and Technology 2021ZD0202904Key Project by Qingdao Bureau of Sciences and Technology 22-3-3-hygg-25-hy
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundAlcoholic dementia (AlD) is a severe neurological disorder with no effective treatment. Development of pan-phosphodiesterase-4 (PDE4) inhibitors for clinical treatment of neurological conditions has been hampered by emetic side effects primarily mediated by PDE4D, one of the four subtypes of PDE4. Although PDE4A was shown to be upregulated by chronic alcohol exposure, its therapeutic relevance to AlD remains unclear.

methodsA stable mouse model of AlD was established in 3-month-old 3xTg-AD mice using a free-choice two-bottle protocol (25% alcohol) for 19 weeks. Mice received either rolipram injections for 3 weeks or PDE4A knockdown for 6 weeks. Cognitive function was assessed using the Morris water maze, novel object recognition, and Y-maze tests. Hippocampal neuropathology-including Aβ deposition, synaptic integrity, Tau phosphorylation (at Ser214/Ser404), and neuronal apoptosis-was evaluated by immunofluorescence or immunohistochemistry. Changes in key proteins of the cAMP/PKA/CREB signaling pathway were analyzed by Western blotting.

resultsThis study demonstrated that selectively targeting PDE4A rescued cognitive and neuropathological deficits in a validated mouse model of AlD. Behavioral tests showed that PDE4A knockdown significantly improved spatial memory and cognition in the Morris water maze, novel object recognition, and the Y maze in the AlD mice. Pathological analysis revealed that PDE4A knockdown reduced amyloid-beta (Aβ) deposition and phosphorylated Tau levels. Furthermore, it restored synaptic integrity, as evidenced by the upregulation of PSD95 and Synaptophysin, enhanced dendritic complexity, and increased spine density, while also exerting neuroprotective effects by suppressing neuronal apoptosis in AlD mice. Mechanistically, the therapeutic benefits of PDE4A knockdown were mediated through the reactivation of the critically impaired cAMP/PKA/CREB signaling pathway, leading to elevated cAMP levels, increased PKA activity, and enhanced phosphorylation of CREB.

conclusionOur findings established PDE4A as one of the key AlD pathological drivers and identified its selective inhibition as a novel and promising therapeutic strategy for AlD, offering a viable approach to circumvent the adverse effects associated with broad-spectrum PDE4 inhibition.

Indexed as

Cognitive DysfunctionCyclic AMP-Dependent Protein KinasesCyclic Nucleotide Phosphodiesterases, Type 4EthanolSynapsesAnimalsCognitive EnhancementCyclic AMPCyclic AMP Response Element-Binding ProteinDisease Models, AnimalGene Knockdown TechniquesHippocampusMaleMaze LearningMiceMice, Inbred C57BLCreb1 protein, mouseCyclic AMPCyclic AMP-Dependent Protein KinasesCyclic AMP Response Element-Binding ProteinCyclic Nucleotide Phosphodiesterases, Type 4EthanolPde4a protein, mousePhosphodiesterase 4 InhibitorsRolipram3xTg-AD micealcoholic dementia (AlD)cognitive deficitphosphodiesterase-4A (PDE4A)synaptic damage

Identifiers

PMID42434904
PMCPMC13371961

What Socratic holds

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LicenceCC BY
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Registered trials

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the Socratic graph.