Research Topics

Gut-Brain-Axis

Our group investigates the influence of the gut microbiome on age and AD-related impairments in function. We are especially interested in metabolism, which is a likely intermediary between the microbiome and brain function within the Gut-Brain-Axis.

We have shown that a ketogenic diet can influence the gut microbiome in both synergistic and distinct ways from time restricted eating/feeding (aka intermittent fasting) in aged rats.

We also have shown that there are significant alterations in the gut microbiome of aged, female TgF344-AD rats, a model of Alzheimer’s Disease with neuropathological, cognitive and metabolic impairments. Mover, community structure alterations significantly correlates with cognitive performance.

Metabolomics studies in TgF344-AD rats also suggest regionally specific (intestine vs brain) alterations in metabolite bioavailability in TgF344-AD rats in a sex-specific manner in aged subjects.

Related Publications:

  • Hernandez, Abbi R., Watson, Cory, Federico, Quinten P., Fletcher, Rachel, Brotgandel, Armen, Buford, Thomas W., Carter, Christy S., Burke, Sara N. (2022). Twelve Months of Time-Restricted Feeding Improves Cognition and Alters Microbiome Composition Independent of Macronutrient Composition. Nutrients.
  • Hernandez, Abbi R., Kemp, Keri M., Burke, Sara N., Buford, Thomas W., Carter, Christy S., (2022). Influence of Aging, Macronutrient Composition and Time-Restricted Feeding on the Fischer344 x Brown Norway Rat Gut Microbiota. Nutrients.

Ongoing Projects:

  • Influence of gut on metabolism and cognition in Alzheimer’s disease. 4R00AG078402-03, National Institutes of Health Pathway to Independence Award (R00), NIA
person holding petri dish with colorful content toward camera
various glass containers used for lab testing

Metabolism

Our lab is interested in how systemic and central nervous system metabolism influence brain function. Ongoing studies are utilizing brain microdialysis to investigate differences in neurotransmitter and metabolite molecules in the brain of awake behaving animals across age, sex and genotype (using TgF344-AD rat model of AD).

Related Publications:

  • Hernandez, Abbi R., Truckenbrod, Leah M., Federico, Quinten P., Campos, Keila T., Moon, Brianna M., Ferekides, Nedi, Hoppe, Meagan, D’Agostino, Dominic P., Burke, Sara N., (2020). Metabolic Switching is Impaired by Aging and Facilitated by Ketosis Independent of Glycogen. Aging.

Ongoing Projects:

  • The gut-brain-axis in Alzheimer’s disease-related metabolic impairment. Alzheimer’s Association and National Alzheimer’s Coordinating Center (NACC) New Investigator Award Program
  • Impact of Age and AD-like Pathology on Fat Metabolism. UAB Nathan Shock Center, Exploratory Funds

Age-related Cognitive Decline

Out lab tests the utility of a variety of interventions through the use of cognitive testing. We have many mazes and apparati to test several domains of cognitive function, with a particular interest in those that decline in function with advancing age and neurodegenerative disease. Several brain regions, and connections across these regions, are particularly vulnerable to aging.

Related Publications:

  • Hernandez, Abbi R., Barrett, Maya E., Lubke, Katelyn N., Maurer, Andrew P., Burke, Sara N. (2023). A long-term ketogenic diet in young and aged rats has dissociable effects on prelimbic cortex and CA3 ensemble activity. Frontiers in Aging Neuroscience: Neurocognitive Aging and Behavior.
  • Smith, Samantha M., Garcia, Elena L., Davidson, Caroline, Thompson, John, Lovett, Sarah, Ferekides, Nedi, Federico,  Quinten, Bumanglag, Argyle V., Hernandez, Abbi R., Abisambra, Jose F., & Burke, Sara N. (2023). Paired Associates Learning is Disrupted After Unilateral Parietal Lobe Controlled Cortical Impact in Rats: A Trial-by-Trial Behavioral Analysis. Behavioural Brain Research.

Ongoing Projects:

  • Reuniting the Brain and Body to Understand Cognitive Aging: The Nexus of Geroscience and Neuroscience. McKnight Brain Research Foundation Cognitive Aging and Memory Intervention Core Inter-institutional Pilot Program (2021-2024; PI)
person holding petri dish with colorful content toward camera

Other Publications

  • Hernandez, Abbi R., Sun, Yi, Banerjee, Anisha, Yang, YouFeng, Verma, Amrisha, Li, Qiuhong, Baptista, Liliana, Buford, Thomas W., Carter, Christy S., (2023). Angiotensin (1-7) delivered orally via probiotic in combination with exercise: Sex dependent influence on healthspan. J. Gerontol. Ser. A.
  • Baptista, L. C., Zumbro, E. L., Graham, Z. A., Hernandez, A. R., Buchanan, T., Sun, Y., Yang, Y., Banerjee, A., Verma, A., Li, Q., Carter, C. S., & Buford, T. W. (2023). Multiomics profiling of the impact of an angiotensin (1–7)-expressing probiotic combined with exercise training in aged male rats. Journal of Applied Physiology, 134(5), 1135–1153.
  • Hernandez, Abbi R, Jessica M. Hoffman, Caesar M. Hernandez, Constanza J. Cortes, Patricia Jumbo-Lucioni, Mark G. Baxter, Karyn A. Esser, Andrew C. Liu, Lori L. McMahon, Jennifer L. Bizon, Burke, Sara N., Buford, Thomas W., Carter, Christy S., (2022). Reuniting the Body “Neck Up and Neck Down” to Understand Cognitive Aging: The Nexus of Geroscience and Neuroscience. J Gerontol A Biol Sci Med Sci.
  • Hernandez Caesar M., Jackson Nateka L., Hernandez Abbi R., McMahon Lori L., (2022) Impairments in fear extinction memory and basolateral amygdala plasticity in the TgF344-AD rat model of Alzheimer’s disease are distinct from non-pathological aging. eNeuro.
  • Hernandez, Caesar M., Hernandez, Abbi R., Hoffman, Jessica M., King., Peter H., McMahon, Lori L., Buford, Thomas W., Carter, Christy S., Bizon, Jennifer L., Burke, Sara N. (2022). A Neuroscience Primer for Integrating Geroscience with the Neurobiology of Aging. J Gerontol A Biol Sci Med Sci.
  • Hoffman, Jessica M., Hernandez, Caesar M., Hernandez, Abbi R., Bizon, Jennifer L., Burke, Sara N., Carter, Christy S., Buford, Thomas W (2022). Bridging the gap: A geroscience primer for neuroscientists with potential collaborative applications. J Gerontol A Biol Sci Med Sci.
  • Hernandez, Abbi R., Banerjee, Anisha, Carter, Christy S., Buford, Thomas W. (2021). Angiotensin (1-7) Expressing Probiotic as a Potential Treatment for Dementia. Frontiers in Aging, section Aging, Metabolism and Redox Biology.
  • Hernandez, Abbi R, Leah M. Truckenbrod, Maya E. Barrett, Katelyn N. Lubke, Benjamin J. Clark, and Sara N. Burke. (2020) Age-related alterations in prelimbic cortical neuron Arc expression vary by behavioral state and cortical layer. Frontiers in Aging Neuroscience.
  • Hernandez, Abbi R, Steven P. Winesett, Quinten P. Federico, Sonora A. Williams, Sara N. Burke, David J. Clark, (2020). A Cross-Species Model of Dual-Task Walking in Young and Older Humans and Rats. Frontiers in Aging Neuroscience.
  • Hernandez, Abbi R., Truckenbrod, Leah M., Campos, Keila T., Williams, Sonora A., Burke, Sara N. (2019) Sex Differences in Age-related Impairments Vary across Cognitive and Physical Assessments in Rats. Behavioral Neuroscience.
  • Hernandez, Abbi R., Hernandez, Caesar M., Truckenbrod, Leah, Campos, Keila, Bizon, Jennifer L., Burke, Sara N. (2019). Age and ketogenic diet have dissociable effects on synapse-related gene expression across hippocampal subregions. Frontiers in Aging Neuroscience.
  • Hernandez, Abbi R., Hernandez, Caesar M., Campos, Keila, Truckenbrod, Leah, Federico, Quinten, Moon, Brianna, McQuail, Joseph A., Maurer, Andrew P., Bizon, Jennifer L., Burke, Sara N., (2018). A ketogenic diet improves cognition and has dissociable biochemical effects in hippocampus and prefrontal cortex. Frontiers in Aging.
  • Hernandez, Abbi R., Reasor, Jordan E., Truckenbrod, Leah M., Campos, Keila T., Federico, Quinten P., Fertal, Kaeli E., Lubke, Katelyn N., Johnson, Sarah A., Clark, Benjamin J., Maurer, Andrew P., Burke, Sara N., (2018). Dissociable effects of advanced age on prefrontal cortical and medial temporal lobe ensemble activity. Neurobiol. Aging.
  • Hernandez, Abbi R, Hernandez, Caesar M., Campos, Keila, Truckenbrod, Leah, Sakarya, Yasmin, McQuail, Joseph A., Carter, Christy S., Bizon, Jennifer L., Maurer, Andrew P., Burke, Sara N., (2018). The Antiepileptic Ketogenic Diet Alters Hippocampal Transporter Levels and Reduces Adiposity in Aged Rats. J. Gerontol. Ser. A.
  • Hernandez, Abbi R., Reasor, Jordan E., Truckenbrod, Leah M., Lubke, Katelyn N., Johnson, Sarah A., Bizon, Jennifer L., Maurer, Andrew P., Burke, Sara N., (2017). Medial prefrontal-perirhinal cortical communication is necessary for flexible response selection. Neurobiol. Learn. Mem.
  • Maurer, Andrew P., Johnson, Sarah A., Hernandez, Abbi R., Reasor, Jordan, Cossio, Daniella M., Fertal, Kaeli E., Mizell, Jack M., Lubke, Katelyn N., Clark, Benjamin J., Burke, Sara N., (2017). Age-related Changes in Lateral Entorhinal and CA3 Neuron Allocation Predict Poor Performance on Object Discrimination. Front. Syst. Neurosci.
  • Rayaprolu Sruti, D’Alton Simon, Crosby K, Moloney Christina, Hernandez Abbi, Howard J, Gallego-Iradi C, Borchelt David, Lewis, Jada, (2016). Heterogeneity of Matrin-3 expression in the developing and aging murine central nervous system. Journal of Comparative Neurology.
  • Hernandez, Abbi R., Maurer, Andrew P., Reasor, Jordan E., Turner, Sean M., Barthle, Sarah E., Johnson, Sarah A., Burke, Sara N., (2015). Age-related impairments in object-place associations are not due to hippocampal dysfunction. Behav. Neurosci.