FIGURE 6.

Sodium phenylbutyrate improved motor function in aged α-synuclein transgenic mice. The Y39C transgenic mice were divided into two age groups: 6–8 months old (Young Tg, n = 20, A, C) and 10–12 months old (Old Tg, n = 20, B, D). Half of the transgenic mice in each age group (n = 10) received PB (1000 mg/liter, 5.4 mm) in drinking water, while the other mice (n = 10) were treated with water containing sodium chloride in equal molarity (vehicle). At 6 weeks and 12 weeks of drug treatment, all mice were tested for motor function using a rotarod (speed 3–33 rpm). A and C, Young Tg mice had no differences in rotarod performance between PB and vehicle treatments. B and D, PB treatment in Old Tg mice led to significant improvement in rotarod performance compared with vehicle-treated transgenic mice at both 6 week and 12 week tests. (*, p < 0.05; **, p < 0.01, n = 10.)