Fig.6

Nasal instillation of MSNs-Bi ameliorated olfactory dysfunction in APP/PS1 mice. a Comparison of nesting behavior in C57BL/6 mice (WT) and age-matched APP/PS1 mice treated with PBS, MSNs, Bifidobacterium, and MSNs-Bi. b Odor habituation (normalized) in four consecutive odor presentation trials in WT mice and age-matched APP/PS1 mice treated with PBS, MSNs, Bifidobacterium, and MSNs-Bi. (n = 3 mice per group; two-tailed t-test; mean ± SEM, **P < 0.01, ***P < 0.001). Time c, numbers d, and the total time of penalty points e within 300 s of first reaching the safe platform. f Representative confocal images of ThioS-stained Aβ plaques in the olfactory bulbs in APP/PS1 mice after PBS, MSNs, and Bifidobacterium treatment for 1 month. The number g and percentage area fraction h of ThioS-positive Aβ plaques in the olfactory bulb tissues of APP/PS1 mice treated with PBS, MSNs, Bifidobacterium, MSNs-Bi. (scale bars = 100 µm; Bi refers to Bifidobacterium). Two-way ANOVA, *P < 0.05, **P < 0.01, ***P < 0.001