Environmental enrichment prevents astroglial pathological changes in the hippocampus of APP transgenic mice, model of Alzheimer's disease

► We study the effect of environmental enrichment on hippocampal astroglial changes in an animal model of Alzheimer's disease. ► The exposure to environmental enrichment associates with decreased brain content of amyloid β peptides. ► Astrocytes in contact with amyloid deposits show increased volume and ramification compared with controls. ► Astrocytes located away from amyloid plaques show decreased volume and increased ramification compared with controls. ► Environmental enrichment modulates astroglial changes towards a normal morphology.