CaV3.1 T-type calcium channels are important for spatial memory processing in the dorsal subiculum

Binge ethanol exposure in advanced age elevates neuroinflammation and early indicators of neurodegeneration and cognitive impairment in female mice

Binge drinking is rising among aged adults (>65 years of age), however the contribution of alcohol misuse to neurodegenerative disease development is not well understood. Both advanced age and repeated binge ethanol exposure increase neuroinflammation, which is an important component of neurodegeneration and cognitive dysfunction. Surprisingly, the distinct effects of binge ethanol exposure on neuroinflammation and associated degeneration in the aged brain have not been well characterized. Here, we establish a model of intermittent binge ethanol exposure in young and aged female mice to investigate the effects of advanced age and binge ethanol on these outcomes. Following intermittent binge ethanol exposure, expression of pro-inflammatory mediators (tnf-α, il-1β, ccl2) was distinctly increased in isolated hippocampal tissue by the combination of advanced age and ethanol. Binge ethanol exposure also increased measures of senescence, the nod like receptor pyrin domain containing 3 (NLRP3) inflammasome, and microglia reactivity in the brains of aged mice compared to young. Binge ethanol exposure also promoted neuropathology in the hippocampus of aged mice, including tau hyperphosphorylation and neuronal death. We further identified advanced age-related deficits in contextual memory that were further negatively impacted by ethanol exposure. These data suggest binge drinking superimposed with advanced age promotes early markers of neurodegenerative disease development and cognitive decline, which may be driven by heightened neuroinflammatory responses to ethanol. Taken together, we propose this novel exposure model of intermittent binge ethanol can be used to identify therapeutic targets to prevent advanced age- and ethanol-related neurodegeneration.

The subiculum role on learning and memory tasks using rats and mice: A scoping review

This scoping review aimed to systematically identify and summarize data related to subiculum involvement in learning and memory behavioral tasks in rats and mice. Following a systematic strategy based on PICO and PRISMA guidelines, we searched five indexed databases (PubMed, Web of Science, EMBASE, Scopus, and PsycInfo) using a standardized search strategy to identify peer-reviewed articles published in English (pre-registration: osf.io/hm5ea). We identified 31 articles investigating the role of the subiculum in spatial, working, and recognition memories (n = 11), memories related to addiction models (n = 9), aversive memories (n = 7), and memories related to appetitive learning (n = 5). We highlight a dissociation in the dorsoventral axis of the subiculum with many studies exploring the ventral subiculum (n = 21) but only a few exploring the dorsal one (n = 10). We also observe the necessity of more data including mice, female animals, genetic tools, and better statistical approaches for replication purposes and research refinement. These findings provide a broad framework of the subiculum involvement in learning and memory, showing essential questions that can be explored by further studies.