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Raven F, Riemersma IW, Olthuis MF, Rybakovaite I, Meijer EL, Meerlo P, Van der Zee EA, Havekes R. Cofilin overactivation improves hippocampus-dependent short-term memory. Front Behav Neurosci 2023; 17:1243524. [PMID: 37638111 PMCID: PMC10448394 DOI: 10.3389/fnbeh.2023.1243524] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/20/2023] [Accepted: 07/28/2023] [Indexed: 08/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Many living organisms of the animal kingdom have the fundamental ability to form and retrieve memories. Most information is initially stored as short-term memory, which is then converted to a more stable long-term memory through a process called memory consolidation. At the neuronal level, synaptic plasticity is crucial for memory storage. It includes the formation of new spines, as well as the modification of existing spines, thereby tuning and shaping synaptic efficacy. Cofilin critically contributes to memory processes as upon activation, it regulates the shape of dendritic spines by targeting actin filaments. We previously found that prolonged activation of cofilin in hippocampal neurons attenuated the formation of long-term object-location memories. Because the modification of spine shape and structure is also essential for short-term memory formation, we determined whether overactivation of hippocampal cofilin also influences the formation of short-term memories. To this end, mice were either injected with an adeno-associated virus expressing catalytically active cofilin, or an eGFP control, in the hippocampus. We show for the first time that cofilin overactivation improves short-term memory formation in the object-location memory task, without affecting anxiety-like behavior. Surprisingly, we found no effect of cofilin overactivation on AMPA receptor expression levels. Altogether, while cofilin overactivation might negatively impact the formation of long-lasting memories, it may benefit short-term plasticity.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | - Robbert Havekes
- Neurobiology Expertise Group, Groningen Institute for Evolutionary Life Sciences (GELIFES), University of Groningen, Groningen, Netherlands
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2
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Kelvington BA, Nickl-Jockschat T, Abel T. Neurobiological insights into twice-exceptionality: Circuits, cells, and molecules. Neurobiol Learn Mem 2022; 195:107684. [PMID: 36174887 PMCID: PMC9888516 DOI: 10.1016/j.nlm.2022.107684] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/26/2021] [Revised: 09/20/2022] [Accepted: 09/20/2022] [Indexed: 02/02/2023]
Abstract
Twice-exceptional learners face a unique set of challenges arising from the intersection of extraordinary talent and disability. Neurobiology research has the capacity to complement pedagogical research and provide support for twice-exceptional learners. Very few studies have attempted to specifically address the neurobiological underpinnings of twice-exceptionality. However, neurobiologists have built a broad base of knowledge in nervous system function spanning from the level of neural circuits to the molecular basis of behavior. It is known that distinct neural circuits mediate different neural functions, which suggests that 2e learning may result from enhancement in one circuit and disruption in another. Neural circuits are known to adapt and change in response to experience, a cellular process known as neuroplasticity. Plasticity is controlled by a bidirectional connection between the synapse, where neural signals are received, and the nucleus, where regulated gene expression can return to alter synaptic function. Complex molecular mechanisms compose this connection in distinct neural circuits, and genetic alterations in these mechanisms are associated with both memory enhancements and psychiatric disorder. Understanding the consequences of these changes at the molecular, cellular, and circuit levels will provide critical insights into the neurobiological bases of twice-exceptionality.
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Affiliation(s)
- Benjamin A Kelvington
- Iowa Neuroscience Institute, Carver College of Medicine, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA, USA; Department of Neuroscience and Pharmacology, Carver College of Medicine, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA, USA
| | - Thomas Nickl-Jockschat
- Iowa Neuroscience Institute, Carver College of Medicine, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA, USA; Department of Neuroscience and Pharmacology, Carver College of Medicine, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA, USA; Department of Psychiatry, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA, USA
| | - Ted Abel
- Iowa Neuroscience Institute, Carver College of Medicine, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA, USA; Department of Neuroscience and Pharmacology, Carver College of Medicine, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA, USA.
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3
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Vaseghi S, Arjmandi-Rad S, Eskandari M, Ebrahimnejad M, Kholghi G, Zarrindast MR. Modulating role of serotonergic signaling in sleep and memory. Pharmacol Rep 2021; 74:1-26. [PMID: 34743316 DOI: 10.1007/s43440-021-00339-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/31/2021] [Revised: 10/28/2021] [Accepted: 10/29/2021] [Indexed: 01/02/2023]
Abstract
Serotonin is an important neurotransmitter with various receptors and wide-range effects on physiological processes and cognitive functions including sleep, learning, and memory. In this review study, we aimed to discuss the role of serotonergic receptors in modulating sleep-wake cycle, and learning and memory function. Furthermore, we mentioned to sleep deprivation, its effects on memory function, and the potential interaction with serotonin. Although there are thousands of research articles focusing on the relationship between sleep and serotonin; however, the pattern of serotonergic function in sleep deprivation is inconsistent and it seems that serotonin has not a certain role in the effects of sleep deprivation on memory function. Also, we found that the injection type of serotonergic agents (systemic or local), the doses of these drugs (dose-dependent effects), and up- or down-regulation of serotonergic receptors during training with various memory tasks are important issues that can be involved in the effects of serotonergic signaling on sleep-wake cycle, memory function, and sleep deprivation-induced memory impairments. This comprehensive review was conducted in the PubMed, Scopus, and ScienceDirect databases in June and July 2021, by searching keywords sleep, sleep deprivation, memory, and serotonin.
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Affiliation(s)
- Salar Vaseghi
- Medicinal Plants Research Center, Institute of Medicinal Plants, ACECR, Karaj, Iran.
| | - Shirin Arjmandi-Rad
- Institute for Cognitive and Brain Sciences, Shahid Beheshti University, Tehran, Iran
| | - Maliheh Eskandari
- Faculty of Basic Sciences, Central Tehran Branch, Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran
| | - Mahshid Ebrahimnejad
- Department of Physiology, Faculty of Veterinary Sciences, Science and Research Branch, Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran
| | - Gita Kholghi
- Department of Psychology, Faculty of Human Sciences, Islamic Azad University, Tonekabon Branch, Tonekabon, Iran
| | - Mohammad-Reza Zarrindast
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Medicine, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
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4
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Ahnaou A, Broadbelt T, Biermans R, Huysmans H, Manyakov NV, Drinkenburg WHIM. The phosphodiesterase-4 and glycine transporter-1 inhibitors enhance in vivo hippocampal theta network connectivity and synaptic plasticity, whereas D-serine does not. Transl Psychiatry 2020; 10:197. [PMID: 32555167 PMCID: PMC7303193 DOI: 10.1038/s41398-020-00875-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/08/2020] [Revised: 05/21/2020] [Accepted: 05/26/2020] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Dysfunctional N-methyl-D-aspartate receptors (NMDARs) and cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP) have been associated with deficits in synaptic plasticity and cognition found in neurodegenerative and neuropsychiatric disorders such as Alzheimer's disease (AD) and schizophrenia. Therapeutic approaches that indirectly enhance NMDAR function through increases in glycine and/or D-serine levels as well as inhibition of phosphodiesterases that reduces degradation of cAMP, are expected to enhance synaptic strength, connectivity and to potentially impact cognition processes. The present in vivo study investigated effects of subcutaneous administration of D-serine, the glycine transporter 1 (GlyT1) inhibitor SSR504734 and the PDE4 inhibitor rolipram, on network oscillations, connectivity and long-term potentiation (LTP) at the hippocampi circuits in Sprague-Dawley rats. In conscious animals, multichannel EEG recordings assessed network oscillations and connectivity at frontal and hippocampal CA1-CA3 circuits. Under urethane anaesthesia, field excitatory postsynaptic potentials (fEPSPs) were measured in the CA1 subfield of the hippocampus after high-frequency stimulation (HFS) of the Schaffer collateral-CA1 (SC) pathway. SSR504734 and rolipram significantly increased slow theta oscillations (4-6.5 Hz) at the CA1-CA3, slow gamma oscillations (30-50 Hz) in the frontal areas and enhanced coherence in the CA1-CA3 network, which were dissociated from motor behaviour. SSR504734 enhanced short-term potentiation (STP) and fEPSP responses were extended into LTP response, whereas the potentiation of EPSP slope was short-lived to STP with rolipram. Unlike glycine, increased levels of D-serine had no effect on network oscillations and limits the LTP induction and expression. The present data support a facilitating role of glycine and cAMP on network oscillations and synaptic efficacy at the CA3-CA1 circuit in rats, whereas raising endogenous D-serine levels had no such beneficial effects.
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Affiliation(s)
- A. Ahnaou
- grid.419619.20000 0004 0623 0341Department of Neuroscience, Janssen Research & Development, A Division of Janssen Pharmaceutica NV, Turnhoutseweg 30, B-2340 Beerse, Belgium
| | - T. Broadbelt
- grid.419619.20000 0004 0623 0341Department of Neuroscience, Janssen Research & Development, A Division of Janssen Pharmaceutica NV, Turnhoutseweg 30, B-2340 Beerse, Belgium
| | - R. Biermans
- grid.419619.20000 0004 0623 0341Department of Neuroscience, Janssen Research & Development, A Division of Janssen Pharmaceutica NV, Turnhoutseweg 30, B-2340 Beerse, Belgium
| | - H. Huysmans
- grid.419619.20000 0004 0623 0341Department of Neuroscience, Janssen Research & Development, A Division of Janssen Pharmaceutica NV, Turnhoutseweg 30, B-2340 Beerse, Belgium
| | - N. V. Manyakov
- grid.419619.20000 0004 0623 0341Department of Neuroscience, Janssen Research & Development, A Division of Janssen Pharmaceutica NV, Turnhoutseweg 30, B-2340 Beerse, Belgium
| | - W. H. I. M. Drinkenburg
- grid.419619.20000 0004 0623 0341Department of Neuroscience, Janssen Research & Development, A Division of Janssen Pharmaceutica NV, Turnhoutseweg 30, B-2340 Beerse, Belgium
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5
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Chapuis GA, Chadderton PT. Using Temporal Expectation to Assess Auditory Streaming in Mice. Front Behav Neurosci 2018; 12:205. [PMID: 30254574 PMCID: PMC6141755 DOI: 10.3389/fnbeh.2018.00205] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/03/2018] [Accepted: 08/17/2018] [Indexed: 12/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Auditory streaming is the process by which environmental sound is segregated into discrete perceptual objects. The auditory system has a remarkable capability in this regard as revealed in psychophysical experiments in humans and other primates. However, little is known about the underlying neuronal mechanisms, in part because of the lack of suitable behavioural paradigms in non-primate species. The mouse is an increasingly popular model for studying the neural mechanisms of perception and action because of the range of molecular tools enabling precise manipulation of neural circuitry. Here we present a novel behavioural task that can be used to assess perceptual aspects of auditory streaming in head-fixed mice. Animals were trained to detect a target sound in a one of two simultaneously presented, isochronous pure tone sequences. Temporal expectation was manipulated by presenting the target sound in a particular stream either early (~2 s) or late (~4 s) with respect to trial onset in blocks of 25-30 trials. Animals reached high performance on this task (d' > 1 overall), and notably their false alarms were very instructive of their behavioural state. Indeed, false alarm timing was markedly delayed for late blocks compared to early ones, indicating that the animals associated a different context to an otherwise identical stimulus. More finely, we observed that the false alarms were timed to the onset of the sounds present in the target stream. This suggests that the animals could selectively follow the target stream despite the presence of a distractor stream. Extracellular electrophysiological recordings during the task revealed that sound processing is flexibly modulated in a manner consistent with the optimisation of behavioural outcome. Together, these results indicate that the perceptual streaming can be inferred via the timing of false alarms in mice, and provide a new paradigm with which to investigate neuronal mechanisms of selective attention.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gaëlle A. Chapuis
- Department of Bioengineering, Imperial College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Paul T. Chadderton
- Department of Bioengineering, Imperial College London, London, United Kingdom
- School of Physiology, Pharmacology and Neuroscience, University Walk, University of Bristol, Bristol, United Kingdom
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6
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7
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Singhal N, Jaiswal M. Pathways to neurodegeneration: lessons learnt from unbiased genetic screens in Drosophila. J Genet 2018; 97:773-781. [PMID: 30027908] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
Neurodegenerative diseases are a complex set of disorders that are known to be caused by environmental as well as genetic factors. In the recent past, mutations in a large number of genes have been identified that are linked to several neurodegenerative diseases. The pathogenic mechanisms in most of these disorders are unknown. Recently, studies of genes that are linked to neurodegeneration in Drosophila, the fruit flies, have contributed significantly to our understanding of mechanisms of neuroprotection and degeneration. In this review, we focus on forward genetic screens in Drosophila that helped in identification of novel genes and pathogenic mechanisms linked to neurodegeneration. We also discuss identification of four novel pathways that contribute to neurodegeneration upon mitochondrial dysfunction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Neha Singhal
- Tata Institute of Fundamental Research Hyderabad, Hyderabad 500 107, India.
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8
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A brief period of sleep deprivation causes spine loss in the dentate gyrus of mice. Neurobiol Learn Mem 2018; 160:83-90. [PMID: 29588221 DOI: 10.1016/j.nlm.2018.03.018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 54] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/15/2018] [Revised: 03/05/2018] [Accepted: 03/23/2018] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
Sleep and sleep loss have a profound impact on hippocampal function, leading to memory impairments. Modifications in the strength of synaptic connections directly influences neuronal communication, which is vital for normal brain function, as well as the processing and storage of information. In a recently published study, we found that as little as five hours of sleep deprivation impaired hippocampus-dependent memory consolidation, which was accompanied by a reduction in dendritic spine numbers in hippocampal area CA1. Surprisingly, loss of sleep did not alter the spine density of CA3 neurons. Although sleep deprivation has been reported to affect the function of the dentate gyrus, it is unclear whether a brief period of sleep deprivation impacts spine density in this region. Here, we investigated the impact of a brief period of sleep deprivation on dendritic structure in the dentate gyrus of the dorsal hippocampus. We found that five hours of sleep loss reduces spine density in the dentate gyrus with a prominent effect on branched spines. Interestingly, the inferior blade of the dentate gyrus seems to be more vulnerable in terms of spine loss than the superior blade. This decrease in spine density predominantly in the inferior blade of the dentate gyrus may contribute to the memory deficits observed after sleep loss, as structural reorganization of synaptic networks in this subregion is fundamental for cognitive processes.
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9
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Zhang MQ, Li R, Wang YQ, Huang ZL. Neural Plasticity Is Involved in Physiological Sleep, Depressive Sleep Disturbances, and Antidepressant Treatments. Neural Plast 2017; 2017:5870735. [PMID: 29181202 PMCID: PMC5664320 DOI: 10.1155/2017/5870735] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/06/2017] [Revised: 06/27/2017] [Accepted: 07/13/2017] [Indexed: 12/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Depression, which is characterized by a pervasive and persistent low mood and anhedonia, greatly impacts patients, their families, and society. The associated and recurring sleep disturbances further reduce patient's quality of life. However, therapeutic sleep deprivation has been regarded as a rapid and robust antidepressant treatment for several decades, which suggests a complicated role of sleep in development of depression. Changes in neural plasticity are observed during physiological sleep, therapeutic sleep deprivation, and depression. This correlation might help us to understand better the mechanism underlying development of depression and the role of sleep. In this review, we first introduce the structure of sleep and the facilitated neural plasticity caused by physiological sleep. Then, we introduce sleep disturbances and changes in plasticity in patients with depression. Finally, the effects and mechanisms of antidepressants and therapeutic sleep deprivation on neural plasticity are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Meng-Qi Zhang
- Department of Pharmacology and Shanghai Key Laboratory of Bioactive Small Molecules, School of Basic Medical Sciences, State Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology, Institutes of Brain Science and Collaborative Innovation Center for Brain Science, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China
| | - Rui Li
- Department of Pharmacology and Shanghai Key Laboratory of Bioactive Small Molecules, School of Basic Medical Sciences, State Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology, Institutes of Brain Science and Collaborative Innovation Center for Brain Science, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China
| | - Yi-Qun Wang
- Department of Pharmacology and Shanghai Key Laboratory of Bioactive Small Molecules, School of Basic Medical Sciences, State Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology, Institutes of Brain Science and Collaborative Innovation Center for Brain Science, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China
| | - Zhi-Li Huang
- Department of Pharmacology and Shanghai Key Laboratory of Bioactive Small Molecules, School of Basic Medical Sciences, State Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology, Institutes of Brain Science and Collaborative Innovation Center for Brain Science, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China
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10
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D'Souza RD, Burkhalter A. A Laminar Organization for Selective Cortico-Cortical Communication. Front Neuroanat 2017; 11:71. [PMID: 28878631 PMCID: PMC5572236 DOI: 10.3389/fnana.2017.00071] [Citation(s) in RCA: 56] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/30/2017] [Accepted: 08/07/2017] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The neocortex is central to mammalian cognitive ability, playing critical roles in sensory perception, motor skills and executive function. This thin, layered structure comprises distinct, functionally specialized areas that communicate with each other through the axons of pyramidal neurons. For the hundreds of such cortico-cortical pathways to underlie diverse functions, their cellular and synaptic architectures must differ so that they result in distinct computations at the target projection neurons. In what ways do these pathways differ? By originating and terminating in different laminae, and by selectively targeting specific populations of excitatory and inhibitory neurons, these “interareal” pathways can differentially control the timing and strength of synaptic inputs onto individual neurons, resulting in layer-specific computations. Due to the rapid development in transgenic techniques, the mouse has emerged as a powerful mammalian model for understanding the rules by which cortical circuits organize and function. Here we review our understanding of how cortical lamination constrains long-range communication in the mammalian brain, with an emphasis on the mouse visual cortical network. We discuss the laminar architecture underlying interareal communication, the role of neocortical layers in organizing the balance of excitatory and inhibitory actions, and highlight the structure and function of layer 1 in mouse visual cortex.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rinaldo D D'Souza
- Department of Neuroscience, Washington University School of MedicineSt. Louis, MO, United States
| | - Andreas Burkhalter
- Department of Neuroscience, Washington University School of MedicineSt. Louis, MO, United States
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11
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Katsov AY, Freifeld L, Horowitz M, Kuehn S, Clandinin TR. Dynamic structure of locomotor behavior in walking fruit flies. eLife 2017; 6. [PMID: 28742018 PMCID: PMC5526672 DOI: 10.7554/elife.26410] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/28/2017] [Accepted: 06/08/2017] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
The function of the brain is unlikely to be understood without an accurate description of its output, yet the nature of movement elements and their organization remains an open problem. Here, movement elements are identified from dynamics of walking in flies, using unbiased criteria. On one time scale, dynamics of walking are consistent over hundreds of milliseconds, allowing elementary features to be defined. Over longer periods, walking is well described by a stochastic process composed of these elementary features, and a generative model of this process reproduces individual behavior sequences accurately over seconds or longer. Within elementary features, velocities diverge, suggesting that dynamical stability of movement elements is a weak behavioral constraint. Rather, long-term instability can be limited by the finite memory between these elementary features. This structure suggests how complex dynamics may arise in biological systems from elements whose combination need not be tuned for dynamic stability.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexander Y Katsov
- Department of Neurobiology, Stanford University, Stanford, United States
| | - Limor Freifeld
- Department of Electrical Engineering, Stanford University, Stanford, United States.,Research Laboratory of Electronics, MIT Electrical Engineering and Computer Science Department, Cambridge, United States
| | - Mark Horowitz
- Department of Electrical Engineering, Stanford University, Stanford, United States
| | - Seppe Kuehn
- Center for the Physics of Living Cells, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, United States.,Center for Biophysics and Quantitative Biology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, United States.,Department of Physics, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, United States
| | - Thomas R Clandinin
- Department of Neurobiology, Stanford University, Stanford, United States
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12
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Compartmentalized PDE4A5 Signaling Impairs Hippocampal Synaptic Plasticity and Long-Term Memory. J Neurosci 2017; 36:8936-46. [PMID: 27559174 DOI: 10.1523/jneurosci.0248-16.2016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/23/2016] [Accepted: 06/29/2016] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
UNLABELLED Alterations in cAMP signaling are thought to contribute to neurocognitive and neuropsychiatric disorders. Members of the cAMP-specific phosphodiesterase 4 (PDE4) family, which contains >25 different isoforms, play a key role in determining spatial cAMP degradation so as to orchestrate compartmentalized cAMP signaling in cells. Each isoform binds to a different set of protein complexes through its unique N-terminal domain, thereby leading to targeted degradation of cAMP in specific intracellular compartments. However, the functional role of specific compartmentalized PDE4 isoforms has not been examined in vivo Here, we show that increasing protein levels of the PDE4A5 isoform in mouse hippocampal excitatory neurons impairs a long-lasting form of hippocampal synaptic plasticity and attenuates hippocampus-dependent long-term memories without affecting anxiety. In contrast, viral expression of a truncated version of PDE4A5, which lacks the unique N-terminal targeting domain, does not affect long-term memory. Further, overexpression of the PDE4A1 isoform, which targets a different subset of signalosomes, leaves memory undisturbed. Fluorescence resonance energy transfer sensor-based cAMP measurements reveal that the full-length PDE4A5, in contrast to the truncated form, hampers forskolin-mediated increases in neuronal cAMP levels. Our study indicates that the unique N-terminal localization domain of PDE4A5 is essential for the targeting of specific cAMP-dependent signaling underlying synaptic plasticity and memory. The development of compounds to disrupt the compartmentalization of individual PDE4 isoforms by targeting their unique N-terminal domains may provide a fruitful approach to prevent cognitive deficits in neuropsychiatric and neurocognitive disorders that are associated with alterations in cAMP signaling. SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT Neurons exhibit localized signaling processes that enable biochemical cascades to be activated selectively in specific subcellular compartments. The phosphodiesterase 4 (PDE4) family coordinates the degradation of cAMP, leading to the local attenuation of cAMP-dependent signaling pathways. Sleep deprivation leads to increased hippocampal expression of the PDE4A5 isoform. Here, we explored whether PDE4A5 overexpression mimics behavioral and synaptic plasticity phenotypes associated with sleep deprivation. Viral expression of PDE4A5 in hippocampal neurons impairs long-term potentiation and attenuates the formation of hippocampus-dependent long-term memories. Our findings suggest that PDE4A5 is a molecular constraint on cognitive processes and may contribute to the development of novel therapeutic approaches to prevent cognitive deficits in neuropsychiatric and neurocognitive disorders that are associated with alterations in cAMP signaling.
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13
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Guo L, Guo Z, Luo X, Liang R, Yang S, Ren H, Wang G, Zhen X. Phosphodiesterase 10A inhibition attenuates sleep deprivation-induced deficits in long-term fear memory. Neurosci Lett 2016; 635:44-50. [PMID: 27743798 DOI: 10.1016/j.neulet.2016.10.017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/15/2016] [Revised: 09/20/2016] [Accepted: 10/10/2016] [Indexed: 12/28/2022]
Abstract
Sleep, particularly rapid eye movement (REM) sleep, is implicated in the consolidation of emotional memories. In the present study, we investigated the protective effects of a phosphodiesterase 10A (PDE10A) inhibitor MP-10 on deficits in long-term fear memory induced by REM sleep deprivation (REM-SD). REM-SD caused deficits in long-term fear memory, however, MP-10 administration ameliorated the deleterious effects of REM-SD on long term fear memory. Brain-derived neurotropic factor (BDNF) and phosphorylated cAMP response element-binding protein (pCREB) were altered in specific brain regions associated with learning and memory in REM-SD rats. Accordingly, REM-SD caused a significant decrease of pCREB in hippocampus and striatum and a significant decrease of BDNF in the hippocampus, striatum and amygdala, however, MP-10 reversed the effects of REM-SD in a dose-dependent manner. Our findings suggest that REM-SD disrupts the consolidation of long-term fear memory and that administration of MP-10 protects the REM-SD-induced deficits in fear memory, which may be due to the MP-10-induced expression of BDNF in the hippocampus, striatum and amygdala, and phosphorylation of CREB in the hippocampus and striatum.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lengqiu Guo
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Translational Research and Therapy for Neuropsychiatric Disorders & Department of Pharmacology, College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Soochow University, 199 Ren'ai Road, Suzhou, Jiangsu 215123, China; College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Suzhou Health College, 28 Kehua Road, Suzhou, Jiangsu 215009, China
| | - Zhuangli Guo
- Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, The Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University, 16 Jiangsu Road,Qingdao, Shandong 266003, China
| | - Xiaoqing Luo
- College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Suzhou Health College, 28 Kehua Road, Suzhou, Jiangsu 215009, China
| | - Rui Liang
- College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Suzhou Health College, 28 Kehua Road, Suzhou, Jiangsu 215009, China
| | - Shui Yang
- College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Suzhou Health College, 28 Kehua Road, Suzhou, Jiangsu 215009, China
| | - Haigang Ren
- College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Suzhou Health College, 28 Kehua Road, Suzhou, Jiangsu 215009, China
| | - Guanghui Wang
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Translational Research and Therapy for Neuropsychiatric Disorders & Department of Pharmacology, College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Soochow University, 199 Ren'ai Road, Suzhou, Jiangsu 215123, China.
| | - Xuechu Zhen
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Translational Research and Therapy for Neuropsychiatric Disorders & Department of Pharmacology, College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Soochow University, 199 Ren'ai Road, Suzhou, Jiangsu 215123, China.
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14
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Gai Y, Liu Z, Cervantes-Sandoval I, Davis RL. Drosophila SLC22A Transporter Is a Memory Suppressor Gene that Influences Cholinergic Neurotransmission to the Mushroom Bodies. Neuron 2016; 90:581-95. [PMID: 27146270 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuron.2016.03.017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/15/2015] [Revised: 02/04/2016] [Accepted: 03/15/2016] [Indexed: 10/22/2022]
Abstract
The mechanisms that constrain memory formation are of special interest because they provide insights into the brain's memory management systems and potential avenues for correcting cognitive disorders. RNAi knockdown in the Drosophila mushroom body neurons (MBn) of a newly discovered memory suppressor gene, Solute Carrier DmSLC22A, a member of the organic cation transporter family, enhances olfactory memory expression, while overexpression inhibits it. The protein localizes to the dendrites of the MBn, surrounding the presynaptic terminals of cholinergic afferent fibers from projection neurons (Pn). Cell-based expression assays show that this plasma membrane protein transports cholinergic compounds with the highest affinity among several in vitro substrates. Feeding flies choline or inhibiting acetylcholinesterase in Pn enhances memory, an effect blocked by overexpression of the transporter in the MBn. The data argue that DmSLC22A is a memory suppressor protein that limits memory formation by helping to terminate cholinergic neurotransmission at the Pn:MBn synapse.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yunchao Gai
- Department of Neuroscience, The Scripps Research Institute Florida, Jupiter, FL 33458, USA
| | - Ze Liu
- Department of Neuroscience, The Scripps Research Institute Florida, Jupiter, FL 33458, USA
| | | | - Ronald L Davis
- Department of Neuroscience, The Scripps Research Institute Florida, Jupiter, FL 33458, USA.
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Angelakos CC, Abel T. Molecular Genetic Strategies in the Study of Corticohippocampal Circuits. Cold Spring Harb Perspect Biol 2015; 7:a021725. [PMID: 26134320 DOI: 10.1101/cshperspect.a021725] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
The first reproductively viable genetically modified mice were created in 1982 by Richard Palmiter and Ralph Brinster (Palmiter RD, Brinster RL, Hammer RE, Trumbauer ME, Rosenfeld MG, Birnberg NC, Evans RM. 1982. Dramatic growth of mice that develop from eggs microinjected with metallothionein-growth hormone fusion genes. Nature 300: 611-615). In the subsequent 30 plus years, numerous ground-breaking technical advancements in genetic manipulation have paved the way for improved spatially and temporally targeted research. Molecular genetic studies have been especially useful for probing the molecules and circuits underlying how organisms learn and remember—one of the most interesting and intensively investigated questions in neuroscience research. Here, we discuss selected genetic tools, focusing on corticohippocampal circuits and their implications for understanding learning and memory.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Ted Abel
- Department of Biology, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19104-6018
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16
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Impact of adolescent GluA1 AMPA receptor ablation in forebrain excitatory neurons on behavioural correlates of mood disorders. Eur Arch Psychiatry Clin Neurosci 2014; 264:625-9. [PMID: 24895223 DOI: 10.1007/s00406-014-0509-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/30/2014] [Accepted: 05/24/2014] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
Abstract
Glutamatergic dysfunctions have recently been postulated to play a considerable role in mood disorders. However, molecular mechanisms underlying these effects have been poorly deciphered. Previous work demonstrated the contribution of GluA1-containing AMPA receptors (AMPAR) to a depression-like and anxiety-like phenotype. Here we investigated the effect of temporally and spatially restricted gene manipulation of GluA1 on behavioural correlates of mood disorders in mice. Here we show that tamoxifen-induced GluA1 deletion restricted to forebrain glutamatergic neurons of post-adolescent mice does not induce depression- and anxiety-like changes. This differs from the phenotype of mice with global AMPAR deletion suggesting that for mood regulation AMPAR may be particularly important on inhibitory interneurons or already early in development.
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Abstract
Despite the ubiquity of sleep across phylogeny, its function remains elusive. In this review, we consider one compelling candidate: brain plasticity associated with memory processing. Focusing largely on hippocampus-dependent memory in rodents and humans, we describe molecular, cellular, network, whole-brain and behavioral evidence establishing a role for sleep both in preparation for initial memory encoding, and in the subsequent offline consolidation of memory. Sleep and sleep deprivation bidirectionally alter molecular signaling pathways that regulate synaptic strength and control plasticity-related gene transcription and protein translation. At the cellular level, sleep deprivation impairs cellular excitability necessary for inducing synaptic potentiation and accelerates the decay of long-lasting forms of synaptic plasticity. In contrast, rapid eye movement (REM) and non-rapid eye movement (NREM) sleep enhance previously induced synaptic potentiation, although synaptic de-potentiation during sleep has also been observed. Beyond single cell dynamics, large-scale cell ensembles express coordinated replay of prior learning-related firing patterns during subsequent NREM sleep. At the whole-brain level, somewhat analogous learning-associated hippocampal (re)activation during NREM sleep has been reported in humans. Moreover, the same cortical NREM oscillations associated with replay in rodents also promote human hippocampal memory consolidation, and this process can be manipulated using exogenous reactivation cues during sleep. Mirroring molecular findings in rodents, specific NREM sleep oscillations before encoding refresh human hippocampal learning capacity, while deprivation of sleep conversely impairs subsequent hippocampal activity and associated encoding. Together, these cross-descriptive level findings demonstrate that the unique neurobiology of sleep exerts powerful effects on molecular, cellular and network mechanisms of plasticity that govern both initial learning and subsequent long-term memory consolidation.
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18
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Inta D, Vogt MA, Elkin H, Weber T, Lima-Ojeda JM, Schneider M, Luoni A, Riva MA, Gertz K, Hellmann-Regen J, Kronenberg G, Meyer-Lindenberg A, Sprengel R, Gass P. Phenotype of mice with inducible ablation of GluA1 AMPA receptors during late adolescence: relevance for mental disorders. Hippocampus 2013; 24:424-35. [PMID: 24339333 DOI: 10.1002/hipo.22236] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/17/2013] [Revised: 11/25/2013] [Accepted: 12/02/2013] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Adolescence is characterized by important molecular and anatomical changes with relevance for the maturation of brain circuitry and cognitive function. This time period is of critical importance in the emergence of several neuropsychiatric disorders accompanied by cognitive impairment, such as affective disorders and schizophrenia. The molecular mechanisms underlying these changes at neuronal level during this specific developmental stage remains however poorly understood. GluA1-containing AMPA receptors, which are located predominantly on hippocampal neurons, are the primary molecular determinants of synaptic plasticity. We investigated here the consequences of the inducible deletion of GluA1 AMPA receptors in glutamatergic neurons during late adolescence. We generated mutant mice with a tamoxifen-inducible deletion of GluA1 under the control of the CamKII promoter for temporally and spatially restricted gene manipulation. GluA1 ablation during late adolescence induced cognitive impairments, but also marked hyperlocomotion and sensorimotor gating deficits. Unlike the global genetic deletion of GluA1, inducible GluA1 ablation during late adolescence resulted in normal sociability. Deletion of GluA1 induced redistribution of GluA2 subunits, suggesting AMPA receptor trafficking deficits. Mutant animals showed increased hippocampal NMDA receptor expression and no change in striatal dopamine concentration. Our data provide new insight into the role of deficient AMPA receptors specifically during late adolescence in inducing several cognitive and behavioral alterations with possible relevance for neuropsychiatric disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dragos Inta
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, RG Animal Models in Psychiatry, Central Institute of Mental Health, Medical Faculty Mannheim/Heidelberg University, Mannheim, Germany
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19
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Abstract
Defining the molecular and neuronal basis of associative memories is based upon behavioral preparations that yield high performance due to selection of salient stimuli, strong reinforcement, and repeated conditioning trials. One of those preparations is the Drosophila aversive olfactory conditioning procedure where animals initiate multiple memory components after experience of a single cycle training procedure. Here, we explored the analysis of acquisition dynamics as a means to define memory components and revealed strong correlations between particular chronologies of shock impact and number experienced during the associative training situation and subsequent performance of conditioned avoidance. Analyzing acquisition dynamics in Drosophila memory mutants revealed that rutabaga (rut)-dependent cAMP signals couple in a divergent fashion for support of different memory components. In case of anesthesia-sensitive memory (ASM) we identified a characteristic two-step mechanism that links rut-AC1 to A-kinase anchoring proteins (AKAP)-sequestered protein kinase A at the level of Kenyon cells, a recognized center of olfactory learning within the fly brain. We propose that integration of rut-derived cAMP signals at level of AKAPs might serve as counting register that accounts for the two-step mechanism of ASM acquisition.
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20
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Gonzalez ST, Welch ES, Colwill RM. Pavlovian contextual and instrumental biconditional discrimination learning in mice. Behav Brain Res 2013; 256:398-404. [PMID: 24016837 PMCID: PMC4306232 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbr.2013.09.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/18/2013] [Revised: 08/31/2013] [Accepted: 09/03/2013] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
Abstract
Genetically-modified animal models are a powerful tool for investigating the link between neurological and behavioral changes and for the development of therapeutic interventions. Executive function deficits are symptomatic of many human clinical disorders but few tasks exist for studying executive functions in mice. To address this need, we describe procedures for establishing Pavlovian contextual and instrumental biconditional discriminations (BCDs) in C57BL/6J mice. In the first experiment, contextual cues disambiguated when two short duration stimulus targets would be followed by food pellets. In the second experiment, discrete visual cues signaled when lever press or nose poke responses would be continuously reinforced with food pellets. Mice learned both BCDs as evidenced by differential responding in each cue during training and, more critically, during extinction testing. The implications of these findings for using BCD tasks to analyze the neural substrates of executive processing in animal models are discussed.
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21
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Jaiswal M, Sandoval H, Zhang K, Bayat V, Bellen HJ. Probing mechanisms that underlie human neurodegenerative diseases in Drosophila. Annu Rev Genet 2012; 46:371-96. [PMID: 22974305 DOI: 10.1146/annurev-genet-110711-155456] [Citation(s) in RCA: 88] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
The fruit fly, Drosophila melanogaster, is an excellent organism for the study of the genetic and molecular basis of metazoan development. Drosophila provides numerous tools and reagents to unravel the molecular and cellular functions of genes that cause human disease, and the past decade has witnessed a significant expansion of the study of neurodegenerative disease mechanisms in flies. Here we review the interplay between oxidative stress and neuronal toxicity. We cover some of the studies that show how proteasome degradation of protein aggregates, autophagy, mitophagy, and lysosomal function affect the quality control mechanisms required for neuronal survival. We discuss how forward genetic screens in flies have led to the isolation of a few loci that cause neurodegeneration, paving the way for large-scale systematic screens to identify such loci in flies as well as promoting gene discovery in humans.
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Affiliation(s)
- M Jaiswal
- Department of Molecular and Human Genetics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas 77030, USA
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22
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Havekes R, Vecsey CG, Abel T. The impact of sleep deprivation on neuronal and glial signaling pathways important for memory and synaptic plasticity. Cell Signal 2012; 24:1251-60. [PMID: 22570866 PMCID: PMC3622220 DOI: 10.1016/j.cellsig.2012.02.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 128] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/01/2023]
Abstract
Sleep deprivation is a common feature in modern society, and one of the consequences of sleep loss is the impairment of cognitive function. Although it has been widely accepted that sleep deprivation affects learning and memory, only recently has research begun to address which molecular signaling pathways are altered by sleep loss and, more importantly, which pathways can be targeted to reverse the memory impairments resulting from sleep deprivation. In this review, we discuss the different methods used to sleep deprive animals and the effects of different durations of sleep deprivation on learning and memory with an emphasis on hippocampus-dependent memory. We then review the molecular signaling pathways that are sensitive to sleep loss, with a focus on those thought to play a critical role in the memory and synaptic plasticity deficits observed after sleep deprivation. Finally, we highlight several recent attempts to reverse the effects of sleep deprivation on memory and synaptic plasticity. Future research building on these studies promises to contribute to the development of novel strategies to ameliorate the effects of sleep loss on cognition.
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Affiliation(s)
- Robbert Havekes
- Department of Biology, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, USA
| | | | - Ted Abel
- Department of Biology, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, USA
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23
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Banday AR, Azim S, Rehman SU, Tabish M. Two novel N-terminal coding exons of Prkar1b gene of mouse: Identified using a novel approach of in silico and molecular biology techniques. Gene 2012; 500:73-9. [DOI: 10.1016/j.gene.2012.02.051] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/10/2011] [Revised: 02/29/2012] [Accepted: 02/29/2012] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
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24
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Ramirez JJ, Colwill RM. Pavlovian biconditional discrimination learning in the C57BL/6J mouse. Behav Processes 2012; 90:278-86. [PMID: 22465263 DOI: 10.1016/j.beproc.2012.02.017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/10/2011] [Revised: 12/18/2011] [Accepted: 02/29/2012] [Indexed: 10/28/2022]
Abstract
Four experiments using mice examined acquisition of Pavlovian biconditional discriminations in which two stimulus compounds were paired with food (AX+ and BY+) and two were not (AY- and BX-). Temporally asynchronous compounds were generated by using contextual stimuli (Experiment 1) and 15-s discrete visual cues (Experiments 2A, 2B and 3) to disambiguate when embedded noise or tone stimuli would be paired with food. When food pellets followed both reinforced compounds, successful acquisition was obtained in Experiment 1 but not in Experiments 2A and 2B even though the order of trials was modeled after that used in Experiment 1. However, when differential outcomes followed the reinforced compounds in Experiment 3, acquisition was obtained with discrete cue stimulus compounds. The implications of these results for modulatory models of conditional discrimination learning in animals are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jason J Ramirez
- Department of Psychology, Brown University, Providence, RI 02912, United States. jason
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25
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Farley SJ, McKay BM, Disterhoft JF, Weiss C. Reevaluating hippocampus-dependent learning in FVB/N mice. Behav Neurosci 2011; 125:871-8. [PMID: 22122148 PMCID: PMC3246014 DOI: 10.1037/a0026033] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Abstract
The FVB/N (FVB) mouse has been a popular background strain for constructing transgenic mice. However, behavioral phenotyping of the resultant mice is complicated, due to severe visual impairment in the FVB background strain. Previous studies reported cognitive impairments with the FVB strain, suggesting the background as unsuitable for behavioral analysis. In this study, we compared FVB mice to the well-characterized C57BL/6 (B6) strain in a battery of hippocampus-dependent tasks that had several nonvisual cues. The tasks included: trace eyeblink conditioning, spontaneous alternation in the Y maze, social recognition, trace and contextual fear conditioning, and odor habituation-dishabituation. FVB mice were able to learn all the tasks, often to similar levels as B6 mice. In contrast to previous reports, our data suggest FVB mice are not cognitively deficient with temporal memory tasks, when the tasks do not rely heavily upon vision. Thus, the FVB strain may be used as the genetic background for behavioral phenotyping when nonvisual hippocampal-dependent tasks are utilized.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sean J Farley
- Department of Physiology, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL 60611-3008, USA
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26
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Kuroda KO, Tachikawa K, Yoshida S, Tsuneoka Y, Numan M. Neuromolecular basis of parental behavior in laboratory mice and rats: with special emphasis on technical issues of using mouse genetics. Prog Neuropsychopharmacol Biol Psychiatry 2011; 35:1205-31. [PMID: 21338647 DOI: 10.1016/j.pnpbp.2011.02.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 85] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/26/2010] [Revised: 02/14/2011] [Accepted: 02/14/2011] [Indexed: 01/07/2023]
Abstract
To support the well-being of the parent-infant relationship, the neuromolecular mechanisms of parental behaviors should be clarified. From neuroanatomical analyses in laboratory rats, the medial preoptic area (MPOA) has been shown to be of critical importance in parental retrieving behavior. More recently, various gene-targeted mouse strains have been found to be defective in different aspects of parental behaviors, contributing to the identification of molecules and signaling pathways required for the behavior. Therefore, the neuromolecular basis of "mother love" is now a fully approachable research field in modern molecular neuroscience. In this review, we will provide a summary of the required brain areas and gene for parental behavior in laboratory mice (Mus musculus) and rats (Rattus norvegicus). Basic protocols and technical considerations on studying the mechanism of parental behavior using genetically-engineered mouse strains will also be presented.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kumi O Kuroda
- Unit for Affiliative Social Behavior, RIKEN Brain Science Institute, Saitama 351-0198, Japan.
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27
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Differentially expressed three non-coding alternate exons at 5' UTR of regulatory type I beta subunit gene of mouse. Mol Biol Rep 2011; 39:3375-83. [PMID: 21706350 DOI: 10.1007/s11033-011-1108-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/23/2011] [Accepted: 06/17/2011] [Indexed: 10/18/2022]
Abstract
Prkar1b gene encodes regulatory type I, beta subunit (RIβ) of cAMP dependent protein kinase A in mouse. Among the various isoforms of regulatory and catalytic subunits that comprise mammalian PKA, RIβ subunit is considered to be one of the important subunits for neuronal functions. This is involved in multiple forms of synaptic plasticity, and influences memory and learning by maintaining hippocampal long-term potentiation (LTP). Deficient expression of this gene has been implicated in autoimmune disease systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). We have identified two novel non-coding exons of the Prkar1b gene (designated as exon 1A and exon 1B), which are spliced to the canonical exon 2 and constitute the 5' untranslated region giving rise to three alternative transcript isoforms. We have also confirmed the expression of the previously known first exon (designated as exon 1C) with known transcript published earlier. The transcripts containing exons 1A, 1B and 1C are differentially regulated during the development and tissue types. In silico study of more than 20 kb nucleotide sequence upstream of known translational initiation codon revealed three distinct promoter regions named as PA, PB, and PC upstream of the exon 1A, exon 1B and exon 1C respectively. PB is non-CpG related promoter but PA and PC are CpG related promoters, however all three promoters are TATA less. Further analysis showed that these promoters possess potential signature sequences for common as well as different transcription factors suggesting complex regulation of Prkar1b gene.
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28
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Statistical and theoretical considerations for the platform re-location water maze. J Neurosci Methods 2011; 198:44-52. [DOI: 10.1016/j.jneumeth.2011.03.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/01/2010] [Revised: 03/04/2011] [Accepted: 03/04/2011] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
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29
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Burger C. Region-specific genetic alterations in the aging hippocampus: implications for cognitive aging. Front Aging Neurosci 2010; 2:140. [PMID: 21048902 PMCID: PMC2967426 DOI: 10.3389/fnagi.2010.00140] [Citation(s) in RCA: 58] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/07/2010] [Accepted: 08/17/2010] [Indexed: 01/31/2023] Open
Abstract
Aging is associated with cognitive decline in both humans and animals and of all brain regions, the hippocampus appears to be particularly vulnerable to senescence. Age-related spatial learning deficits result from alterations in hippocampal connectivity and plasticity. These changes are differentially expressed in each of the hippocampal fields known as cornu ammonis 1 (CA1), cornu ammonis 3 (CA3), and the dentate gyrus. Each sub-region displays varying degrees of susceptibility to aging. For example, the CA1 region is particularly susceptible in Alzheimer's disease while the CA3 region shows vulnerability to stress and glucocorticoids. Further, in animals, aging is the main factor associated with the decline in adult neurogenesis in the dentate gyrus. This review discusses the relationship between region-specific hippocampal connectivity, morphology, and gene expression alterations and the cognitive deficits associated with senescence. In particular, data are reviewed that illustrate how the molecular changes observed in the CA1, CA3, and dentate regions are associated with age-related learning deficits. This topic is of importance because increased understanding of how gene expression patterns reflect individual differences in cognitive performance is critical to the process of identifying new and clinically useful biomarkers for cognitive aging.
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Affiliation(s)
- Corinna Burger
- Department of Neurology, Medical Sciences Center, University of WisconsinMadison, USA
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30
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How Many Ways Can Mouse Behavioral Experiments Go Wrong? Confounding Variables in Mouse Models of Neurodegenerative Diseases and How to Control Them. ADVANCES IN THE STUDY OF BEHAVIOR 2010. [DOI: 10.1016/s0065-3454(10)41007-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 44] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
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