Impaired fear extinction learning in adult heterozygous BDNF knock-out mice.

Autor: Psotta L; Institute of Physiology, Medical Faculty, Otto-von-Guericke-University Magdeburg, Leipziger Str. 44, 39120 Magdeburg, Germany., Lessmann V, Endres T
Jazyk: angličtina
Zdroj: Neurobiology of learning and memory [Neurobiol Learn Mem] 2013 Jul; Vol. 103, pp. 34-8. Date of Electronic Publication: 2013 Apr 08.
DOI: 10.1016/j.nlm.2013.03.003
Abstrakt: Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) is a crucial regulator of neuroplasticity, which underlies learning and memory processes in different brain areas. To investigate the role of BDNF in the extinction of amygdala-dependent cued fear memories, we analyzed fear extinction learning in heterozygous BDNF knock-out mice, which possess a reduction of endogenous BDNF protein levels to ~50% of wild-type animals. Since BDNF expression has been shown to decline with aging of animals, we tested the performance in extinction learning of these mice at 2 months (young adults) and 7 months (older adults) of age. The present study shows that older adult heterozygous BDNF knock-out mice, which have a chronic 50% lack of BDNF, also possess a deficit in the acquisition of extinction memory, while extinction learning remains unaffected in young adult heterozygous BDNF knock-out mice. This deficit in extinction learning is accompanied by a reduction of BDNF protein in the hippocampus, amygdala and the prefrontal cortex.
(Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)
Databáze: MEDLINE
Externí odkaz: