| First Author | Cao X | Year | 2007 |
| Journal | Eur J Neurosci | Volume | 25 |
| Issue | 6 | Pages | 1815-22 |
| PubMed ID | 17432968 | Mgi Jnum | J:122879 |
| Mgi Id | MGI:3715681 | Doi | 10.1111/j.1460-9568.2007.05431.x |
| Citation | Cao X, et al. (2007) Maintenance of superior learning and memory function in NR2B transgenic mice during ageing. Eur J Neurosci 25(6):1815-22 |
| abstractText | Brain ageing represents a general and evolutionarily conserved phenomenon and is marked by gradual declines in cognitive functions such as learning and memory. As a synaptic coincidence detector, the N-methyl-d-aspartate (NMDA) receptor is known to be essential for the induction of synaptic plasticity and memory formation. Here, we test the hypothesis that up-regulation of NR2B expression is beneficial for learning and memory in the aged animals. Our in vitro recordings show that the aged transgenic mice with the forebrain-specific overexpression of the NR2B subunit indeed exhibit more robust hippocampal long-term potentiation (LTP) induced by either high-frequency stimulation or theta-stimulation protocol. Furthermore, those aged NR2B transgenic mice consistently outperform their wild-type littermates in five different learning and memory tests, namely, novel object recognition, contextual and cued fear conditioning, spatial reference memory, and spatial working memory T-maze task. Thus, we conclude that increased expression of NR2B in the forebrain improves learning and memory function in the aged brain. |
