| First Author | De Souza Silva MA | Year | 2007 |
| Journal | Genes Brain Behav | Volume | 6 |
| Issue | 5 | Pages | 465-72 |
| PubMed ID | 17054720 | Mgi Jnum | J:137281 |
| Mgi Id | MGI:3798717 | Doi | 10.1111/j.1601-183X.2006.00274.x |
| Citation | De Souza Silva MA, et al. (2007) NR2C by NR2B subunit exchange in juvenile mice affects emotionality and 5-HT in the frontal cortex. Genes Brain Behav 6(5):465-72 |
| abstractText | The N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor (NMDA-R) has been inter alia implicated in synaptic plasticity, brain development and emotional processes. The NMDA-R is a multiprotein complex composed of NR1, NR2 and/or NR3 subunits. We generated NR2C-2B mutant mice in which an insertion of NR2B cDNA into the gene locus of the NR2C gene replaced NR2C by NR2B expression throughout the brain. This NR2C-2B mutant was used to examine whether an NMDA-R subunit exchange in juvenile mice would affect emotional behaviors and acetylcholine (ACh), dopamine (DA) and serotonin (5-HT) content in the frontal cortex (FC) and brain structures, which are part of the brain defense system, such as the periaqueductal grey matter (PAG). Juvenile, 1-month-old NR2C-2B mice showed increased open arm avoidance in the elevated plus-maze and increased fear-induced immobility. In terms of brain neurochemistry, NR2C-2B mice showed an increase in 5-HT levels in the FC at the age of 2 months. A correlational analysis revealed that mice with low open arms avoidance had high levels of ACh in the PAG but reduced 5-HT levels in the FC. Animals which showed high levels of fear-induced immobility also had high levels of 5-HT in the FC. These results suggest that the replacement of subunit NR2C by NR2B in juvenile mice increases anxiety- and fear-related behaviors possibly due to changes in FC-5-HT and PAG-ACh levels. |
