First Author | Kheirbek MA | Year | 2012 |
Journal | J Neurosci | Volume | 32 |
Issue | 25 | Pages | 8696-702 |
PubMed ID | 22723709 | Mgi Jnum | J:185658 |
Mgi Id | MGI:5429630 | Doi | 10.1523/JNEUROSCI.1692-12.2012 |
Citation | Kheirbek MA, et al. (2012) NR2B-Dependent Plasticity of Adult-Born Granule Cells is Necessary for Context Discrimination. J Neurosci 32(25):8696-702 |
abstractText | Adult-generated granule cells (GCs) in the dentate gyrus (DG) exhibit a period of heightened plasticity 4-6 weeks postmitosis. However, the functional contribution of this critical window of plasticity to hippocampal neurogenesis and behavior remains unknown. Here, we show that deletion of NR2B-containing NMDA receptors from adult-born GCs impairs a neurogenesis-dependent form of LTP in the DG and reduces dendritic complexity of adult-born GCs, but does not impact their survival. Mice in which the NR2B-containing NMDA receptor was deleted from adult-born GCs did not differ from controls in baseline anxiety-like behavior or discrimination of very different contexts, but were impaired in discrimination of highly similar contexts. These results indicate that NR2B-dependent plasticity of adult-born GCs is necessary for fine contextual discrimination and is consistent with their proposed role in pattern separation. |