| First Author | Hsiao K | Year | 2020 |
| Journal | Cell | Volume | 183 |
| Issue | 2 | Pages | 522-536.e19 |
| PubMed ID | 32997977 | Mgi Jnum | J:298881 |
| Mgi Id | MGI:6477712 | Doi | 10.1016/j.cell.2020.09.011 |
| Citation | Hsiao K, et al. (2020) A Thalamic Orphan Receptor Drives Variability in Short-Term Memory. Cell 183(2):522-536.e19 |
| abstractText | Working memory is a form of short-term memory that involves maintaining and updating task-relevant information toward goal-directed pursuits. Classical models posit persistent activity in prefrontal cortex (PFC) as a primary neural correlate, but emerging views suggest additional mechanisms may exist. We screened approximately 200 genetically diverse mice on a working memory task and identified a genetic locus on chromosome 5 that contributes to a substantial proportion (17%) of the phenotypic variance. Within the locus, we identified a gene encoding an orphan G-protein-coupled receptor, Gpr12, which is sufficient to drive substantial and bidirectional changes in working memory. Molecular, cellular, and imaging studies revealed that Gpr12 enables high thalamus-PFC synchrony to support memory maintenance and choice accuracy. These findings identify an orphan receptor as a potent modifier of short-term memory and supplement classical PFC-based models with an emerging thalamus-centric framework for the mechanistic understanding of working memory. |
