Biphasic Npas4 expression promotes inhibitory plasticity and suppression of fear memory consolidation in mice.

ABSTRACT: Long-term memories are believed to be encoded by unique transcriptional signatures in the brain. The expression of immediate early genes (IEG) promotes structural and molecular changes required for memory consolidation. Recent evidence has shown that the brain is equipped with mechanisms that not only promote, but actively constrict memory formation. However, it remains unknown whether IEG expression may play a role in memory suppression. Here we uncovered a novel function of the IEG neuronal PAS domain protein 4 (Npas4), as an inducible memory suppressor gene of highly salient aversive experiences. Using a contextual fear conditioning paradigm, we found that low stimulus salience leads to monophasic Npas4 expression, while highly salient learning induces a biphasic expression of Npas4 in

SUBMITTER: Brito DVC 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC11408256 | biostudies-literature | 2024 Jul

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature