Increasing neurogenesis refines hippocampal activity rejuvenating navigational learning strategies and contextual memory throughout life.

ABSTRACT: Functional plasticity of the brain decreases during ageing causing marked deficits in contextual learning, allocentric navigation and episodic memory. Adult neurogenesis is a prime example of hippocampal plasticity promoting the contextualisation of information and dramatically decreases during ageing. We found that a genetically-driven expansion of neural stem cells by overexpression of the cell cycle regulators Cdk4/cyclinD1 compensated the age-related decline in neurogenesis. This triggered an overall inhibitory effect on the trisynaptic hippocampal circuit resulting in a changed profile of CA1 sharp-wave ripples known to underlie memory consolidation. Most importantly, increased neurogenesis rescued the age-related switch from hippocampal to striatal learning strategies by rescuing all

SUBMITTER: Berdugo-Vega G 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6952376 | biostudies-literature | 2020 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature