Age-related memory vulnerability to interfering stimuli is caused by gradual loss of MAPK-dependent protection in Drosophila.

ABSTRACT: Age-related memory impairment (AMI) is a common phenomenon across species. Vulnerability to interfering stimuli has been proposed to be an important cause of AMI. However, the molecular mechanisms underlying this vulnerability-related AMI remain unknown. Here we show that learning-activated MAPK signals are gradually lost with age, leading to vulnerability-related AMI in Drosophila. Young flies (2- or 3-day-old) exhibited a significant increase in phosphorylated MAPK levels within 15 min after learning, whereas aged flies (25-day-old) did not. Compared to 3-day-old flies, significant 1 h memory impairments were observed in 15-, 20-, and 30-day-old flies, but not in 10-day-old flies. However, with post-learning interfering stimuli such as cooling or electric stimuli, 10-day-old flies had wo

SUBMITTER: Mo H 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC9197400 | biostudies-literature | 2022 Jun

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature