Macromolecular synthesis, distributed synaptic plasticity, and fear conditioning. Neurobiol Learn Mem 2008 Mar;89(3):324-37
Date
11/03/2007Pubmed ID
17977027Pubmed Central ID
PMC2297466DOI
10.1016/j.nlm.2007.09.002Scopus ID
2-s2.0-39849091200 (requires institutional sign-in at Scopus site) 72 CitationsAbstract
Recent work from a number of laboratories has provided new and important insights about how gene expression is altered by experience and how these molecular changes may provide a substrate for the long-term storage of new memories. Here, we review a series of recent studies using aversive Pavlovian conditioning in rats as a well characterized model system in which experience-dependent alterations in gene expression can be manipulated and quantified within a specific neural circuit. We highlight some of the issues involved in using broad-spectrum inhibitors of mRNA and protein synthesis to study cellular changes underlying the formation and long-term stability of memory and discuss the idea that these changes occur over widespread, behaviorally-defined, networks of cells. We also discuss the idea that the maintenance of memory and its susceptibly to disruption after retrieval may relate to local protein synthesis in dendrites. Finally, a series of recent experiments from our laboratory studying the role of a specific signaling pathway (mTOR) which regulates translational processes and memory formation in the amygdala and hippocampus during fear conditioning are reviewed.
Author List
Helmstetter FJ, Parsons RG, Gafford GMAuthor
Fred Helmstetter PhD Professor in the Psychology / Neuroscience department at University of Wisconsin - MilwaukeeMESH terms used to index this publication - Major topics in bold
AmygdalaFear
Gene Expression
Hippocampus
Humans
Multiprotein Complexes
Nerve Net
Neuronal Plasticity
Protein Biosynthesis
Protein Kinases
RNA, Messenger
Synapses
TOR Serine-Threonine Kinases
Transcriptional Activation
