生物谷報道：研究人員報告說,，成功的記憶取回激活在學(xué)習(xí)時放電的同一個神經(jīng)元。這個Leon G. Reijmers和同事的發(fā)現(xiàn)回答了一個長期沒有答案的問題：學(xué)習(xí)與取回記憶是否激發(fā)相同的神經(jīng)元,？這個小組產(chǎn)生了帶有基因突變的小鼠,，給學(xué)習(xí)過程中激活的神經(jīng)元貼一種標(biāo)記，而給取回過程的神經(jīng)元貼另一種標(biāo)記,。這使他們能數(shù)在基底外側(cè)杏仁體中涉及記憶的兩個方面的神經(jīng)元的數(shù)量,，基底外側(cè)杏仁體是大腦中記憶和情感反應(yīng)的中心。這些小鼠接受關(guān)聯(lián)條件化恐懼訓(xùn)練,，有些受到了電擊,。受過被電擊而產(chǎn)生恐懼訓(xùn)練的小鼠，在與最初受到電擊相同的位置被測試記憶取回時,，有最多的涉及記憶形成的神經(jīng)元被激活,。而在相同的籠子里測試的或沒有受過電擊的小鼠的神經(jīng)元數(shù)的重復(fù)最小。
原始出處:
Science 31 August 2007:
Vol. 317. no. 5842, pp. 1230 - 1233
DOI: 10.1126/science.1143839
Localization of a Stable Neural Correlate of Associative Memory
Leon G. Reijmers, Brian L. Perkins, Naoki Matsuo, Mark Mayford*
Do learning and retrieval of a memory activate the same neurons? Does the number of reactivated neurons correlate with memory strength? We developed a transgenic mouse that enables the long-lasting genetic tagging of c-fos–active neurons. We found neurons in the basolateral amygdala that are activated during Pavlovian fear conditioning and are reactivated during memory retrieval. The number of reactivated neurons correlated positively with the behavioral expression of the fear memory, indicating a stable neural correlate of associative memory. The ability to manipulate these neurons genetically should allow a more precise dissection of the molecular mechanisms of memory encoding within a distributed neuronal network.
Department of Cell Biology, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA.
* To whom correspondence should be addressed. E-mail: [email protected]
