生物谷報(bào)道：MIT Picower學(xué)習(xí)和記憶中心(Picower Institute for Learning and Memory)研究人員最近找到一種控制外傷事件造成恐懼記憶的分子機(jī)制,。研究結(jié)果刊登于7月15日在線版《Nature Neuroscience》雜志。
Picower神經(jīng)學(xué)教授Li-Huei Tsai與其同事發(fā)現(xiàn),，抑制一種名為Cdk5的激酶,，有利于消除特定環(huán)境造成的恐懼記憶。相反,，如果海馬區(qū)（大腦的記憶存儲(chǔ)中心）中這種酶的活性上升,，所產(chǎn)生的恐懼會(huì)持續(xù)下去。腦發(fā)育過程早期，Cdk5作用于p35蛋白,，幫相新生腦細(xì)胞形成并遷移到正確位點(diǎn),。在近期工作中，MIT研究人員觀察Cdk5影響大腦建立或消除恐懼相關(guān)記憶的能力,。"很明顯,，抑制Cdk5有助于消除小鼠的恐懼記憶。這些數(shù)據(jù)指出了一個(gè)治療情感障礙（emotional disorders）的有效途徑,，為經(jīng)歷創(chuàng)傷后應(yīng)激障礙或恐怖癥折磨的患者帶來福音,。"Tsai說。
情感障礙如創(chuàng)傷后應(yīng)激障礙和恐懼癥,，來自于大腦無力停止對與特殊事件或者連續(xù)事件有關(guān)的恐慌,。對某些人來說，創(chuàng)傷事故的惱人記憶不會(huì)自動(dòng)消失,，甚至?xí)絹碓絿?yán)重,，最終影響他們的正常生活,。
此次,，研究人員首先將遺傳工程小鼠在特定環(huán)境中，進(jìn)行足底電擊,，然后再將小鼠放入相同環(huán)境中,，不加足底電擊。結(jié)果,，體內(nèi)Cdk5活性上升的小鼠很難清除對電擊的恐懼記憶,，繼續(xù)顫抖。相反,，Cdk5活性被抑制的小鼠,，電擊惡夢在其發(fā)現(xiàn)第二個(gè)環(huán)境中不存在電擊時(shí)便消失。
"我們用小鼠證明,，恐懼記憶的消失依賴于消除蛋白激酶Cdk5相關(guān)分子途徑中的成分,，"Tsai說 "我們發(fā)現(xiàn)Cdk5通過影響其它關(guān)鍵激酶的活性而抑制消失，至少部分抑制,。"
原文出處：
A hippocampal Cdk5 pathway regulates extinction of contextual fear
Farahnaz Sananbenesi, Andre Fischer, Xinyu Wang, Christina Schrick, Rachael Neve, Jelena Radulovic & Li-Huei Tsai
Published online: 15 July 2007 | doi:10.1038/nn1943
Abstract | Full text | PDF (414K) | Supplementary Information
相關(guān)基因：
CDK5
Official Symbol CDK5 and Name: cyclin-dependent kinase 5 [Homo sapiens]
Other Aliases: PSSALRE
Other Designations: protein kinase CDK5 splicing
Chromosome: 7; Location: 7q36
Annotation: Chromosome 7, NC_000007.12 (150381832..150385929, complement)
MIM: 123831
GeneID: 1020
作者簡介：
Li-Huei Tsai, Ph.D.
Dr. Tsai is also Picower Professor of Neuroscience in the Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. She received her Ph.D. degree from the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center at Dallas under the direction of Bradford Ozanne. She then joined Ed Harlow's laboratory at Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory and Massachusetts General Hospital for postdoctoral training. Prior to her move to MIT, Dr. Tsai was Professor of Pathology at Harvard Medical School.
RESEARCH ABSTRACT SUMMARY:
Li-Huei Tsai is interested in the mechanisms that underlie the production and positioning of neurons during brain development, signaling at synapses, and the demise of the nervous system in adult life.
View Research Abstract
