title: Learning upregulates brain-derived neurotrophic factor messenger ribonucleic acid: a mechanism to facilitate encoding and circuit maintenance?
abstract: Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) promotes neuron survival, enhances sprouting, protects neurons against insult, and may be involved in several aspects of learning and memory. In this study, rats trained to locate a submerged platform in a water maze had elevated levels of BDNF messenger ribonucleic acid (mRNA) in the hippocampus (p < .05), a structure associated with spatial memory. BDNF mRNA expression increased after 3 and 6 days but not after 1 day of training in the water maze. A yoked control group that swam without the platform present, to control for physical activity, showed a trend for elevated BDNF mRNA at an intermediate level between the learning and sedentary groups. Other cortical and subcortical areas did not show a significant increase in BDNF mRNA after learning or activity (p > .05). These findings suggest that learning can impact BDNF mRNA expression localized to the brain areas involved in the processing of spatial information. Furthermore, behaviors such as physical activity and learning may help maintain and protect neurons at risk in aging and neurodegenerative disease via increased BDNF expression.
authors.affiliation: Institute for Brain Aging and Department of Neurology, University of California, Irvine 92697-4540, USA. jpkessla@uci.edu
authors.forename: J P
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Kesslak
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: So
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Choi
authors.forename: C W
authors.initials: CW
authors.lastname: Cotman
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Gomez-Pinilla
mesh_terms: D000704:Analysis of Variance; D000818:Animals; D019208:Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation / Q000502:physiology; D006624:Hippocampus / Q000378:metabolism*; D017403:In Situ Hybridization; D008297:Male; D016555:Matched-Pair Analysis; D018782:Maze Learning / Q000502:physiology*; D009949:Orientation / Q000502:physiology; D010805:Physical Conditioning, Animal / Q000502:physiology; D011214:Practice, Psychological; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000032:analysis; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D013028:Space Perception / Q000502:physiology; D013037:Spatial Behavior / Q000502:physiology; D013550:Swimming / Q000502:physiology; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D019208:Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor; D012333:RNA, Messenger