Differential effect of corticosterone on spatial learning abilities in apolipoprotein E knockout and C57BL/6J mice.
Previously, we found that repeated exposure to predator stress corrected the deficit in spatial learning of apolipoprotein E-knockout (apoE0/0) mice, but impaired cognitive performance of wild-type mice. Here we show that elevated corticosterone concentrations, accomplished by subcutaneously implanted pellets, results in similar genotype-related effects on water maze learning: while apoE0/0 mice improved their spatial learning abilities, wild-type mice (C57/Bl6J) became impaired. These results suggest that corticosterone mediates the lasting effects of environmental challenges on apoE-genotype related cognitive performance.
Grootendorst
J
J
Division of Medical Pharmacology, Leiden/Amsterdam Center for Drug Research, Leiden University Medical Center, University of Leiden, 2300 RA Leiden, The Netherlands. jeannette.grootendorst@psycho-ulp.u-strasbg.fr
Kempes
M M
MM
Lucassen
P J
PJ
Dalm
S
S
de Kloet
E R
ER
Oitzl
M S
MS
D000818:Animals; D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D001057:Apolipoproteins E / Q000235:genetics*; D003345:Corticosterone / Q000494:pharmacology*; D007030:Hypothalamo-Hypophyseal System / Q000502:physiology; D008297:Male; D018782:Maze Learning / Q000187:drug effects*; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D018345:Mice, Knockout; D010913:Pituitary-Adrenal System / Q000502:physiology; D013028:Space Perception / Q000187:drug effects*
D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents; D001057:Apolipoproteins E; D003345:Corticosterone