title: Modulation of taste-induced Elk-1 activation by identified neurotransmitter systems in the insular cortex of the behaving rat.
abstract: Taste consumption activates the extracellular responsive kinases 1-2 (ERK1-2) and the transcription factor Elk-1 in the insular cortex (IC) of the behaving rat. ERKs activation, an obligatory step for the encoding of long- but not short-term memory, was shown to be regulated by multiple neurotransmitter systems in the IC. Here I show, by the use of local microinfusions of pharmacological agents into the IC of the behaving rat, that a set of similar systems is required for the taste-induced activation of Elk-1. N-Methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA), glutamate metabotropic (mGlu), ionotropic AMPA/kainate (AMPA), muscarinic, and dopaminergic receptors, which all contribute to the acquisition of taste memory, are also responsible for Elk-1 activation. However, blockade of the beta-adrenergic transmission does not affect Elk-1 activation. I also show that the basal level of Elk-1 activation in cortex is mainly maintained by GABAergic transmission. Thus, the formation of taste memory triggers the activation of Elk-1 in the IC of the behaving rat via selected neurotransmitter and neuromodulatory systems.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurobiology, The Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot 76100, Israel. diego.berman@weizmann.ac.il
authors.forename: Diego E
authors.initials: DE
authors.lastname: Berman
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001522:Behavior, Animal / Q000502:physiology*; D002540:Cerebral Cortex / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism*; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins; D008297:Male; D008568:Memory / Q000502:physiology; D008845:Microinjections; D011518:Proto-Oncogene Proteins / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D017981:Receptors, Neurotransmitter / Q000819:agonists / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000378:metabolism*; D013649:Taste / Q000502:physiology*; D014157:Transcription Factors / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D050807:ets-Domain Protein Elk-1
chemical_list: D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins; C494114:Elk1 protein, rat; D011518:Proto-Oncogene Proteins; D017981:Receptors, Neurotransmitter; D014157:Transcription Factors; D050807:ets-Domain Protein Elk-1