title: Visual recognition memory is related to basic expression level of NMDA receptor NR1/NR2B subtype in hippocampus and striatum of rats.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To examine the basic expression levels of N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptor NR1 and NR2B subunits in six brain regions of Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats with different visual recognition memory.
  
  
  METHODS
  Rats were tested by a novel-object-recognition model and grouped into the high and the low visual recognition memory groups. The expression levels of NR1 and NR2B subunits in the cortex, hippocampus, striatum, amygdala, diencephalon, and olfactory bulb were measured by semiquantitative immunoblotting.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The NR1 and NR2B subunit protein levels in the hippocampus of the high visual recognition memory group were 35.9% (P<0.01) and 53.4% (P<0.05) higher respectively than those in the low group. In addition, the NR2B level in the striatum in the high visual recognition memory group was 25.0% (P<0.05) higher than that in the low one. However, no significant difference was found in the levels of the subunits between the two groups in other brain regions.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The visual recognition memory in rats is related to the basic expression level of NMDA receptor NR1/NR2B subtype in the hippocampus and striatum.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurobiology, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou 310031, China.
authors.forename: Shu-Jun
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Xu
authors.forename: Zhong
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Li-Jun
authors.initials: LJ
authors.lastname: Zhu
authors.forename: Hai-Qing
authors.initials: HQ
authors.lastname: Shen
authors.forename: Jian-Hong
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Luo
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D003342:Corpus Striatum / Q000378:metabolism*; D006624:Hippocampus / Q000378:metabolism*; D008297:Male; D008568:Memory / Q000502:physiology*; D010364:Pattern Recognition, Visual / Q000502:physiology*; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D016194:Receptors, N-Methyl-D-Aspartate / Q000378:metabolism*; D021641:Recognition, Psychology / Q000502:physiology
chemical_list: C409466:NR1 NMDA receptor; C121001:NR2B NMDA receptor; D016194:Receptors, N-Methyl-D-Aspartate