Hippocampal neurogenesis is not required for behavioral effects of environmental enrichment.
Environmental enrichment increases adult hippocampal neurogenesis and alters hippocampal-dependent behavior in rodents. To investigate a causal link between these two observations, we analyzed the effect of enrichment on spatial learning and anxiety-like behavior while blocking adult hippocampal neurogenesis. We report that environmental enrichment alters behavior in mice regardless of their hippocampal neurogenic capability, providing evidence that the newborn cells do not mediate these effects of enrichment.
Meshi
Dar
D
Department of Biological Sciences, Columbia University, New York, New York 10027, USA.
Drew
Michael R
MR
Saxe
Michael
M
Ansorge
Mark S
MS
David
Denis
D
Santarelli
Luca
L
Malapani
Chariklia
C
Moore
Holly
H
Hen
René
R
D000818:Animals; D000928:Antidepressive Agents / Q000494:pharmacology; D001007:Anxiety / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000503:physiopathology; D001522:Behavior, Animal / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology / Q000528:radiation effects; D001973:Bromodeoxyuridine; D002455:Cell Division / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology / Q000528:radiation effects; D049109:Cell Proliferation / Q000528:radiation effects*; D018891:Dentate Gyrus / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology* / Q000528:radiation effects; D004780:Environment, Controlled; D005247:Feeding Behavior / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology / Q000528:radiation effects; D006185:Habituation, Psychophysiologic / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology / Q000528:radiation effects; D018782:Maze Learning / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology* / Q000528:radiation effects; D008569:Memory Disorders / Q000503:physiopathology; D051379:Mice; D009473:Neuronal Plasticity / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology* / Q000528:radiation effects; D009474:Neurons / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology* / Q000528:radiation effects; D013234:Stem Cells / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology / Q000528:radiation effects; D014965:X-Rays
D000928:Antidepressive Agents; D001973:Bromodeoxyuridine