Correlations between neuronal loss, decrease of memory, and decrease expression of brain-derived neurotrophic factor in the gerbil hippocampus during normal aging.
It is known that the hippocampus has vital functions in learning and memory, behavioral regulation, and activity-dependent synaptic plasticity, and that the hippocampus contains high levels of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF). In the present study, we followed age-dependent changes of BDNF immunoreactivity and protein level in the gerbil hippocampus to identify the correlation between BDNF and aging. BDNF immunoreactivity and its protein level significantly increased at postnatal month (PM) 12 in the hippocampus and thereafter reduced. At PM 24, BDNF immunoreactivity in the hippocampal CA1 region and dentate gyrus was similar to that in the PM 1 group, whereas BDNF immunoreactivity in the CA2/3 region at PM 24 was higher than that at PM 1. In the PM 24 group, an age-related neuronal loss and the decrease of reference and working memory were observed. In conclusion, our results suggest that observed reduction in BDNF and reference memory may be associated with age-dependent neuronal loss in the hippocampal CA1 region.
Hwang
In Koo
IK
Department of Anatomy, College of Medicine, Hallym University, Chunchon 200-702, South Korea.
Yoo
Ki-Yeon
KY
Jung
Boo-Kyoung
BK
Cho
Jun Hwi
JH
Kim
Do-Hoon
DH
Kang
Tae-Cheon
TC
Kwon
Young-Guen
YG
Kim
Yong-Sun
YS
Won
Moo Ho
MH