Altered performance of reelin-receptor ApoER2 deficient mice on spatial tasks using the Barnes maze.
The apolipoprotein E receptor 2 (ApoER2), expressed predominantly in forebrain regions including the hippocampus, is 1 of 2 receptors for the extracellular matrix protein reelin, which is critical for cortical development. Previous studies of ApoER2 mutant mice have indicated deficits in synaptic plasticity and learning. The current authors assessed learning and memory of ApoER2 knockout and wild-type mice on the Barnes circular maze. Mice were trained in this task for 22 days, followed by memory recall and reversal tests. ApoER2 knockout mice were initially slower to complete the task, but by Day 22 they were more accurate than wild-type mice on several indices. There were no differences in memory assessed by the recall task, but ApoER2 knockout mice performed significantly worse on the memory reversal task. ApoER2 knockout mice also displayed altered use of specific search strategies and relationship of these strategies to errors made on the maze.
Barr
Alasdair M
AM
Department of Psychiatry, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada.
MacLaurin
Sarah A
SA
Semenova
Svetlana
S
Fish
Kenneth N
KN
Markou
Athina
A
D000704:Analysis of Variance; D000818:Animals; D015816:Cell Adhesion Molecules, Neuronal / Q000172:deficiency / Q000235:genetics*; D016326:Extracellular Matrix Proteins / Q000172:deficiency / Q000235:genetics*; D026502:LDL-Receptor Related Proteins; D008297:Male; D018782:Maze Learning / Q000502:physiology*; D008568:Memory / Q000502:physiology; D008570:Memory, Short-Term / Q000502:physiology; D011939:Mental Recall / Q000502:physiology; D051379:Mice; D018345:Mice, Knockout; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins / Q000172:deficiency / Q000235:genetics*; D009473:Neuronal Plasticity / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology; D011597:Psychomotor Performance / Q000502:physiology; D018110:Receptors, Lipoprotein / Q000172:deficiency / Q000235:genetics*; D000091042:Reelin Protein; D012193:Reversal Learning / Q000502:physiology; D012697:Serine Endopeptidases / Q000172:deficiency / Q000235:genetics*; D013028:Space Perception / Q000502:physiology*
D015816:Cell Adhesion Molecules, Neuronal; D016326:Extracellular Matrix Proteins; D026502:LDL-Receptor Related Proteins; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins; D018110:Receptors, Lipoprotein; D000091042:Reelin Protein; C098773:low density lipoprotein receptor-related protein 8; C000717128:Reln protein, mouse; D012697:Serine Endopeptidases