Estradiol improves cerebellar memory formation by activating estrogen receptor beta.
Learning motor skills is critical for motor abilities such as driving a car or playing piano. The speed at which we learn those skills is subject to many factors. Yet, it is not known to what extent gonadal hormones can affect the achievement of accurate movements in time and space. Here we demonstrate via different lines of evidence that estradiol promotes plasticity in the cerebellar cortex underlying motor learning. First, we show that estradiol enhances induction of long-term potentiation at the parallel fiber to Purkinje cell synapse, whereas it does not affect long-term depression; second, we show that estradiol activation of estrogen receptor beta receptors in Purkinje cells significantly improves gain-decrease adaptation of the vestibulo-ocular reflex, whereas it does not affect general eye movement performance; and third, we show that estradiol increases the density of parallel fiber to Purkinje cell synapses, whereas it does not affect the density of climbing fiber synapses. We conclude that estradiol can improve motor skills by potentiating cerebellar plasticity and synapse formation. These processes may be advantageous during periods of high estradiol levels of the estrous cycle or pregnancy.
Andreescu
Corina E
CE
Department of Neuroscience, Erasmus Medical Center, 3000 DR Rotterdam, The Netherlands.
Milojkovic
Bogdan A
BA
Haasdijk
Elize D
ED
Kramer
Piet
P
De Jong
Frank H
FH
Krust
Andrée
A
De Zeeuw
Chris I
CI
De Jeu
Marcel T G
MT
D000704:Analysis of Variance; D000818:Animals; D001522:Behavior, Animal; D002531:Cerebellum / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology; D004307:Dose-Response Relationship, Radiation; D004558:Electric Stimulation / Q000379:methods; D004958:Estradiol / Q000494:pharmacology*; D047629:Estrogen Receptor beta / Q000172:deficiency / Q000378:metabolism*; D005260:Female; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D017774:Long-Term Potentiation / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology / Q000528:radiation effects; D008297:Male; D008568:Memory / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology; D051379:Mice; D018345:Mice, Knockout; D009043:Motor Activity / Q000235:genetics; D009412:Nerve Fibers / Q000502:physiology / Q000528:radiation effects; D009433:Neural Inhibition / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology / Q000528:radiation effects; D010052:Ovariectomy / Q000379:methods; D018408:Patch-Clamp Techniques / Q000379:methods; D011689:Purkinje Cells / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology / Q000648:ultrastructure; D012027:Reflex, Vestibulo-Ocular / Q000502:physiology; D013997:Time Factors
D047629:Estrogen Receptor beta; D004958:Estradiol