Expression of NR2B in cerebellar granule cells specifically facilitates effect of motor training on motor learning.
It is believed that gene/environment interaction (GEI) plays a pivotal role in the development of motor skills, which are acquired via practicing or motor training. However, the underlying molecular/neuronal mechanisms are still unclear. Here, we reported that the expression of NR2B, a subunit of NMDA receptors, in cerebellar granule cells specifically enhanced the effect of voluntary motor training on motor learning in the mouse. Moreover, this effect was characterized as motor learning-specific and developmental stage-dependent, because neither emotional/spatial memory was affected nor was the enhanced motor learning observed when the motor training was conducted starting at the age of 3 months old in these transgenic mice. These results indicate that changes in the expression of gene(s) that are involved in regulating synaptic plasticity in cerebellar granule cells may constitute a molecular basis for the cerebellum to be involved in the GEI by facilitating motor skill learning.
Jiao
Jianwei
J
Department of Psychiatry, University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois, USA.
Nakajima
Akira
A
Janssen
William G M
WG
Bindokas
Vytautas P
VP
Xiong
Xiaoli
X
Morrison
John H
JH
Brorson
James R
JR
Tang
Ya-Ping
YP
D000367:Age Factors; D000818:Animals; D002531:Cerebellum / Q000166:cytology / Q000502:physiology*; D007858:Learning; D008568:Memory; D051379:Mice; D008822:Mice, Transgenic; D009043:Motor Activity; D009048:Motor Skills / Q000502:physiology*; D009473:Neuronal Plasticity; D009474:Neurons; D016194:Receptors, N-Methyl-D-Aspartate / Q000235:genetics* / Q000502:physiology*
C121001:NR2B NMDA receptor; D016194:Receptors, N-Methyl-D-Aspartate