title: Behavioral characterization of a mouse model overexpressing DSCR1/ RCAN1.
abstract: DSCR1/ RCAN1 is a chromosome 21 gene found to be overexpressed in the brains of Down syndrome (DS) and postulated as a good candidate to contribute to mental disability. However, even though Rcan1 knockout mice have pronounced spatial learning and memory deficits, the possible deleterious effects of its overexpression in DS are not well understood. We have generated a transgenic mouse model overexpressing DSCR1/RCAN1 in the brain and analyzed the effect of RCAN1 overexpression on cognitive function. TgRCAN1 mice present a marked disruption of the learning process in a visuo-spatial learning task. However, no significant differences were observed in the performance of the memory phase of the test (removal session) nor in a step-down passive avoidance task, thus suggesting that once learning has been established, the animals are able to consolidate the information in the longer term.
authors.affiliation: Centre for Genomic Regulation, Barcelona Biomedical Research Park, and CIBER de Enfermedades Raras, Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain. mara.dierssen@crg.es
authors.forename: Mara
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Dierssen
authors.forename: Gloria
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Arqué
authors.forename: Jerome
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: McDonald
authors.forename: Nuria
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Andreu
authors.forename: Carmen
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Martínez-Cué
authors.forename: Jesús
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Flórez
authors.forename: Cristina
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Fillat
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001362:Avoidance Learning / Q000502:physiology; D001522:Behavior, Animal / Q000502:physiology*; D002135:Calcium-Binding Proteins; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D005260:Female; D047908:Intracellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins / Q000235:genetics* / Q000502:physiology; D007859:Learning Disabilities / Q000235:genetics / Q000503:physiopathology; D018782:Maze Learning / Q000502:physiology; D008568:Memory / Q000502:physiology; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D008822:Mice, Transgenic; D009124:Muscle Proteins / Q000235:genetics* / Q000502:physiology; D010805:Physical Conditioning, Animal / Q000502:physiology / Q000523:psychology; D013550:Swimming / Q000502:physiology; D015854:Up-Regulation / Q000235:genetics
chemical_list: D002135:Calcium-Binding Proteins; C511512:DSCR1 protein, mouse; D047908:Intracellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins; D009124:Muscle Proteins