title: Age-dependent effects of hippocampal neurogenesis suppression on spatial learning.
abstract: Reducing hippocampal neurogenesis sometimes, but not always, disrupts hippocampus-dependent learning and memory. Here, we tested whether animal age, which regulates rate of hippocampal neurogenesis, is a factor that influences whether deficits in spatial learning are observed after reduction of neurogenesis. We found that suppressing the generation of new hippocampal neurons via treatment with temozolomide, an antiproliferation agent, impaired learning the location of a hidden platform in the water maze in juvenile mice (1-2 months old) but not in adult mice (2-3 months old) or middle-aged mice (11-12 months old). These findings suggest that during juvenility, suppression of neurogenesis may alter hippocampal development, whereas during adulthood and aging, pre-existing neurons may compensate for the lack of new hippocampal neurons.
authors: Neurosciences and Mental Health, Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
authors: Alonso
authors: A
authors: Martinez-Canabal
authors: Katherine G
authors: KG
authors: Akers
authors: Sheena A
authors: SA
authors: Josselyn
authors: Paul W
authors: PW
authors: Frankland
mesh_terms: D000367:Age Factors; D000375:Aging / Q000502:physiology*; D000818:Animals; D018906:Antineoplastic Agents, Alkylating / Q000494:pharmacology; D003606:Dacarbazine / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000494:pharmacology; D018891:Dentate Gyrus / Q000166:cytology / Q000254:growth & development* / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D006624:Hippocampus / Q000166:cytology / Q000254:growth & development / Q000502:physiology; D008297:Male; D018782:Maze Learning / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D008569:Memory Disorders / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000503:physiopathology; D051379:Mice; D057507:Mice, 129 Strain; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D055495:Neurogenesis / Q000502:physiology*; D013028:Space Perception / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D000077204:Temozolomide
chemical_list: D018906:Antineoplastic Agents, Alkylating; D003606:Dacarbazine; D000077204:Temozolomide