title: Specific downregulation of hippocampal ATF4 reveals a necessary role in synaptic plasticity and memory.
abstract: Prior studies suggested that the transcription factor ATF4 negatively regulates synaptic plastic and memory. By contrast, we provide evidence from direct in vitro and in vivo knockdown of ATF4 in rodent hippocampal neurons and from ATF4-null mice that implicate ATF4 as essential for normal synaptic plasticity and memory. In particular, hippocampal ATF4 downregulation produces deficits in long-term spatial memory and behavioral flexibility without affecting associative memory or anxiety-like behavior. ATF4 knockdown or loss also causes profound impairment of both long-term potentiation (LTP) and long-term depression (LTD) as well as decreased glutamatergic function. We conclude that ATF4 is a key regulator of the physiological state necessary for neuronal plasticity and memory.
authors: Silvia
authors: S
authors: Pasini
authors: Carlo
authors: C
authors: Corona
authors: Jin
authors: J
authors: Liu
authors: Lloyd A
authors: LA
authors: Greene
authors: Michael L
authors: ML
authors: Shelanski
mesh_terms: D051701:Activating Transcription Factor 4 / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics*; D000818:Animals; D006624:Hippocampus / Q000502:physiology; D008568:Memory / Q000502:physiology*; D051379:Mice; D018345:Mice, Knockout; D009473:Neuronal Plasticity / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*; D009474:Neurons / Q000502:physiology*; D013569:Synapses / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology
chemical_list: C081452:Atf4 protein, mouse; D051701:Activating Transcription Factor 4