Your browser doesn't support javascript.
loading
Unfolding of spatial representation at systems level in infant rats.
Shan, Xia; Contreras, María P; Mendez, Marta; Born, Jan; Inostroza, Marion.
Afiliação
  • Shan X; Institute of Medical Psychology and Behavioral Neurobiology, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany.
  • Contreras MP; Graduate School of Neural & Behavioral Science, International Max Planck Research School, Tübingen, Germany.
  • Mendez M; Institute of Medical Psychology and Behavioral Neurobiology, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany.
  • Born J; Graduate School of Neural & Behavioral Science, International Max Planck Research School, Tübingen, Germany.
  • Inostroza M; Laboratory of Neuroscience, Department of Psychology, Instituto de Neurociencias del Principado de Asturias (INEUROPA), University of Oviedo, Plaza Feijoo, Oviedo, Spain.
Hippocampus ; 32(2): 121-133, 2022 02.
Article em En | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-34786798
ABSTRACT
Spatial representations enable navigation from early life on. However, the brain regions essential to form spatial representations, like the hippocampus, are considered functionally immature before weaning. Here, we examined the formation of representations of space in rat pups on postnatal day (PD) 16, using a simple habituation paradigm where the pups were exposed to an arena on three occasions, separated by ~140 min. Whereas on the first two occasions the arena was the same, on the third "test" occasion either proximal cues (Prox group), or distal cues (Dist group), or proximal and distal cues (Prox-Dist group), or no cues (No-change group) were rearranged. Locomotion (distance traveled) was used as behavioral measure of habituation, and c-Fos expression to measure regional brain activity at test. Locomotion generally decreased across the first two occasions. At test, it reached a minimum in the No-change group, indicating familiarity with the spatial conditions. By contrast, the Prox-Dist group displayed a significant increase in locomotion which was less robust in the Prox group and absent in the Dist group, a pattern suggesting that the pups relied more on proximal than distal cues during spatial exploration. c-Fos activity in the No-change group was significantly suppressed in the hippocampus (CA1, CA3, dentate gyrus) but simultaneously enhanced in the prelimbic area (PL) of the medial prefrontal cortex, compared with untreated Home-cage controls, pointing to a possible involvement of the PL in regulating locomotion in familiar spaces. By contrast, in both Prox-Dist and Prox groups c-Fos activity was enhanced in hippocampal CA1 and CA3 regions, suggesting these regions might be particularly involved in regulating exploration of spatial novelty. Our findings show that functional representations of space at a systems level are formed already in pre-weanling rats.
Assuntos
Palavras-chave

Texto completo: 1 Base de dados: MEDLINE Assunto principal: Sinais (Psicologia) / Hipocampo Limite: Animals Idioma: En Revista: Hippocampus Assunto da revista: CEREBRO Ano de publicação: 2022 Tipo de documento: Article País de afiliação: Alemanha

Texto completo: 1 Base de dados: MEDLINE Assunto principal: Sinais (Psicologia) / Hipocampo Limite: Animals Idioma: En Revista: Hippocampus Assunto da revista: CEREBRO Ano de publicação: 2022 Tipo de documento: Article País de afiliação: Alemanha