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Trace Fear Conditioning in Mice
Published on: March 20, 2014
Tau phosphorylation in the mouse brain during aversive conditioning
Junko Fujio1, Hiroaki Hosono, Koichi Ishiguro
1Mitsubishi Kagaku Institute of Life Sciences, 11 Minamiooya, Machida, Tokyo 194-8511, Japan.
Neurochemistry International
|June 29, 2007
Summary
Stress increases tau phosphorylation during memory formation. This early-phase phosphorylation in the hippocampus and amygdala may link to Alzheimer's disease memory impairment.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Molecular Biology
- Biochemistry
Background:
- Stress response is critical for memory formation.
- Stress can induce reversible Alzheimer-like tau phosphorylation in animal models.
- The role of tau phosphorylation during the memory acquisition phase remains unclear.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate tau phosphorylation during memory acquisition using a contextual fear conditioning paradigm.
- To examine tau phosphorylation in the hippocampus and amygdala following stress-induced memory formation.
Main Methods:
- Utilized a contextual fear conditioning paradigm with varying electric shock intensities in mice.
- Performed quantitative immunoblot analyses on rapidly prepared hippocampal and limbic tissue extracts.
- Assessed phosphorylation levels of tau, TPKI/GSK3beta, and CaMKIIalpha.
Main Results:
- Statistically significant increases in tau phosphorylation (Thr231/Ser235) were observed in the hippocampus and amygdala after 10 shocks (0.8mA).
- Lower shock intensity (0.2mA) or fewer shocks (3) did not yield significant tau phosphorylation.
- Concurrent increases in phosphorylation of TPKI/GSK3beta (Ser9) and CaMKIIalpha (Thr286) were noted.
Conclusions:
- Tau and TPKI/GSK3beta phosphorylation are involved in the early stages of memory formation in the hippocampus and amygdala.
- Dysregulation of tau phosphorylation may contribute to memory deficits in early Alzheimer's disease.
