Related Experiment Video
Updated: Feb 15, 2026
06:42
Application of a NMDA Receptor Conductance in Rat Midbrain Dopaminergic Neurons Using the Dynamic Clamp Technique
Published on: December 21, 2010
12.5K
Chronic minocycline treatment improves hippocampal neuronal structure, NMDA receptor function, and memory processing
S Y Yau1, Luis Bettio1, M Vetrici1
1Division of Medical Sciences, University of Victoria, Victoria, BC, Canada.
Neurobiology of Disease
|January 26, 2018
Summary
Minocycline treatment improves cognitive and behavioral deficits in Fragile X Syndrome (FXS) models by enhancing synaptic plasticity in the hippocampus. This study reveals minocycline
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Genetics
- Pharmacology
Background:
- Fragile X Syndrome (FXS) is a leading genetic cause of intellectual disability and autism spectrum disorder.
- FXS is characterized by cognitive impairments and behavioral deficits.
- Minocycline is increasingly used to treat FXS symptoms, but its mechanism is unclear.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate if minocycline enhances N-methyl-d-aspartate (NMDA) receptor-dependent synaptic plasticity in the hippocampus of FXS models.
- To determine the effects of minocycline on functional and structural plasticity in the dentate gyrus.
Main Methods:
- Chronic minocycline treatment was administered to FXS mice.
- NMDA receptor function in dentate granule cells was assessed.
- Synaptoneurosome fractions were analyzed for PSD-95, GluN2A, and GluN2B subunits.
- Dendritic morphology was evaluated.
- Novel object recognition tests were performed.
Main Results:
- Minocycline significantly enhanced NMDA receptor function.
- Increased levels of PSD-95, GluN2A, and GluN2B were observed.
- Dendritic length and branching of dentate granule cells were enhanced.
- Minocycline treatment rescued novel object recognition performance in FXS mice.
Conclusions:
- Minocycline provides both structural and functional benefits to hippocampal cells in FXS models.
- These improvements may underlie the pro-cognitive effects of minocycline in FXS treatment.
- Minocycline shows potential as a therapeutic agent for addressing cognitive deficits in FXS.
Related Concept Videos
01:56Structural Protein Function
30.1K
Structural proteins are a category of proteins responsible for functions ranging from cell shape and movement to providing support to major structures such as bones, cartilage, hair, and muscles. This group includes proteins such as collagen, actin, myosin, and keratin.
Collagen, the most abundant protein in mammals, is found throughout the body. In connective tissue, such as skin, ligaments, and tendons, it provides tensile strength and elasticity. In bones and teeth, it mineralizes to...
Collagen, the most abundant protein in mammals, is found throughout the body. In connective tissue, such as skin, ligaments, and tendons, it provides tensile strength and elasticity. In bones and teeth, it mineralizes to...
30.1K
01:30Cognitive Enhancers: Cholinesterase Inhibitors and NMDA Receptor Antagonists
666
Cognitive enhancers, also known as "smart drugs," are substances used to enhance memory, mental alertness, and concentration. These can be natural or synthetic and improve cognition in conditions like Alzheimer's disease (AD) and other neurodegenerative diseases. Some common examples include caffeine, amphetamines, methylphenidate, modafinil, arecoline, donepezil, vortioxetine, and piracetam. These enhancers work on the principle of synaptic plasticity and altered circuit function.
666
02:41Chromatin Structure Regulates pre-mRNA Processing
8.3K
In eukaryotic cells, nascent mRNA transcripts need to undergo many post-transcriptional modifications to reach the cell cytoplasm and translate into functional proteins. For a long time, transcription and pre-mRNA processing were considered two independent events that occur sequentially in the cell. However, it has now been well established that transcription and pre-mRNA processing are two simultaneous processes that are precisely regulated inside the cell.
The chromatin structure, especially...
The chromatin structure, especially...
8.3K
01:31Neuron Structure
232.3K
Overview
232.3K
01:30Neuron Structure
18.7K
Neurons are the main type of cell in the nervous system that generate and transmit electrochemical signals. They primarily communicate with each other using neurotransmitters at specific junctions called synapses. Neurons come in many shapes that often relate to their function, but most share three main structures: an axon and dendrites that extend out from a cell body.
Structure and Function of Neurons
The neuronal cell body—the soma— houses the nucleus and organelles vital to...
Structure and Function of Neurons
The neuronal cell body—the soma— houses the nucleus and organelles vital to...
18.7K
01:58Fruit Development, Structure, and Function
25.5K
Fruits form from a mature flower ovary. As seeds develop from the ovules contained within, the ovary wall undergoes a series of complex changes to form fruit. In some fruits, such as soybeans, the ovary wall dries; in other fruits, such as grapes, it remains fleshy. In some cases, organs other than the ovary contribute to fruit formation; such fruits are called accessory fruits.
25.5K