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Updated: Dec 15, 2025
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Immunohistochemical Visualization of Hippocampal Neuron Activity After Spatial Learning in a Mouse Model of Neurodevelopmental Disorders
Published on: May 12, 2015
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Neur1 and Neur2 are required for hippocampus-dependent spatial memory and synaptic plasticity
Jaehyun Lee1, Ki-Jun Yoon2, Pojeong Park3
1Interdisciplinary Program in Neuroscience, Seoul National University, Seoul, South Korea.
Hippocampus
|July 10, 2020
Summary
Neur1 and Neur2 proteins are essential for spatial memory and synaptic plasticity in mice. Deleting both Neur1 and Neur2 impaired memory, while deleting only one had no effect.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Molecular Biology
- Genetics
Background:
- Neur1 and Neur2 are mouse homologs of the Drosophila neur gene, encoding E3 ubiquitin ligases involved in Notch signaling.
- Neur1 overexpression enhances hippocampus-dependent memory, but Neur2's role is largely unknown.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the specific roles of Neur1 and Neur2 in hippocampus-dependent memory.
Main Methods:
- Generated and analyzed Neur1 knock-out, Neur2 knock-out, and double knock-out (D-KO) mice.
- Assessed spatial memory and synaptic properties, including long-term potentiation (LTP).
Main Results:
- Spatial memory was impaired in D-KO mice, but not in single knock-outs.
- Basal synaptic properties remained unchanged in D-KO mice.
- Protein synthesis-dependent LTP was specifically impaired in D-KO mice.
Conclusions:
- Neur1 and Neur2 play crucial, cooperative roles in hippocampus-dependent spatial memory.
- These proteins are essential for specific forms of synaptic plasticity, particularly protein synthesis-dependent LTP.
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