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Trace Fear Conditioning in Mice
Published on: March 20, 2014
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Prolonged contextual fear memory in AMPA receptor palmitoylation-deficient mice
Akiko Oota-Ishigaki1, Keizo Takao2,3, Daisuke Yamada4
1Biomedical Research Institute, National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST), Tsukuba, Ibaraki, 305-8566, Japan.
Summary
Impaired palmitoylation of AMPA receptors in GluA1C811S mice leads to prolonged fear memory and PTSD-like symptoms. This suggests a specific role for AMPA receptor palmitoylation in regulating fear memory consolidation.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Molecular Biology
- Psychiatry
Background:
- Long-lasting fear disorders involve excessive traumatic memory retention.
- AMPA receptor palmitoylation is crucial for neural network stability and preventing seizures.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the neuropsychiatric disease-like symptoms in GluA1C811S mice with deficient AMPA receptor palmitoylation.
- To determine the specific role of GluA1 C-terminal palmitoylation in fear memory and related behaviors.
Main Methods:
- Comprehensive behavioral battery tests were performed on GluA1C811S mice.
- Analysis of contextual fear memory, fear generalization, and fear extinction.
- Assessment of anxiety-like behaviors, locomotion, sociability, depression, and spatial memory.
Main Results:
- Palmitoylation-deficient GluA1 (GluA1C811S) mice exhibited prolonged contextual fear memory.
- Increased fear generalization was observed without affecting cued fear.
- Fear extinction training was ineffective in GluA1C811S mice, linked to augmented amygdala synaptic transmission.
- Locomotion, sociability, depression, and spatial memory remained unaffected.
Conclusions:
- Impairment of AMPA receptor palmitoylation specifically induces posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD)-like symptoms.
- GluA1 palmitoylation is critical for regulating the consolidation and extinction of fear memories.
