Consolidating unique memories: BDNF in the dentate gyrus is required for spatial pattern separation

PEDRO BEKINSCHTEIN; LISA M. SAKSIDA; TIMOTHY J. BUSSEY

Harrogate

Congreso; British neuroscience Association Meeting 2011; 2011

British Neuroscience Association

Consolidating unique memories: BDNF in the dentate gyrus is required for spatial pattern separation   Pedro Bekinschtein (1, 2), Lisa M Saksida (1,2) and Timothy J Bussey (1,2) (1)  Department of Experimental Psychology, University of Cambridge, UK (2)  MRC and Wellcome Trust Behavioural and Clinical neuroscience Institute, University of Cambridge, UK   Supported by BBSRC   Abstract   To allow similar episodes to be distinguished in memory, the brain must form distinct representations of these events. The computational process for making representations for similar input patterns more orthogonal to and distinct from each other has been referred to as “pattern separation”. Recent studies have suggested that the brain region crucial for the process of spatial pattern separation is the dentate gyrus (DG) of the hippocampus.  It is largely unknown however, what mechanisms and molecules underlie pattern separation.  Here we show that an increase in BDNF in the dentate gyrus is associated with exposure to landmarks delineating similar, but not dissimilar spatial locations within an open field and that both activity and expression of this molecule are required for memory consolidation of similar, but not dissimilar spatial representations in the DG.