A new player: the role of retrosplenial cortex in memory processing

KRAMAR C; KATCHE C; GONZALEZ C; HOLMBERG J; TOMAIUOLO M; MEDINA JH

Huerta Grande - Cordoba - Argentina

Congreso; IIRCN: XXV Reunión Anual de la Sociedad Argentina de Investigación en Neurociencias (SAN) y XII Taller Argentino de Neurociencias (TAN).; 2010

A widely accepted view concerning memory processing (termed “system consolidation”) suggests the existence of a dialogue between the hippocampus (Hp) and other regions. Although the Hp is crucial in the formation of new declarative memories, other brain regions probably mediate permanent storage of remote memories. We identified changes in the expression of the immediate early gene (IEG) c-Fos at 1 and 24 hours after a strong inhibitory avoidance (IA) training in the retrosplenial cortex (RSCx) by immunohistochemistry. Taking into account these results, and because this region is connected with the Hp, we studied the expression of plasticity-related proteins. Using western blot analysis, we performed a temporal expression profile of IEGs in RSCx of naive, shocked or strong IA-trained animals. There is an increase in c-Fos levels at specific times after learning, but not after a non-associative shock. We are currentlyperforming pharmacological experiments to clarify the role played by RSCx in these mechanisms, and to define functional RSCx-Hp interactions. These results suggest a role for this cortex in memory formation or storage.