Dentate gyrus and spatial working memory in Wistar rats: differences in cytochrome oxidase activity along the septo-temporal axis

Abstract

Event Abstract Back to Event Dentate gyrus and spatial working memory in Wistar rats: differences in cytochrome oxidase activity along the septo-temporal axis Magdalena Mendez-Lopez1*, Marta Mendez1, Camino Alvarez-Fidalgo1, Azucena Begega1, Laudino Lopez1 and Jorge L. Arias1 1 University of Oviedo, Laboratorio de Neurociencias, Departamento de Psicología, Spain The hippocampus is one of the main brain structures that participate in the formation of memories. This region shows heterogeneity along its septo-temporal axis. Hence, the temporal pole has a role in anxiety and fear while the septal pole in involved in spatial learning. The cytochrome oxidase (COx) is a mitochondrial enzyme involved in the oxidative phosphorylation process in which the ATP is generated. The COx reflects changes in tissue metabolic capacity induced by sustained energy requirements of the nervous system associated with spatial learning assessed in the Morris water maze (MWM). In this study, COx histochemistry was applied to identify changes in the septal, intermediate and temporal dentate gyrus (DG) of Wistar rats at different time periods after learning a spatial working memory task (SWMT) performed in a MWM. The SWMT consisted in a daily session that demanded a recall of the position occupied by a hidden platform during the sample trial. The task was developed in four consecutive days and the locations of the platform and of the start positions varied on the different days. The trained groups (n=8) were divided according to the time elapsed until decapitation (90 min, 6, 24 and 48 h) and a control cage group (n=8) was used to compare the pattern of changes. A reduction of escape latencies in grouped retention trials compared to the sample trials was found (p <0.001, paired t-test). In relation to the COx activity results, we found an increase in the septal region at 90 min and at 6 h post-training (p <0.01, one-way ANOVA and Tukey’s test). In contrast, the intermediate region showed an increase at 24 h post-training (p <0.05). No changes were found in the temporal DG. These findings suggest that septal and intermediate DG zones participate in this spatial learning and contribute at different moments to process this information. This work was supported by MEC Grant SEJ2007-63506. Conference: 41st European Brain and Behaviour Society Meeting, Rhodes Island, Greece, 13 Sep - 18 Sep, 2009. Presentation Type: Poster Presentation Topic: Poster presentations Citation: Mendez-Lopez M, Mendez M, Alvarez-Fidalgo C, Begega A, Lopez L and Arias JL (2009). Dentate gyrus and spatial working memory in Wistar rats: differences in cytochrome oxidase activity along the septo-temporal axis. Conference Abstract: 41st European Brain and Behaviour Society Meeting. doi: 10.3389/conf.neuro.08.2009.09.232 Copyright: The abstracts in this collection have not been subject to any Frontiers peer review or checks, and are not endorsed by Frontiers. They are made available through the Frontiers publishing platform as a service to conference organizers and presenters. The copyright in the individual abstracts is owned by the author of each abstract or his/her employer unless otherwise stated. Each abstract, as well as the collection of abstracts, are published under a Creative Commons CC-BY 4.0 (attribution) licence (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/) and may thus be reproduced, translated, adapted and be the subject of derivative works provided the authors and Frontiers are attributed. For Frontiers’ terms and conditions please see https://www.frontiersin.org/legal/terms-and-conditions. Received: 11 Jun 2009; Published Online: 11 Jun 2009. * Correspondence: Magdalena Mendez-Lopez, University of Oviedo, Laboratorio de Neurociencias, Departamento de Psicología, Oviedo, Spain, mendezmagdalena@uniovi.es Login Required This action requires you to be registered with Frontiers and logged in. To register or login click here. Abstract Info Abstract The Authors in Frontiers Magdalena Mendez-Lopez Marta Mendez Camino Alvarez-Fidalgo Azucena Begega Laudino Lopez Jorge L Arias Google Magdalena Mendez-Lopez Marta Mendez Camino Alvarez-Fidalgo Azucena Begega Laudino Lopez Jorge L Arias Google Scholar Magdalena Mendez-Lopez Marta Mendez Camino Alvarez-Fidalgo Azucena Begega Laudino Lopez Jorge L Arias PubMed Magdalena Mendez-Lopez Marta Mendez Camino Alvarez-Fidalgo Azucena Begega Laudino Lopez Jorge L Arias Related Article in Frontiers Google Scholar PubMed Abstract Close Back to top Javascript is disabled. Please enable Javascript in your browser settings in order to see all the content on this page.