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Anterior thalamic nuclei neurons sustain memory

A hippocampal-diencephalic-cortical network supports memory function. The anterior thalamic nuclei (ATN) form a key anatomical hub within this system. Consistent with this, injury to the mammillary body-ATN axis is associated with examples of clinical amnesia. However, there is only limited and indi...

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Autores principales: Barnett, S.C., Parr-Brownlie, L.C., Perry, B.A.L., Young, C.K., Wicky, H.E., Hughes, S.M., McNaughton, N., Dalrymple-Alford, J.C.
Formato: Online Artículo Texto
Lenguaje:English
Publicado: Elsevier 2021
Materias:
Acceso en línea:https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9559952/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/36246504
http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.crneur.2021.100022
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author Barnett, S.C.
Parr-Brownlie, L.C.
Perry, B.A.L.
Young, C.K.
Wicky, H.E.
Hughes, S.M.
McNaughton, N.
Dalrymple-Alford, J.C.
author_facet Barnett, S.C.
Parr-Brownlie, L.C.
Perry, B.A.L.
Young, C.K.
Wicky, H.E.
Hughes, S.M.
McNaughton, N.
Dalrymple-Alford, J.C.
author_sort Barnett, S.C.
collection PubMed
description A hippocampal-diencephalic-cortical network supports memory function. The anterior thalamic nuclei (ATN) form a key anatomical hub within this system. Consistent with this, injury to the mammillary body-ATN axis is associated with examples of clinical amnesia. However, there is only limited and indirect support that the output of ATN neurons actively enhances memory. Here, in rats, we first showed that mammillothalamic tract (MTT) lesions caused a persistent impairment in spatial working memory. MTT lesions also reduced rhythmic electrical activity across the memory system. Next, we introduced 8.5 Hz optogenetic theta-burst stimulation of the ATN glutamatergic neurons. The exogenously-triggered, regular pattern of stimulation produced an acute and substantial improvement of spatial working memory in rats with MTT lesions and enhanced rhythmic electrical activity. Neither behaviour nor rhythmic activity was affected by endogenous stimulation derived from the dorsal hippocampus. Analysis of immediate early gene activity, after the rats foraged for food in an open field, showed that exogenously-triggered ATN stimulation also increased Zif268 expression across memory-related structures. These findings provide clear evidence that increased ATN neuronal activity supports memory. They suggest that ATN-focused gene therapy may be feasible to counter clinical amnesia associated with dysfunction in the mammillary body-ATN axis.
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spelling pubmed-95599522022-10-14 Anterior thalamic nuclei neurons sustain memory Barnett, S.C. Parr-Brownlie, L.C. Perry, B.A.L. Young, C.K. Wicky, H.E. Hughes, S.M. McNaughton, N. Dalrymple-Alford, J.C. Curr Res Neurobiol Research Article A hippocampal-diencephalic-cortical network supports memory function. The anterior thalamic nuclei (ATN) form a key anatomical hub within this system. Consistent with this, injury to the mammillary body-ATN axis is associated with examples of clinical amnesia. However, there is only limited and indirect support that the output of ATN neurons actively enhances memory. Here, in rats, we first showed that mammillothalamic tract (MTT) lesions caused a persistent impairment in spatial working memory. MTT lesions also reduced rhythmic electrical activity across the memory system. Next, we introduced 8.5 Hz optogenetic theta-burst stimulation of the ATN glutamatergic neurons. The exogenously-triggered, regular pattern of stimulation produced an acute and substantial improvement of spatial working memory in rats with MTT lesions and enhanced rhythmic electrical activity. Neither behaviour nor rhythmic activity was affected by endogenous stimulation derived from the dorsal hippocampus. Analysis of immediate early gene activity, after the rats foraged for food in an open field, showed that exogenously-triggered ATN stimulation also increased Zif268 expression across memory-related structures. These findings provide clear evidence that increased ATN neuronal activity supports memory. They suggest that ATN-focused gene therapy may be feasible to counter clinical amnesia associated with dysfunction in the mammillary body-ATN axis. Elsevier 2021-09-24 /pmc/articles/PMC9559952/ /pubmed/36246504 http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.crneur.2021.100022 Text en © 2021 Published by Elsevier B.V. https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/This is an open access article under the CC BY-NC-ND license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/).
spellingShingle Research Article
Barnett, S.C.
Parr-Brownlie, L.C.
Perry, B.A.L.
Young, C.K.
Wicky, H.E.
Hughes, S.M.
McNaughton, N.
Dalrymple-Alford, J.C.
Anterior thalamic nuclei neurons sustain memory
title Anterior thalamic nuclei neurons sustain memory
title_full Anterior thalamic nuclei neurons sustain memory
title_fullStr Anterior thalamic nuclei neurons sustain memory
title_full_unstemmed Anterior thalamic nuclei neurons sustain memory
title_short Anterior thalamic nuclei neurons sustain memory
title_sort anterior thalamic nuclei neurons sustain memory
topic Research Article
url https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9559952/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/36246504
http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.crneur.2021.100022
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