Effects of serotonin on memory impairments produced by ethanol

Subjects treated with low or high doses of ethanol demonstrated impaired memory, particularly in tests involving the recall of poorly learned information. Zimelidine, an inhibitor of serotonin reuptake, reversed this ethanol-induced impairment. The serotonin neurotransmitter system may mediate learning and memory in humans and may determine some of the effects of alcohol on higher mental functions.     

Memory's penumbra: episodic memory decisions induce lingering mnemonic biases

How do we decide if the people we meet and the things we see are familiar or new? If something is new, we need to encode it as a memory distinct from already stored episodes, using a process known as pattern separation. If familiar, it can be used to reactivate a previously stored memory, by a process known as pattern completion. To orchestrate these conflicting processes, current models propose that the episodic memory system uses environmental cues to establish processing biases that favor either pattern separation during encoding or pattern completion during retrieval. To assess this theory, we measured how people's memory formation and decisions are influenced by their recent engagement in episodic encoding and retrieval. We found that the recent encoding of novel objects improved subsequent identification of subtle changes, a task thought to rely on pattern separation. Conversely, recent retrieval of old objects increased the subsequent integration of stored information into new memories, a process thought to rely on pattern completion. These experiments provide behavioral evidence that episodic encoding and retrieval evoke lingering biases that influence subsequent mnemonic processing.     

Norepinephrine biosynthesis inhibition: effects on memory in mice

Diethyldithiocarbamate, a dopamine beta hydroxylase inhibitor, decreases biosynthesis of norepinephrine in the brain. The effects of this inhibitor coincide with alterations in memory as demonstrated in single-trial passive avoidance in C57BL/6J mice.     

中年CD-1小鼠情景样记忆能力下降

利用3次物体探索任务检测13月龄和5月龄CD-1小鼠的情景样记忆能力。结果表明,13月龄CD-1小鼠探索移动过的旧物体优先指数显著低于5月龄小鼠(P0.05),但两组间对2个旧物体的优先指数及总探索时间均无显著性差异,性别及年龄与性别的交互作用对这些指标均无显著性影响(Ps0.05)。结果提示中年CD-1小鼠已存在情景样记忆能力减退,且主要源自于"地点"要素。     

昆明小鼠年龄相关性物体位置再认能力减退

探讨昆明小鼠物体位置再认能力的年龄、性别效应.结果表明,10 min和24 h延迟试验中21月龄小鼠较12月龄和6月龄小鼠物体位置再认记忆有显著性减退,且主要归因于雌鼠;即刻试验中,老年雄鼠有物体位置再认即刻记忆减退.以上结果提示,老年雌性昆明小鼠有长时性和遥远性物体位置再认记忆减退.     

Radio-wave heating of iron oxide nanoparticles can regulate plasma glucose in mice

Medical applications of nanotechnology typically focus on drug delivery and biosensors. Here, we combine nanotechnology and bioengineering to demonstrate that nanoparticles can be used to remotely regulate protein production in vivo. We decorated a modified temperature-sensitive channel, TRPV1, with antibody-coated iron oxide nanoparticles that are heated in a low-frequency magnetic field. When local temperature rises, TRPV1 gates calcium to stimulate synthesis and release of bioengineered insulin driven by a Ca(2+)-sensitive promoter. Studying tumor xenografts expressing the bioengineered insulin gene, we show that exposure to radio waves stimulates insulin release from the tumors and lowers blood glucose in mice. We further show that cells can be engineered to synthesize genetically encoded ferritin nanoparticles and inducibly release insulin. These approaches provide a platform for using nanotechnology to activate cells.     

Persistence of memory CD8 T cells in MHC class I-deficient mice

An understanding of how T cell memory is maintained is crucial for the rational design of vaccines. Memory T cells were shown to persist indefinitely in major histocompatibility complex (MHC) class I-deficient mice and retained the ability to make rapid cytokine responses upon reencounter with antigen. In addition, memory CD8 T cells, unlike na?ve cells, divided without MHC-T cell receptor interactions. This "homeostatic" proliferation is likely to be important in maintaining memory T cell numbers in the periphery. Thus, after na?ve CD8 T cells differentiate into memory cells, they evolve an MHC class I-independent "life-style" and do not require further stimulation with specific or cross-reactive antigen for their maintenance.     

Puromycin: effect on memory of mice when injected with various cations

Puromycin dihydrochloride neutralized with bases of potassium, lithium, calcium, or magnesium fails to block expression of memory of maze learning in mice, unlike puromycin neutralized with NaOH. This failure may be due to cationic binding at anionic membrane sites with a resultant exclusion of sufficient peptidyl-puromycin to make it ineffective in blocking memory.     

Intracerebral saline: effect on memory of trained mice treated with puromycin

It was shown that puromycin administered to mice 1 or more days after maze-learning blocks expression of memory; the blockage can be removed by intracerebral injections of saline. We present evidence that intracerebral injections of saline are relatively ineffective in restoring memory when puromycin is administered either before or immediately after training; in these two situations puromycin appears to interfere with consolidation of memory.     

Memory in mice analyzed with antibiotics. Antibiotics are useful to study stages of memory and to indicate molecular events which sustain memory

It is apparent that antibiotics are useful in differentiating different stages in the formation of memory. Puromycin gave the first indication that very early memory can be established and survive, for a short period at least, in spite of inhibition of protein synthesis (12). Injection of actinomycin D indicates that RNA synthesis is not essential during this early stage (13). The duration of this early period seems to vary with the inhibiting agent; with puromycin memory was notably degraded in less than an hour, but with actinomycin D or with acetoxycycloheximide it persisted for several hours or more. The fixation or consolidation of memory involves whatever processes give permanence to memory. These processes are disrupted when electroconvulsive shock is administered shortly after a learning experience, presumably because of the interference with organized patterns of neuronal electrical activity. Memory acquired in the presence of antibiotics appears to proceed to a stage beyond that based purely on electrical activity because the memory persists beyond the period usually reported as sensitive to electroconvulsive shock. Further work should show whether this stage is truly insensitive to electroconvulsive shock. Memory acquired in the presence of puromycin does not seem to achieve any durable consolidation. In contrast, memory acquired in the presence of or immediately before injection of acetoxycycloheximide does appear to initiate the later stages of consolidation, as permanent memory. reappears some days after the initial stages have become ineffective in controlling performance. Finally, puromycin has provided evidence of the enlarged area of the neocortex which participates as memory matures. Puromycin also indicates the time required for this maturation process. Since antibiotics have also been useful in studying learning and memory in goldfish (14), this approach seems to have general applicability in defining various stages in the process of memory formation. The initial purpose of these investigations was to determine the molecular basis of the "memory trace" This goal still remains distant, although there are some indications that protein synthesizing systems are involved. This objective, though of enormous interest, is to be regarded as only a necessary first step. Whether new proteins or some other molecules cause the changes in synapses thought to underlie memory, this knowledge of itself will contribute only a beginning to our understanding of the events which account for the functioning of the brain. A determination of the composition of computer components would provide very little information towards unraveling their function. As the experiments proceeded, however, information of a more general nature was being obtained. The identification of different stages of consolidation show how injections of antibiotics can supplement electroconvulsive shock as a way of disrupting the establishment of memory and how it can supplement ablation in destroying memory already laid down in a permanent mode. Applied to larger animals the localization of various regions sensitive or insensitive to the action of the drugs should become more definitive. We hope that such experiments will contribute increasingly to the general problem of brain function.     

NPY/AgRP neurons are essential for feeding in adult mice but can be ablated in neonates

Hypothalamic neurons that express neuropeptide Y (NPY) and agouti-related protein (AgRP) are thought to be critical regulators of feeding behavior and body weight. To determine whether NPY/AgRP neurons are essential in mice, we targeted the human diphtheria toxin receptor to the Agrp locus, which allows temporally controlled ablation of NPY/AgRP neurons to occur after an injection of diphtheria toxin. Neonatal ablation of NPY/AgRP neurons had minimal effects on feeding, whereas their ablation in adults caused rapid starvation. These results suggest that network-based compensatory mechanisms can develop after the ablation of NPY/AgRP neurons in neonates but do not readily occur when these neurons become essential in adults.     

Intrahippocampal septal grafts ameliorate learning impairments in aged rats

Grafts of fetal septal tissue rich in cholinergic neurons were implanted as a dissociated cell suspension into the depth of the hippocampal formation in aged rats with severe impairments in spatial learning abilities. After 2 1/2 to 3 months, the rats with grafts, but not the controls, had improved their performance in a spatial learning test. Their improvement was due, at least in part, to an increased ability to use spatial cues in the task. In all animals the grafts had produced an extensive acetylcholinesterase-positive terminal network in the surrounding host hippocampal formation. Thus, the action of cholinergic neurons in the graft onto elements in the host hippocampal circuitry may be a necessary, but perhaps not sufficient, prerequisite for the observed functional recovery.     

猪尿中糖皮质激素类药物残留的UPLC-MS/MS检测方法的研究

建立猪尿中9种糖皮质激素类药物残留的UPLC-MS/MS检测方法。样品在酸性条件下酶解后,乙酸乙酯提取,再用HLB固相萃取柱和氨基固相萃取柱净化后,用液相色谱-串联质谱测定。9种药物在2~100ng/mL浓度范围内呈线性相关,在空白猪尿中添加1~5 ng/mL浓度范围内,平均回收率为55.0%~106.2%,批内变异系数为3.0%~19.1%,批间为1.3%~15.4%,检测限为0.5 ng/mL,定量限为1.0 ng/mL。本方法具有较好的灵敏度、准确度和精密度,能满足猪尿中此类药物残留的检测。     

Predators induce cloning in echinoderm larvae

Asexual propagation (cloning) is a widespread reproductive strategy of plants and animals. Although larval cloning is well documented in echinoderms, identified stimuli for cloning are limited to those associated with conditions favorable for growth and reproduction. Our research shows that larvae of the sand dollar Dendraster excentricus also clone in response to cues from predators. Predator-induced clones were smaller than uncloned larvae, suggesting an advantage against visual predators. Our results offer another ecological context for asexual reproduction: rapid size reduction as a defense.     

年龄对C57BL/6小鼠在不同空间性学习记忆能力的影响

探讨C57BL/6小鼠在辐射状六臂水迷宫(RAWM)和Morris水迷宫(MWM)中是否有一致性学习记忆能力减退,以及两任务中的成绩是否相关.结果表明,在RAWM和MWM中,老年小鼠的空间性学习记忆能力均下降,但对每个小鼠而言,两个空间任务间的成绩几乎没有关联(MWM中的潜伏期仅与RAWM中的学习成绩弱相关,r=0.45～0.49).这些结果表明RAWM和MWM都是优秀的空间学习记忆任务,对检测小鼠的年龄相关性学习记忆功能减退均敏感,但个体完成两个任务的成绩不一致,提示在探讨记忆减退机制时最好两个任务并用.     

胚胎期暴露氰戊菊酯对中年CD-1小鼠 空间学习记忆能力的影响

本研究旨在探讨胚胎期暴露氰戊菊酯对中年CD-1小鼠空间学习记忆能力的影响。利用六臂辐射状水迷宫任务检测胚胎期暴露氰戊菊酯组与暴露乳剂的对照组13月龄CD-1小鼠的空间学习记忆能力。结果表明,在辐射状水迷宫任务的学习期和记忆期中,氰戊菊酯组的错误数和潜伏期均显著高于对照组(Ps<0.05)。因此,胚胎期暴露氰戊菊酯可加速中年CD-1小鼠年龄相关性空间学习记忆能力减退的出现。     

中老年CD-1小鼠海马Staufen蛋白含量改变及其与认知功能减退的相关性研究

探讨中老年CD-1小鼠海马Staufen（Stau）蛋白含量的改变及其与空间学习记忆功能减退之间的相关性。选取3月龄（青年）和15月龄（中老年）CD-1小鼠各10只（雌雄各半）。采用Morris水迷宫评估空间学习记忆能力,用免疫组织化学技术检测海马Stau蛋白的相对含量。结果发现,与3月龄小鼠相比,15月龄鼠在Morris水迷宫中学习期游泳路程显著延长（P<0.01）,记忆期靶象限游泳路程百分比显著降低（P<0.05）,且海马CA1区和CA3区Stau蛋白含量显著升高（P<0.05）。相关性分析显示,15月龄小鼠CA1区、CA3区Stau蛋白含量与学习期游泳路程呈正相关（P<0.05）,CA3区Stau蛋白含量与记忆期靶象限路程百分比呈负相关（P<0.05）。以上结果提示中老年CD-1小鼠海马Stau蛋白含量呈亚区特异性增加,且可能与海马相关性空间学习记忆的损害有关。