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Detection of novelty, but not memory of spatial habituation, is associated with an increase in phosphorylated cAMP response element‐binding protein levels in the hippocampus
Author(s) -
Winograd Milena,
Viola Haydée
Publication year - 2003
Publication title -
hippocampus
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.767
H-Index - 155
eISSN - 1098-1063
pISSN - 1050-9631
DOI - 10.1002/hipo.10153
Subject(s) - habituation , creb , hippocampus , novelty , hippocampal formation , open field , neuroscience , psychology , endocrinology , chemistry , medicine , biochemistry , psychiatry , social psychology , transcription factor , gene
There is a growing body of evidence showing that the formation of associative memories is associated with an increase in phosphorylated cAMP response element‐binding protein (pCREB) levels. We recently reported increased pCREB levels in the rat hippocampus after an exploration to a novel environment. In the present work, we studied whether this increment in CREB activation is associated with the formation of memory of habituation to a novel environment or with the detection of novelty. Rats were submitted to consecutive open field sessions at 3‐h intervals. Measurement of the hippocampal pCREB level, carried out 1 h after each training session, showed that (1) it did not increase when rats explored a familiar environment; (2) it did not increase after a reexposure that improves the memory of habituation; (3) it increased after a brief novel exploration unable to form memory of habituation; and (4) it increased in amnesic rats for spatial habituation. Taken as a whole, our results suggest that the elevated pCREB level after a single open field exploration is not associated with the memory formation of habituation. It is indeed associated with the detection of a novel environment. © 2003 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.