Open AccessEnvironmental noise degrades hippocampus-related learning and memory
Author(s) -
Yifan Zhang,
Min Zhu,
Yutian Sun,
Binliang Tang,
Guimin Zhang,
Pengying An,
Yuan Cheng,
Shan Ye,
Michael M. Merzenich,
Xiaoming Zhou
Publication year - 2020
Publication title -
proceedings of the national academy of sciences of the united states of america
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 5.011
H-Index - 771
eISSN - 1091-6490
pISSN - 0027-8424
DOI - 10.1073/pnas.2017841117
Subject(s) - noise (video) , noise pollution , hippocampus , human health , noise exposure , affect (linguistics) , psychology , audiology , neuroscience , cognitive psychology , environmental health , medicine , hearing loss , computer science , communication , noise reduction , artificial intelligence , image (mathematics)
The neural mechanisms underlying the impacts of noise on nonauditory function, particularly learning and memory, remain largely unknown. Here, we demonstrate that rats exposed postnatally (between postnatal days 9 and 56) to structured noise delivered at a sound pressure level of ∼65 dB displayed significantly degraded hippocampus-related learning and memory abilities. Noise exposure also suppressed the induction of hippocampal long-term potentiation (LTP). In parallel, the total or phosphorylated levels of certain LTP-related key signaling molecules in the synapses of the hippocampus were down-regulated. However, no significant changes in stress-related processes were found for the noise-exposed rats. These results in a rodent model indicate that even moderate-level noise with little effect on stress status can substantially impair hippocampus-related learning and memory by altering the plasticity of synaptic transmission. They support the importance of more thoroughly defining the unappreciated hazards of moderately loud noise in modern human environments.