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Brain‐derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) is required for the enhancement of hippocampal neurogenesis following environmental enrichment
Author(s) -
Rossi Chiara,
Angelucci Andrea,
Costantin Laura,
Braschi Chiara,
Mazzantini Mario,
Babbini Francesco,
Fabbri Maria Elena,
Tessarollo Lino,
Maffei Lamberto,
Berardi Nicoletta,
Caleo Matteo
Publication year - 2006
Publication title -
european journal of neuroscience
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.346
H-Index - 206
eISSN - 1460-9568
pISSN - 0953-816X
DOI - 10.1111/j.1460-9568.2006.05059.x
Subject(s) - neurogenesis , dentate gyrus , neun , hippocampal formation , environmental enrichment , brain derived neurotrophic factor , neurotrophic factors , hippocampus , neurotrophin , bromodeoxyuridine , neuroscience , biology , knockout mouse , neurotrophin 3 , endocrinology , medicine , immunology , immunohistochemistry , receptor
Neurogenesis continues to occur in the adult mammalian hippocampus and is regulated by both genetic and environmental factors. It is known that exposure to an enriched environment enhances the number of newly generated neurons in the dentate gyrus. However, the mechanisms by which enriched housing produces these effects are poorly understood. To test a role for neurotrophins, we used heterozygous knockout mice for brain‐derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF +/– ) and mice lacking neurotrophin‐4 (NT‐4 –/– ) together with their wild‐type littermates. Mice were either reared in standard laboratory conditions or placed in an enriched environment for 8 weeks. Animals received injections of the mitotic marker bromodeoxyuridine (BrdU) to label newborn cells. Enriched wild‐type and enriched NT‐4 –/– mice showed a two‐fold increase in hippocampal neurogenesis as assessed by stereological counting of BrdU‐positive cells in the dentate gyrus and double labelling for BrdU and the neuronal marker NeuN. Remarkably, this enhancement of hippocampal neurogenesis was not seen in enriched BDNF +/– mice. Failure to up‐regulate BDNF accompanied the lack of a neurogenic response in enriched BDNF heterozygous mice. We conclude that BDNF but not NT‐4 is required for the environmental induction of neurogenesis.