The Role of the Medial Prefrontal Cortex in Estradiol-Mediated Enhancement of Object Memory Formation in Female Mice
Mentor 1
Karyn Frick
Location
Union Wisconsin Room
Start Date
28-4-2017 1:30 PM
End Date
28-4-2017 4:00 PM
Description
Systemic injection or dorsal hippocampal infusion of the potent estrogen estradiol can improve memory in ovariectomized (OVXed) female mice. Estrogen receptors are also expressed in other brain regions important for memory formation, including the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC), and the role of the mPFC in E2-mediated memory enhancement is unknown. To address this question, female mice were OVXed and implanted with bilateral cannulae aimed at the mPFC. Mice were then tested in object recognition (OR) and object placement (OP), E2-sensitive tasks routinely used to evaluate object recognition and spatial memory in rodents. Immediately after training in each task, mice were infused with 5mg/hemisphere E2 or vehicle. Memory retention was then tested 48 or 24 hours later, as vehicle-treated OVXed mice do not remember the familiar or unmoved object location at these delays, whereas OVXed mice infused with E2 into the DH do. In the present study, we found mice infused with E2 into the mPFC had intact OR and OP memory, whereas vehicle-treated control mice did not. These data demonstrate that E2 infused directly into the PFC can enhance both OR and OP memory, and provide critical new insight into the estrogenic regulation of memory in female mice.
The Role of the Medial Prefrontal Cortex in Estradiol-Mediated Enhancement of Object Memory Formation in Female Mice
Union Wisconsin Room
Systemic injection or dorsal hippocampal infusion of the potent estrogen estradiol can improve memory in ovariectomized (OVXed) female mice. Estrogen receptors are also expressed in other brain regions important for memory formation, including the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC), and the role of the mPFC in E2-mediated memory enhancement is unknown. To address this question, female mice were OVXed and implanted with bilateral cannulae aimed at the mPFC. Mice were then tested in object recognition (OR) and object placement (OP), E2-sensitive tasks routinely used to evaluate object recognition and spatial memory in rodents. Immediately after training in each task, mice were infused with 5mg/hemisphere E2 or vehicle. Memory retention was then tested 48 or 24 hours later, as vehicle-treated OVXed mice do not remember the familiar or unmoved object location at these delays, whereas OVXed mice infused with E2 into the DH do. In the present study, we found mice infused with E2 into the mPFC had intact OR and OP memory, whereas vehicle-treated control mice did not. These data demonstrate that E2 infused directly into the PFC can enhance both OR and OP memory, and provide critical new insight into the estrogenic regulation of memory in female mice.
