Functional Dissociation of Adult-Born Neurons Along the Dorsoventral Axis of the Dentate Gyrus

By Melody V. Wu, R. Hen. 2014

154 citations recorded by the source corpus.

Adult‐born granule cells in the mammalian dentate gyrus have long been implicated in hippocampal dependent spatial learning and behavioral effects of chronic antidepressant treatment. Although recent anatomical and functional evidence indicates a dissociation of the dorsal and ventral regions of the hippocampus, it is not known if adult neurogenesis within each region specifically contributes to distinct functions or whether adult‐born cells along the entire dorsoventral axis are required for these behaviors. We examined the role of distinct subpopulations of adult‐born hippocampal granule cells in learning‐ and anxiety‐related behaviors using low‐dose focal x‐irradiation directed specifically to the dorsal or ventral dentate gyrus. Our findings indicate a functional dissociation between adult‐born neurons along the longitudinal axis of the dentate gyrus wherein new neurons in the dorsal dentate gyrus are required for timely acquisition of contextual discrimination while immature neurons in the ventral dentate gyrus are necessary for anxiolytic/antidepressant‐related effects of fluoxetine. Interestingly, when contexts are presented with altered temporal cues, or fluoxetine is administered alongside chronic glucocorticoid treatment, this dissociation is abrogated such that adult‐born neurons across the entire dorsoventral extent of the dentate gyrus appear to contribute to these behaviors. Our results suggest that individual subpopulations of adult‐born hippocampal neurons may be sufficient to mediate distinct behaviors in certain conditions, but are required to act in concert in more challenging situations. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Subfields: Cellular and Molecular Neuroscience, Developmental Neuroscience

How researchers see this paper

The researchers whose trusted networks rank it highest, strongest advocate first. Every researcher gets a different order.

In Cellular and Molecular Neuroscience

1. R. Hen
2. Amar Sahay
3. A. Dwork
4. G. Rosoklija
5. V. Arango
6. M. Boldrini
7. Alexis S. Hill
8. Fred H. Gage

In Developmental Neuroscience

1. R. Hen
2. Amar Sahay
3. V. Arango
4. A. Dwork
5. G. Rosoklija
6. M. Boldrini
7. Alexis S. Hill
8. Fred H. Gage

Citations in the corpus

• Human Hippocampal Neurogenesis Persists throughout Aging (2018, positive): “…we found declining neuroplasticity and angiogenesis with older age, and a possibly diminished multipotent QNP pool selectively in anterior-mid DG, while the QNP pool remained unchanged in posterior DG, possibly reflecting less cognitive and emotional resilience with aging (Wu and Hen, 2014).”
• Increasing Adult Hippocampal Neurogenesis is Sufficient to Reduce Anxiety and Depression-Like Behaviors (2015, background): “In addition, many studies have observed larger effects of chronic stressors and antidepressants on ventral than dorsal neurogenesis (Tanti and Belzung, 2013b; Wu and Hen, 2014a; Wu et al, 2014b).”