Functional interactions between dentate gyrus, striatum and anterior thalamic nuclei on spatial memory retrieval

M Méndez-Couz; N M Conejo; H González-Pardo; J L Arias

doi:10.1016/j.brainres.2015.02.005

Functional interactions between dentate gyrus, striatum and anterior thalamic nuclei on spatial memory retrieval

Brain Res. 2015 Apr 24:1605:59-69. doi: 10.1016/j.brainres.2015.02.005. Epub 2015 Feb 11.

Authors

M Méndez-Couz¹, N M Conejo², H González-Pardo³, J L Arias⁴

Affiliations

¹ Laboratory of Neuroscience, Department of Psychology. Instituto de Neurociencias del Principado de Asturias (INEUROPA), University of Oviedo, Plaza Feijóo s/n, 33003 Oviedo, Spain. Electronic address: mendezlopmarta@uniovi.es.
² Laboratory of Neuroscience, Department of Psychology. Instituto de Neurociencias del Principado de Asturias (INEUROPA), University of Oviedo, Plaza Feijóo s/n, 33003 Oviedo, Spain. Electronic address: conejonelida@uniovi.es.
³ Laboratory of Neuroscience, Department of Psychology. Instituto de Neurociencias del Principado de Asturias (INEUROPA), University of Oviedo, Plaza Feijóo s/n, 33003 Oviedo, Spain. Electronic address: hgpardo@uniovi.es.
⁴ Laboratory of Neuroscience, Department of Psychology. Instituto de Neurociencias del Principado de Asturias (INEUROPA), University of Oviedo, Plaza Feijóo s/n, 33003 Oviedo, Spain. Electronic address: jarias@uniovi.es.

PMID: 25680583
DOI: 10.1016/j.brainres.2015.02.005

Abstract

The standard model of memory system consolidation supports the temporal reorganization of brain circuits underlying long-term memory storage, including interactions between the dorsal hippocampus and extra-hippocampal structures. In addition, several brain regions have been suggested to be involved in the retrieval of spatial memory. In particular, several authors reported a possible role of the ventral portion of the hippocampus together with the thalamus or the striatum in the persistence of this type of memory. Accordingly, the present study aimed to evaluate the contribution of different cortical and subcortical brain regions, and neural networks involved in spatial memory retrieval. For this purpose, we used cytochrome c oxidase quantitative histochemistry as a reliable method to measure brain oxidative metabolism. Animals were trained in a hidden platform task and tested for memory retention immediately after the last training session; one week after completing the task, they were also tested in a memory retrieval probe. Results showed that retrieval of the previously learned task was associated with increased levels of oxidative metabolism in the prefrontal cortex, the dorsal and ventral striatum, the anterodorsal thalamic nucleus and the dentate gyrus of the dorsal and ventral hippocampus. The analysis of functional interactions between brain regions suggest that the dorsal and ventral dentate gyrus could be involved in spatial memory retrieval. In addition, the results highlight the key role of the extended hippocampal system, thalamus and striatum in this process. Our study agrees with previous ones reporting interactions between the dorsal hippocampus and the prefrontal cortex during spatial memory retrieval. Furthermore, novel activation patterns of brain networks involving the aforementioned regions were found. These functional brain networks could underlie spatial memory retrieval evaluated in the Morris water maze task.

Keywords: Brain network; Cytochrome c oxidase; Dentate gyrus; Extended hippocampal system; Spatial memory retrieval; Thalamus.

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

Animals
Anterior Thalamic Nuclei / physiology*
Corpus Striatum / physiology*
Dentate Gyrus / physiology*
Electron Transport Complex IV
Hippocampus / physiology
Male
Maze Learning / physiology
Nerve Net / physiology
Random Allocation
Rats
Rats, Wistar
Spatial Memory / physiology*

Substances

Electron Transport Complex IV