RTP801 regulates motor cortex synaptic transmission and learning

RTP801/REDD1 is a stress-regulated protein whose upregulation necessary and sufficient to trigger neuronal death in vitro vivo models of Parkinson's Huntington's diseases up regulated compromised neurons human postmortem brains both neurodegenerative disorders. Indeed, disease mouse models, RTP801 knockdown alleviates motor-learning deficits. We investigated the physiological role plasticity we found rat, synapses. The absence enhanced excitatory synaptic transmission cultures brain slices from knock-out (KO) mice. KO mice showed improved motor learning, which correlated with lower spine density but increased basal filopodia mushroom spines cortex layer V. This paralleled higher levels synaptosomal GluA1 TrkB receptors homogenates derived cortex, proteins that are associated strengthening. Altogether, these results indicate has an important modulating learning. They will help understand its disorders where detrimentally upregulated.