Analyzing the processes and neuronal circuitry involved in complex behaviors in phylogenetically remote species can help us understand the evolution and function of these systems. Cephalopods, with their vertebrate-like behaviors but much simpler brains, are ideal for such an analysis. The vertical lobe (VL) of Octopus vulgaris is a pivotal brain station in its learning and memory system. To ex...

Synthesizing, localizing, and stabilizing new protein copies at synapses are crucial factors in maintaining the synaptic changes required for storing long-term memories. PKMζ recently emerged as a molecule putatively responsible for maintaining encoded memories over time because its presence correlates with late LTP and because its inhibition disrupts LTP in vitro and long-term memory storage i...

Whereas significant insight exists as to how LTP-related changes can contribute to the formation of long-term memory, little is known about the role of hippocampal LTD-like changes in learning and memory storage. We describe a mouse lacking the transcription factor SRF in the adult forebrain. This mouse could not acquire a hippocampus-based immediate memory for a novel context even across a few...

Neural networks that store information at synapses rely on mechanisms for increasing and decreasing synaptic strengths. In 1973 Bliss and Lramo reported that stimulating the perforant pathway projecting to the hippocam pus with a high ,frequency tetanus resulted in a rapid and persistent elevation. of the synaptic efficacy [ 11. This form of long-term potent&ion (LTP) lasts for many hours in sl...

Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) supports neuronal survival, growth, and differentiation and has been implicated in forms of hippocampus-dependent learning. In vitro, a specific role in hippocampal synaptic plasticity has been described, although not all experience-dependent forms of synaptic plasticity critically depend on BDNF. Synaptic plasticity is likely to enable long-term synapti...

The extracellular signal-regulated kinase is an important protein kinase for cortical plasticity. Long-term potentiation in the anterior cingulate cortex is believed to play important roles in chronic pain, fear, and anxiety. Previous studies of extracellular signal-regulated kinase are mainly focused on postsynaptic form of long-term potentiation (post-long-term potentiation). Little is known ...