Bats are the only flying mammals and have well developed navigation abilities for 3D-space. Even bats with comparatively small home ranges cover much larger territories than rodents, and long-distance migration by some species is unique among small mammals. Adult proliferation of neurons, i.e., adult neurogenesis, in the dentate gyrus of rodents is thought to play an important role in spatial m...

New neurons are continuously generated and added to neural circuits in the adult brain. However, increasing age imposes changes in neural progenitor cells and their microenvironment that lead to a reduction of neurogenesis. Age-related decreased production of new neurons in the neurogenic dentate gyrus has been associated with memory impairments. Several mechanisms are known that might countera...

To determine the effect of the tolerogenic peptide hCDR1 on hippocampal neurogenesis, we treated SLE-afflicted (NZBxNZW)F1 mice with hCDR1 (once a week for 10weeks). The treatment resulted in the up-regulation of neurogenesis in the dentate gyrus and restored the NeuN immunoreactivity in brain hippocampi of the mice in association with increased gene expression of IGF-1, NGF and BDNF. Furthermo...

We have investigated the role of the cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitor, p27(Xic1), in the coordination of cell cycle exit and differentiation during early neurogenesis. We demonstrate that p27(Xic1) is highly expressed in cells destined to become primary neurones and is essential for an early stage of neurogenesis. Ablation of p27(Xic1) protein prevents differentiation of primary neurones, whil...

Seven key elements describing the regulation of adult neurogenesis are proposed. (i) A distinction must be made between regulation and 'control' at the transcriptional level in order to appreciate the hierarchy of regulatory factors. (ii) The regulatory hierarchy comprises conceptual levels from behaviour to genes. Consequently, 'regulation' of neurogenesis can be confounded by confusing rather...

Huntington's disease (HD) is an autosomal dominant neurodegenerative condition characterized by movement disorders, psychiatric disturbance, and cognitive decline. There are no treatments to halt or reverse the disease. Mammalian neurogenesis persists into adulthood in the subventricular zone (SVZ) and dentate gyrus (DG) of the hippocampus. In 2001, our laboratory published the hypothesis that ...

BACKGROUND It is known that neurogenesis occurs throughout the life mostly in the subgranular zone of the hippocampus and the subventricular zone of the lateral ventricle. We investigated whether neurogenesis occurred in the amygdala and its function in fear memory formation. METHODS For detection of newborn neurons, mice were injected intraperitoneally with 5-bromo-2'-deoxyuridine (BrdU) 2h ...

In the adult brain the neurogenesis is mainly restricted to two neurogenic regions: newly generated neurons arise at the subventricular zone (SVZ) of the lateral ventricle and at the subgranular zone of the hippocampal subregion named the dentate gyrus. The hippocampus is involved in learning and memory paradigms and the generation of new hippocampal neurons has been hypothesized to be a pivota...

Adult neurogenesis in the hippocampus subgranular zone is associated with the etiology and treatment efficiency of depression. Factors that affect adult hippocampal neurogenesis have been shown to contribute to the neuropathology of depression. Glutamate, the major excitatory neurotransmitter, plays a critical role in different aspects of neurogenesis. Of the eight metabotropic glutamate recept...