NEUROGENETICS AND BEHAVIORAL BIOLOGY OF LEARNING AND MEMORY

Abstract

He or she must have an understanding of the neurogenetic basis of memory and learning to aid both basic neuroscience and translational approaches.  Here, a rat model will be used to provide a mixed-methods systems biology framework to explore behavioural, biochemical, and electrophysiological processes that determine cognitive functions.  Besides the hippocampus EEG recording, and of gene expression the subjects also engaged in numerous learning tasks, including operant conditioning, and spatial learning in maze tasks.  High-throughput transcriptome research indicates that memory-related genes, such as Arc, BDNF and CREB, were found significantly up-regulated in transcripts of groups with better cognitive performance.  Simultaneously, in electrophysiological recordings high-performing groups were characterized by additional theta-band oscillations, which confirms the role of theta rhythms in consolidation.  Pharmacological or genetic-enhanced cohorts always exhibited elevated behavioural outcomes, like retention and learning scores.  In lesion experiments and genetic knockout, there were significant cognitive losses indicating the functional requirement of both hippocampus integrity and of important gene expression.  Solid connections between gene activity levels, EEG indicators, and the output of learning were observed by cross-modality correlation analysis; in several situations, Pearson correlation coefficients were greater than 0.7.  Hybrid visualisations and principal component analysis have been used successfully to distinguish the treated group, impaired, and control groups.  These convergent lines of evidence can be suggested in the concept that supports the idea that learning and memory are governed by a combined neurogenetic network with the capacity to modulate synapses together with brain oscillatory processes.  Besides contributing to our mechanistic knowledge of cognitive mechanisms, the study presents potential biomarkers and intervention targets of memory diseases and neurocognitive enhancement.