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NMDA receptor-mediated synaptic transmission in prefrontal neurons underlies social memory retrieval in female mice
Journal article   Open access   Peer reviewed

NMDA receptor-mediated synaptic transmission in prefrontal neurons underlies social memory retrieval in female mice

Yu-Xiang Zhang, Bo Xing, Yan-Chun Li, Chun-Xia Yan and Wen-Jun Gao
Neuropharmacology, v 204, 108895
15 Feb 2022
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.neuropharm.2021.108895
PMID: 34813859
Featured in Collection :   UN Sustainable Development Goals @ Drexel
url
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8688302View
Accepted (AM)Open Access (License Unspecified),  Open

Abstract

Female mouse FosTRAP mouse Memory retrieval NMDA receptors Prefrontal cortex Social memory
Social memory is the ability to discriminate familiar conspecific from the unknown ones. Prefrontal neurons are essentially required for social memory, but the mechanism associated with this regulation remains unknown. It is also unclear to what extent the neuronal representations of social memory formation and retrieval events overlap in the prefrontal cortex (PFC) and which event drives social memory strength. Here we asked these questions by using a repeated social training paradigm for social recognition in FosTRAP mice. We found that after 4 days’ repeated social training, female mice developed stable social memory. Specifically, repeated social training activated more cells that were labeled with tdTomato during memory retrieval compared with the first day of memory encoding. Besides, combining TRAP with c-Fos immunostaining, we found about 30% of the FosTRAPed cells were reactivated during retrieval. Moreover, the number of retrieval-induced but not first-day encoding-induced tdTomato neurons correlates with the social recognition ratio in the prelimbic but not other subregions. The activated cells during the retrieval session also showed increased NMDA receptor-mediated synaptic transmission compared with that in non-labeled pyramidal neurons. Blocking NMDA receptors by MK-801 impaired social memory but not sociability. Therefore, our results reveal that repetitive training elevates mPFC involvement in social memory retrieval via enhancing NMDA receptor-mediated synaptic transmission, thus rendering stable social memory. •Repeated social exposure induces social memory consolidation.•Repeated social exposure increases mPFC neuronal activation.•The quantity of activated mPFC neurons correlates with social memory strength.•Social memory retrieval is associated with NMDAR-mediated synaptic transmission.•Blocking NMDA receptors by MK-801 impaired social memory but not sociability.

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8 citations in Web of Science
7 citations in Scopus

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Collaboration types
Domestic collaboration
International collaboration
Web of Science research areas
Neurosciences
Pharmacology & Pharmacy
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