Differential regional expression of brain-derived neurotrophic factor following olfactory fear learning

• Type of Material: Article
• Authors: Seth V. Jones, Emory University; Lisa Stanek-Rattiner, Emory University; Michael Davis, Emory University; Kerry Ressler, Emory University
• Language: English
• Date: 2007-12
• Publisher: Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press
• Publication Version: Final Published Version
• Copyright Statement: © 2007, Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press
• Final Published Version (URL): http://learnmem.cshlp.org/content/14/12/816.long
• Title of Journal or Parent Work: Learning & Memory
• ISSN: 1072-0502
• Volume: 14
• Issue: 12
• Start Page: 816
• End Page: 820
• Grant/Funding Information: Support was provided by NIH (MH069884, DA-019624 to K.J.R., R37 MH47840 to M.D.), NARSAD, the Center for Behavioral Neuroscience (NSF agreement IBN-987675), Burroughs Wellcome Fund, and by an NIH/NCRR base grant (P51RR000165) to Yerkes National Primate Research Center.
• Research Categories: Psychology, Behavioral; Biology, Neuroscience

Abstract

We examined brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) mRNA expression across the olfactory system following fear conditioning. Mice received 10 pairings of odor with footshock or equivalent unpaired odors and shocks. We found increased BDNF mRNA in animals receiving paired footshocks in the multiple regions examined including the posterior piriform cortex (PPC) and basolateral amygdala (BLA). This was in contrast to the unpaired and odor-alone treatments, where BDNF mRNA was increased in the olfactory bulb (OB) and anterior piriform cortex (APC) only, but not the higher olfactory areas. We propose that odor exposure increases expression of BDNF in the OB and APC while the PPC and BLA increase BDNF mRNA only when associative learning occurs.