Nuclear factor of activated T cells (NFATc4) is required for BDNF-dependent survival of adult-born neurons and spatial memory formation in the hippocampus

摘要

In the adult mammalian brain, neurogenesis creates new neurons (adult-born neurons) as a result of a finely tuned and dynamic balance among neural stem cells proliferation, survival, and differentiation. The remarkable plasticity of this process allows the brain to adjust to environmental stimuli. The sub-granular zone of the dentate gyrus is the area where new neurons are integrated constantly into the hippocampal circuitry, which is crucial for forming spatial memory. These