Different populations of neurons in relevant brain structures are selectively engaged in the functioning of long-term spatial memory

摘要

Using immunohistochemical methods, we studied the expression of the c-fos transcription factor in cells that synthesize the neuron-specific proteins NeuN and calbindin D-28K in the hippocampus, cerebellar vermis, and motor and retrosplenial cortex after training to find a hidden platform in a water maze. We also found apoptotic neural cells that expressed NeuN. We observed significant differences between trained and control rats in the intra- and interstructural distribution of the NeuN- and calbindin-positive neurons that expressed c-fos. We found a correlation between the number of c-fos-expressing NeuN-positive neurons in the retrosplenial cortex and indicators of long-term spatial memory consolidation. We believe that the data we obtained reflect the selective engagement of neurons from different neural populations in relevant brain structures in the functioning of long-term spatial memory.