Abstract
Aim:
To examine the basic expression levels of N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptor NR1 and NR2B subunits in six brain regions of Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats with different visual recognition memory.
Methods:
Rats were tested by a novel-object-recognition model and grouped into the high and the low visual recognition memory groups. The expression levels of NR1 and NR2B subunits in the cortex, hippocampus, striatum, amygdala, diencephalon, and olfactory bulb were measured by semiquantitative immunoblotting.
Results:
The NR1 and NR2B subunit protein levels in the hippocampus of the high visual recognition memory group were 35.9% (P<0.01) and 53.4% (P<0.05) higher respectively than those in the low group. In addition, the NR2B level in the striatum in the high visual recognition memory group was 25.0% (P<0.05) higher than that in the low one. However, no significant difference was found in the levels of the subunits between the two groups in other brain regions.
Conclusion:
The visual recognition memory in rats is related to the basic expression level of NMDA receptor NR1/NR2B subtype in the hippocampus and striatum.
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Project supported by Key National Basic Research Program of China (No G2002CB-713808), and Outstanding Cross-Century Faculty Grant of the Ministry of Education of China, the National Natural Science Foundation of China (No 30270436 and 30371638).
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Xu, Sj., Chen, Z., Zhu, Lj. et al. Visual recognition memory is related to basic expression level of NMDA receptor NR1/NR2B subtype in hippocampus and striatum of rats. Acta Pharmacol Sin 26, 177–180 (2005). https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1745-7254.2005.00532.x
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1745-7254.2005.00532.x
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