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Differential effects of learning on neurogenesis: learning increases or decreases the number of newly born cells depending on their birth date

Molecular Psychiatry volume 8, pages 974–982 (2003)Cite this article

Abstract

The hippocampal formation, to which new neurons are added on a daily basis throughout life, is important in spatial learning. Surviving de novo produced cells integrate into the functional circuitry, where they can influence both normal and pathological behaviors. In this study, we examined the effect of the water-maze (a hippocampal-dependent spatial task) on neurogenesis. Learning in this task can be divided into two phases, an early phase during which performance improves rapidly, and a late phase during which asymptotic levels of performance are reached. Here we demonstrate that the late phase of learning has a multifaceted effect on neurogenesis depending on the birth date of new neurons. The number of newly born cells increased contingently with the late phase and a large proportion of these cells survived for at least 4 weeks and differentiated into neurons. In contrast, late-phase learning decreased the number of newly born cells produced during the early phase. This decline in neurogenesis was positively correlated with performance in the water-maze. Thus, rats with the highest de novo cell number were less able to acquire and use spatial information than those with low numbers of new cells. These results show that learning has a complex effect on hippocampal neurogenesis, and reveals a novel mechanism through which neurogenesis may influence normal and pathological behaviors.

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Acknowledgements

We are grateful to Dr P Ciofi (INSERM U378, Bordeaux, France), Mr Dakhli (Institut François Magendie, Bordeaux, France), Dr J Ralphs (University of Cardiff, UK) and Mr Hommolle V (Perkin-Elmer, France) for their help and suggestions. This work is supported by the INSERM, University of Bordeaux II, ‘Région Aquitaine’ and ‘Fondation pour la Recherche Médicale’. MD was supported by the INSERM ‘Poste Vert’ and ‘Fondation pour la Recherche Médicale’ fellowships.

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  1. M D Döbrössy

    Present address: School of Biosciences, University of Cardiff, Museum Avenue, PO Box 911, Cardiff, Wales, CF10 3US, UK

  2. Contributed equally to the work.

Authors and Affiliations

  1. INSERM U259, University of Bordeaux, Domaine de Carreire, Bordeaux, France

    M D Döbrössy, E Drapeau, C Aurousseau, M Le Moal, P V Piazza & D N Abrous

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  1. M D Döbrössy
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Correspondence to D N Abrous.

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Döbrössy, M., Drapeau, E., Aurousseau, C. et al. Differential effects of learning on neurogenesis: learning increases or decreases the number of newly born cells depending on their birth date. Mol Psychiatry 8, 974–982 (2003). https://doi.org/10.1038/sj.mp.4001419

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