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Transcription factor Egr-1 is required for long-term fear memory and anxiety

Shanelle W. Ko, Ao Hushan, Amelia Gallitanomendel, Qiu Changshen, Wei Feng, Jeffrey Milbrandt, Zhuo Min

Department of Physiology, University of Toronto, Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto Centre for the Study of Pain, Medical Science Building, King's College Circle, Toronto, Ontario, M5S 1A8, Canada

Abstract

The zinc finger transcription factor Egr-1 is critical for coupling extracellular signals to changes in cellular gene expression. In the hippocampus and amygdala, two major central regions for memory formation and storage, Egr-1 is up-regulated by long-term potentiation (LTP) and learning paradigms. Using Egr-1 knockout mice, we showed that Egr-1 was selectively required for late auditory fear memory while short term, trace and contextual memory were not affected. Additionally, synaptic potentiation induced by theta burst stimulation in the amygdala and auditory cortex was significantly reduced or blocked in Egr-1 knockout mice. Our study suggests that the transcription factor Egr-1 plays a selective role in late auditory fear memory.

Key words: Egr-1;Long-term potentiation;Fear memory;;

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Citing This Article：

Shanelle W. Ko, Ao Hushan, Amelia Gallitanomendel, Qiu Changshen, Wei Feng, Jeffrey Milbrandt, Zhuo Min. Transcription factor Egr-1 is required for long-term fear memory and anxiety. Acta Physiol Sin 2005; 57 (4): (in Chinese with English abstract).