Fibroblast Growth Factor Improves Spatial Learning
By Biotechdaily staff writers
Posted on 16 Dec 2002
Researchers studying the relationship between gene activity and learning have identified a gene product, fibroblast growth factor (FGF)-18, which was increased during learning, and when injected into the brains of rats during testing significantly improved their ability to learn. These findings were published December 2, 2002, in the online edition of the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.Posted on 16 Dec 2002
The investigators, from Blanchette Rockefeller Neurosciences Institute (Rockville, MD, USA), used genome-scale screening of hippocampal tissue to analyze gene expression during spatial learning of rats in the Morris water maze. Results showed that learning altered 30 genes, and that the gene for FGF-18 was increased at all time points during learning.
In a follow-up experiment, the researchers found that spatial learning could be significantly improved by injecting FGF-18 into the rats' brains during testing. This finding suggests that pharmacological modulation of pathways and targets identified may lead to new therapeutic approaches for improving learning and memory.
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Blanchette Rockefeller Neuroscinces Institute