Adult hippocampal neurogenesis is involved in anxiety-related behaviors

Mol Psychiatry. 2009 Oct;14(10):959-67. doi: 10.1038/mp.2009.15. Epub 2009 Mar 3.

Abstract

Adult hippocampal neurogenesis is a unique example of structural plasticity, the functional role of which has been a matter of intense debate. New transgenic models have recently shown that neurogenesis participates in hippocampus-mediated learning. Here, we show that transgenic animals, in which adult hippocampal neurogenesis has been specifically impaired, exhibit a striking increase in anxiety-related behaviors. Our results indicate that neurogenesis plays an important role in the regulation of affective states and could be the target of new treatments for anxiety disorders.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Anxiety / drug therapy
  • Anxiety / physiopathology*
  • Behavior, Animal / drug effects
  • Behavior, Animal / physiology
  • Cell Count
  • Chlordiazepoxide / pharmacology
  • Depression / physiopathology
  • Doxycycline / pharmacology
  • Hippocampus / drug effects
  • Hippocampus / metabolism
  • Hippocampus / physiology*
  • Male
  • Mice
  • Mice, Inbred C57BL
  • Mice, Transgenic
  • Neurogenesis / drug effects
  • Neurogenesis / genetics
  • Neurogenesis / physiology*
  • Neurons / cytology
  • Neurons / drug effects
  • Neurons / metabolism
  • bcl-2-Associated X Protein / genetics
  • bcl-2-Associated X Protein / metabolism

Substances

  • bcl-2-Associated X Protein
  • Chlordiazepoxide
  • Doxycycline