Effects of enriched physical and social environments on motor performance, associative learning, and hippocampal neurogenesis in mice

46Citations
Citations of this article
96Readers
Mendeley users who have this article in their library.

Abstract

We have studied the motor abilities and associative learning capabilities of adult mice placed in different enriched environments. Three-month-old animals were maintained for a month alone (AL), alone in a physically enriched environment (PHY), and, finally, in groups in the absence (SO) or presence (SOPHY) of an enriched environment. The animals' capabilities were subsequently checked in the rotarod test, and for classical and instrumental learning. The PHY and SOPHY groups presented better performances in the rotarod test and in the acquisition of the instrumental learning task. In contrast, no significant differences between groups were observed for classical eyeblink conditioning. The four groups presented similar increases in the strength of field EPSPs (fEPSPs) evoked at the hippocampal CA3-CA1 synapse across classical conditioning sessions, with no significant differences between groups. These trained animals were pulse-injected with bromodeoxyuridine (BrdU) to determine hippocampal neurogenesis. No significant differences were found in the number of NeuN/BrdU double-labeled neurons. We repeated the same BrdU study in one-month-old mice raised for an additional month in the above-mentioned four different environments. These animals were not submitted to rotarod or conditioned tests. Non-trained PHY and SOPHY groups presented more neurogenesis than the other two groups. Thus, neurogenesis seems to be related to physical enrichment at early ages, but not to learning acquisition in adult mice. © 2010 Madroñal et al.

References Powered by Scopus

Memory and the Hippocampuss: A Synthesis From Findings With Rats, Monkeys, and Humans

4316Citations
N/AReaders
Get full text

Running increases cell proliferation and neurogenesis in the adult mouse dentate gyrus

3224Citations
N/AReaders
Get full text

More hippocampal neurons in adult mice living in an enriched environment

3039Citations
N/AReaders
Get full text

Cited by Powered by Scopus

Interpreting Stress Responses during Routine Toxicity Studies:A Review of the Biology, Impact, and Assessment

286Citations
N/AReaders
Get full text

Daily exercise improves memory, stimulates hippocampal neurogenesis and modulates immune and neuroimmune cytokines in aging rats

155Citations
N/AReaders
Get full text

Requirement of adult-born neurons for hippocampus-dependent learning

142Citations
N/AReaders
Get full text

Register to see more suggestions

Mendeley helps you to discover research relevant for your work.

Already have an account?

Cite

CITATION STYLE

APA

Madroñal, N., López-Aracil, C., Rangel, A., del Río, J. A., Delgado-García, J. M., & Gruart, A. (2010). Effects of enriched physical and social environments on motor performance, associative learning, and hippocampal neurogenesis in mice. PLoS ONE, 5(6). https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0011130

Readers' Seniority

Tooltip

PhD / Post grad / Masters / Doc 37

56%

Researcher 16

24%

Professor / Associate Prof. 11

17%

Lecturer / Post doc 2

3%

Readers' Discipline

Tooltip

Agricultural and Biological Sciences 36

58%

Neuroscience 16

26%

Psychology 6

10%

Medicine and Dentistry 4

6%

Save time finding and organizing research with Mendeley

Sign up for free