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Aversive Experiences Are Associated with a Rapid and Transient Activation of ERKs in the Rat Hippocampus.

https://doi.org/10.1006/nlme.2000.4000Get rights and content

Abstract

The extracellular signal-regulated kinases (ERKs) family of mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPKs) has been shown to participate in memory formation. We recently found that a hippocampal ERK/MAPK cascade is required for memory formation of an inhibitory avoidance training in rats. Here we reported that this learning task is accompanied by a rapid increase in the phosphorylation of hippocampal p44 MAPK. A single mild foot shock produced a similar effect and three consecutive foot shocks provoked the activation of both p44 and p42 MAPKs. In contrast, a brief exposure to the training box or the habituation to an open field did not alter hippocampal ERK/MAPK levels. Together, these findings indicate that aversive behavioral experiences induced a rapid and transient activation of ERK/MAPKs in the hippocampus.

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This work was supported by the University of Buenos Aires, CONICET, Ministerio de Salud, and FONCYT (Argentina) and by PRONEX (Brazil).

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Address correspondence and reprint requests to Jorge H. Medina, Instituto de Biologia Celular y Neurociencias, Facultad de Medicina, Paraguay 2155, 3 piso, 1121 Buenos Aires, Argentina. Fax: 5411-4962-5457. E-mail: [email protected].

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