The role of the supramammillary area of the hypothalamus in cognitive functions

• Published in: Animal cells and systems Vol. 22; no. 1; pp. 37 - 44
• Main Authors: Shim, Hyun Soo, Park, Hyun-Jung, Lee, Mi-Sook, Ye, Minsook, Shim, Insop
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Daejeon Taylor & Francis 02.01.2018; Taylor & Francis Ltd; Taylor & Francis Group; 한국통합생물학회
• Subjects: 192 IgG-saporin; Acetylcholinesterase; acetylcholinesterase (AChE); Animal behavior; Animal memory; Brain; Cognitive ability; Excitotoxicity; Hippocampus; Hypothalamus; Ibotenic acid; Immunoglobulin G; Immunohistochemistry; Learning; Memory tasks; Morris water maze (MWM); Neurotoxicity; Rats; Rodents; Saporin; Spatial analysis; Spatial discrimination learning; Spatial memory; Supramammillary area (SUM); Theta rhythms; 생물학
• ISSN: 1976-8354; 2151-2485
• DOI: 10.1080/19768354.2018.1427627

The supramammillary area (SUM) of the hypothalamus has wide spread connection with numerous brain structures. It is known that the SUM can control the frequency of the hippocampal theta rhythm, which plays a role in the cognitive functions of the hippocampal formation. In order to examine the role of the specific cells of the SUM in learning and memory, selective cholinergic neurotoxic or excitotoxic lesioned rats of the SUM were tested for spatial memory on the Morris water maze (MWM) test. After the behavior tests, the expression of acetylcholinesterase (AChE) in the hippocampus was studied using the immunohistochemistry. In the MWM test, both lesion of the SUM with 192 IgG-saporin or ibotenic acid produced the impairment of spatial learning and memory. The expression of AChE immunreactive neurons in the hippocampal CA3 region was decreased after injections of 192 IgG-saporin into the SUM. These findings suggest that cholinoceptive cells of the SUM area may play a critical role in the process of learning and memory.