Cited by 234Neuroscience and Neuropharmacology ResearchStress Responses and CortisolMemory and Neural Mechanisms

The DOI matches its Crossref record; 66 of the 66 references it cites were found in a registry or an index.

Inhibition of protein kinase C signaling protects prefrontal cortex dendritic spines and cognition from the effects of chronic stress

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Abstract

The prefrontal cortex r regulates behavior, cognition, and emotion by using working memory. Prefrontal functions are impaired by stress exposure. Acute, stress-induced deficits arise from excessive protein kinase C (PKC) signaling, which diminishes prefrontal neuronal firing. Chronic stress additionally produces architectural changes, reducing dendritic complexity and spine density of cortico-cortical pyramidal neurons, thereby disrupting excitatory working memory networks. In vitro studies have found that sustained PKC activity leads to spine loss from hippocampal-cultured neurons, suggesting that PKC may contribute to spine loss during chronic stress exposure. The present study tested whether inhibition of PKC with chelerythrine before daily stress would protect prefrontal spines and working memory. We found that inhibition of PKC rescued working memory impairments and reversed distal apical dendritic spine loss in layer II/III pyramidal neurons of rat prelimbic cortex. Greater spine density predicted better cognitive performance, the first direct correlation between pyramidal cell structure and working memory abilities. These findings suggest that PKC inhibitors may be neuroprotective in disorders with dysregulated PKC signaling such as bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, post-traumatic stress disorder, and lead poisoning—conditions characterized by impoverished prefrontal structural and functional integrity.

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Metadata

Authors
Hains, A. B., Vu, M. A. T., Maciejewski, P. K., van Dyck, C. H., Gottron, M., & Arnsten, A. F. T.
Affiliations
Yale University (US)
Corresponding author
Arnsten, Amy F. T.
Venue
Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences
Published
2009-10-20
Volume
106
Issue
42
Pages
17957-17962
ISSN
  • 0027-8424 (ISSN-L)
  • 1091-6490
OpenAlex
W1996838710
Cited by
234
References
66
Citations by year
2026: 4 · 2025: 5 · 2024: 7 · 2023: 12 · 2022: 15 · 2021: 23 · 2020: 13 · 2019: 15 · 2018: 13 · 2017: 19 · 2016: 14 · 2015: 20 · 2014: 15 · 2013: 17 · 2012: 12
FWCI
5.82
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Locations
  • Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed Central (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
Funders
  • National Science Foundation
  • U.S. Public Health Service
  • National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (RL1AA017536)
  • National Institute on Aging (R37AG006036)
  • National Institute of Mental Health (P50MH068789)
  • National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (K25NS044316)
  • National Center for Research Resources (U54RR024350)
Topics
  • Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cellular and Molecular Neuroscience › Neuroscience and Neuropharmacology Research
  • Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Behavioral Neuroscience › Stress Responses and Cortisol
  • Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cognitive Neuroscience › Memory and Neural Mechanisms
Keywords
protein kinase C, chronic stress, dendritic spines, prefrontal cortex, working memory, chelerythrine, prelimbic cortex, pyramidal neurons, spine loss, neuroprotection, cognitive impairment, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, post-traumatic stress disorder, lead poisoning
MeSH terms
Animals, Atrophy, Cognition, Disease Models, Animal, Humans, Male, Memory, Models, Neurological, Protein Kinase C, Stress, Physiological, Stress, Psychological, Signal Transduction, Rats, Sprague-Dawley, Prefrontal Cortex, Protein Kinase Inhibitors, Dendritic Spines, Rats, Benzophenanthridines

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