Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) is required for the enhancement of hippocampal neurogenesis following environmental enrichment
Abstract
Neurogenesis continues to occur in the adult mammalian hippocampus and is regulated by both genetic and environmental factors. It is known that exposure to an enriched environment enhances the number of newly generated neurons in the dentate gyrus. However, the mechanisms by which enriched housing produces these effects are poorly understood. To test a role for neurotrophins, we used heterozygous knockout mice for brain‐derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF+/–) and mice lacking neurotrophin‐4 (NT‐4–/–) together with their wild‐type littermates. Mice were either reared in standard laboratory conditions or placed in an enriched environment for 8 weeks. Animals received injections of the mitotic marker bromodeoxyuridine (BrdU) to label newborn cells. Enriched wild‐type and enriched NT‐4–/– mice showed a two‐fold increase in hippocampal neurogenesis as assessed by stereological counting of BrdU‐positive cells in the dentate gyrus and double labelling for BrdU and the neuronal marker NeuN. Remarkably, this enhancement of hippocampal neurogenesis was not seen in enriched BDNF+/– mice. Failure to up‐regulate BDNF accompanied the lack of a neurogenic response in enriched BDNF heterozygous mice. We conclude that BDNF but not NT‐4 is required for the environmental induction of neurogenesis.
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In mice, BDNF is required for hippocampal neurogenesis spurred by an enriched environment.
“Indeed, in mice, BDNF is required for hippocampal neurogenesis spurred by an enriched environment, and BDNF has been shown to have coordinated effects with antidepressants on neuronal progenitor cells in the hippocampus (Sairanen et al., 2005; Rossi et al., 2006).”
From Exercise-Mediated Neurogenesis in the Hippocampus via BDNF (2018) · cites this paper as Rossi et al., 2006
BDNF has coordinated effects with antidepressants on neuronal progenitor cells in the hippocampus.
“Indeed, in mice, BDNF is required for hippocampal neurogenesis spurred by an enriched environment, and BDNF has been shown to have coordinated effects with antidepressants on neuronal progenitor cells in the hippocampus (Sairanen et al., 2005; Rossi et al., 2006).”
From Exercise-Mediated Neurogenesis in the Hippocampus via BDNF (2018) · cites this paper as Rossi et al., 2006
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- Authors
- Rossi, C., Angelucci, A., Costantin, L., Braschi, C., Mazzantini, M., Babbini, F., Fabbri, M. E., Tessarollo, L., Maffei, L., Berardi, N., & Caleo, M.
- Affiliations
- Neuroscience Institute (IT)
- Scuola Normale Superiore (IT)
- National Cancer Institute (US)
- Corresponding author
- Caleo, Matteo
- Venue
- European Journal of Neuroscience
- Publisher
- Wiley
- Published
- 2006-10
- Volume
- 24
- Issue
- 7
- Pages
- 1850-1856
- ISSN
- 0953-816X (ISSN-L)
- 1460-9568
- OpenAlex
- W2111443630
- Cited by
- 619
- References
- 3
- Citations by year
- 2026: 13 · 2025: 20 · 2024: 24 · 2023: 22 · 2022: 34 · 2021: 39 · 2020: 33 · 2019: 34 · 2018: 33 · 2017: 42 · 2016: 43 · 2015: 26 · 2014: 40 · 2013: 44 · 2012: 29
- FWCI
- 7.45
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- European Journal of Neuroscience (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- CINECA IRIS Institutial research information system (University of Pisa) (submittedVersion)
- UCL Discovery (University College London) (submittedVersion)
- Florence Research (University of Florence) (submittedVersion)
- Padua Research Archive (University of Padova) (submittedVersion)
- Funders
- National Institutes of Health
- Topics
- Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Developmental Neuroscience › Neurogenesis and neuroplasticity mechanisms
- Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cellular and Molecular Neuroscience › Nerve injury and regeneration
- Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cognitive Neuroscience › Memory and Neural Mechanisms
- Keywords
- brain-derived neurotrophic factor, hippocampal neurogenesis, environmental enrichment, neurotrophin-4, dentate gyrus, adult neurogenesis, BDNF knockout mice, neurotrophins, enriched housing
- MeSH terms
- Animals, Bromodeoxyuridine, Cell Count, Environment, Hippocampus, Immunohistochemistry, Nerve Growth Factors, Neurons, Phosphopyruvate Hydratase, Blotting, Western, Gene Expression, Mice, Knockout, Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor, Organogenesis, Mice
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