The role of schizophrenia susceptibility genes in hippocampal-dependent long-term memory in the adult rat

It was concluded that some of the schizophrenia susceptibility genes were regulated in association with hippocampal-dependent LTM processes but not schizophrenia susceptibility genes were identified to be causally involved in hippocampal-dependent LTM processes.EThOS - Electronic Theses Online ServiceGBUnited Kingdo

The role of schizophrenia susceptibility genes in hippocampal-dependent long-term memory in the adult rat

This thesis investigates whether genes that have been associated with schizophrenia have a role in hippocampal-dependent long-term memory. Schizophrenia is psychiatric disorder in which individuals experience, amongst other symptoms, cognitive difficulties including long­ term memory (LTM) impairments. The functional roles of many schizophrenia susceptibility genes remain unknown. In this study, a selection of schizophrenia susceptibility genes and their splice variants, in particular Neuregulin 1 (Nrg1), Dysbindin 1 (Dtnbpl), Disrupted-in- schizophrenia 1 (Disci) and Early growth response factor 3 (Egr3), were hypothesized to be regulated in association with the processes of LTM. The contextual fear conditioning behavioural paradigm in which a rat associates an electric footshock with a distinct context was used to investigate hippocampal-dependent LTM