Memory consolidation impairment induced by Interleukin-1β is associated with changes in hippocampal structural plasticity

HERRERA, GUADALUPE; CALFA, GASTÓN; SCHIÖTH, HELGI B.; LASAGA, MERCEDES; SCIMONELLI, TERESA

BEHAVIOURAL BRAIN RESEARCH

ELSEVIER SCIENCE BV

Año: 2019 vol. 370

0166-4328

ro-inflammatory cytokines, particularly Interleukin-1β (IL-1β), can affect cognitive processes such as learning and memory. The aim of this study was to establish whether the effect of IL-1β on contextual fear memory is associated with changes in hippocampal structural plasticity. We also studied the effect of α-melanocyte-stimulating hormone (α-MSH), a potent anti-inflammatory and neuro-protective peptide. Different groups of animals were implanted bilaterally in dorsal hippocampus (DH). After recovery they were conditioned for contextual fear memory and received the different treatments (vehicle, IL-1β, α-MSH or IL-1β + α-MSH). Memory was assessed 24 hs after conditioning and immediately after rats were perfused for dendritic spine analysis. Our results show that local hippocampal administration of IL-1β just after memory encoding induced impairment in contextual memory and a reduction in the total density of CA1 hippocampal dendriti