Effect of intra-BLA overexpression of IGF-1 on the expression of a contextual fear memory trace

CHAMPARINI, LEANDRO GABRIEL; HERRERA, MACARENA LORENA; COMAS MUTIS, RAMIRO GABRIEL; ESPEJO, PABLO JAVIER; MOLINA, VICTOR ALEJANDRO; CALFA, GASTÓN DIEGO; HEREÑÚ, CLAUDIA BEATRIZ

HIPPOCAMPUS

WILEY-LISS, DIV JOHN WILEY & SONS INC

Año: 2022 vol. 32 p. 765 - 765

1050-9631

rowth factors, such as insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1), among others are known for their critical involvement in learning and memory processes. IGF-1 regulates cognitive functions, synapse density, neurotransmission, and adult neurogenesis and induces structural and synaptic plasticity-specific changes. Although IGF-1 has been suggested to participate in different memory processes, its role in memories associated with negative emotional experiences still remains to be elucidated. The principal aim of the present study was to test whether IGF-1 overexpression using adenoviral vectors in basolateral amygdala (BLA) influences both the expression and formation of contextual fear memory, as well as the hippocampal structural plasticity associated with such memory trace. We found that IGF-1 overexpression promotes the formation and expression of a specific contextual fear memory trace, and such effect persisted at least 7 days after recall. Moreover, the overexpression of this growth f