MIT Libraries homeMIT Libraries logoDSpace@MIT

MIT
View Item 
  • DSpace@MIT Home
  • MIT Libraries
  • MIT Theses
  • Theses - Dept. of Brain and Cognitive Sciences
  • Brain and Cognitive Sciences - Ph.D. / Sc.D.
  • View Item
  • DSpace@MIT Home
  • MIT Libraries
  • MIT Theses
  • Theses - Dept. of Brain and Cognitive Sciences
  • Brain and Cognitive Sciences - Ph.D. / Sc.D.
  • View Item
JavaScript is disabled for your browser. Some features of this site may not work without it.

Identifying functionally distinct neuronal ensembles within the memory engram

Author(s)
Sun, Xiaochen,Ph.D.Massachusetts Institute of Technology.
Thumbnail
Download1200315052-MIT.pdf (69.61Mb)
Other Contributors
Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences.
Advisor
Guoping Feng.
Terms of use
MIT theses may be protected by copyright. Please reuse MIT thesis content according to the MIT Libraries Permissions Policy, which is available through the URL provided. http://dspace.mit.edu/handle/1721.1/7582
Metadata
Show full item record
Abstract
Memories in the brain are encoded by sparse ensembles of neurons within the memory engram. However, it remains unclear whether these neurons are functionally identical or can be divided into distinct subpopulations that encode distinct aspects of the memory and differently drive memory outputs. In this study, we found that contextual fear memory engrams in the mouse dentate gyrus (DG) contained functionally distinct neuronal ensembles, genetically defined by the Fos- or Npas4-dependent transcriptional pathways. The Fos-dependent ensemble promotes memory generalization and receives enhanced excitatory synaptic inputs from the medial entorhinal cortex. The Npas4- dependent ensemble mediates memory discrimination and receives enhanced inhibitory synaptic drive from local cholecystokinin-expressing interneurons. Moreover, acute deletion of Npas4 disrupted inhibitory synaptic transmission and memory discrimination, suggesting that activity-dependent genes like Npas4 and Fos play causal roles in the formation of memory engrams. Taken together, our findings support a working model in which neuronal ensembles within engrams undergo distinct learning-induced synaptic modifications and drive memory-guided behaviors differentially.
Description
Thesis: Ph. D. in Neuroscience, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences, May, 2020
 
Cataloged from student-submitted PDF version of thesis.
 
Includes bibliographical references (pages 112-127).
 
Date issued
2020
URI
https://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/128580
Department
Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences
Publisher
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Keywords
Brain and Cognitive Sciences.

Collections
  • Brain and Cognitive Sciences - Ph.D. / Sc.D.
  • Brain and Cognitive Sciences - Ph.D. / Sc.D.

Browse

All of DSpaceCommunities & CollectionsBy Issue DateAuthorsTitlesSubjectsThis CollectionBy Issue DateAuthorsTitlesSubjects

My Account

Login

Statistics

OA StatisticsStatistics by CountryStatistics by Department
MIT Libraries homeMIT Libraries logo

Find us on

Twitter Facebook Instagram YouTube RSS

MIT Libraries navigation

SearchHours & locationsBorrow & requestResearch supportAbout us
PrivacyPermissionsAccessibility
MIT
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Content created by the MIT Libraries, CC BY-NC unless otherwise noted. Notify us about copyright concerns.