Cellular- and network-level regulation of place cell activity mediated by activity-dependent gene, Arc

• Main Author: Yuan, Li
• Other Authors: Ayumu Tashiro
• Format: Theses and Dissertations
• Language: English
• Published: 2019
• Subjects: Science::Biological sciences
• Online Access: https://hdl.handle.net/10356/85646; http://hdl.handle.net/10220/49828
• Institution: Nanyang Technological University

Activity-regulated cytoskeleton-associated protein (Arc), is suggested to be an important mediator of activity-dependent changes in the brain. It bridges experience with synaptic modification and is critical for long-term memory. Despite the accumulating findings that Arc regulates synaptic plasticity and memory, how Arc contributes to the generation of neuronal firing pattern is not clear. In this study, we aim to understand what aspects of behaviorally-relevant neuronal activity is regulated by Arc. For this purpose, we used place cells as a model, and examined how interfering the expression of Arc gene affects place cell activity in freely moving rats. Our result suggests that Arc increases firing rate and broadens the tuning of spatiotemporal neuronal firing activity at the cellular level, which in turn improves population functions. This cellular- and network-level firing patterns regulated by an experience-induced gene might contribute to the formation of memory engram.