Previous research on the relationship between spatial memory and adult hippocampal neurogenesis has been controversial. In the present study, neurogenesis was compared between two natural populations of the same species that differ in their reliance on spatial memory to cache and retrieve stored food. Western red squirrels store food in a single site whereas eastern red squirrels store food in multiple sites. Neurogenesis was assessed using endogenous markers of the number of proliferating cells (Ki-67) and the number of immature neurons (DCX), and neuronal recruitment was determined by measuring the area of the dentate gyrus of the hippocampus. The number of proliferating cells, immature neurons and neuronal recruitment were enhanced in the eastern compared to the western red squirrels, reflecting the food storing strategies used by the squirrels. This suggests that there is a positive correlation between adult hippocampal neurogenesis and spatial learning and memory.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:TORONTO/oai:tspace.library.utoronto.ca:1807/17181 |
| Date | 24 February 2009 |
| Creators | Johnson, Kristin Margaret |
| Contributors | Wojtowicz, Jan Martin, Boonstra, Rudy |
| Source Sets | University of Toronto |
| Language | en_ca |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Thesis |
| Format | 51077048 bytes, application/pdf |
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