[Abstract Title]. - Society for Neuroscience

Also, there is a gradient of c-Fos protein expression in the barrel cortex, with barrels of rows E
and D showing more labeled cells than B and A, and this gradient is not changed by the training.
Intensive stimulation of selected whiskers by stroking produces augmentation of the number of
cells expressing c-Fos protein in corresponding barrels. In further course of the experiment we
will compare effects of stimulation and training using c-Fos immunohistochemistry, c-Fos and
Arc in situ hybridization.
Disclosures: A. Radwanska, None; M.M. Kossut, None; R.K. Filipkowski, None.
Poster
294. Gene Expression and Fear Learning
Time: Sunday, November 16, 2008, 1:00 pm - 5:00 pm
Program#/Poster#: 294.2/SS42
Topic: F.02.f. Fear and aversive learning and memory
Support: NIDA RO1 DA019107
Lois Pope LIFE Fellowship
Title: The nNOS gene plays a role in long-term memory formation of contextual fear learning
but not cued fear learning
Authors: *J. B. KELLEY 1 , K. L. ANDERSON 2 , Y. ITZHAK 2 ;
1 Neurosci. Program, 2 Psychiatry & Behavioral Sci., Univ. of Miami Sch. of Med., Miami, FL
Abstract: Activation of the N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor (NMDAR) causes increase in
calcium influx and subsequent activation of neuronal nitric oxide synthase (nNOS). In brain, NO
produced by nNOS is a retrograde neuronal messenger involved in synaptic plasticity including
late phase of long-term potentiation (LTP) and formation of long-term memory (LTM). Yet,
little is known about the role of NO signaling in classical Pavlovian conditioning. The fear
conditioning paradigm has been successfully used to investigate the role of various genes,
neurotransmitters and substrates in the formation of contextual and cued LTM. Using knockout
(KO) mice with targeted mutation of the NOS gene and their wild type (WT) counterparts, the
role of NO signaling in fear conditioning was investigated. Male and female nNOS KO mice
show a deficiency in LTM memory of contextual but not cued fear learning compared to WT
counterparts. Sex-dependent differences in both contextual and cued fear learning were not
observed in either genotype. Deficits in contextual fear learning in nNOS KO mice were
improved by multiple training sessions with a short intertrial time of 12-15 minutes. A
relationship between increase in plasma corticosterone levels and the magnitude of contextual,