Browsing by Subject "BDNF-TrkB"

Environmental enrichment (EE) can be defined as external stimulation by the physical or social surroundings. Like antidepressants, EE promotes neuronal plasticity in the brain, although the exact mechanisms of action are unknown. The aim of these experiments was to further elucidate the role of BDNF-TrkB in the behavioural outcomes of EE exposure. The effect of 10 weeks of environmental enrichment on neuroplasticity was investigated in female wildtype, BDNF-het, and hTrkB-Y433F mutant mice. Behavioural tests, open field, elevated plus maze, and novel object recognition, were conducted to assess memory, learning, and anxiety-like behaviour. Results were analysed in Excel and GraphPad Prism 9.0. with two-way ANOVA and Šídak’s posthoc test. EE affected the OF behaviour of WT and hTrkB-Y433F mice, but not BDNF-het mice. EE brought BDNF-het mice behaviour to the level of WT. Two-way ANOVA indicated that environment was the primary contributor for difference in results, as opposed to genotype. EE did not have a significant effect on EPM or NOR results in either mutant genotype. These results indicate that the BDNF-TrkB pathway, but not the TrkB receptor itself, plays a role in generating behavioural effects of EE. Further study is needed to elucidate the molecular mechanisms behind EE effect on plasticity. Studies separating components of EE would be interesting to see if any exhibit a stronger plasticity effect. Comparison of EE with other known plasticity promoters, ie: antidepressants and rapid-acting antidepressants, would be interesting particularly at a mechanistic level.