Neuroligin-1 is required for normal expression of LTP and associative fear memory in the amygdala of adult animals

Juhyun Kim, Sang Yong Jung, Kyung Lee Yeon, Sangki Park, June Seek Choi, C. Justin Lee, Hye Sun Kim, Yun Beom Choi, Peter Scheiffele, Craig H. Bailey, Eric R. Kandel, Joung Hun Kim

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

115 Scopus citations

Abstract

Neuroligin-1 is a potent trigger for the de novo formation of synaptic connections, and it has recently been suggested that it is required for the maturation of functionally competent excitatory synapses. Despite evidence for the role of neuroligin-1 in specifying excitatory synapses, the underlying molecular mechanisms and physiological consequences that neuroligin-1 may have at mature synapses of normal adult animals remain unknown. By silencing endogenous neuroligin-1 acutely in the amygdala of live behaving animals, we have found that neuroligin-1 is required for the storage of associative fear memory. Subsequent cellular physiological studies showed that suppression of neuroligin-1 reduces NMDA receptor-mediated currents and prevents the expression of long-term potentiation without affecting basal synaptic connectivity at the thalamo-amygdala pathway. These results indicate that persistent expression of neuroligin-1 is required for the maintenance of NMDAR-mediated synaptic transmission, which enables normal development of synaptic plasticity and long-term memory in the amygdala of adult animals.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)9087-9092
Number of pages6
JournalProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America
Volume105
Issue number26
DOIs
StatePublished - Jul 1 2008
Externally publishedYes

Keywords

  • Autism
  • Neuroligin
  • Synaptic plasticity

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • General

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