Adult mammalian neurogenesis and motivated behaviors

Abstract

Adult neurogenesis continues to captivate the curiosity of the scientific community; and researchers seem to have a particular interest in identifying the functional implications of such plasticity. While the majority of research focuses on the association between adult neurogenesis and learning and memory (including spatial learning associated with hippocampal neurogenesis and olfactory discrimination associated with neurogenesis in the olfactory system), the following review will explore the link to motivated behaviors. In particular, goal-directed behaviors such as sociosexual, parental, aggressive, as well as depression- and anxiety-like behaviors and their reciprocal association to adult neurogenesis will be evaluated. The review will detail research in humans and other mammalian species. Furthermore, the potential mechanisms underlying these neurogenic alterations will be highlighted. Lastly, the review will conclude with a discussion on the functional significance of these newly generated cells in mediating goal-directed behaviors.

Conserved and Divergent Features of Adult Neurogenesis in Zebrafish

“…The persistence of neuronal production in the adult brain is the product of specialized neural precursor cells, the neural stem cells (NSCs). In rodents, newly-born neurons are physiologically important for the plasticity of specific circuits, notably involved in learning and memory, and impaired adult neurogenesis can correlate with emotional disorders ( Anacker and Hen, 2017 ; Jorgensen, 2018 ; Toda et al, 2019 ). NSCs have also been postulated to be at the origin of some brain tumors ( Fan et al, 2019 ; Matarredona and Pastor, 2019 ).…”

Nigella sativa oil protected the hippocampus against Acetyl cholinesterase and oxidative dysfunctions-driven impaired working memory in rats

“…[21][22][23] The hippocampal formation has immense functional importance and has been extensively discovered to contain cellular elements that possess inherent and sustained self-renewal and mitotic capabilities extending into adulthood in the various animal models studied, including humans. [24][25][26] Cellular lipoidal matrices have been reported as severed or damaged, leading to excessive generation of ROS and subsequent oxidative damages and cell death in OP exposures or poisoning. [12,13,27] In our study, a marked over production of ROS and NO in the hippocampal tissues of the DDVP exposed rats, suggested damage to the cellular membrane of the major cells thus leading to the leak and subsequent oxidative damages in the hippocampus.…”

Hormonal Regulation of Mammalian Adult Neurogenesis: A Multifaceted Mechanism

“…Adult-generated neurons have also been found in numerous other species, including marmosets [3,4], macaques [5], opossums (Monodelphis domestica) [6], and even humans [7,8]. Ultimately, adult neurogenesis was accepted as a real phenomenon and has since been observed in almost all mammals examined so far [9,10], but see [11].…”