Spatial Impairment and Memory in Genetic Disorders: Insights from Mouse Models
Research across the cognitive and brain sciences has begun to elucidate some of the processes that guide navigation and spatial memory. Boundary geometry and featural landmarks are two distinct classes of environmental cues that have dissociable neural correlates in spatial representation and follow...
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doaj-2d3bd7c4096c4df79b88c31388069cff2020-11-25T00:17:39ZengMDPI AGBrain Sciences2076-34252017-02-01721710.3390/brainsci7020017brainsci7020017Spatial Impairment and Memory in Genetic Disorders: Insights from Mouse ModelsSang Ah Lee0Valter Tucci1Giorgio Vallortigara2Center for Mind/Brain Sciences, University of Trento, Rovereto 38068, ItalyNeuroscience and Brain Technologies Department, Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, Genova 16163, ItalyCenter for Mind/Brain Sciences, University of Trento, Rovereto 38068, ItalyResearch across the cognitive and brain sciences has begun to elucidate some of the processes that guide navigation and spatial memory. Boundary geometry and featural landmarks are two distinct classes of environmental cues that have dissociable neural correlates in spatial representation and follow different patterns of learning. Consequently, spatial navigation depends both on the type of cue available and on the type of learning provided. We investigated this interaction between spatial representation and memory by administering two different tasks (working memory, reference memory) using two different environmental cues (rectangular geometry, striped landmark) in mouse models of human genetic disorders: Prader-Willi syndrome (PWScrm+/p− mice, n = 12) and Beta-catenin mutation (Thr653Lys-substituted mice, n = 12). This exploratory study provides suggestive evidence that these models exhibit different abilities and impairments in navigating by boundary geometry and featural landmarks, depending on the type of memory task administered. We discuss these data in light of the specific deficits in cognitive and brain function in these human syndromes and their animal model counterparts.http://www.mdpi.com/2076-3425/7/2/17navigationspatial memoryboundary geometryfeaturePrader-WilliBeta-catenin gene |
collection |
DOAJ |
language |
English |
format |
Article |
sources |
DOAJ |
author |
Sang Ah Lee Valter Tucci Giorgio Vallortigara |
spellingShingle |
Sang Ah Lee Valter Tucci Giorgio Vallortigara Spatial Impairment and Memory in Genetic Disorders: Insights from Mouse Models Brain Sciences navigation spatial memory boundary geometry feature Prader-Willi Beta-catenin gene |
author_facet |
Sang Ah Lee Valter Tucci Giorgio Vallortigara |
author_sort |
Sang Ah Lee |
title |
Spatial Impairment and Memory in Genetic Disorders: Insights from Mouse Models |
title_short |
Spatial Impairment and Memory in Genetic Disorders: Insights from Mouse Models |
title_full |
Spatial Impairment and Memory in Genetic Disorders: Insights from Mouse Models |
title_fullStr |
Spatial Impairment and Memory in Genetic Disorders: Insights from Mouse Models |
title_full_unstemmed |
Spatial Impairment and Memory in Genetic Disorders: Insights from Mouse Models |
title_sort |
spatial impairment and memory in genetic disorders: insights from mouse models |
publisher |
MDPI AG |
series |
Brain Sciences |
issn |
2076-3425 |
publishDate |
2017-02-01 |
description |
Research across the cognitive and brain sciences has begun to elucidate some of the processes that guide navigation and spatial memory. Boundary geometry and featural landmarks are two distinct classes of environmental cues that have dissociable neural correlates in spatial representation and follow different patterns of learning. Consequently, spatial navigation depends both on the type of cue available and on the type of learning provided. We investigated this interaction between spatial representation and memory by administering two different tasks (working memory, reference memory) using two different environmental cues (rectangular geometry, striped landmark) in mouse models of human genetic disorders: Prader-Willi syndrome (PWScrm+/p− mice, n = 12) and Beta-catenin mutation (Thr653Lys-substituted mice, n = 12). This exploratory study provides suggestive evidence that these models exhibit different abilities and impairments in navigating by boundary geometry and featural landmarks, depending on the type of memory task administered. We discuss these data in light of the specific deficits in cognitive and brain function in these human syndromes and their animal model counterparts. |
topic |
navigation spatial memory boundary geometry feature Prader-Willi Beta-catenin gene |
url |
http://www.mdpi.com/2076-3425/7/2/17 |
work_keys_str_mv |
AT sangahlee spatialimpairmentandmemoryingeneticdisordersinsightsfrommousemodels AT valtertucci spatialimpairmentandmemoryingeneticdisordersinsightsfrommousemodels AT giorgiovallortigara spatialimpairmentandmemoryingeneticdisordersinsightsfrommousemodels |
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1725378654558486528 |