Aims: Previous studies indicate that hippocampal synaptic plasticity and spatial memory processes entail calcium release from intracellular stores mediated by ryanodine receptor (RyR) channels. In particular, RyR-mediated Ca release is central for the dendritic spine remodeling induced by brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), a neurotrophin that stimulates complex signaling pathways leading to memory-associated protein synthesis and structural plasticity. To examine if upregulation of ryanodine receptor type-2 (RyR2) channels and the spine remodeling induced by BDNF entail reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation, and to test if RyR2 downregulation affects BDNF-induced spine remodeling and spatial memory.
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