Dynamic range of GSK3α not GSK3β is essential for bidirectional synaptic plasticity at hippocampal CA3-CA1 synapses

Lion Shahab, Florian Plattner, Elaine E. Irvine, Damian M. Cummings, Frances A. Edwards

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

28 Scopus citations

Abstract

Glycogen synthase kinase-3 (GSK3), particularly the isoform GSK3β, has been implicated in a wide range of physiological systems and neurological disorders including Alzheimer's Disease. However, the functional importance of GSK3α has been largely untested. The multifunctionality of GSK3 limits its potential as a drug target because of inevitable side effects. Due to its greater expression in the CNS, GSK3β rather than GSK3α has also been assumed to be of primary importance in synaptic plasticity. Here, we investigate bidirectional long-term synaptic plasticity in knockin mice with a point mutation in GSK3α or GSK3β that prevents their inhibitory regulation. We report that only the mutation in GSK3α affects long-term potentiation (LTP) and depression (LTD). This stresses the importance of investigating isoform specificity for GSK3 in all systems and suggests that GSK3α should be investigated as a drug target in cognitive disorders including Alzheimer's Disease.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)1413-1416
Number of pages4
JournalHippocampus
Volume24
Issue number12
DOIs
StatePublished - Dec 1 2014

Keywords

  • Electrophysiology
  • Knockin mice
  • Long-term depression
  • Long-term potentiation
  • glycogen synthase kinase-3

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Cognitive Neuroscience

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