The clock gene Per1 is necessary in the retrosplenial cortex—but not in the suprachiasmatic nucleus—for incidental learning in young and aging male mice

Aging impairs both circadian rhythms and memory, though the relationship between these impairments is not fully understood. Circadian rhythms are largely dictated by clock genes within the body's central pacemaker, the suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN), though these genes are also expressed in local clocks throughout the body. As circadian rhythms can directly affect memory performance, one possibility is that memory deficits observed with age are downstream of global circadian rhythm disruptions stemming from the SCN. Here, we demonstrate that expression of clock gene Period1 within a memory-relevant cortical structure, the retrosplenial cortex (RSC), is necessary for incidental learning, and that age-related disruption of Period1 within the RSC—but not necessarily the SCN—contributes to cognitive decline. These data expand the known functions of clock genes beyond maintaining circadian rhythms and suggests that age-associated changes in clock gene expression modulates circadian rhythms and memory performance in a brain region–dependent manner.

© This manuscript version is made available under the CC-BY-NC-ND 4.0 license https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/

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Work Title The clock gene Per1 is necessary in the retrosplenial cortex—but not in the suprachiasmatic nucleus—for incidental learning in young and aging male mice
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Open Access
Creators
  1. Chad A. Brunswick
  2. Derek J. Baldwin
  3. Kasuni K. Bodinayake
  4. Alexandria R. McKenna
  5. Chen Yu Lo
  6. Lauren Bellfy
  7. Mark W. Urban
  8. Emily M. Stuart
  9. Shoko Murakami
  10. Chad W. Smies
  11. Janine L. Kwapis
Keyword
  1. Retrosplenial cortex
  2. Aging
  3. Per1
  4. Incidental learning
  5. Cognitive decline
  6. Suprachiasmatic nucleus
License CC BY-NC-ND 4.0 (Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives)
Work Type Article
Publisher
  1. Neurobiology of Aging
Publication Date March 21, 2023
Publisher Identifier (DOI)
  1. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.neurobiolaging.2023.02.009
Deposited March 18, 2024

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Version 1
published

  • Created
  • Added ViewPageProof_NBA_11506.pdf
  • Added Creator Chad A. Brunswick
  • Added Creator Derek J. Baldwin
  • Added Creator Kasuni K. Bodinayake
  • Added Creator Alexandria R. McKenna
  • Added Creator Chen Yu Lo
  • Added Creator Lauren Bellfy
  • Added Creator Mark W. Urban
  • Added Creator Emily M. Stuart
  • Added Creator Shoko Murakami
  • Added Creator Chad W. Smies
  • Added Creator Janine L. Kwapis
  • Published
  • Updated Keyword, Publication Date Show Changes
    Keyword
    • Retrosplenial cortex, Aging, Per1, Incidental learning, Cognitive decline, Suprachiasmatic nucleus
    Publication Date
    • 2023-06-01
    • 2023-03-21
  • Updated