Luteinizing hormone acts at the hippocampus to dampen spatial memory

Abstract

Luteinizing hormone (LH) rises dramatically during and after menopause, and has been correlated with an increased incidence of Alzheimer's disease and decreased memory performance in humans and animal models. To test whether LH acts directly on the dorsal hippocampus to affect memory, ovariectomized female rats were infused with either the LH-homologue human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) or the LH receptor antagonist deglycosylated-hCG (dg-hCG). Infusion of hCG into either the lateral ventricle or the dorsal hippocampus caused significant memory impairments in ovariectomized estradiol-treated females. Consistent with this, infusion of the LH antagonist dg-hCG into the dorsal hippocampus caused an amelioration of memory deficits in ovariectomized females. Furthermore, the gonadotropin-releasing hormone antagonist Antide, failed to act in the hippocampus to affect memory. These findings demonstrate a significant role for LH action in the dorsal hippocampus in spatial memory dysfunction.

Publisher

Academic Press

Publication Date

3-1-2017

Publication Title

Hormones and Behavior

Department

Neuroscience

Document Type

Article

DOI

10.1016/j.yhbeh.2016.11.007

Keywords

Luteinizing hormone, Spatial memory, Hippocampus, Alzheimer's disease, Aging, Estrogen

Language

English

Format

text

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