EXPRESSION OF NEUROTROPHIN-3 MESSENGER-RNA IN THE RAT VISUAL-CORTEX AND HIPPOCAMPUS IS INFLUENCED BY ENVIRONMENTAL-CONDITIONS

Environmental enrichment results in structural changes in the brain. R ecent findings indicate involvement of neurotrophins in neuronal plast icity. This study examined the effect of environmental complexity on t he levels of neurotrophin-3 (NT-3) mRNA in the rat visual cortex and h ippocampus, studied by in situ hybridization. Rats housed in groups in a complex, stimulating environment had significantly higher levels of NT-3 mRNA in the visual cortex and the hippocampus than rats housed i n individual cages without stimulating objects. These results indicate a possible role for NT-3 in synaptic plasticity.