Gene expression profiles during long-term memory consolidation

Changes in gene expression have been postulated to occur during long-term m emory (LTM). We used high-density cDNA microarrays to assess changes in gen e expression 24 h after rabbit eye blink conditioning. Paired animals were presented with a 400 ms, 1000 Hz, 82 dB tone conditioned stimulus that cote rminated with a 100 ms, 60 Hz, 2 mA electrical pulse unconditioned stimulus . Unpaired animals received the same conditioned and unconditioned stimuli but presented in an explicitly unpaired manner. Differences in expression l evels between paired and unpaired animals in the hippocampus and cerebellar lobule HVI, two regions activated during eye blink conditioning, indicated the involvement of novel genes as well as the participation of previously implicated genes. Patterns of gene expression were validated by in situ hyb ridization. Surprisingly, the data suggest that an underlying mechanism of LTM involves widespread decreased, rather than increased, gene expression. These results demonstrate the feasibility and utility of a cDNA microarray system as a tool for dissecting the molecular mechanisms of associative mem ory.