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Researchers have established that neurogenesis in the hippocampus occurs throughout adult life. Inhibition of this process leads to impaired fear conditioning. Evidence also suggests that antidepressant treatments, such as fluoxetine and ECT, promote neurogenesis. But is it always better to have more neurons? These researchers examined the role of neurogenesis in working memory in adult mice.
The investigators used two methods to suppress neurogenesis: focal hippocampal irradiation (specifically within the dentate gyrus), and chemical elimination of progenitor cells in a genetically susceptible transgenic mouse strain. The researchers used a radial-maze task with food rewards to assess working memory in the mice.
When retested only a short ti…