Contextual Fear Conditioning
Objective: Define the time course of requirement for protein kinase A (PKA) and protein synthesis in long-term memory for contextual fear conditioning in mice, and determine whether different training intensities recruit one or two critical consolidation periods
This is a Contextual Fear Conditioning protocol using mouse as the model organism. The procedure involves 4 procedural steps, 1 equipment items, 2 materials. Extracted from a 1998 paper published in Learning & Memory.
Model and subjects
mouse • Not explicitly stated in provided text • Not explicitly stated in provided text • Not explicitly stated in provided text • Not explicitly stated in provided text • Not explicitly stated in provided text
Study window
~3 hour study window | ~3 hours hands-on
Core workflow
Contextual Fear Conditioning Training • Post-Training Drug Administration - Early Period • Memory Assessment
Primary readouts
- Long-term contextual memory consolidation
- Time course of amnesia
- Sensitivity to protein synthesis inhibitors at different post-training timepoints
- Sensitivity to PKA inhibitors at different post-training timepoints
Key equipment and reagents
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Protocol Steps
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Contextual Fear Conditioning Training
Mice undergo contextual fear conditioning training with varying intensities (weak vs. strong training protocols)
Note: Different training procedures recruit either one or two critical periods for memory consolidation
View evidence from paper
“Different Training Procedures Recruit Either One or Two Critical Periods for Contextual Memory Consolidation”
Post-Training Drug Administration - Early Period
Protein synthesis inhibitor anisomycin or PKA inhibitor Rp-cAMPs injected at various times after training to determine consolidation windows
Note: Weak training shows two time periods of sensitivity to inhibitors; stronger training exhibits only one
View evidence from paper
“By injecting the protein synthesis inhibitor anisomycin or the PKA inhibitor Rp-cAMPs at various times after training”
Memory Assessment
Assessment of long-term contextual memory consolidation between 1 hour and 3 hours after training
Note: PKA- and protein synthesis-dependent memory develops during this window
View evidence from paper
“This PKA- and protein synthesis-dependent memory develops between 1 hr and 3 hr after training”
Transgenic Mouse Analysis
Parallel analysis using transgenic mice expressing R(AB) with genetically reduced PKA activity in hippocampus
Note: Time course of amnesia in transgenic mice parallels that in pharmacologically treated mice
View evidence from paper
“The time course of amnesia in transgenic mice that express R(AB) and have genetically reduced PKA activity in the hippocampus parallels that observed both in mice treated with inhibitors of PKA”