Frontiers in Behavioral Neuroscience (Jan 2015)

Spatial memory deficit across aging: current insights of the role of 5-HT7 receptors

  • Gregory eBeaudet,
  • Valentine eBouet,
  • Christelle eJozet-Alves,
  • Pascale eSchumann-Bard,
  • Francois eDauphin,
  • Eleni ePaizanis,
  • Michel eBoulouard,
  • Thomas eFreret

DOI
https://doi.org/10.3389/fnbeh.2014.00448
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 8

Abstract

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Elderly persons often face biological, psychological or social changes over time that may cause discomfort or morbidity. While some cognitive domains remain stable over time, others undergo a decline. Spatial navigation is a complex cognitive function essential for independence, safety and quality of life. While egocentric (body-centered) navigation is quite preserved during aging, allocentric (externally-centered) navigation — based on a cognitive map using distant landmarks — declines with age. Recent preclinical studies showed that serotonergic 5-HT7 receptors are localized in brain regions associated with allocentric spatial navigation processing. Behavioral assessments with pharmacological or genetic tools have confirmed the role of 5-HT7 receptors in allocentric navigation. Moreover, few data suggested a selective age-related decrease in the expression of 5-HT7 receptors in pivotal brain structures implicated in allocentric navigation such as the hippocampal CA3 region. We aim to provide a short overview of the potential role of 5-HT7 receptors in spatial navigation, and to argue for their interests as therapeutic targets against age-related cognitive decline.

Keywords