Decreased neurogenesis in the Dentate Gyrus following sensory non‐normative overstimulation.

• DOI: 10.1096/fasebj.27.1_supplement.1124.6
• Publication Date: 2021-06-21T14:59:00Z
• Authors: Julian Sergej Ben...; Dimitri A Christakis; Rebecca Dawn Hodge; Robert F Hevner; Audrey Frances Smith; Tamina Keira‐Mali...; Maria Florencia B...; Jan Marino Ramirez
• Keywords: 0303 health sciences; 03 medical and health sciences

Human infants are increasingly exposed to excessive fast‐paced television viewing leading to sensory overstimulation, which may result in significant deficits in cognition and attention. We tested this hypothesis in a mouse model in which young mice (P10) were exposed to audio and visual overstimulation for six hours per day for a total of 42 days. Overstimulation had detrimental effects resulting in diminished cognition, hyperactivity and increased risk taking (Christakis et al. 2012). Prior studies have shown that exposing mice to an enriched environment (EE) results in improved learning and memory and increased neurogenesis in the dentate gyrus. Here we demonstrate, that sensory overstimulation had the opposite effect and resulted in diminished learning abilities and decreased neurogenesis within the dentate gyrus. Decreased neurogenesis was demonstrated by staining brains of overstimulated and control mice with the antigen KI67 (Ki67), T‐Box Brain Protein 2 (Tbr2), SRY (sex determining region Y)‐box 2 (Sox2) and Double Cortin (DCX). We conclude that excessive non‐ normative stimulation has significant detrimental effects on neurogenesis. Interestingly, this effect was only seen when overstimulating mice as neonates, but not as adults.