{"title":"Structural and functional changes in the hippocampus induced by environmental exposures.","authors":"Emad A Albadawi","doi":"10.17712/nsj.2025.1.20240052","DOIUrl":null,"url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>The hippocampus, noted as (HC), plays a crucial role in the processes of learning, memory formation, and spatial navigation. Recent research reveals that this brain region can undergo structural and functional changes due to environmental exposures, including stress, noise pollution, sleep deprivation, and microgravity. This review synthesizes findings from animal and human studies, emphasizing the HC's plasticity in response to these factors. It examines changes in volume, architecture, neurogenesis, synaptic plasticity, and gene expression and highlights critical periods of vulnerability to environmental influences impacting cognition and behavior. It also investigates underlying mechanisms such as glucocorticoid signaling, epigenetic alterations, and neural circuit adaptations. Understanding how the HC reacts to various environmental exposures is vital for developing strategies to enhance cognitive resilience and mitigate negative effects on this crucial brain region. Further research is needed to identify protective and risk factors and create effective interventions.</p>","PeriodicalId":19284,"journal":{"name":"Neurosciences","volume":"30 1","pages":"5-19"},"PeriodicalIF":1.2000,"publicationDate":"2025-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11753596/pdf/","citationCount":"0","resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":null,"PeriodicalName":"Neurosciences","FirstCategoryId":"3","ListUrlMain":"https://doi.org/10.17712/nsj.2025.1.20240052","RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":null,"EPubDate":"","PubModel":"","JCR":"Q4","JCRName":"CLINICAL NEUROLOGY","Score":null,"Total":0}
引用次数: 0
Abstract
The hippocampus, noted as (HC), plays a crucial role in the processes of learning, memory formation, and spatial navigation. Recent research reveals that this brain region can undergo structural and functional changes due to environmental exposures, including stress, noise pollution, sleep deprivation, and microgravity. This review synthesizes findings from animal and human studies, emphasizing the HC's plasticity in response to these factors. It examines changes in volume, architecture, neurogenesis, synaptic plasticity, and gene expression and highlights critical periods of vulnerability to environmental influences impacting cognition and behavior. It also investigates underlying mechanisms such as glucocorticoid signaling, epigenetic alterations, and neural circuit adaptations. Understanding how the HC reacts to various environmental exposures is vital for developing strategies to enhance cognitive resilience and mitigate negative effects on this crucial brain region. Further research is needed to identify protective and risk factors and create effective interventions.
期刊介绍:
Neurosciences is an open access, peer-reviewed, quarterly publication. Authors are invited to submit for publication articles reporting original work related to the nervous system, e.g., neurology, neurophysiology, neuroradiology, neurosurgery, neurorehabilitation, neurooncology, neuropsychiatry, and neurogenetics, etc. Basic research withclear clinical implications will also be considered. Review articles of current interest and high standard are welcomed for consideration. Prospective workshould not be backdated. There are also sections for Case Reports, Brief Communication, Correspondence, and medical news items. To promote continuous education, training, and learning, we include Clinical Images and MCQ’s. Highlights of international and regional meetings of interest, and specialized supplements will also be considered. All submissions must conform to the Uniform Requirements.