Amyloid, memory and neurogenesis.

Transgenic mouse models of amyloid deposition consistently demonstrate impaired performance on certain tasks of learning and memory. The article by Zhang et al. (2006) demonstrates reductions in dentate gyrus neurogenesis in a murine model of amyloid deposition which is linked to the deposition of amyloid and not overexpression of transgenes. Neurogenesis plays at least a facilitatory role in the formation of memory, the nature of which is only beginning to emerge. Thus, it seems reasonable to propose that the memory deficits found in the amyloid precursor protein transgenic mouse models of amyloid deposition result, at least in part, from reduced rates of hippocampal neurogenesis. The possible relationship to memory loss in Alzheimer's dementia is also discussed.