Data from: Impaired hippocampal place cell dynamics in a mouse model of the 22q11.2 deletion

Hippocampal place cells represent the cellular substrate of episodic memory. Place cell ensembles reorganize to support learning but must also maintain stable representations to facilitate memory recall. Despite extensive research, the learning-related role of place cell dynamics in health and disease remains elusive. Using chronic two-photon Ca2+ imaging in hippocampal area CA1 of wild-type and Df(16)A+/− mice, an animal model of 22q11.2 deletion syndrome, one of the most common genetic risk factors for cognitive dysfunction and schizophrenia, we found that goal-oriented learning in wild-type mice was supported by stable spatial maps and robust remapping of place fields toward the goal location. Df(16)A+/− mice showed a significant learning deficit accompanied by reduced spatial map stability and the absence of goal-directed place cell reorganization. These results expand our understanding of the hippocampal ensemble dynamics supporting cognitive flexibility and demonstrate their importance in a model of 22q11.2-associated cognitive dysfunction.

海马位置细胞（Hippocampal place cells）是情景记忆的细胞基础。位置细胞集群（place cell ensembles）会发生重塑以支持学习过程，同时又需维持稳定的表征以促进记忆提取。尽管已有大量相关研究，但健康与疾病状态下位置细胞动态活动的学习相关作用仍未明确。本研究通过对野生型小鼠及22q11.2缺失综合征（22q11.2 deletion syndrome，该综合征是认知功能障碍与精神分裂症最常见的遗传风险因素之一）的动物模型Df(16)A+/−小鼠的海马CA1区开展慢性双光子钙离子（Ca²+）成像实验，发现野生型小鼠的目标导向学习依赖于稳定的空间映射与位置野向目标位置的显著重映射。Df(16)A+/−小鼠则表现出显著的学习缺陷，同时伴随空间映射稳定性下降以及目标导向的位置细胞重塑缺失。上述结果拓展了我们对支持认知灵活性的海马集群动态活动的理解，并证实了其在22q11.2相关认知功能障碍模型中的重要作用。