Next-Generation sequencing of the hippocampus transcriptome in aged and cognitive impaired rats

The current study employed next generation RNA sequencing using two different platforms (Illumina and Ion Proton) to examine gene expression differences related to brain aging, cognitive decline, and hippocampus subregions (CA1, CA3, DG). Young and aged rats were trained on a spatial episodic memory task. The results describe regional differences in gene expression and point to regional differences in vulnerability to aging. Aging was associated with increased expression of immune response related genes, particularly in the dentate gyrus. For the memory task, impaired performance of aged animals was linked to the regulation of Ca2+ and synaptic function in region CA1. Finally, we provided a transcriptomic characterization of the three subregions regardless of age or cognitive status, highlighting and confirming a correspondence between cytoarchitectural boundaries and molecular profiling.