Adult hippocampal neurogenesis in the context of lipopolysaccharide-induced neuroinflammation: A molecular, cellular and behavioral review

Abstract

The continuous generation of new neurons occurs in at least two well-defined niches in the adult rodent brain. One of these areas is the subgranular zone of the dentate gyrus (DG) in the hippocampus. While the DG is associated with contextual and spatial learning and memory, hippocampal neurogenesis is necessary for pattern separation. Hippocampal neurogenesis begins with the activation of neural stem cells and culminates with the maturation and functional integration of a portion of the newly generated glutamatergic neurons into the hippocampal circuits. The neurogenic process is continuously modulated by intrinsic factors, one of which is neuroinflammation. The administration of lipopolysaccharide (LPS) has been widely used as a model of neuroinflammation and has yielded a body of evidence for unveiling the detrimental impact of inflammation upon the neurogenic process. This work aims to provide a comprehensive overview of the current knowledge on the effects of the systemic and central administration of LPS upon the different stages of neurogenesis and discuss their effects at the molecular, cellular, and behavioral levels.

Keywords: Aging; Brain inflammation; Brain pathology; Cognitive deficits; Neural plasticity; Neural precursor cells.