The article has been published by the international journal PNAS (Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences) under the title ‘Dlk1 dosage regulates hippocampal neurogenesis and cognition’. The work was carried out in collaboration with the University of Cambridge (England) and the Italian Institute of Technology (Genoa).

The study presents the role of Dlk1 (Delta like homolog 1) gene in the function of the adult hippocampus, a brain region where new neurons are generated through the life span of all mammals. This process, also known as neurogenesis, is involved in cognitive processes such as memory and learning.

The team has shown in the study that neural stem cells in the hippocampus, which produce these new neurons, are reduced after losing the gene, causing altered behaviour associated with stress and anxiety in mice. Furthermore, although the gene loss does not produce learning defects, it does trigger alterations in how learning is consolidated.

The significance of the work lies in the discovery of a gene that controls stress and memory in adults.