Social and spatial changes induce multiple survival regimes for new neurons in two regions of the adult brain: An anatomical representation of time?

Abstract

Male zebra finches reared in family groups were housed initially in small indoors cages with three other companions. At 4-5 months of age these birds were treated with [(3)H]-thymidine and then placed in large outdoors aviaries by themselves or with other zebra finches. Counts of new neurons were made 40, 60 and 150 days after the change in housing. Recruitment of new neurons in nidopallium caudale (NC) was higher than in the hippocampal complex (HC); but in both brain regions it was higher in communally housed birds than in birds housed singly, suggesting that the complexity of the social setting affects new neuron survival. In addition, the new neurons lived longer in rostral NC than in its caudal counterpart, and neuronal turnover was faster and more significant in NC than in HC. Albeit indirect, this may be the first suggestion that different parts of the brain upgrade memories at different time intervals, yielding an anatomical representation of time.