The Journal of Neuroscience, March 14, 2007, 27(11):2788-2792; doi:10.1523/JNEUROSCI.5013-06.2007
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Brief Communications
Erythropoietin Enhances Hippocampal Response during Memory Retrieval in Humans
Kamilla Miskowiak,1,2
Ursula O'Sullivan,2 and
Catherine J. Harmer1,2
1Department of Experimental Psychology, University of Oxford, Oxford OX1 3UD, United Kingdom, and 2Department of Psychiatry, University of Oxford, Warneford Hospital, Oxford OX3 7JX, United Kingdom
Correspondence should be addressed to Kamilla Miskowiak, Department of Psychiatry, University of Oxford, Warneford Hospital, Oxford OX3 7JX, UK. Email: kamilla.miskowiak{at}psy.ox.ac.uk
Although erythropoietin (Epo) is best known for its effects on erythropoiesis, recent evidence suggests that it also has neurotrophic and neuroprotective properties in animal models of hippocampal function. Such an action in humans would make it an intriguing novel compound for the treatment of neurological and psychiatric disorders. The current study therefore aimed to explore the effects of Epo on neural and behavioral measures of hippocampal function in humans using a functional magnetic resonance imaging paradigm. Volunteers were randomized to receive intravenous injection of Epo (40,000 IU) or saline in a between-subjects, double-blind, randomized design. Neural response during picture encoding and retrieval was tested 1 week later. Epo increased hippocampus response during picture retrieval (n = 11) compared with placebo (n = 12; p = 0.04) independent of changes in hematocrit. This is consistent with upregulation of hippocampal BDNF and neurotrophic actions found in animals and highlights Epo as a promising candidate for treatment of psychiatric disorders.
Key words: erythropoietin; hippocampal function; cognitive; fMRI; human; neurogenesis
Received Nov. 18, 2006;
revised Jan. 15, 2007;
accepted Jan. 30, 2007.
Correspondence should be addressed to Kamilla Miskowiak, Department of Psychiatry, University of Oxford, Warneford Hospital, Oxford OX3 7JX, UK. Email: kamilla.miskowiak{at}psy.ox.ac.uk
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