The role of histone acetylation in learning and memory

Changes in gene expression play an important role in the plasticity of the brain and its capacity to learn and remember. In addition to transcription factors that bind to DNA in a sequence-specific fashion, chromatin-modifying enzymes have been identified as crucial regulators of gene transcription. The acetylation of histones and the interplay of histone acetyltransferases and deacetylases have been recently shown to play a prominent role in several cognitive processes. The transition from short to long-term memory, memory reconsolidation and the plasticity of the visual cortex, as well as the effects of chronic cocaine exposure are all regulated by histone acetylation. A flurry of recent studies has begun to identify the genes whose expression changes in response to changes in histone acetylation levels, and these findings are not only helping to understand the basic mechanisms of these phenomena, but they may also offer a means for therapeutic approaches in certain cognitive disorders.