Dorsal Dentate Gyrus, a Key Regulator for Mood and Disorders

The dentate gyrus, a gate that controls the flow of information into the hippocampus, is critical for learning, memory, spatial navigation, and mood regulation. Several lines of evidence have demonstrated that deficits in dentate granule cells (DGCs) (e.g., loss of DGCs or genetic mutations in DGCs) contribute to the development of various psychiatric disorders, such as depression and anxiety disorders. Whereas ventral DGCs are believed to be critical for mood regulation, the functions of dorsal DGCs in this regard remain elusive. Here, we review the role of DGCs, in particular the dorsal DGCs, in the regulation of mood, their functional relationships with DGC development, and the contri-butions of dysfunctional DGCs to mental disorders.

Automated summary

The dentate gyrus, specifically the dorsal dentate granule cells (DGCs), play a crucial role in mood regulation and contribute to the development of psychiatric disorders. While ventral DGCs are known to be important for mood regulation, the functions of dorsal DGCs in this regard are still unclear. Dysfunctional dorsal DGCs have been implicated in various mental disorders such as depression and anxiety disorders. This review focuses on the role of DGCs, particularly dorsal DGCs, in mood regulation, their relationship with DGC development, and their contribution to mental disorders.