Frontotemporal lobar degeneration-related proteins induce only subtle memory-related deficits when bilaterally overexpressed in the dorsal hippocampus

► Two proteins related to dementia were overexpressed and tested for memory deficits. ► TDP-43 gene transfer, but not tau resulted in a memory retention deficit. ► Hippocampal loss and gliosis occurred in the TDP-43 rats. ► The vector gene transfer models may be useful to study relevant mild impairment.