Article
Biology
Rawan AlSubaie, Ryan W. S. Wee, Anne Ritoux, Karyna Mishchanchuk, Jessica Passlack, Daniel Regester, Andrew F. MacAskill
Summary: Projections from the basal amygdala to the ventral hippocampus provide information about rewarding or threatening stimuli to support appropriate behavior. These projections consist of both excitatory and inhibitory inputs that control the activity of downstream neurons, ultimately affecting goal-directed behavior.
Article
Medicine, Research & Experimental
Yong-Qing Zhang, Hyun Kyu Min, Eunchong Hong, Eunhye Yu, Sun Mi Gu, Seong Shoon Yoon, Dohyun Lee, Jaejun Lee, Jin Tae Hong, Jaesuk Yun
Summary: The ICSS model was used to evaluate the abuse potential of 18 drugs in mice, and it was found that DAT availability and extracellular dopamine levels in the mPFC and NAc correlated with the ICSS threshold. These findings suggest a relationship between DAT availability-mediated dopamine levels and drug-induced reward-seeking behavior.
BIOMEDICINE & PHARMACOTHERAPY
(2023)
Article
Behavioral Sciences
Lola Kaukas, Joshua L. Holmes, Freshta Rahimi, Lyndsey Collins-Praino, Frances Corrigan
Summary: Adolescents who experience mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI) are more likely to exhibit chronic symptoms in adulthood, with sex-specific effects on executive functions related to subtle changes in the developmental trajectory of the mesocortical limbic pathway in males only. In an experimental study with Sprague Dawley rats, mTBI during mid-adolescence led to different behavioral deficits in males and females, as well as an imbalance in dopaminergic innervation post-injury.
BEHAVIOURAL BRAIN RESEARCH
(2021)
Review
Neurosciences
Ximena I. Salinas-Hernandez, Sevil Duvarci
Summary: This review article highlights the crucial role dopamine plays in mediating different phases of fear extinction, emphasizing the formation of extinction memories and the regulatory role of the dopamine system in fear extinction. Future research should focus on these emerging concepts and outstanding questions.
FRONTIERS IN SYNAPTIC NEUROSCIENCE
(2021)
Article
Behavioral Sciences
Abigail Fortier, Olivia C. Meisner, Amrita R. Nair, Steve W. C. Chang
Summary: Although the diagnostic prevalence of Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is increasing, treatment options are limited due to a lack of understanding of its underlying neural mechanisms and the heterogeneity of ASD. Recent studies suggest that different genetic and neurological alterations may affect similar neural circuits, highlighting the importance of understanding neural circuit-level dysfunction for developing broader treatments for ASD. Dysfunction in circuits mediating social preference may contribute to the atypical development of social cognition in individuals with ASD.
NEUROSCIENCE AND BIOBEHAVIORAL REVIEWS
(2022)
Review
Behavioral Sciences
Daphne Zafiri, Sevil Duvarci
Summary: Aversive learning is crucial for survival and adaptive behavior, and deficits in this mechanism are associated with anxiety disorders. Understanding the neural circuits involved in aversive learning and memory has clinical relevance. Recent studies have identified the dopamine system as a key modulator of aversive learning.
FRONTIERS IN BEHAVIORAL NEUROSCIENCE
(2022)
Article
Anatomy & Morphology
Imre Kallo, Azar Omrani, Frank J. Meye, Han de Jong, Zsolt Liposits, Roger A. H. Adan
Summary: Orexin neurons play a role in homeostatic regulatory processes and provide input to VTA, a central hub processing reward and motivation. This study found that the VTA neurons projecting to the mNAcs receive more input from orexin neurons compared to those projecting to the mPFC. Orexin exerts facilitatory effects on both clusters of dopamine neurons.
BRAIN STRUCTURE & FUNCTION
(2022)
Article
Neurosciences
Xiao-Bo Wu, Qian Zhu, Ming-Hui Gao, Sheng-Xiang Yan, Pan-Yang Gu, Peng-Fei Zhang, Meng-Lin Xu, Yong-Jing Gao
Summary: Itch is a complex sensation regulated by neural circuits involving the nucleus accumbens (NAc) and excitatory afferents from the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC), amygdala, and hippocampus. This study reveals that acute itch decreases the intrinsic membrane excitability in dopamine receptor D1-expressing medium spiny neurons (Drd1-MSNs) in the NAc core, and that chemogenetic activation of Drd1-MSNs alleviates itch-induced scratching behaviors. Furthermore, it was found that excitatory synaptic afferents from the mPFC play a crucial role in itch modulation.
JOURNAL OF NEUROSCIENCE
(2023)
Review
Pharmacology & Pharmacy
Lucia Caffino, Francesca Mottarlini, Gianmaria Zita, Dawid Gawlinski, Kinga Gawlinska, Karolina Wydra, Edmund Przegalinski, Fabio Fumagalli
Summary: Drug addiction is a devastating disorder that poses a huge economic and social burden on modern society, with adolescents being particularly vulnerable. Research has shown that exposure to cocaine during adolescence confers a vulnerable endophenotype primarily by inducing changes in neuroplasticity.
BRITISH JOURNAL OF PHARMACOLOGY
(2022)
Review
Neurosciences
Barbara Ziolkowska
Summary: This article highlights the involvement of the nigrostriatal and mesolimbic dopamine systems in chronic pain modulation. Dopamine exerts analgesic effects in persistent pain by stimulating D2 receptors in the dorsal striatum and nucleus accumbens, while hampered dopaminergic neurotransmission in the mesostriatal pathways exacerbates pain. The interaction between dopaminergic and glutamatergic inputs plays a crucial role in pain modulation.
Article
Anatomy & Morphology
Cheng-Wei Shih, Chun-hui Chang
Summary: In this study, the distribution and collateralization of projections from the prefrontal cortices to the basolateral amygdala (BLA) and nucleus accumbens core (NAcc) were analyzed. The results showed that the prefrontal control over BLA and NAcc is not entirely independent and there are collateral projections between these regions. The projections from the prelimbic, infralimbic, and medial orbitofrontal cortices were more robust, and the majority of the projections were confined to the deep layer. These findings provide insights into the control mechanism of the prefrontal cortex over the BLA and NAcc.
BRAIN STRUCTURE & FUNCTION
(2023)
Article
Neurosciences
Leah M. Truckenbrod, Sara M. Betzhold, Alexa-Rae Wheeler, John Shallcross, Sarthak Singhal, Scott Harden, Marek Schwendt, Charles J. Frazier, Jennifer L. Bizon, Barry Setlow, Caitlin A. Orsini
Summary: Decision making is a complex cognitive process that involves brain regions such as BLA and NAcSh. Recent research suggests that communication between these structures and activity of D2R-expressing cells in NAcSh are necessary for decision making. However, their contributions during decision making under risk of punishment are still unknown.
JOURNAL OF NEUROSCIENCE
(2023)
Article
Neurosciences
Hannah F. Waguespack, Rafael S. Maior, Carolina Campos-Rodriguez, Jessica T. Jacobs, Ludise Malkova, Patrick A. Forcelli
Summary: Sensorimotor gating is disrupted in neuropsychiatric disorders, and prepulse inhibition (PPI) is a form of sensorimotor gating that has been widely studied in rodents. However, recent research shows differences in the circuitry controlling PPI between rodents and macaques. While the nucleus accumbens is a key modulatory node for PPI in rodents, its role in primates has yet to be investigated. In this study, we found that quinpirole disrupts PPI in macaques when infused into the nucleus accumbens, unlike muscimol which had no effect.
Article
Medicine, General & Internal
Cai-N Cheng, Shaw-Jye Wu, Andrew Chih Wei Huang
Summary: This study found that environmental enrichment can ameliorate methamphetamine-induced behavioral sensitization and anxiety symptoms. The various components of environmental enrichment play a crucial role in reducing behavioral sensitization, and no individual component is able to effectively reduce behavioral sensitization.
JOURNAL OF CLINICAL MEDICINE
(2022)
Review
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Ming Tatt Lee, Wei-Hao Peng, Hung-Wei Kan, Cheng-Chun Wu, Deng-Wu Wang, Yu-Cheng Ho
Summary: This article reviews the recent literature on the role of AMPA-glutamatergic neurotransmission in stress-induced maladaptive responses in emotional and mood-associated brain regions.
Article
Neurosciences
Song Xue, Feng Kong, Yiying Song, Jia Liu
Summary: This study used resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging to explore the relationship between individual's spontaneous neural activity and social interaction anxiety in a nonclinical population. The results showed that social interaction anxiety was correlated with the fractional amplitude of low-frequency fluctuations in several brain regions, and that emotional intelligence partially mediated this relationship. This study provides evidence for the neural basis of social interaction anxiety in the normal population and highlights the role of emotional intelligence in this anxiety.
NEUROSCIENCE LETTERS
(2024)
Article
Neurosciences
Katsuyuki Yamaguchi, Takuya Yazawa
Summary: This study provides morphometric data on the development of the human medullary arcuate nucleus (AN) by examining the brains of preterm and perinatal infants. The results show that AN morphology demonstrates asymmetry and individual variability during the fetal period. The volume and neuronal number of AN increase exponentially with age, while neuronal density decreases exponentially. The AN may undergo neuron death and neuroblasts production after mid-gestation.
NEUROSCIENCE LETTERS
(2024)
Article
Neurosciences
Zhan Zhou, Weixin Dai, Tianxiao Liu, Min Shi, Yi Wei, Lifei Chen, Yubo Xie
Summary: Studies have shown that propofol-induced neurotoxicity is caused by disruption of mitochondrial fission and fusion, leading to an energy supply imbalance for developing neurons. Healthy mitochondria released by astrocytes can migrate to compromised neurons to mitigate propofol-induced neurotoxicity, but the exact mechanisms involved still need further clarification.
NEUROSCIENCE LETTERS
(2024)
Article
Neurosciences
An Chen, Song Hao, Yongpeng Han, Yang Fang, Yibei Miao
Summary: This study explores the efficacy of two forms of BCI attention training games and finds that physical games may be more effective than video games. The research also offers valuable insights for future game design from a neuroscience perspective.
NEUROSCIENCE LETTERS
(2024)
Article
Neurosciences
Lina Liu, Luran Liu, Yunting Lu, Tianyuan Zhang, Wenting Zhao
Summary: This study reveals that GDI1 serves as a potential diagnostic biomarker for AD and inhibition of GDI1 can attenuate Aβ-induced neurotoxicity. The findings offer new insights for the treatment of AD.
NEUROSCIENCE LETTERS
(2024)
Article
Neurosciences
Zahra Gholami, Ava Soltani Hekmat, Ali Abbasi, Kazem Javanmardi
Summary: This study investigated the effects of alamandine on allodynia in a rat model and found the presence of MrgD receptors in the vlPAG and RVM regions. Microinjection of alamandine resulted in a significant increase in paw withdrawal threshold and could be blocked by an MrgD receptor antagonist. Upregulation of MrgD receptor expression following allodynia induction suggests a potential compensatory mechanism in response to pain.
NEUROSCIENCE LETTERS
(2024)
Article
Neurosciences
Mingliang Xu, Lei Xia, Junjie Li, Yehong Du, Zhifang Dong
Summary: This study found that DHF effectively alleviates sevoflurane-induced cognitive impairment in developing mice by restoring the balance between tau O-GlcNAcylation and phosphorylation. Therefore, DHF has the potential to be a therapeutic agent for treating cognitive impairment associated with anesthetics, such as sevoflurane.
NEUROSCIENCE LETTERS
(2024)
Article
Neurosciences
Tsubasa Mitsutake, Hisato Nakazono, Takanori Taniguchi, Hisayoshi Yoshizuka, Maiko Sakamoto
Summary: The posterior parietal cortex plays a crucial role in postural stability, and transcranial electrical stimulation of this region can modulate physical control responses. This study found that cathodal stimulation significantly decreased joint angular velocity in multiple directions, while there were no significant differences with transcranial random noise stimulation.
NEUROSCIENCE LETTERS
(2024)
Article
Neurosciences
Xishuai Yang, Wei Zhang, Xueli Chang, Zuopeng Li, Runquan Du, Junhong Guo
Summary: This study aims to evaluate the efficacy of low-dose rituximab (RTX) in patients with muscle-specific kinase antibody positive myasthenia gravis (MuSK-MG). The results showed that low-dose RTX treatment led to significant improvements in clinical symptoms and quality of life for patients with MuSK-MG.
NEUROSCIENCE LETTERS
(2024)
Article
Neurosciences
Jian Zhang, Shunyuan Guo, Rong Tao, Fan Wang, Yihong Xie, Huizi Wang, Lan Ding, Yuejian Shen, Xiaoli Zhou, Junli Feng, Qing Shen
Summary: This study established an Alzheimer's disease (AD) model of zebrafish induced by AlCl3 and found that marine-derived plasmalogens (Pls) could alleviate cognitive impairments of AD zebrafish by reversing athletic impairment and altering the expression levels of genes related to oxidative stress, ferroptosis, synaptic dysfunction, and apoptosis.
NEUROSCIENCE LETTERS
(2024)
Article
Neurosciences
Lu Li, Jiaqi Ren, Qi Fang, Liqiang Yu, Jintao Wang
Summary: ICU-AW is a common and severe neuromuscular complication in critically ill patients. Electrophysiological examination is essential for accurate diagnosis and early prediction of the disease. This study aimed to establish and validate an ICU-AW predictive model in SIRS patients, providing a practical tool for early clinical prediction.
NEUROSCIENCE LETTERS
(2024)
Article
Neurosciences
Ahmad Alipour, Roghayeh Mohammadi
Summary: The present study aimed to investigate the separate and combined effects of anodal transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) over the primary motor cortex (M1) and left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (F3) regions on pain relief in patients with type-2 diabetes suffering from neuropathic pain (NP). The results showed that tDCS had the potential to induce pain relief in patients with type-2 diabetes suffering from NP. The mean perceived pain intensity in the posttest was lower in the M1 stimulation group than in the F3 stimulation group. However, more trials with larger sample sizes are necessary to define clinically relevant effects.
NEUROSCIENCE LETTERS
(2024)
Article
Neurosciences
Eduardo J. Fusse, Franciele F. Scarante, Maria A. Vicente, Mariana M. Marrubia, Flavia Turcato, Davi S. Scomparin, Melissa A. Ribeiro, Maria J. Figueiredo, Tamires A. V. Brigante, Francisco S. Guimaraes, Alline C. Campos
Summary: Repeated exposure to psychosocial stress alters the endocannabinoid system and affects brain regions associated with emotional distress. Enhancing the effects of endocannabinoids through pharmacological inhibition induces an anti-stress behavioral effect, possibly mediated by the mTOR signaling pathway.
NEUROSCIENCE LETTERS
(2024)
Article
Neurosciences
Giulia Agostoni, Luca Bischetti, Federica Repaci, Margherita Bechi, Marco Spangaro, Irene Ceccato, Elena Cavallini, Luca Fiorentino, Francesca Martini, Jacopo Sapienza, Mariachiara Buonocore, Michele Francesco D'Incalci, Federica Cocchi, Carmelo Guglielmino, Roberto Cavallaro, Marta Bosia, Valentina Bambini
Summary: This study found a general impairment in humor comprehension in individuals with schizophrenia, with mental jokes being more difficult for both patients and controls. Humor comprehension was closely associated with the patients' overall pragmatic and linguistic profile, while the association with Theory of Mind (ToM) was minimal. Another notable finding was the increased appreciation of humor in individuals with schizophrenia, who rated jokes as funnier than controls did, regardless of whether they were correctly or incorrectly completed. The funniness ratings were not predicted by any measure, suggesting a dimension of humor untied to cognition or psychopathology.
NEUROSCIENCE LETTERS
(2024)
Article
Neurosciences
Xiuping Gong, Qi Li, Yang Liu
Summary: This study demonstrates that Sev targets CREBBP to inhibit ALG13 transcription, leading to hippocampal damage and cognitive impairment.
NEUROSCIENCE LETTERS
(2024)