Review
Geriatrics & Gerontology
Zin Z. Khaing, Abarajithan Chandrasekaran, Anjali Katta, May J. Reed
Summary: Changes in the microvasculature of the brain and spinal cord during normal aging increase the vulnerability of the aged central nervous system tissue to ischemic insults. This review focuses on the alterations in the central nervous system microvasculature and discusses new technologies to study its structure and function. The differences in the microvasculature between the brain and spinal cord are also discussed. Future research areas and unanswered questions are identified.
JOURNALS OF GERONTOLOGY SERIES A-BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES AND MEDICAL SCIENCES
(2023)
Article
Engineering, Multidisciplinary
Jian Yang, Lili Zhao, Sheng Yi, Fei Ding, Yumin Yang, Yan Liu, Yongjun Wang, Mei Liu, Chengbin Xue, Lian Xu, Leilei Gong, Xinghui Wang, Yu Zhang, Bin Yu, Guo-li Ming, Xiaosong Gu
Summary: The molecular network features of spinal cord development, including fluctuating RNA expression levels, microRNAs and transcriptional factors exhibiting mosaic profiles, and differential alternative splicing events, play crucial roles in initiating spinal cord patterning and development. Furthermore, there is a negative correlation between innate immunity and intrinsic growth capacity, with epigenetic modifications and G protein-coupled receptors contributing to the regulatory functions and pleiotropic roles in axonal growth. This study provides valuable insights for investigating spinal cord development and developing novel tissue engineering strategies.
Article
Neurosciences
R. Moreno-Luna, P. F. Esteban, B. Paniagua-Torija, A. Arevalo-Martin, D. Garcia-Ovejero, E. Molina-Holgado
Summary: Regional differences exist in some components of the endocannabinoid system between oligodendrocyte precursor cells (OPCs) and mature oligodendrocytes (OLs) derived from the spinal cord and cerebral cortex, which need to be taken into consideration in therapeutic strategies.
MOLECULAR NEUROBIOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Cell Biology
Angela D. Morris, Sarah Kucenas
Summary: Injecting lysolecithin into zebrafish larvae allows for visualization of key features of lysolecithin-induced demyelination, similar to mammalian models, providing a new approach to study the temporal dynamics of such damage.
FRONTIERS IN CELL AND DEVELOPMENTAL BIOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Radiology, Nuclear Medicine & Medical Imaging
Amy R. McDowell, Natalia Petrova, Daniele Carassiti, Marc E. Miquel, David L. Thomas, Gareth J. Barker, Klaus Schmierer, Tobias C. Wood
Summary: This study investigated the use of magnetic resonance imaging to visualize myelin in postmortem multiple sclerosis spinal cord. The high-resolution MR parameter maps showed excellent correspondence with histological markers.
MAGNETIC RESONANCE IN MEDICINE
(2022)
Article
Cell Biology
Bowen Wan, Cong Li, Ming Wang, Fanqi Kong, Qirui Ding, Chenliang Zhang, Hao Liu, Dingfei Qian, Wenlin Deng, Jian Chen, Pengyu Tang, Qian Wang, Shujie Zhao, Zheng Zhou, Tao Xu, Yifan Huang, Jun Gu, Jin Fan, Guoyong Yin
Summary: The study demonstrates the crucial role of GIT1 in promoting MECs clearance of myelin debris and stimulating angiogenesis, making it a promising target for accelerating SCI recovery.
Article
Neurosciences
Siqiao Wang, Weijin Qian, Shaofeng Chen, Shuyuan Xian, Minghao Jin, Yifan Liu, Hao Zhang, Hengwei Qin, Xinkun Zhang, Jiwen Zhu, Xi Yue, Chaofeng Shi, Penghui Yan, Runzhi Huang, Zongqiang Huang
Summary: This bibliometric study analyzed SCI-related studies from 2000 to 2022 and found that China was the most productive country, while the United States had the highest influence. Research hotspots mainly focused on molecular and pathological mechanisms of SCI, as well as novel therapies. Future studies should continue to explore more viable therapeutic methods for SCI.
FRONTIERS IN MOLECULAR NEUROSCIENCE
(2022)
Review
Pharmacology & Pharmacy
Yasmeen Saeed
Summary: Spinal cord injury (SCI) is a challenging disorder without a standard treatment. Immune responses could enhance the injury sequel, but they are also necessary for healing. Immunotherapeutic strategies targeting SCI can benefit from the dual nature of immune responses. This study aims to provide an overview of previous research on immunotherapeutic strategies for functional recovery after SCI and address the limitations of DNA and cell-based vaccination strategies.
FRONTIERS IN PHARMACOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Neurosciences
Nicole Pukos, Christina M. Marion, W. David Arnold, Benjamin T. Noble, Phillip G. Popovich, Dana M. McTigue
Summary: Our previous study found that a large number of new oligodendrocytes (OLs) are generated in the injured spinal cord of mice, with peak oligodendrogenesis occurring between 4 and 7 weeks post-injury. We also observed new myelin formation up to 2 months post-injury. Our current research expands on these findings, quantifying new myelin formation up to 6 months post-injury and investigating indices of demyelination. We discovered that remyelination reaches its peak during the third month post-injury and continues for at least 6 months. Additionally, we observed chronic demyelination through the expression of Nav1.2 and nodal protein disorganization. Our study also revealed a potential mechanism for initiating post-injury myelination, showing that oligodendrocyte progenitor cells (OPCs) make contact with glutamatergic axons in an activity-dependent manner. Increasing OPC/axon contacts through chemogenetic activation of axons may serve as a therapeutic target for enhancing post-spinal cord injury myelin repair.
Article
Immunology
Sen Lin, Chang Xu, Xuechen Yin, He Tian, Xifan Mei
Summary: Spinal cord injury (SCI) causes chronic functional impairment in patients, especially older adults who often have shorter lifespans. Overexpression of p75 leads to neuroinflammation and motor dysfunction following SCI in adult mice. In this study, it was found that p75 deletion could promote motor/sensory function recovery and improve survival in both adult and aged mice.
INTERNATIONAL IMMUNOPHARMACOLOGY
(2023)
Review
Neurosciences
Sandra Zivkovic, Maryam Ayazi, Grace Hammel, Yi Ren
Summary: Neutrophils are crucial components of the innate immune system, playing a key role in defense against infections and tissue injuries by recognizing and neutralizing pathogens. They are proficient in various immune response mechanisms, such as phagocytosis, granule release, and formation of NETs. In the pathologic changes in injured spinal cord, neutrophils play a significant role.
FRONTIERS IN CELLULAR NEUROSCIENCE
(2021)
Article
Medicine, Research & Experimental
Jiahorng Liaw, Wei-Hsien Hsieh, Shih-Hsun Chiou, Yu-Shan Huang, Shwu-Fen Chang
Summary: This study assessed the feasibility of cyclo-(D-Trp-Tyr) peptide nanotubes with different aspect ratios as carriers for oral gene delivery to treat spinal cord injury. Results showed that under in vitro conditions, peptide nanotubes with a smaller aspect ratio had a higher DNA release rate and permeation in the duodenum.
MOLECULAR PHARMACEUTICS
(2021)
Article
Cell Biology
Xiaolong Sheng, Jinyun Zhao, Miao Li, Yan Xu, Yi Zhou, Jiaqi Xu, Rundong He, Hongbin Lu, Tianding Wu, Chunyue Duan, Yong Cao, Jianzhong Hu
Summary: The study demonstrated that BMSC-Exos treatment enhances the phagocytic ability of macrophages to clear myelin debris, promoting nerve injury repair and facilitating axon regeneration and functional recovery. Additionally, the promotion of MARCO expression in macrophages by BMSC-Exos contributes to improved myelin debris clearance and tissue repair following SCI.
FRONTIERS IN CELL AND DEVELOPMENTAL BIOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Neurosciences
Jesse K. Niehaus, Bonnie Taylor-Blake, Lipin Loo, Jeremy M. Simon, Mark J. Zylka
Summary: Peripheral nerve injury leads to long-term pro-inflammatory responses in spinal cord glial cells, but the identity of endogenous cells that resolve spinal inflammation has not been determined. Our study demonstrates that MRC1(+) spinal cord macrophages actively restrain glia to limit neuroinflammation and resolve mechanical pain following superficial injury, suggesting that therapeutic modulation of spinal macrophages could promote long-lasting recovery of neuropathic pain.
Article
Neurosciences
Ryan W. Castro, Mikayla C. Lopes, Lindsay M. De Biase, Gregorio Valdez
Summary: Microglia display region-dependent deleterious features with age and diseases in the brain, and it remains unclear if similar phenotypic heterogeneity exists in the spinal cord. The study shows that regardless of regional location, spinal cord microglia become increasingly activated during aging. However, microglia in the ventral horn lose spatial organization and aggregate around motor neurons, potentially affecting motor neuron function.
Article
Neurosciences
Jiann W. Yeoh, Morgan H. James, Cameron D. Adams, Jaideep S. Bains, Takeshi Sakurai, Gary Aston-Jones, Brett A. Graham, Christopher V. Dayas
Review
Endocrinology & Metabolism
Janelle A. Skinner, Erin J. Campbell, Christopher V. Dayas, Manohar L. Garg, Tracy L. Burrows
FRONTIERS IN NEUROENDOCRINOLOGY
(2019)
Article
Neurosciences
J. A. Mayhew, R. J. Callister, F. R. Walker, D. W. Smith, B. A. Graham
Article
Cell Biology
Chi Kin Ip, Lei Zhang, Aitak Farzi, Yue Qi, Ireni Clarke, Felicia Reed, Yan-Chuan Shi, Ronaldo Enriquez, Chris Dayas, Bret Graham, Denovan Begg, Jens C. Bruening, Nicola J. Lee, Diana Hernandez-Sanchez, Gopana Gopalasingam, Julia Koller, Ramon Tasan, Guenther Sperk, Herbert Herzog
Editorial Material
Neurosciences
Stephanie L. Borgland, Chris Dayas
Article
Psychology, Biological
Janelle A. Skinner, Manohar L. Garg, Christopher V. Dayas, Tracy L. Burrows
PHYSIOLOGY & BEHAVIOR
(2019)
Article
Psychiatry
Ryan J. Duchatel, Lauren R. Harms, Crystal L. Meehan, Patricia T. Michie, Mark J. Bigland, Doug W. Smith, Phillip Jobling, Deborah M. Hodgson, Paul A. Tooney
PSYCHIATRY RESEARCH
(2019)
Article
Neurosciences
Jessica F. Madden, Olivia C. Davis, Kieran A. Boyle, Jacqueline A. Iredale, Tyler J. Browne, Robert J. Callister, Douglas W. Smith, Phillip Jobling, David Hughes, Brett A. Graham
FRONTIERS IN MOLECULAR NEUROSCIENCE
(2020)
Article
Food Science & Technology
Janelle A. Skinner, Manohar L. Garg, Christopher Dayas, Tracy L. Burrows
FOOD QUALITY AND PREFERENCE
(2020)
Review
Physiology
Tyler J. Browne, David I. Hughes, Christopher V. Dayas, Robert J. Callister, Brett A. Graham
FRONTIERS IN PHYSIOLOGY
(2020)
Article
Behavioral Sciences
Robyn M. Brown, Christopher Dayas, Morgan H. James, Rachel J. Smith
Summary: Behavioral models play a central role in studying the neural mechanisms of maladaptive behaviors. This article explores the use of animal models to investigate dysregulated reward-seeking behaviors, such as binge eating and drug addiction. The speakers in the symposium focus on understanding the neural mechanisms underlying binge-like consumption, enhanced cue-driven reward seeking, excessive motivation, and continued use despite negative consequences.
NEUROSCIENCE AND BIOBEHAVIORAL REVIEWS
(2022)
Article
Biology
Alex Reichenbach, Rachel E. Clarke, Romana Stark, Sarah Haas Lockie, Mathieu Mequinion, Harry Dempsey, Sasha Rawlinson, Felicia Reed, Tara Sepehrizadeh, Michael DeVeer, Astrid C. Munder, Juan Nunez-Iglesias, David C. Spanswick, Randall Mynatt, Alexxai Kravitz, Christopher Dayas, Robyn Brown, Zane B. Andrews
Summary: This study found that metabolic sensing in AgRP neurons is crucial for regulating motivation for food reward by modulating dopamine release in the striatum.
Article
Anesthesiology
Tyler J. Browne, Kelly M. Smith, Mark A. Gradwell, Jacqueline A. Iredale, Christopher V. Dayas, Robert J. Callister, David I. Hughes, Brett A. Graham
Summary: Projection neurons in the spinal dorsal horn play a crucial role in relaying sensory information to higher brain centres, receiving inputs from the periphery, brain, and local circuits. Recent studies in transgenic mice have provided insights into dorsal horn circuitry, while information on projection neurons is mainly based on previous studies in monkey, cat, and rat. The study on mouse spinoparabrachial projection neurons identified distinct subpopulations in lamina I based on electrophysiological properties, suggesting different sensory signalling features. Additionally, the research revealed novel information on deeper lamina SPBNs, showing different sensory codes destined for the PBN and their contribution to excitatory input in dorsal horn circuits.
Article
Psychology, Multidisciplinary
Megan Whatnall, Janelle Skinner, Antonio Verdejo-Garcia, Adrian Carter, Robyn M. Brown, Zane B. Andrews, Chris V. Dayas, Charlotte A. Hardman, Natalie Loxton, Priya Sumithran, Tracy Burrows
Summary: The study found differences in the agreement with symptoms of addictive eating among different health professions, with psychologists, psychotherapists, and counsellors showing lower agreement to certain statements. Professionals providing advice for disordered eating also had lower agreement compared to those providing advice for overweight/obesity. However, there were minimal differences based on the population group/s that health professionals work with.
BEHAVIORAL SCIENCES
(2021)
Article
Neurosciences
Jack A. Mayhew, Mitchell J. Cummins, Ethan T. Cresswell, Robert J. Callister, Doug W. Smith, Brett A. Graham
Article
Geriatrics & Gerontology
Sarah N. Kraeutner, Cristina Rubino, Jennifer K. Ferris, Shie Rinat, Lauren Penko, Larissa Chiu, Brian Greeley, Christina B. Jones, Beverley C. Larssen, Lara A. Boyd
Summary: This study examined the age-related changes in brain function and baseline brain structure that support motor skill acquisition. The findings showed that older adults experienced decreases in functional connectivity during motor skill acquisition, while younger adults experienced increases. Additionally, regardless of age group, lower baseline microstructure in a frontoparietal tract was associated with slower motor skill acquisition.
NEUROBIOLOGY OF AGING
(2024)
Article
Geriatrics & Gerontology
Karen Nuytemans, Farid Rajabli, Melissa Jean-Francois, Jiji Thulaseedhara Kurup, Larry D. Adams, Takiyah D. Starks, Patrice L. Whitehead, Brian W. Kunkle, Allison Caban-Holt, Jonathan L. Haines, Michael L. Cuccaro, Jeffery M. Vance, Goldie S. Byrd, Gary W. Beecham, Christiane Reitz, Margaret A. Pericak-Vance
Summary: This study conducted genetic research on African American AD families and identified a significant linkage signal associated with AD, highlighting the importance of diverse population-level genetic data in understanding the genetic determinants of AD.
NEUROBIOLOGY OF AGING
(2024)
Article
Geriatrics & Gerontology
Kazuya Suwabe, Ryuta Kuwamizu, Kazuki Hyodo, Toru Yoshikawa, Takeshi Otsuki, Asako Zempo-Miyaki, Michael A. Yassa, Hideaki Soya
Summary: Physical exercise has a positive impact on hippocampal memory decline with aging. Recent studies have shown that even light exercise can improve memory and this improvement is mediated by the ascending arousal system. This study aimed to investigate the effects of light-intensity exercise on hippocampal memory function in healthy older adults and found that pupil dilation during exercise played a role in the memory improvement.
NEUROBIOLOGY OF AGING
(2024)
Article
Geriatrics & Gerontology
Ajay Sood, Ana Werneck Capuano, Robert Smith Wilson, Lisa Laverne Barnes, Alifiya Kapasi, David Alan Bennett, Zoe Arvanitakis
Summary: The objective of this study was to explore the impact of metformin on cognition and brain pathology. The results showed that metformin users had slower decline in global cognition, episodic memory, and semantic memory compared to non-users. However, the relationship between metformin use and certain brain pathology remains uncertain.
NEUROBIOLOGY OF AGING
(2024)
Article
Geriatrics & Gerontology
Brian N. Lee, Junwen Wang, Molly A. Hall, Dokyoon Kim, Shana D. Stites, Li Shen
Summary: Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a neurodegenerative disorder characterized by memory and functional impairments. This study analyzed participants from the Alzheimer's Disease Neuroimaging Initiative and found differential associations between cerebral spinal fluid (CSF)/neuroimaging biomarkers and cognitive/functional outcomes, as well as variations between sexes. These findings suggest that sex differences may play a role in the development of AD.
NEUROBIOLOGY OF AGING
(2024)
Article
Geriatrics & Gerontology
Madeline R. Hale, Rebecca Langhough, Lianlian Du, Bruce P. Hermann, Carol A. Van Hulle, Margherita Carboni, Gwendlyn Kollmorgenj, Kristin E. Basche, Davide Bruno, Leah Sanson-Miles, Erin M. Jonaitis, Nathaniel A. Chin, Ozioma C. Okonkwo, Barbara B. Bendlin, Cynthia M. Carlsson, Henrik Zetterberg, Kaj Blennow, Tobey J. Betthauser, Sterling C. Johnson, Kimberly D. Mueller
Summary: This study demonstrates a relationship between cerebrospinal fluid biomarkers and the ability to recall proper names in the preclinical phase of Alzheimer's disease.
NEUROBIOLOGY OF AGING
(2024)
Article
Geriatrics & Gerontology
Thomas T. Austin, Christian L. Thomas, Ben Warren
Summary: This study investigated the effects of age on the robustness and resilience of auditory system using the desert locust. The researchers found that gene expression changes were mainly influenced by age rather than noise exposure. Both young and aged locusts were able to recover their auditory nerve function within 48 hours of noise exposure, but the recovery of transduction current magnitude was impaired in aged locusts. Key genes responsible for robustness to noise exposure in young locusts and potential candidates for compensatory mechanisms in auditory neurons of aged locusts were identified.
NEUROBIOLOGY OF AGING
(2024)
