Article
Neurosciences
Nan Li, Kewei Xiao, Xue Mi, Na Li, Li Guo, Xiaorong Wang, Yuxiang Sun, Guo-Dong Li, Yu Zhou
Summary: The study shows that ghrelin-dependent activation of GHS-R1a adversely affects memory acquisition and suggests that the PI3K/Akt/GSK3 beta signaling-dependent repression of neuronal intrinsic excitability is an important novel mechanism underlying memory inhibition of ghrelin in the hippocampus. These findings highlight the critical role of hippocampal ghrelin/GHS-R1a signaling in synaptic physiology and memory, providing new insights into the modulation of learning and memory by ghrelin.
Article
Biology
Yuri Elias Rodrigues, Cezar M. Tigaret, Helene Marie, Cian O'Donnell, Romain Veltz
Summary: Discovering the rules of synaptic plasticity is crucial for understanding brain learning. Existing models either lack flexibility to fit experimental data or are too complex to interpret. To overcome these limitations, we propose a new plasticity rule based on a geometrical readout mechanism that accurately predicts plasticity outcomes. Our model successfully reproduces various experimental conditions and suggests that spike timing irregularity strongly affects plasticity outcome. This modelling approach can be applied to other synapses to discover their plasticity rules.
Article
Neurosciences
Yixing Du, Faith H. Brennan, Phillip G. Popovich, Min Zhou
Summary: This study investigates the role of microglia in regulating the structure and function of astrocytes in the mouse hippocampus, revealing that depletion of microglia disrupts astrocyte syncytial isopotentiality and dye coupling, leading to reduced synaptic transmission in neurons. Activation of microglia enhances synaptic transmission, while leaving astrocyte network function unaffected.
Article
Neurosciences
Madeleine Kyrke-Smith, Lenora J. Volk, Samuel F. Cooke, Mark F. Bear, Richard L. Huganir, Jason D. Shepherd
Summary: Research shows that mice lacking the Arc gene do not exhibit deficits in hippocampal long-term potentiation (LTP), indicating that Arc is not necessary for LTP in the hippocampus.
JOURNAL OF NEUROSCIENCE
(2021)
Article
Neurosciences
Karl Peter Giese
Summary: Autophosphorylation of calcium/calmodulin-dependent kinase II (CaMKII) plays a critical role in synaptic potentiation by allowing kinase signaling to outlast NMDA receptor-dependent calcium influx. However, the role of CaMKII is conditional, depending on the developmental stage and location of the synapse.
Review
Pharmacology & Pharmacy
Samuel S. Newton, Monica Sathyanesan
Summary: Cognitive deficits are common in psychiatric disorders, such as major depression and schizophrenia, and play a significant role in functional impairment. Targeted treatments for cognitive deficits are limited, with a need for more efficacious treatments. Erythropoietin (Epo) shows promising procognitive effects in psychiatric disorders, supporting a neurotrophic drug development approach.
FRONTIERS IN PHARMACOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Neurosciences
Margarita Anisimova, Bas van Bommel, Rui Wang, Marina Mikhaylova, Joern Simon Wiegert, Thomas G. Oertner, Christine E. Gee
Summary: The study uses optogenetic stimulation to induce STDP and observes timing-dependent depression and potentiation. This study does not require electrodes and results suggest that synaptic depression after anticausal activation is a transient phenomenon.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Candice M. Roux, Pierre Lecouflet, Jean-Marie Billard, Elise Esneault, Marianne Leger, Pascale Schumann-Bard, Thomas Freret
Summary: Acute hippocampal slice preparations have been commonly used in studying the anti-amnesic properties of drug candidates on long-term potentiation (LTP). Genetic background is crucial in experimental design, considering the availability of various transgenic mouse models. In this study, LTP was compared between inbred and outbred mice, showing reduced LTP magnitude in outbred mice due to lower responsiveness to theta-frequency during conditioning stimuli. Overall, this study highlights the importance of considering animal models in electrophysiological experiments.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR SCIENCES
(2023)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Alexander Maltsev, Pavel M. Balaban
Summary: The study shows that blockade of protein synthesis and specific serine/threonine phosphatases (PP1 and PP2A) can lead to a switch from impaired long-term potentiation (LTP) to long-term depression (LTD). Additionally, it is found that these phosphatases influence both basal synaptic transmission and stimulation-induced synaptic plasticity.
BIOCHEMICAL AND BIOPHYSICAL RESEARCH COMMUNICATIONS
(2021)
Article
Genetics & Heredity
Amy E. Clipperton-Allen, Angela Zhang, Ori S. Cohen, Damon Theron Page
Summary: The study demonstrated that exposing Pten(+/-) mice to environmental enrichment after brain overgrowth occurred can improve their social behavioral deficits and partially ameliorate repetitive behavior deficits. Environmental enrichment restored the abnormal levels of excitatory and inhibitory presynaptic proteins in Pten(+/-) mice.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Marlene F. Pereira, Ines M. Amaral, Catia Lopes, Catarina Leitao, Daniela Madeira, Joao P. Lopes, Francisco Q. Goncalves, Paula M. Canas, Rodrigo A. Cunha, Paula Agostinho
Summary: The study shows that L-alpha-aminoadipate (L-AA) affects astrocytes differently and impairs synaptic plasticity and memory. Injection of L-AA negatively impacts hippocampal long-term potentiation (LTP) and hippocampal-dependent memory in mice. D-serine administration can partially rescue the reduction in hippocampal LTP induced by L-AA exposure.
Article
Endocrinology & Metabolism
Leigang Song, Huan Chen, Dan Qiao, Bohan Zhang, Fangzhen Guo, Yizhou Zhang, Chang Wang, Sha Li, Huixian Cui
Summary: Androgens regulate learning and memory in mice through ZIP9, which is mediated by the ERK1/2-eIF4E pathway. This study provides new experimental evidence for the improvement of learning and memory in Alzheimer's disease through androgen supplementation.
FRONTIERS IN ENDOCRINOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Douglas A. Formolo, Thomas H. Lee, Jiasui Yu, Kangguang Lin, Gang Chen, Georg S. Kranz, Suk-Yu Yau
Summary: Sub-chronic treatment with AdipoRon has antidepressant- and anxiolytic-like effects in mice, independent of changes in hippocampal neurogenesis and synaptic plasticity.
Article
Immunology
Yuxing Yan, Xinxin Xu, Renwen Chen, Shian Wu, Zhuo Yang, Hui Wang, Tao Zhang
Summary: Depression is a common mental disorder mainly caused by chronic stress, and activation of MST1 in the hippocampus has been linked to impairments in synaptic plasticity, neuronal dysfunction, and neuroinflammation. Down-regulation of MST1 has shown to protect against stress-induced behavioral dysfunctions in mice models, indicating that MST1 may be a potential target for future antidepressant development.
BRAIN BEHAVIOR AND IMMUNITY
(2021)
Article
Neurosciences
Yanping Liu, Qiang Liu, Haibi Wang, Yongkang Qiu, Jiatao Lin, Weifeng Wu, Ning Wang, Wei Dong, Jie Wan, Chen Chen, Shuai Li, Hui Zheng, Yuqing Wu
Summary: This study aimed to investigate the role of SIRT1 in cognitive impairment caused by chronic pain. The results showed that reduced SIRT1 expression in the hippocampus led to impaired synaptic plasticity and cognitive dysfunction. Increasing SIRT1 expression or enzyme activity could improve the impaired synaptic plasticity and cognitive dysfunction.
CNS NEUROSCIENCE & THERAPEUTICS
(2023)
Article
Cell Biology
Anna Brachet, Stephanie Norwood, Jos F. Brouwers, Ernest Palomer, J. Bernd Helms, Carlos G. Dotti, Jose A. Esteban
JOURNAL OF CELL BIOLOGY
(2015)
Article
Neurosciences
Carlos B. Rueda, Javier Traba, Ignacio Amigo, Irene Llorente-Folch, Paloma Gonzalez-Sanchez, Beatriz Pardo, Jose A. Esteban, Araceli del Arco, Jorgina Satrustegui
JOURNAL OF NEUROSCIENCE
(2015)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Maria Lidia Mignogna, Maila Giannandrea, Antonia Gurgone, Francesca Fanelli, Francesco Raimondi, Lisa Mapelli, Silvia Bassani, Huaqiang Fang, Eelco Van Anken, Massimo Alessio, Maria Passafaro, Silvia Gatti, Jose A. Esteban, Richard Huganir, Patrizia D'Adamo
NATURE COMMUNICATIONS
(2015)
Article
Neurosciences
Rocio Palenzuela, Yolanda Gutierrez, Jonathan E. Draffin, Argentina Lario, Marion Benoist, Jose A. Esteban
JOURNAL OF NEUROSCIENCE
(2017)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Marion Benoist, Rocio Palenzuela, Carlos Rozas, Patricio Rojas, Elena Tortosa, Bernardo Morales, Christian Gonzalez-Billault, Jesus Avila, Jose A. Esteban
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Ana Franco-Villanueva, Estefania Fernandez-Lopez, Enrique Gabande-Rodriguez, Inmaculada Banon-Rodriguez, Jose Antonio Esteban, Ines M. Anton, Maria Dolores Ledesma
HUMAN MOLECULAR GENETICS
(2014)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Luis F. Ribeiro, Tatiana Catarino, Sandra D. Santos, Marion Benoist, J. Fiona van Leeuwen, Jose A. Esteban, Ana Luisa Carvalho
PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
(2014)
Review
Anatomy & Morphology
Carlos Gerardo Dotti, Jose Antonio Esteban, Marai Dolores Ledesma
FRONTIERS IN NEUROANATOMY
(2014)
Article
Cell Biology
Maria Royo, Yolanda Gutierrez, Monica Fernandez-Monreal, Silvia Gutierrez-Eisman, Raquel Jimenez, Sandra Jurado, Jose A. Esteban
JOURNAL OF CELL SCIENCE
(2019)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Jonathan E. Draffin, Carla Sanchez-Castillo, Alba Fernandez-Rodrigo, Xavier Sanchez-Saez, Jesus Avila, Florence F. Wagner, Jose A. Esteban
Summary: GSK3 alpha, but not GSK3 beta, is crucial for NMDA receptor-dependent long-term depression (LTD) in the hippocampus, where it interacts with the microtubule-binding protein tau to anchor in dendritic spines during LTD induction. These findings suggest a specific role for GSK3 alpha in synaptic depression and rule out a significant role for GSK3 beta in this process.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Luis F. Ribeiro, Tatiana Catarino, Mario Carvalho, Luisa Cortes, Sandra D. Santos, Patricio O. Opazo, Lyn Rosenbrier Ribeiro, Barbara Oliveiros, Daniel Choquet, Jose A. Esteban, Joao Peca, Ana Luisa Carvalho
Summary: Research has shown that the high ligand-independent activity of the ghrelin receptor plays an important role in the physiology of excitatory synapses in the hippocampus, affecting the surface diffusion and phosphorylation of AMPA receptors. Blocking this activity not only affects the AMPA receptor-dependent synaptic delivery induced by chemical long-term potentiation, but also impairs spatial and recognition memory in mice.
Article
Cell Biology
Yolanda Gutierrez, Sergio Lopez-Garcia, Argentina Lario, Silvia Gutierrez-Eisman, Cedric Delevoye, Jose A. Esteban
Summary: The study identified KIF13A as a member of the kinesin-3 family of motor proteins that is specifically required for delivering AMPARs to the spine surface during LTP induction. The vesicular protein centaurin-a1 was also found to be part of the motor transport machinery engaged with KIF13A and AMPARs during LTP induction. Additionally, KIF13A was determined to be responsible for remodeling Rab11-FIP2 endosomal structures in the dendritic shaft during LTP.
JOURNAL OF CELL BIOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Cell Biology
Esperanza Lopez-Merino, Maria I. Cuartero, Jose A. Esteban, Victor Briz
Summary: Increasing evidence suggests that perinatal exposure to pesticides can cause developmental neurotoxicity and increase the risk for psychiatric disorders. This study found that different classes of pesticides can activate the MAPK/ERK pathway and impair mGluR-LTD, leading to synaptic and behavioral alterations associated with neurodevelopmental disorders. In vivo exposure to these pesticides also resulted in behavioral and synaptic changes in line with neurodevelopmental disorders. Proteomic analysis revealed differential regulation of proteins involved in brain development and synaptic signaling by these pesticides.
CELL BIOLOGY AND TOXICOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Carla Sanchez-Castillo, Maria Cuartero, Alba Fernandez-Rodrigo, Victor Briz, Sergio Lopez-Garcia, Raquel Jimenez-Sanchez, Juan A. Lopez, Mariona Graupera, Jose A. Esteban
Summary: Neuronal connectivity and synaptic plasticity are essential for brain function. Phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K) signaling plays a crucial role in neuronal growth and synaptic plasticity. This study demonstrates that the two major isoforms of PI3K, p110 alpha and p110 beta, have distinct functions in dendritic and postsynaptic structures, neurotransmitter release, and long-term potentiation.