Article
Cell Biology
Niccolo P. Pampaloni, Irene Riva, Anna L. Carbone, Andrew J. R. Plested
Summary: The study shows that in addition to the previously known fast-acting AMPA receptors, slow AMPA receptors with prolonged activity are also expressed in the hippocampal CA1 region. These slow AMPA receptors may play a significant role in synaptic transmission, short-term potentiation, and triggering of action potentials.
Article
Cell Biology
Giuseppe Gagliano, Anita Monteverdi, Stefano Casali, Umberto Laforenza, Claudia A. M. Gandini Wheeler-Kingshott, Egidio D'Angelo, Lisa Mapelli
Summary: This study investigates the relationship between neurovascular coupling (NVC) and neuronal activity (NA) using acute mouse cerebellar slices. The findings suggest that NVC involves a balance between the NMDAR-NO pathway and the mGluRs-20HETE pathway, with the latter playing a role at intermediate frequencies. This has important implications for interpreting fMRI signals.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Rostislav A. Sokolov, Irina V. Mukhina
Summary: Calcium is a crucial intracellular messenger in the brain that regulates various cell processes. In this study, the researchers used a fluorescent probe to investigate spontaneous Ca2+ events (SCEs) in neurons during culture maturation. They found that SCEs exhibited three different amplitude distributions and were dependent on extracellular Ca2+, neuronal network activity, and specific receptors and channels.
ARCHIVES OF BIOCHEMISTRY AND BIOPHYSICS
(2022)
Article
Biology
Chong Guo, Stephanie Rudolph, Morgan E. Neuwirth, Wade G. Regehr
Summary: In the cerebellar cortex, Purkinje cells selectively inhibit unipolar brush cells expressing mGluR1, thus regulating balance and eye movement. GABA receptor-mediated inhibition on unipolar brush cells can influence the input-output transformations of the cerebellar cortex in diverse ways.
Article
Neurosciences
Ryan P. D. Alexander, Derek Bowie
Summary: NMDA receptors induce long-term changes in firing rates of inhibitory stellate cells by driving intrinsic plasticity through a Ca2+- and CaMKII-dependent pathway, which alters the activation and inactivation properties of voltage-gated Na+ channels. This signaling pathway also lowers the action potential threshold by causing a hyperpolarizing shift in Na+ channel gating, suggesting a potential mechanism for fine-tuning motor behavior.
JOURNAL OF PHYSIOLOGY-LONDON
(2021)
Article
Neurosciences
Virginia Bazzurro, Elena Gatta, Elena Angeli, Aroldo Cupello, Stefan Lange, Eva Jennische, Mauro Robello, Alberto Diaspro
Summary: The study explored the pharmacological action of the antisecretory factor (AF) on different GABA(A) receptor populations in cerebellar granule cells. It found that AF-16, a peptide derived from the AF protein, can enhance the electrophysiological response in different neuronal regions and suggests the involvement of specific GABA(A) receptor subtypes.
EUROPEAN JOURNAL OF NEUROSCIENCE
(2022)
Article
Neurosciences
Dong-oh Seo, Eric T. Zhang, Sean C. Piantadosi, David J. Marcus, Laura E. Motard, Bryce K. Kan, Adrian M. Gomez, Tammy K. Nguyen, Li Xia, Michael R. Bruchas
Summary: The study found that the activation of noradrenergic neurons can lead to contextual generalization, which requires b-adrenergic-mediated modulation to promote aversive generalization. This suggests that disruption of noradrenergic tone may be an important avenue for treating stress-induced disorders.
Article
Biology
Wenqin Luo, Guan Ning Lin, Weichen Song, Yu Zhang, Huadong Lai, Man Zhang, Juju Miao, Xiaomu Cheng, Yongjie Wang, Wang Li, Wenxiang Wei, Wei-Qiang Gao, Ru Yang, Jia Wang
Summary: This study used single-cell spatial transcriptomics analysis to reveal the similarities and differences between developing cerebellar granule cells and medulloblastoma cells. The research identified different states of developing granule cells and found that transformed granule cells in medulloblastoma closely resemble developing granule neurons but exhibit less tendency to differentiate. This provides direct evidence for the similarities and discrepancies between normal cerebellar development and tumorigenesis.
Article
Neurosciences
Milad Afrasiabi, Akshay Gupta, Huaying Xu, Bogumila Swietek, Vijayalakshmi Santhakumar
Summary: This study reveals that fast-spiking parvalbumin interneurons (PV-INs) contribute minimally to basal synaptic inhibition but selectively mediate sustained feedback inhibition in a subtype of dentate projection neurons called semilunar granule cells (SGCs). The blunting of activity-driven sustained inhibitory gating in SGCs may play a crucial role in their preferential and persistent recruitment during behavioral tasks.
JOURNAL OF NEUROSCIENCE
(2022)
Review
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Pradeep Paudel, Samir Ross, Xing-Cong Li
Summary: This review discusses the potential of cannabinoids and their derivatives as novel therapeutic strategies for depression, highlighting key molecular targets associated with depression. The antidepressant activity of cannabinoids and their binding modes with receptors are also discussed, providing insights for the rational design and discovery of new drugs.
CURRENT MEDICINAL CHEMISTRY
(2022)
Article
Neurosciences
Luke Ziolkowski, Isaac Mordukhovich, Daniel M. Chen, Mariangela Chisari, Hong-Jin Shu, Peter M. Lambert, Mingxing Qian, Charles F. Zorumski, Douglas F. Covey, Steven Mennerick
Summary: Neuroactive steroids are emerging as a new class of drugs for treating neuropsychiatric disorders, with effects on ligand-gated neurotransmitter receptors being a major mechanism of action. MQ-221, a sulfated, 3 beta-hydroxy neurosteroid analogue, inhibits NMDAR function while potentiating GABA(A)R function, showing potentially unique and clinically desirable effects. It may represent a new class of compound with unique psychoactive effects and beneficial prospects for treating neuropsychiatric disorders.
Article
Cell Biology
Xin-Tai Wang, Lin Zhou, Xin-Yu Cai, Fang-Xiao Xu, Zhi-Heng Xu, Xiang-Yao Li, Ying Shen
Summary: Mutant mice with specific deletion of Mea6 in granule cells exhibit abnormal posture, balance, and motor learning, as well as disrupted migration of granule cell progenitors and damaged parallel fiber-Purkinje cell synapses, suggesting a role for Mea6 in cerebellar development and function.
FRONTIERS IN CELL AND DEVELOPMENTAL BIOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Immunology
Md Abdul Alim, Mirjana Grujic, Paul W. Ackerman, Per Kristiansson, Pernilla Eliasson, Magnus Peterson, Gunnar Pejler
Summary: Mast cells play a role in communication between peripheral nerves and immune cells, expressing glutamate receptors and being sensitive to glutamate signaling. Glutamate induces upregulation of various glutamate receptors and gene expression in mast cells, including pro-inflammatory components and transcription factors. The presence of a functional glutamate-glutamate receptor axis in mast cells is supported by in vitro and in vivo evidence, revealing a novel principle of communication between immune cells and nerve cells.
CELLULAR & MOLECULAR IMMUNOLOGY
(2021)
Review
Mathematical & Computational Biology
Stefano Masoli, Martina Francesca Rizza, Marialuisa Tognolina, Francesca Prestori, Egidio D'Angelo
Summary: The field of neuroscience benefits from the combination of experimental and computational techniques, enabling the reconstruction and simulation of complex models of neurons and synapses. Modeling synaptic mechanisms and short-term synaptic plasticity helps understand the process of neurotransmission and their impact on computation in the cerebellar cortical network.
FRONTIERS IN COMPUTATIONAL NEUROSCIENCE
(2022)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Alessandra Cazzaniga, Giorgia Fedele, Sara Castiglioni, Jeanette A. Maier
Summary: Magnesium plays a fundamental role in the brain, regulating metabolism, neurotransmission, and providing neuroprotection. The presence of the blood-brain barrier is essential for magnesium to exert its effects on brain organoids. Magnesium pidolate is more effective than magnesium sulphate in modulating GABA receptors and BDNF levels, while decreasing NMDA receptor levels.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR SCIENCES
(2022)