Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Dipak Roy, Madhuri Puvvada, Sampath K. T. Kapanaiah, Anant Bahadur Patel
Summary: This study used NMR spectroscopy to investigate the metabolic activity of neurons and astrocytes in ALS mice, and found differential changes in metabolic activity, suggesting the involvement of astrocytes in the pathogenesis of ALS.
NEUROCHEMICAL RESEARCH
(2022)
Review
Medicine, General & Internal
Beatriz Sousa, Joao Martins, Miguel Castelo-Branco, Joana Goncalves
Summary: Transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) has been proposed as a promising therapy for neurodevelopmental disorders by modulating excitatory and/or inhibitory activity to restore the balance disrupted in these disorders. Clinical studies show positive effects of tDCS treatment on behavior and cognition, but further research and optimization of treatment protocols are needed.
JOURNAL OF CLINICAL MEDICINE
(2022)
Article
Neurosciences
Yuki Yamazaki, Maho Moizumi, Jun Nagai, Yoshiki Hatashita, Tianhong Cai, Papachan Kolattukudy, Takafumi Inoue, Yoshio Goshima, Toshio Ohshima
Summary: This study demonstrated the importance of Cdk5-mediated phosphorylation of CRMP2 in neuronal migration in the developing cerebral cortex, with redundant functions of CRMP1 and CRMP4. Experimental results showed that these three proteins play crucial roles in proper neuronal migration.
Article
Clinical Neurology
Hiroshi Yamauchi, Shinya Kagawa, Kuninori Kusano, Miki Ito, Chio Okuyama
Summary: This study found that secondary thalamic neuronal damage may result in a decrease in central benzodiazepine receptors in patients with cerebral infarction and artery disease. This decrease may be associated with frontal lobe dysfunction.
Article
Medicine, General & Internal
Juan Guo, Mingzi Ran, Zilong Gao, Xinxin Zhang, Dan Wang, Huiming Li, Shiyi Zhao, Wenzhi Sun, Hailong Dong, Ji Hu
Summary: The study reveals that during anaesthetic-induced loss of consciousness, there is a general decrease in cortical GABA transmission and variations in glutamate transmission among different cell types, indicating a disrupted excitatory-inhibitory network leading to consciousness loss.
Article
Neurosciences
Inmaculada Crespo, Jaime Pignatelli, Veena Kinare, Hector R. Mendez-Gomez, Miriam Esgleas, Maria Jose Roman, Josep M. Canals, Shubha Tole, Carlos Vicario
Summary: This study investigates the impact of misexpression of the Tbr1 transcription factor on mouse neural progenitor cells. The results suggest that Tbr1 misexpression delays or disrupts neuronal migration, specification, and dendrite development, potentially leading to brain malformations.
MOLECULAR NEUROBIOLOGY
(2022)
Review
Neurosciences
Tomonori Furukawa, Atsuo Fukuda
Summary: During brain and spinal cord development, the inhibitory neurotransmitters GABA and glycine cause depolarization instead of hyperpolarization in adults. This is influenced by changes in the transmembrane chloride gradient, which is regulated by chloride transporters. The endogenous agonists for these receptors are not fully understood, but taurine is suggested to play a role in the development of neocortex by tonically activating GABA(A)Rs and modulating glycine receptors. Taurine also regulates chloride homeostasis through the WNK-SPAK/OSR1 signaling pathway.
FRONTIERS IN CELLULAR NEUROSCIENCE
(2023)
Article
Neurosciences
Ji-Wei Liu, Han Li, Yang Zhang
Summary: This study investigates the role of the neuronal gene Npas3 in cortical development in mice. The knockdown of Npas3 impairs neuronal radial migration and alters cell fate in deep cortical layers. Additionally, the downregulation of Npas3 maintains the stemness of radial glial cells and increases the proliferation rate of neural progenitor cells.
FRONTIERS IN CELLULAR NEUROSCIENCE
(2022)
Review
Cell Biology
Mallikarjuna Nimgampalle, Harshini Chakravarthy, Sapana Sharma, Shruti Shree, Anoop Ramachandra Bhat, Jangampalli Adi Pradeepkiran, Vasudharani Devanathan
Summary: Neurotransmitters are chemical messengers that play a crucial role in information processing in the nervous system, and are essential for healthy physiological and behavioral functions in the body. Dysregulation of neurotransmitter systems is typically associated with specific neurological disorders. Recent research has shown that each neurotransmitter system has a distinct pathogenic role in multiple neurological disorders of the central nervous system. This review provides updated information on each neurotransmitter system, including their synthesis and regulation, functions, pathogenic roles in diseases, diagnostics, therapeutic targets, and currently used drugs for associated neurological disorders. It also discusses recent developments in neurotransmitter-based therapeutics and future perspectives in this area of research.
AGEING RESEARCH REVIEWS
(2023)
Article
Neurosciences
Yujie Xiong, Beining Wang, Yunxia Shang, Huan Liu, Zihao Zhan, Qi Xu, Kai Wang, Zhi Zhang, Tingting Sun
Summary: Hoarding disorder is a chronic disease that starts early in life and does not go away unless treated. There are various factors that affect the symptoms, such as a possessive psychology towards objects and neurocognitive functioning. However, the neural mechanisms underlying excessive hoarding behavior are still unknown.
FRONTIERS IN NEUROSCIENCE
(2023)
Article
Endocrinology & Metabolism
Narayan D. Soni, Akila Ramesh, Dipak Roy, Anant B. Patel
Summary: Alzheimer's disease is a common neurodegenerative disorder, and the ICV-STZ model exhibits typical neurometabolic deficits observed in AD, suggesting its utility in understanding the mechanism of sporadic AD.
JOURNAL OF CEREBRAL BLOOD FLOW AND METABOLISM
(2021)
Article
Cell Biology
Ziheng Zhou, Yueyang Pan, Si Zhou, Shuguang Wang, Dengwei Zhang, Ye Cao, Xiaosen Jiang, Jie Li, Linnan Zhu, Lijian Zhao, Shen Gu, Ge Lin, Zirui Dong, Hai-Xi Sun
Summary: This study investigates the mechanisms of corticogenesis by analyzing single-cell RNA sequencing data from mouse and human fetal cortexes. The study identifies a specific population of cells, called D-T-U, which undergoes direct neuronal transition from deep-layer neurons to upper-layer neurons during fetal cortical development in mice. These findings may shed light on the differences in cortical development between humans and mice.
FRONTIERS IN CELL AND DEVELOPMENTAL BIOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Cell Biology
Carla Cristina Miranda Castro, Sayonara Pereira Silva, Livia Nascimento Rabelo, Jose Pablo Goncalves Queiroz, Laura Damasceno Campos, Larissa Camila Silva, Felipe Porto Fiuza
Summary: The study found that there are regional alterations of specific cellular subpopulations in the aging human hippocampus, which are influenced by factors such as age, sex, education years, and the concentration of neuropathological and inflammatory proteins. These findings provide insights into the distinct physiological changes that occur in hippocampal sub-regions and neurotransmitter systems during normal aging.
Article
Neurosciences
Orhan Tansel Korkmaz, Sertan Arkan, Elif Mine Oncu-Kaya, Nurbay Ates, Nese Tuncel
Summary: In this study, treatment with VIP significantly suppressed spike wave discharges in WAG/Rij rats, indicating a suppressive effect on absence seizures. However, VIP had no significant impact on the behavior of these rats.
NEUROSCIENCE LETTERS
(2021)
Article
Psychiatry
Urvakhsh Meherwan Mehta, Aboli Ektare, Jitender Jakhar, Rakshathi Basavaraju, Tarasingh N. Sanjay, Shalini S. Naik, Farooq Ali Syed, Praerna Hemant Bhargav, Preethi Reddy, Radhika Suneel Kelkar, Shyam Sundar Arumugham, Muralidharan Kesavan, Jagadisha Thirthalli, Bangalore N. Gangadhar
Summary: Research suggests that cortical inhibition aberrations play a central role in severe mental disorders. Through Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation combined with electromyography, researchers examined inhibitory processes in the motor cortex in individuals with different mental disorders compared to healthy subjects. The study found that long-interval intracortical inhibition was significantly increased in mania and schizophrenia, but reduced in OCD, while cortical silent period was decreased in OCD and depression groups compared to healthy individuals.
JOURNAL OF PSYCHIATRIC RESEARCH
(2021)
Article
Neurosciences
Svenja L. Kreis, Heiko J. Luhmann, Dumitru Ciolac, Sergiu Groppa, Muthuraman Muthuraman
Summary: This study investigated the connectivity between premotor and primary motor cortex in humans and between caudal and rostral forelimb areas in mice, revealing strong relationships between spectral power, functional connectivity, and effective connectivity.
Review
Neurosciences
Heiko J. Luhmann
Summary: This review article provides a brief summary of the novel technologies, challenges, current understanding, and open questions in the field of neurophysiology of the developing cerebral cortex in rodents. The use of high-density multi-electrode arrays and genetically encoded calcium indicators has allowed the recording of neuronal activity in large cortical networks, revealing surprising patterns of cortical and subcortical activity during early development. However, the functional roles of these activity patterns and their impact on cortical maturation are not yet fully understood. Future research will focus on targeted genetic manipulations and optogenetics to elucidate the function of early cortical circuits and their role in the generation of activity patterns.
FRONTIERS IN CELLULAR NEUROSCIENCE
(2022)
Article
Neurosciences
Chia-Fang Wang, Jenq-Wei Yang, Zi-Hui Zhuang, Hsiang-Wei Hsing, Heiko J. Luhmann, Shen-Ju Chou
Summary: This study revealed a bottom-up feedback mechanism for regulating the development of TCAs, which involves feedback signals from L4 neurons and the regulation by Lhx2 and Sema7a.
Article
Neurosciences
Jens R. Vandevelde, Jenq-Wei Yang, Steffen Albrecht, Henry Lam, Paul Kaufmann, Heiko J. Luhmann, Maik C. Stuettgen
Summary: Through multi-electrode recordings and behavioral detection, we investigated the importance of different cell types and layers in the brain for the perception of sensory stimuli. Our findings indicate that the highest sensitivity is observed in layer 4, and inhibitory neurons show higher sensitivity compared to excitatory neurons across all layers. Mice perform better when they are not moving, which is reflected by increased firing rates in response to stimuli at the neuronal level.
Article
Neurosciences
Linbi Cai, Jenq-Wei Yang, Chia-Fang Wang, Shen-Ju Chou, Heiko J. Luhmann, Theofanis Karayannis
Summary: The whiskers of rodents play a crucial role in providing tactile information for navigation and object exploration. This study investigates the developmental engagement of different cortical areas in processing whisker stimuli. The researchers find that the primary sensory cortex is activated by sensory stimuli shortly after birth, while the secondary somatosensory area begins to process this information at the end of the first postnatal week. Additionally, the study uncovers a developmental window when information transfer between these cortical areas reaches mature function.
JOURNAL OF NEUROSCIENCE
(2022)
Review
Neurosciences
Heiko J. Luhmann, Patrick O. Kanold, Zoltan Molnar, Sampsa Vanhatalo
Summary: This article reviews the methods for assessing neuronal activity in both clinical and animal models, and discusses the urgent need for translational research, the challenges and possible solutions in translating biomedical research into clinical diagnostics or treatments.
PROGRESS IN NEUROBIOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Cell Biology
Davide Warm, Davide Bassetti, Jonas Schroer, Heiko J. Luhmann, Anne Sinning
Summary: The early occurrence of calcium transients is strongly linked to neuronal survival, with silent neurons exhibiting a higher probability of cell death. Activity of neighboring neurons in local clusters exerts a pro-survival effect, while networks with a high modular topology are associated with lower cell death rates.
FRONTIERS IN CELL AND DEVELOPMENTAL BIOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Biology
Renata Rose, Nicolas Peschke, Elena Nigi, Marton Gelleri, Sandra Ritz, Christoph Cremer, Heiko J. Luhmann, Anne Sinning
Summary: Chromatin compaction in the neuronal nucleus occurs before apoptosis execution and plays a critical role in the outcome of apoptotic cell death.
COMMUNICATIONS BIOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Anatomy & Morphology
Levente Gellert, Heiko J. Luhmann, Werner Kilb
Summary: The functional connections between S1 and M1 or S2 are not confined to the same cortical area, but exist already at the day of birth between adjacent cortical areas. These connections play an important role in the development of sensorimotor integration.
FRONTIERS IN NEUROANATOMY
(2023)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Jonas Schroer, Davide Warm, Federico De Rosa, Heiko J. Luhmann, Anne Sinning
Summary: During early brain development, the BAX/BCL-2 pathway plays a role in regulating cortical neuron removal, with electrical activity serving as a set point of regulation. The upregulation of BAX and downregulation of BCL-2 during the first postnatal week result in a high BAX/BCL-2 ratio, contributing to neuronal death rates. Pharmacological blockade of activity leads to upregulation of Bax, while elevated activity leads to increased BCL-2 expression, indicating the modulation of BAX/BCL-2 expression by electrical activity.
CELLULAR AND MOLECULAR LIFE SCIENCES
(2023)
Article
Neurosciences
Heiko J. Luhmann
Summary: This review article provides an overview of the molecular, cellular, and network mechanisms underlying focal seizures in neocortical networks with developmental malformations. Neocortical malformations are a large variety of structural abnormalities associated with epilepsy and other neurological and psychiatric disorders. Animal models and state-of-the-art techniques have contributed to our understanding of neocortical hyperexcitability in developmental disorders. Additionally, molecular biological and electro-physiological techniques have provided insights into the subcellular, cellular, and network mechanisms of focal seizures.
NEUROBIOLOGY OF DISEASE
(2023)
Review
Physiology
Heiko J. Luhmann
Summary: The neocortical network is composed of excitatory and inhibitory neurons, organized in microcircuits that provide various types of neural connections and influences. This network is activated by specific inputs from thalamic nuclei, subcortical regions, and cortico-cortical projections. Different types of neurons in the neocortex have unique firing patterns, synaptic connectivity, and dynamics of their interactions. Repetitive stimulation can activate or inactivate microcircuits within the neocortex. Specific networks within the neocortex generate synchronized activity patterns that contribute to higher cognitive function and behavior. This review provides an overview of the current understanding of the structure and function of the neocortical network.
PFLUGERS ARCHIV-EUROPEAN JOURNAL OF PHYSIOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Psychiatry
Margaryta Tevosian, Hristo Todorov, Ermelinda Lomazzo, Laura Bindila, Natsuo Ueda, Davide Bassetti, Davide Warm, Sergei Kirischuk, Heiko J. Luhmann, Susanne Gerber, Beat Lutz
Summary: AEA is an endogenous ligand of the cannabinoid CB1 and CB2 receptors, playing a protective role against the development of pathological states after prolonged stress exposure. In a study using a genetically modified mouse line, deficiency of the AEA synthesizing enzyme NAPE-PLD in neurons activated during chronic stress led to increased anxiety-like behavior. The molecular mechanisms underlying this phenotype may involve desensitization of the HPA axis, disinhibition of the amygdala by the prefrontal cortex, and altered neuroplasticity in the hippocampus and prefrontal cortex.
TRANSLATIONAL PSYCHIATRY
(2023)
Review
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Daniela Mirzac, Svenja L. Kreis, Heiko J. Luhmann, Gabriel Gonzalez-Escamilla, Sergiu Groppa
Summary: In this article, recent experimental and clinical studies on Parkinson's disease are reviewed, focusing on abnormal neuronal activity and pathological network oscillations and their underlying mechanisms and modulation. The aim is to enhance understanding of the progression of Parkinson's disease pathology and the timing of symptom manifestation. Mechanistic insights on the generation of aberrant oscillatory activity within the cortico-basal ganglia circuits are presented, along with discussions on the advantages, limitations, and differential applicability of available PD animal models, and suggestions for transferring knowledge on disease pathology into future research and clinical applications.
Article
Neurosciences
Aniello Lombardi, Qiang Wang, Maik C. Stuettgen, Thomas Mittmann, Heiko J. Luhmann, Werner Kilb
Summary: This study investigates the role of short-term synaptic plasticity (STP) in excitatory and inhibitory synapses in the cortical layer 2/3 of mice. The results show that burst stimulation leads to short-term depression (STD) in both excitatory and inhibitory synapses, with stronger depression observed in inhibitory synapses and longer decay time.
FRONTIERS IN CELLULAR NEUROSCIENCE
(2023)