Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Amanda Toupin, Serine Benachenhou, Armita Abolghasemi, Asma Laroui, Luc Galarneau, Thamas Fulop, Francois Corbin, Artuela Caku
Summary: Fragile X syndrome (FXS) is a common genetic disorder that causes intellectual disability and autism spectrum disorder (ASD). This study found that individuals with FXS have decreased cholesterol content in lipid rafts (LRs), and this alteration is associated with autistic traits and adaptive behavior.
SCIENTIFIC REPORTS
(2022)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Diana E. Mitchell, Soledad Miranda-Rottmann, Maxime Blanchard, Roberto Araya
Summary: Layer 5 pyramidal neurons in autism spectrum disorders (ASD) exhibit impaired integration of sensory inputs, contrary to the traditional belief of sensory hypersensitivity. Fragile X syndrome (FXS), the most common genetic cause of ASD, shows sublinear summation of subthreshold excitatory inputs. Knockdown of the regulatory beta 4 subunit of BK channels rescued this impairment, suggesting a differential dysfunction in the integration of feedforward sensory and feedback predictive inputs in FXS and potentially other forms of ASD.
PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
(2023)
Article
Cell Biology
Bingke Ma, Xingyue Shan, Juehua Yu, Tailin Zhu, Ren Li, Hui Lv, Haidi Cheng, Tiantian Zhang, Lihua Wang, Feiyang Wei, Bo Meng, Xiaobing Yuan, Bing Mei, Xiao-Yong Zhang, Wei-Guang Li, Fei Li
Summary: This study identifies bidirectional dysregulation of Rac1 activity in the medial prefrontal cortex as a crucial mechanism for shared social deficits in mice. The dysregulation leads to excessive or inadequate excitability control, as well as changes in glutamate or GABA concentrations.
Article
Neurosciences
Mojtaba Madadi Asl, Saeideh Ramezani Akbarabadi
Summary: Synchronization and synaptic plasticity play important roles in learning and memory, but they are affected by transmission delays and spike-timing-dependent plasticity (STDP), leading to changes in the activity and connectivity patterns of neurons.
COGNITIVE NEURODYNAMICS
(2023)
Article
Neurosciences
Chengyu Huang, Mikayla M. Voglewede, Elif Naz Ozsen, Hui Wang, Huaye Zhang
Summary: Autism spectrum disorders (ASD) and schizophrenia are distinct neurodevelopmental disorders that share symptoms and genetic components. Recent studies have identified the synaptic protein Shank3 as a candidate gene for both disorders. This study used live imaging to examine dendritic spine plasticity in mice with Shank3 mutations associated with ASD and schizophrenia. Shared and distinct phenotypes were observed in the mutant mice. These findings provide insights into the synaptic basis for the distinct phenotypes observed in ASD and schizophrenia.
Article
Physiology
Mojtaba Madadi Asl, Atefeh Asadi, Jamil Enayati, Alireza Valizadeh
Summary: Parkinson's disease is a neurodegenerative brain disorder associated with dysfunction of the basal ganglia circuitry, leading to pathological strengthening of pallido-subthalamic synapses and abnormal synchronized neuronal activity. Inhibitory spike-timing-dependent plasticity at these synapses may contribute to the pathological changes observed in PD, shaping bistable activity-connectivity states in the GPe-STN network.
FRONTIERS IN PHYSIOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Physics, Applied
K. Segall, C. Purmessur, A. D'Addario, D. Schult
Summary: The recent success of AI systems has led to an increase in computational resources which threatens the future development of AI systems. Unsupervised learning presents a possible solution, and a synaptic circuit made from superconducting electronics capable of STDP has been designed. The circuit demonstrates the hallmark behaviors of STDP through numerical simulation, and when combined with existing superconducting neuromorphic components, it could contribute to the creation of a fast, powerful, and energy-efficient Spiking Neural Network.
APPLIED PHYSICS LETTERS
(2023)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Luis Enrique Arroyo-Garcia, Hiram Tendilla-Beltran, Ruben Antonio Vazquez-Roque, Erick Ernesto Jurado-Tapia, Alfonso Diaz, Patricia Aguilar-Alonso, Eduardo Brambila, Eduardo Monjaraz, Fidel De La Cruz, Antonio Rodriguez-Moreno, Gonzalo Flores
Summary: This study found that AMPH treatment leads to a decrease in neuronal density in the hippocampus, affecting short- and long-term memory, while also causing morphological changes and oxidative stress.
MOLECULAR PSYCHIATRY
(2021)
Article
Mathematical & Computational Biology
Qiu-Sheng Huang, Hui Wei
Summary: The study proposes a working memory model based on spike-timing-dependent plasticity, which uses temporal patterns of action potentials to represent information and can flexibly encode new memory representation. The model can operate in both persistent and silent states, compatible with seemingly conflicting neural mechanisms, challenging the traditional theory of persistent activity. Simulation experiments support the plausibility of the model in biology.
FRONTIERS IN COMPUTATIONAL NEUROSCIENCE
(2021)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Charles W. Dickey, Anna Sargsyan, Joseph R. Madsen, Emad N. Eskandar, Sydney S. Cash, Eric Halgren
Summary: Research shows that there is a strong tonic and phase-locked increase in firing and co-firing during spindles, especially those occurring with down-to-upstate transitions, within 25 ms. Co-firing, spindle co-occurrence, and spindle coherence are greatest within approximately 2 mm.
NATURE COMMUNICATIONS
(2021)
Article
Neurosciences
Maria Italia, Elena Ferrari, Monica Di Luca, Fabrizio Gardoni
Summary: AMPARs play a crucial role in excitatory synaptic transmission in the mammalian brain, with the GluA3 subunit being widely expressed and functionally relevant. Modulation of GluA3 through pharmacological means may offer a new approach for addressing altered glutamatergic synapses associated with neurodegenerative and neurodevelopmental disorders.
NEUROBIOLOGY OF DISEASE
(2021)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Michael Wenzel, Alexander Leunig, Shuting Han, Darcy S. Peterka, Rafael Yuste
Summary: Prolonged medically induced coma (pMIC) is routinely carried out in intensive care medicine, leading to cognitive impairment. A study on adolescent and mature mice shows that pMIC affects object recognition and is associated with enhanced synaptic turnover, with increased synapse formation during pMIC and synaptic loss post-anesthesia. These results demonstrate significant side effects of prolonged anesthesia on neural circuit structure.
PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
(2021)
Review
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Ewa Baczynska, Katarzyna Karolina Pels, Subhadip Basu, Jakub Wlodarczyk, Blazej Ruszczycki
Summary: This article reviews experimental approaches designed to assess quantitative features of dendritic spines under physiological stimuli and in pathological conditions. By comparing various methodological pipelines and systematically summarizing the methodology and results of relevant experiments, the focus is on quantitative data regarding the number of animals, cells, dendritic spines, types of studied parameters, size of observed changes, and their statistical significance.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR SCIENCES
(2021)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Balaganesh Kuruba, Nickolas Starks, Mary Rose Josten, Ori Naveh, Gary Wayman, Marina Mikhaylova, Alla S. Kostyukova
Summary: Dendritic spines, actin-rich protrusions that receive signals from axons at synapses, are affected by remodeling of cytoskeletal actin. Tropomodulin 2 (Tmod2), a brain-specific isoform, plays a role in regulating dendritic spine re-organization by binding to the pointed end of actin filaments through actin and tropomyosin binding sites. Overexpression of Tmod2 decreases spine number and increases spine length, and disrupting its binding abilities affects spine motility and stability.
Review
Neurosciences
Yanis Inglebert, Dominique Debanne
Summary: The importance of considering physiological levels of extracellular calcium concentration in studying functional plasticity is discussed in this study.
FRONTIERS IN CELLULAR NEUROSCIENCE
(2021)
Review
Biochemical Research Methods
Barna Dudok, Ivan Soltesz
Summary: The endocannabinoid system plays a multifaceted role in the mammalian brain, primarily acting on the CB1 receptor. Despite its importance in brain function and disease, many details of eCB signaling remain unknown. Recent advances in optical microscopy methods and biosensor engineering offer new opportunities to study eCB signaling in greater detail.
JOURNAL OF NEUROSCIENCE METHODS
(2022)
Article
Neurosciences
Tiziana Petrozziello, Evan A. Bordt, Alexandra N. Mills, Spencer E. Kim, Ellen Sapp, Benjamin A. Devlin, Abigail A. Obeng-Marnu, Sali M. K. Farhan, Ana C. Amaral, Simon Dujardin, Patrick M. Dooley, Christopher Henstridge, Derek H. Oakley, Andreas Neueder, Bradley T. Hyman, Tara L. Spires-Jones, Staci D. Bilbo, Khashayar Vakili, Merit E. Cudkowicz, James D. Berry, Marian DiFiglia, M. Catarina Silva, Stephen J. Haggarty, Ghazaleh Sadri-Vakili
Summary: Research suggests that increased levels of hyperphosphorylated tau may lead to mitochondrial fragmentation and oxidative stress in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS); reducing tau levels could potentially alleviate mitochondrial dysfunction in ALS.
MOLECULAR NEUROBIOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology
Ao Dong, Kaikai He, Barna Dudok, Jordan S. Farrell, Wuqiang Guan, Daniel J. Liput, Henry L. Puhl, Ruyi Cai, Huan Wang, Jiali Duan, Eddy Albarran, Jun Ding, David M. Lovinger, Bo Li, Ivan Soltesz, Yulong Li
Summary: GRAB(eCB2.0) is a genetically encoded sensor that reveals the dynamics of endocannabinoid signaling, showing that eCB signaling is constrained and localized.
NATURE BIOTECHNOLOGY
(2022)
Review
Clinical Neurology
Barna Dudok, Peter M. Klein, Ivan Soltesz
Summary: Recent studies have shown that different types of hippocampal perisomatic interneurons exhibit unique activity patterns in vivo, suggesting distinctive roles in regulating epileptic networks. This highlights the importance of understanding the specific functions of different interneuron types in the context of epilepsy.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Pauline Guily, Olivier Lassalle, Pascale Chavis, Olivier J. Manzoni
Summary: This study compared the morphology and function of basolateral amygdala (BLA) neurons in male and female rats during puberty and adulthood. The results showed that BLA neurons in adult males were more excitable than those in females. During puberty, male rats had smaller and shorter action potentials, while females had larger fast afterhyperpolarizations. Additionally, there were sex-specific differences in spine length, synaptic properties, and the developmental courses of long-term potentiation and depression.
Article
Radiology, Nuclear Medicine & Medical Imaging
Hana Pokojna, Caroline Erolin, Christopher Henstridge
Summary: This paper presents a method for creating 3D digital models from patient-specific brain scans and explores its potential applications in the medical field. The method enables accurate representation of medical data, making it more understandable, and can be further applied in virtual reality, 3D printing, and other areas.
JOURNAL OF VISUAL COMMUNICATION IN MEDICINE
(2022)
Article
Neurosciences
Gergely G. Szabo, Jordan S. Farrell, Barna Dudok, Wen-Hsien Hou, Anna L. Ortiz, Csaba Varga, Prannath Moolchand, Cafer Ikbal Gulsever, Tilo Gschwind, Jordane Dimidschstein, Marco Capogna, Ivan Soltesz
Summary: This study identifies a specific group of GABAergic cells in the mouse hippocampus that exhibit high-frequency firing during ripples, a type of high-frequency electrographic event. These cells remain largely silent during other states, showing a unique property in coordinating ripple-related neuronal activity. The controlled inputs from septal GABAergic, cholinergic, and CA3 glutamatergic neurons allow these cells to innervate local interneurons and target extra-hippocampal regions.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Apostolos Mikroulis, Eliska Waloschkova, Johan Bengzon, David Woldbye, Lars H. Pinborg, Bo Jespersen, Anna Sanchez Avila, Zsofia Laszlo, Christopher Henstridge, Marco Ledri, Merab Kokaia
Summary: GDNF enhances GABAergic inhibitory transmission to counteract seizures, and may be a potential treatment for epileptic patients.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR SCIENCES
(2022)
Article
Neurosciences
Zsofia Laszlo, Nicole Hindley, Anna Sanchez Avila, Rachel A. Kline, Samantha L. Eaton, Douglas J. Lamont, Colin Smith, Tara L. Spires-Jones, Thomas M. Wishart, Christopher M. Henstridge
Summary: Increasing evidence suggests that synaptic dysfunction is a central and possibly triggering factor in Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS). This study aimed to assess the molecular profile of ALS synapses using an unbiased synaptic proteomics experiment. The researchers identified ALS-associated proteins and alterations in synaptic protein expression levels, as well as the influence of cognitive decline and a specific genetic mutation on synaptic composition. This study provides novel insights into the role of synaptic dysfunction in ALS pathophysiology.
ACTA NEUROPATHOLOGICA COMMUNICATIONS
(2022)
Article
Psychiatry
Daniela Iezzi, Alba Caceres-Rodriguez, Pascale Chavis, Olivier J. J. Manzoni
Summary: This study evaluated the sex-dependent neonatal behavior of progeny exposed to CBD during gestation using behavioral approaches and deep learning analysis. The results showed that male pups gained more weight, while female pups emitted more high frequency calls compared to their control counterparts. There were also qualitative changes in syllabic USV repertoire and differences in homing behavior, with CBD-exposed females showing reduced motor and discriminatory abilities. These findings suggest a sexual divergence in the consequences of in utero CBD exposure on neonates, highlighting the need for further studies on the effects of perinatal CBD exposure.
TRANSLATIONAL PSYCHIATRY
(2022)
Article
Neurosciences
Yundi Wang, Marja D. Sepers, Dongsheng Xiao, Lynn A. Raymond, Timothy H. Murphy
Summary: This study developed a high-throughput water-reaching task and training protocol to monitor forelimb impairment and cortical changes in HD mice. The results showed that HD mice took longer to learn the event sequence and displayed reduced cortical activity associated with successful reaches. Over time, cortical activity increased and reaching trajectories became longer and more variable in HD mice. This study provides insights into the onset and manifestation of movement disorders, therapeutic intervention windows, and testing of drug efficacy.
Review
Neurosciences
Nicole Hindley, Anna Sanchez Avila, Christopher Henstridge
Summary: Synapses are vital for healthy brain function and are now recognized as key structures in early brain diseases. Understanding the processes driving synaptic dysfunction can lead to new treatments for devastating diseases. Advances in imaging and molecular tools now allow us to analyze synapses at higher resolution and examine multiple proteins in intact tissue. New molecular techniques also enable accurate quantification of synaptic proteins. These developments will enrich the field of synapses and provide valuable data for synaptopathy research.
FRONTIERS IN SYNAPTIC NEUROSCIENCE
(2023)
Article
Clinical Neurology
Amr Aly, Zsofia I. Laszlo, Sandeep Rajkumar, Tugba Demir, Nicole Hindley, Douglas J. Lamont, Johannes Lehmann, Mira Seidel, Daniel Sommer, Mirita Franz-Wachtel, Francesca Barletta, Simon Heumos, Stefan Czemmel, Edor Kabashi, Albert Ludolph, Tobias M. Boeckers, Christopher M. Henstridge, Alberto Catanese
Summary: Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) is a fatal neurodegenerative disease that affects upper and lower motoneurons. Research has found that synaptic abnormalities may be a shared pathological feature across the spectrum of ALS, suggesting a potential therapeutic target.
ACTA NEUROPATHOLOGICA
(2023)
Article
Pharmacology & Pharmacy
Andrew F. Scheyer, Steven R. Laviolette, Anne-Laure Pelissier, Olivier J. J. Manzoni
Summary: The consumption of cannabis during adolescence presents scientific, medical, and economic challenges, due to changes in the social and political perception of the drug. With the wave of cannabis legalization, there is a need to educate the public about the potential risks and known dangers associated with both recreational and medical cannabis.
CANNABIS AND CANNABINOID RESEARCH
(2023)
