Article
Clinical Neurology
Greg C. Bristow, Tory Eisenlohr-Moul, Krista Lotesto, Monsheel S. Sodhi
Summary: This study found gender differences in the transcription of monoaminergic genes in the DLPFC in MDD patients, indicating that abnormalities in the expression of monoaminergic genes may contribute to alterations in DLPFC activity observed in major depression.
JOURNAL OF AFFECTIVE DISORDERS
(2021)
Article
Neurosciences
Lindsay J. Agostinelli, Scott C. Seaman, Clifford B. Saper, Dustin P. Fykstra, Marco M. Hefti, Timothy R. Koscik, Brian J. Dlouhy, Alexander G. Bassuk
Summary: Researchers report a study that combines high-resolution MRI and detailed histology to study the impact of neurologic disease on specific cell groups in the human brainstem and cerebellum. These findings are crucial for understanding and diagnosing brainstem lesions.
JOURNAL OF NEUROSCIENCE
(2023)
Review
Behavioral Sciences
Claire Warren, Charlotte F. Kroll, Bruno Kopp
Summary: Event-related potentials (ERPs) reflect the cortical processing of sensory, motor, or cognitive functions in response to specific events or stimuli. The neurotransmitters dopamine (DA) and norepinephrine (NE) are believed to modulate various ERPs in different cognitive processes. This study evaluates the neurotransmitter hypothesis by conducting a systematic review and meta-analysis of pharmacological manipulation of DA and NE on specific ERPs in healthy individuals during executive function. The results suggest that the relationship between these neurotransmitters and ERPs is more complex than previously thought, with genetic factors, cognitive processes, and study design playing important roles.
NEUROSCIENCE AND BIOBEHAVIORAL REVIEWS
(2023)
Article
Immunology
Jan Pieter Konsman, Collin J. Laaker, Kelsey R. Lloyd, Adam Hiltz, Brittany L. Smith, Marissa A. Smail, Teresa M. Reyes
Summary: The study found that adult mice exposed to leukemia chemotherapy in early life showed deficits in recognition memory and executive function. Inflammation-related gene expression changes in the prefrontal cortex and small intestine were associated with executive function deficits in mice.
BRAIN BEHAVIOR AND IMMUNITY
(2022)
Article
Sport Sciences
R. Y. U. T. A. KUWAMIZU, K. A. Z. U. Y. A. SUWABE, C. H. O. R. P. H. A. K. A. DAMRONGTHAI, T. A. K. E. M. U. N. E. FUKUIE, G. E. N. T. A. OCHI, K. A. Z. U. K. HYODO, T. A. I. C. H. I. HIRAGA, A. T. S. U. K. O. NAGANO-SAITO, H. I. D. E. A. K. I. SOYA
Summary: The study found that spontaneous eye blink rate (sEBR) mediates the relationship between executive function, prefrontal neural efficiency, and aerobic fitness, supporting the hypothesis that brain dopaminergic function plays a role in connecting aerobic fitness and executive function.
MEDICINE & SCIENCE IN SPORTS & EXERCISE
(2021)
Review
Geriatrics & Gerontology
Christopher H. van Dyck, Amy F. T. Arnsten, Prasad R. Padala, Olga Brawman-Mintzer, Alan J. Lerner, Anton P. Porsteinsson, Roberta W. Scherer, Allan I. Levey, Nathan Herrmann, Nimra Jamil, Jacobo E. Mintzer, Krista L. Lanctot, Paul B. Rosenberg
Summary: Apathy is a common symptom in patients with Alzheimer's disease, and previous treatment methods have been ineffective. Methylphenidate has shown promising results in initial trials for treating apathy, possibly by boosting norepinephrine and dopamine actions in brain circuits. Understanding the role of neuronal circuits and neurotransmitters in motivated behavior may provide insight into developing more effective treatments for apathy in Alzheimer's disease.
AMERICAN JOURNAL OF GERIATRIC PSYCHIATRY
(2021)
Review
Chemistry, Analytical
Zina Fredj, Mohamad Sawan
Summary: Catecholamines are crucial neurotransmitters in the central nervous system and play key roles in neurological disorders. Optical and electrochemical biosensors have been widely adopted for the real-time monitoring of catecholamine neurotransmitters and their development has been greatly accelerated in the last decade. This review provides a comprehensive overview on the recent advances and main challenges in catecholamines biosensors, with emphasis on electrochemical biosensors and the unique characteristics brought by nanotechnology. It also summarizes the therapeutic use of nanomaterials for catecholamine analysis and future development trends based on specific biosensors' performance metrics.
Article
Neurosciences
Ping C. Mamiya, Anne B. Arnett, Mark A. Stein
Summary: ADHD is a neurodevelopmental disorder with core symptoms of difficulties regulating attention, activity level, and impulses that can persist throughout a person's lifespan. Current pharmacological options targeting catecholamine neurotransmissions have varying levels of effectiveness, leading clinicians to implement trial-and-error approaches to treatment. Recent evidence suggests an imbalance of excitation/inhibition in the fronto-striatal circuitry during early development may lead to enduring neuroanatomical abnormalities, proposing a precision medicine care model focusing on E/I balance as a candidate biomarker for ADHD.
Article
Pharmacology & Pharmacy
Heidi N. Boyda, Michelle Pham, Joyce Huang, Amanzo A. Ho, Ric M. Procyshyn, Jessica W. Y. Yuen, William G. Honer, Alasdair M. Barr
Summary: This study examined the role of peripheral catecholamines in antipsychotic-induced glucose intolerance and found a significant association between increased peripheral catecholamines and glucose intolerance.
FRONTIERS IN PHARMACOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Psychology, Developmental
Yusuke Moriguchi
Summary: The study found that there may be differences in the neural basis of hot and cool executive function during early childhood, and there is no correlation between cool and hot EF tasks.
DEVELOPMENTAL SCIENCE
(2022)
Article
Neurosciences
Amanda E. Hernan, J. Matthew Mahoney, Willie Curry, Seamus Mawe, Rod C. Scott
Summary: The study reveals that neurons in the hippocampus and prefrontal cortex form a functional network during spatial working memory tasks and are well modulated in time. However, animals with cortical malformation show poorly modulated neurons in time, leading to difficulties in encoding task parameters and integrating into a functional network.
Article
Neurosciences
Abigail Fiske, Carina de Klerk, Katie Y. K. Lui, Liam Collins-Jones, Alexandra Hendry, Isobel Greenhalgh, Anna Hall, Gaia Scerif, Henrik Dvergsdal, Karla Holmboe
Summary: Inhibitory control, a core executive function, develops rapidly from infancy and is supported by the right prefrontal and parietal cortices in 10-month-old infants.
Article
Chemistry, Analytical
Cristina Tortolini, Anthony E. G. Cass, Riccardo Pofi, Andrea Lenzi, Riccarda Antiochia
Summary: The study introduces a microneedle-based sensor using highly nanoporous gold for continuous monitoring of catecholamines in interstitial fluid, displaying low detection limit, excellent sensitivity and stability, and fast response time. The performance of the sensor was evaluated in artificial interstitial fluid and a hydrogel skin model at typical physiological concentrations.
Article
Neurosciences
Robert C. Spencer, Andrea J. Martin, David M. Devilbiss, Craig W. Berridge
Summary: The prefrontal cortex and extended frontostriatal circuitry are crucial for executive cognitive processes, and psychostimulants have dose-dependent effects on frontostriatal cognition. Low doses improve while high doses impair cognitive function. The effects of psychostimulants on reward-related signaling are complex and vary depending on dosage, region, and neuron.
NEUROPSYCHOPHARMACOLOGY
(2023)
Review
Biology
Tayebeh Sepahvand, Kyron D. Power, Tian Qin, Qi Yuan
Summary: Through the study of threat conditioning, extinction, and second-order threat conditioning in animal models, insights have been gained into the brain-based mechanisms of fear- and anxiety-related disorders and their treatment. The basolateral amygdala (BLA) has received much attention in these processes, and this review provides an overview of its role. Recent evidence suggests that the BLA serves as the core of a greater network of structures, including associative and sensory cortices, in these forms of learning. The BLA is regulated by inputs from the hippocampus and prefrontal cortex, as well as by neuromodulators such as norepinephrine and dopamine, which may contribute important learning signals to these processes. The sensory cortices may play a crucial role in the long-term storage of threat memories, and further research can explore their potential in the storage of extinction and second-order conditioning memories.
Article
Neurosciences
Eric W. Prouty, Daniel J. Chandler, Wen-Jun Gao, Barry D. Waterhouse
EUROPEAN JOURNAL OF NEUROSCIENCE
(2019)
Article
Psychiatry
Melissa A. Snyder, Wen-Jun Gao
SCHIZOPHRENIA RESEARCH
(2020)
Article
Neurosciences
Yan-Chun Li, Priyalakshmi Panikker, Bo Xing, Sha-Sha Yang, Cassandra Alexandropoulos, Erin P. McEachern, Rita Akumuo, Elise Zhao, Yelena Gulchina, Mikhail Pletnikov, Nikhil M. Urs, Marc G. Caron, Felice Elefant, Wen-Jun Gao
BIOLOGICAL PSYCHIATRY
(2020)
Article
Clinical Neurology
Sarah A. Monaco, Andrew J. Matamoros, Wen-Jun Gao
PROGRESS IN NEURO-PSYCHOPHARMACOLOGY & BIOLOGICAL PSYCHIATRY
(2020)
Article
Neurosciences
Bo Xing, Nancy R. Mack, Kai-Ming Guo, Yu-Xiang Zhang, Billy Ramirez, Sha-Sha Yang, Li Lin, Dong V. Wang, Yan-Chun Li, Wen-Jun Gao
Summary: The study identified the characteristics and functions of social-associated neurons in the mPFC, showing that these neurons play a crucial role in social memory.
BIOLOGICAL PSYCHIATRY
(2021)
Editorial Material
Neurosciences
Nancy R. Mack, Wen-Jun Gao
BIOLOGICAL PSYCHIATRY
(2021)
Article
Behavioral Sciences
Wen-Jun Gao, Nancy R. Mack
Summary: PSD-95 knockout mice exhibit hyposociability during adolescence but hypersociability in adulthood, with the adolescent deficiency accompanied by NMDAR hyperfunction in the mPFC and delayed mPFC maturation until adulthood.
FRONTIERS IN BEHAVIORAL NEUROSCIENCE
(2021)
Review
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Wen-Jun Gao, Sha-Sha Yang, Nancy R. Mack, Linda A. Chamberlin
Summary: The neurobiology of schizophrenia encompasses genetic basis, neurochemical and neurophysiological changes, as well as systemic neural circuitry. The aberrant maturation and connectivity of the prefrontal cortex are key factors in the complex symptoms seen in different stages of the disease.
MOLECULAR PSYCHIATRY
(2022)
Review
Neurosciences
Sha-Sha Yang, Nancy R. Mack, Yousheng Shu, Wen-Jun Gao
Summary: Prefrontal cortical GABAergic interneurons play a crucial role in executing complex behaviors, with long-range afferents from subcortical structures activating parvalbumin-expressing and somatostatin expressing interneurons to regulate specific PFC-dependent behaviors.
FRONTIERS IN NEURAL CIRCUITS
(2021)
Article
Neurosciences
Bo Xing, Nancy R. Mack, Yu-Xiang Zhang, Erin P. McEachern, Wen-Jun Gao
Summary: Neuronal activity in the prefrontal cortex (PFC) controls dominance hierarchies, and dopamine plays a key role through D1 and D2 receptors. D1R+ neurons determine dominance while D2R+ neurons determine subordination. The synaptic strengths of D1R+ neurons and neuronal excitability of D2R+ neurons are important factors in intermale social rank determination.
JOURNAL OF NEUROSCIENCE
(2022)
Article
Neurosciences
Yu-Xiang Zhang, Bo Xing, Yan-Chun Li, Chun-Xia Yan, Wen-Jun Gao
Summary: Through experiments using FosTRAP mice, it was found that repetitive social training can enhance mPFC involvement in social memory retrieval by increasing NMDA receptor-mediated synaptic transmission, resulting in stable social memory.
Review
Clinical Neurology
Nancy R. Mack, Suixin Deng, Sha-Sha Yang, Yousheng Shu, Wen-Jun Gao
Summary: This article reviews studies on the relationship between changes in neural activity in the prefrontal cortex and avoidance behavior, as well as recent research on the unique contribution of specific prefrontal cortex circuits and cell types to anxiety-related avoidance behaviors. The integration of different pathways, particularly interaction between excitatory and inhibitory neurons, provides an exciting opportunity for understanding anxiety.
Article
Neurosciences
Linda A. Chamberlin, Sha-Sha Yang, Erin P. McEachern, Joshua T. M. Lucas, Owen W. McLeod Ii, Claire A. Rolland, Nancy R. Mack, Brielle R. Ferguson, Wen-Jun Gao
Summary: The cognitive symptoms of schizophrenia impose a significant clinical burden and are resistant to treatment. The underlying neural mechanisms are unclear, but abnormalities in GABAergic signaling are likely involved. Perturbations in prefrontal PV-expressing FS interneurons have been consistently found in SZ patients and animal models. Our study demonstrates that upregulating prefrontal PV interneuron activity can restore E/I balance and improve cognition in an animal model of SZ, supporting the hypothesis that reduced PV cell activity disrupts GABA transmission and leads to cognitive impairments. These findings provide novel insights into the role of PV cells in cognitive function and have clinical implications for SZ pathophysiology and management.
NEUROPSYCHOPHARMACOLOGY
(2023)
Review
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
L. Taylor Flynn, Wen-Jun Gao
Summary: Psychedelic substances are being explored as a potential therapeutic option for psychiatric conditions. This review proposes alterations to DNA methylation as a potential mechanism for the therapeutic effects of psychedelics, specifically focusing on the N-methyl D-aspartate receptor (NMDAR) dysfunction in schizophrenia and major depressive disorder (MDD). The review provides evidence linking aberrant DNA methylation to NMDAR dysfunction and proposes an epigenetic mechanism for the therapeutic effects of psychedelic substances in the context of these disorders.
MOLECULAR PSYCHIATRY
(2023)
Review
Behavioral Sciences
Jessica R. Barson, Nancy R. Mack, Wen-Jun Gao
FRONTIERS IN BEHAVIORAL NEUROSCIENCE
(2020)