Article
Neurosciences
Han-Qing Pan, Xiao-Xuan Liu, Ye He, Jin Zhou, Cai-Zhi Liao, Wen-Jie You, Si-Ying Jiang, Xia Qin, Wen-Bing Chen, Er-Kang Fei, Wen-Hua Zhang, Bing-Xing Pan
Summary: This study reveals the unconventional and permissive role of extrasynaptic GABA(A) receptors in fear extinction through a route relying on nonsynaptic plasticity. The expression and function of GABA(A)(δ)R in the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) are positively correlated with fear extinction, and knockdown of GABA(A)(δ)R in the mPFC impairs fear extinction. Mechanistically, GABA(A)(δ)R enables the extinction-evoked plastic regulation of neuronal excitability in mPFC projection neurons.
JOURNAL OF NEUROSCIENCE
(2022)
Review
Behavioral Sciences
Marta Mendez-Couz, Denise Manahan-Vaughan, Ana Paula Silva, Hector Gonzalez-Pardo, Jorge Luis Arias, Nelida Maria Conejo
Summary: The neuropeptide Y2 receptors play a significant role in hippocampus-dependent spatial memory, with receptor expression dynamically regulated by learning experiences. Antagonism of the receptors in the dorsal intrahippocampal area improves spatial reference memory.
BEHAVIOURAL BRAIN RESEARCH
(2021)
Review
Behavioral Sciences
Thang M. Le, Stephane Potvin, Simon Zhornitsky, Chiang-Shan R. Li
Summary: Prefrontal cortical dysfunctions underlying inhibitory control deficits in addiction are complex and likely dependent on population characteristics. A meta-analysis on brain activations during response inhibition in addicted individuals revealed hypoactivation of specific areas in active drug addicts, particularly in nicotine users. Cognitive performance deficits were also associated with decreased activation in certain brain regions. Furthermore, those with behavioral addictions showed higher activation in certain brain regions. Normalization of hypofrontality following substance use cessation highlights the benefits of abstinence in restoring cerebral functions.
NEUROSCIENCE AND BIOBEHAVIORAL REVIEWS
(2021)
Article
Substance Abuse
Shirelle X. Liu, Mari S. Gades, Yayi Swain, Aarthi Ramakrishnan, Andrew C. Harris, Phu Tran, Jonathan C. Gewirtz
Summary: Repeated morphine exposure induces changes in neural activity and gene expression in male and female rats, leading to behavioral abnormalities. The majority of differentially expressed genes are involved in synaptic signaling and neuroplasticity, with commonalities and some differences observed between sexes.
DRUG AND ALCOHOL DEPENDENCE
(2021)
Article
Neurosciences
Shuyi Qi, Shi Min Tan, Rong Wang, Jessica A. Higginbotham, Jobe L. Ritchie, Christopher K. Ibarra, Amy A. Arguello, Robert J. Christian, Rita A. Fuchs
Summary: This study reveals the role of the dorsal hippocampus in cocaine memory reconsolidation through optogenetic methods. Inhibiting the dCA3 subregion reduces neuronal activation and attenuates drug-seeking behavior in cocaine memories. Additionally, the study suggests that SL neurons may facilitate cocaine memory retrieval by inhibiting non-engram neuronal activity.
NEUROPSYCHOPHARMACOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Anna Zilverstand, Muhammad A. Parvaz, Scott J. Moeller, Selim Kalayci, Prantik Kundu, Pias Malaker, Nelly Alia-Klein, Zeynep H. Gumus, Rita Z. Goldstein
Summary: This study found that individuals in early abstinence from cocaine showed the most impairments in inhibitory control, while those in longer-term abstinence showed weaker impairments compared to healthy controls. Using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) data, the study also discovered decreased efficiency in fronto-temporal and subcortical networks and increased efficiency in visual networks among individuals with recent cocaine use. Importantly, these deviations in resting-state brain function were associated with both abstinence duration and inhibitory control deficits.
MOLECULAR PSYCHIATRY
(2023)
Article
Neurosciences
Vishwa Goudar, Barbara Peysakhovich, David J. Freedman, Elizabeth A. Buffalo, Xiao-Jing Wang
Summary: Learning-to-learn refers to the progressive acceleration of solving a series of problems with shared structure. This study demonstrates that in recurrent neural networks, learning-to-learn emerges through the reuse and refinement of a neural state subspace underlying schema formation. It is a core process of knowledge acquisition, attracting attention in both neuroscience and artificial intelligence. The study trained a recurrent neural network model on arbitrary sensorimotor mappings dependent on the prefrontal cortex, showing an exponential time course of accelerated learning. The emergence and reuse of a schema within a low-dimensional population activity subspace facilitate learning by restricting connection weight changes.
NATURE NEUROSCIENCE
(2023)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Shuai-Wen Teng, Xin-Rong Wang, Bio-Wen Du, Xiao-Lin Chen, Guan-Zhou Fu, Yun-Fei Liu, Shu-Qi Xu, Jia-Chen Shuai, Zhe-Yu Chen
Summary: This study found that fear memory is primarily expressed in the prelimbic cortex and basolateral amygdala, and the regulation and transformation of fear memory are influenced by the reactivation of original engrams. In addition, memory updating also leads to overlapping between fear and extinction cells, and alters the encoding of original fear engrams. This research provides the first evidence for the overlapping ensembles between fear and extinction cells, and the functional reorganization of original engrams underlying conditioned stimulus- and unconditioned stimulus-initiated memory updating.
Article
Biochemical Research Methods
Rani Moran, Mehdi Keramati, Raymond J. Dolan
Summary: The dual-reinforcement learning theory suggests that behavior is influenced by both a retrospective MF system and a prospective MB system, and that the MB system may take into account the influences of the MF system when devising a plan. Their findings suggest that planners consider how their MF tendencies can either facilitate or hinder goal pursuit, designing tasks to align MB goals with MF dispositions.
PLOS COMPUTATIONAL BIOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Neurosciences
Patricia Gasalla, Denise Manahan-Vaughan, Dominic Michael Dwyer, Jeremy Hall, Marta Mendez-Couz
Summary: Recent studies have found that Cacna1c +/- heterozygous animals with impaired Cav 1.2 L-type voltage-gated calcium channels show difficulties in aversive forms of learning, but the role of these channels in extinction of appetitive associations is understudied. In this study, Cacna1c +/- male rats and their wild-type littermates were evaluated in an appetitive Pavlovian conditioning task to examine extinction learning and associated changes in the brain. The results showed that Cacna1c +/- animals adapted their responses during appetitive extinction and renewal, with distinct neural activation patterns observed in different brain regions. These findings provide novel evidence of brain plasticity in Cacna1c +/- rats after appetitive extinction and renewal. This study contributes to understanding the role of Cav 1.2 L-type voltage-gated calcium channels in neuropsychiatric disorders.
Article
Neurosciences
Masaya Harada, Vincent Pascoli, Agnes Hiver, Jerome Flakowski, Christian Luescher
Summary: The study reveals that compulsive individuals exhibit stronger neuronal activity in the DS during the cue predicting reward availability, even at the risk of punishment. An increased AMPA/NMDA ratio was observed selectively at orbitofrontal cortex to DS synapses, and spiny projection neurons in the DS showed an activity peak at the moment of signaled reward availability.
BIOLOGICAL PSYCHIATRY
(2021)
Article
Behavioral Sciences
Bo W. Sortman, Christina Gobin, Samantha Rakela, Berk Cerci, Brandon L. Warren
Summary: Substance use disorder is a chronic relapsing condition characterized by continued drug use despite negative consequences. This study found that Fos-expressing neuronal ensembles in the prefrontal cortex play a crucial role in cocaine seeking behavior in rats.
FRONTIERS IN BEHAVIORAL NEUROSCIENCE
(2022)
Article
Neurosciences
Robert Kim, Terrence J. Sejnowski
Summary: By analyzing computational models and neural data, the authors demonstrate that inhibitory-to-inhibitory signaling is crucial for maintaining stable temporal dynamics and working memory in the primate prefrontal cortex.
NATURE NEUROSCIENCE
(2021)
Article
Neurosciences
Ate Bijlsma, Azar Omrani, Marcia Spoelder, Jeroen P. H. Verharen, Lisa Bauer, Cosette Cornelis, Beleke de Zwart, Rene van Dorland, Louk J. M. J. Vanderschuren, Corette J. Wierenga
Summary: Sensory driven activity during early life is critical for setting up the proper connectivity of the sensory cortices. This study found that social play behavior is equally important for setting up connections in the developing prefrontal cortex.
JOURNAL OF NEUROSCIENCE
(2022)
Article
Pharmacology & Pharmacy
Congwu Du, Yueming Hua, Kevin Clare, Kicheon Park, Craig P. Allen, Nora D. Volkow, Xiu-Ti Hu, Yingtian Pan
Summary: Individuals with substance use disorder are at a higher risk of contracting HIV and progressing to AIDS. Neurotoxicity and neurodegeneration are characteristic of HIV-1-associated neurocognitive disorders. Studies have found that cocaine potentiates the neurotoxic effects of HIV-associated proteins. The NMDA antagonist drug memantine shows potential in attenuating the neurotoxicity caused by cocaine and HIV.
FRONTIERS IN PHARMACOLOGY
(2022)
