Review
Cell Biology
Pepin Marshall
Summary: The application of glial cell line-derived neurotrophic factor (GDNF) has shown positive effects on the survival, development, function, restoration, and protection of dopaminergic neurons in cell cultures and animal models. However, trials using recombinant GDNF protein in late-stage Parkinson's disease patients have had limited success, possibly due to a lack of viable receptor targets in advanced neurodegeneration. Recent research suggests refined approaches to modulating GDNF signaling and using dopamine regulation as a proxy measure for optimal quantity and spatial regulation of GDNF. Basic research on the dopaminergic effects of GDNF in animal models concludes that increasing the number of natively expressing cells can enhance dopamine turnover and maximize neuroprotective and beneficial motor effects while minimizing hyperdopaminergia and side effects. Methodological considerations for measuring dopamine levels and understanding neuroanatomical distinctions will inform future research on this relevant growth factor.
CELLULAR AND MOLECULAR NEUROBIOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Chemistry, Analytical
Marsilea A. Booth, Sally A. N. Gowers, Melinda Hersey, Isabelle C. Samper, Seongjun Park, Polina Anikeeva, Parastoo Hashemi, Molly M. Stevens, Martyn G. Boutelle
Summary: The study explored the potential of polymer fibers as a platform for sensing pH and neurometabolic lactate, successfully detecting transient lactate changes in an in vivo mouse model. The changes in lactate concentration were associated with spreading depolarizations.
ANALYTICAL CHEMISTRY
(2021)
Article
Neurosciences
Salvatore Bertino, Gianpaolo Antonio Basile, Alessia Bramanti, Rosella Ciurleo, Adriana Tisano, Giuseppe Pio Anastasi, Demetrio Milardi, Alberto Cacciola
Summary: Different parcellation pipelines were tested for identifying the treatment target Vim for drug refractory tremors, with higher-order signal modeling and threshold-based voxel classification criteria being the most reliable in terms of inter-subject variability. Connectivity parcels corresponding to Vim were primarily derived from precentral and dentate nucleus-thalamic connectivity, but showed significant differences compared to a ground truth model. Data quality and parcellation pipelines significantly influenced the volume of connectivity clusters, highlighting the need for caution in thalamic connectivity-based segmentation for stereotactic targeting.
Article
Neurosciences
Renee Hartig, Daniel Glen, Benjamin Jung, Nikos K. Logothetis, George Paxinos, Eduardo A. Garza-Villarreal, Adam Messinger, Henry C. Evrard
Summary: This study presents a comprehensive parcellation of the rhesus macaque subcortex using high-resolution ex vivo structural imaging scan, which was then warped to an in vivo population template to produce the Subcortical Atlas of the Rhesus Macaque (SARM) with 210 primary regions-of-interest (ROIs). The SARM allows for analysis at different resolutions and broader labeling of functional signals, making it suitable for various research purposes within the neuroimaging community.
Article
Neurosciences
Yasuharu Yamamoto, Keisuke Takahata, Manabu Kubota, Harumasa Takano, Hiroyoshi Takeuchi, Yasuyuki Kimura, Yasunori Sano, Shin Kurose, Hiroshi Ito, Masaru Mimura, Makoto Higuchi
Summary: The study revealed a significant positive correlation between DA synthesis capacity and DA transporter availability in the putamen, but no significant correlation between DA synthesis capacity and D2 receptor availability in the striatum, indicating a relationship between DA synthesis capacity and reuptake, while the total abundance of D2 receptors may not directly participate in the regulatory mechanism.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Yoon-Sang Oh, Sang-Won Yoo, Chul Hyoung Lyoo, Joong-Seok Kim
Summary: Drug-induced parkinsonism (DIP) is a major cause of misdiagnosis of Parkinson's disease (PD) and is characterized by a dopamine receptor blockade. This study found that monoamine availability in the thalamus was lower in DIP patients compared to healthy controls and similar to that of early PD patients, suggesting that this could be an imaging biomarker of DIP.
SCIENTIFIC REPORTS
(2022)
Article
Biology
Jose Ernesto Canton-Josh, Joanna Qin, Joseph Salvo, Yevgenia Kozorovitskiy
Summary: This study reveals the expression of dopamine type 1 receptors in unipolar brush cells of the mouse cerebellum, showing that their activation can increase firing rate. Evidence supports the hypothesis of dopaminergic co-release from locus coeruleus axons. It is also found that Purkinje cells directly inhibit Drd1-positive UBCs, forming a dopamine-sensitive recurrent circuit in the vestibulo-cerebellar system.
Article
Neurosciences
Mengxing Liu, Garikoitz Lerma-Usabiaga, Francisco Clasca, Pedro M. Paz-Alonso
Summary: In this study, a reconstruction protocol based on in vivo diffusion MRI was developed to extract and measure specific axonal fiber tracts in individual first-order relay nuclei. The protocol demonstrated high computational and test-retest reproducibility. This new protocol is significant for both basic human brain neuroscience and clinical studies.
Article
Neurosciences
Monica Betta, Giacomo Handjaras, Andrea Leo, Alessandra Federici, Valentina Farinelli, Emiliano Ricciardi, Francesca Siclari, Stefano Meletti, Daniela Ballotta, Francesca Benuzzi, Giulio Bernardi
Summary: EEG slow waves play a crucial role in regulating essential processes such as learning and sensory disconnection. They may involve complex interactions within and between cortical and subcortical structures. Moreover, simultaneous EEG-fMRI recordings show that slow waves are associated with specific hemodynamic changes in different brain regions.
Article
Biology
Hind Baba Aissa, Romain W. Sala, Elena Laura Georgescu Margarint, Jimena Laura Frontera, Andres Pablo Varani, Fabien Menardy, Assunta Pelosi, Denis Herve, Clement Lena, Daniela Popa
Summary: The study found that in the DYT25 dystonia model, the excitability of the cerebello-thalamic pathways increased in the presymptomatic state, and asymptomatic mice after the first dystonic episode exhibited higher excitability, which persisted after cerebellar theta-burst stimulation. Stimulation administered during symptomatic states reduced cerebello-thalamic excitability and alleviated dystonic symptoms.
Article
Neurosciences
Thomas Contesse, Loic Broussot, Hugo Fofo, Peter Vanhoutte, Sebastian P. Fernandez, Jacques Barik
Summary: Stress is recognized as a major risk factor for the onset of psychiatric disorders, with social stress being the most common type encountered in daily life. Molecular changes in the reward system were found to be significantly increased following social defeat stress in mice, potentially contributing to the long-lasting impact of stress on the brain.
Review
Microbiology
Saba Miri, JuDong Yeo, Sarah Abubaker, Riadh Hammami
Summary: The gut microbiome, influenced by diet, xenobiotics, genetics, and other environmental factors, acts as a metabolic interactome that affects the host's nutrient absorption, metabolism, and immune system. It also produces a variety of neuroactive metabolites that can impact brain function and cognition. The correlation between the gut microbiome and the central nervous system has sparked a new field of research called neuromicrobiology. Although microbiome-targeted interventions are seen as promising treatments, the mechanisms underlying host-microbiome interactions need further exploration to inform evidence-based therapeutic applications.
FRONTIERS IN MICROBIOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Anatomy & Morphology
Gianpaolo Antonio Basile, Marina Quartu, Salvatore Bertino, Maria Pina Serra, Marcello Trucas, Marianna Boi, Roberto Demontis, Alessia Bramanti, Giuseppe Pio Anastasi, Demetrio Milardi, Rosella Ciurleo, Alberto Cacciola
Summary: This study successfully reconstructed the fiber bundles of the human subthalamic area and created a large-scale normative population atlas using an optimized tractography protocol. This atlas is of great significance in both clinical anatomy and functional neurosurgery, as it improves our understanding of the complex morphology of this important brain region.
BRAIN STRUCTURE & FUNCTION
(2022)
Article
Clinical Neurology
Oscar H. J. Eelkman Rooda, Lieke Kros, Sade J. Faneyte, Peter J. Holland, Simona V. Gornati, Huub J. Poelman, Nico A. Jansen, Else A. Tolner, Arn M. J. M. van den Maagdenberg, Chris I. De Zeeuw, Freek E. Hoebeek
Summary: Single-pulse optogenetic stimulation of cerebellar nuclei neurons can desynchronize rhythmic synchronized thalamo-cortical activity during absence seizures, effectively stopping seizure activity. Stimulation of cerebellar nuclei neurons evokes differential effects in thalamic and cortical activity, providing insights into a neurobiological mechanism for seizure control.
Article
Neurosciences
Carolina B. D'Andrea, Scott Marek, Andrew N. Van, Ryland L. Miller, Eric A. Earl, Stephanie B. Stewart, Nico U. F. Dosenbach, Bradley L. Schlaggar, Timothy O. Laumann, Damien A. Fair, Evan M. Gordon, Deanna J. Greene
Summary: This study used functional connectivity MRI to investigate the development of visual pathways in children and adults. The results showed that children have stronger functional connectivity between the brainstem motor area and the facial somatosensory cortical network compared to adults. Additionally, children's thalamus showed more integration with multiple networks, while there were no developmental differences in cerebellar connectivity.
