Review
Pharmacology & Pharmacy
Xiaojing Zhai, Dongyu Zhou, Yi Han, Ming-Hu Han, Hongxing Zhang
Summary: Resilience is an active adaption process in response to adversity, trauma, tragedy, threats, or stress. The neurobiological mechanisms of resilience have provided new insights for preclinical research and drug development for stress-related disorders. The locus coeruleus norepinephrine system plays a key role in mediating stress susceptibility versus resilience and has gained significant attention in recent years. This review article discusses resilience-related concepts, rodent paradigms for studying susceptibility and resilience, recent findings on neuronal and molecular substrates of active resilience in the locus coeruleus, and potential future directions for resilience research.
PHARMACOLOGICAL RESEARCH
(2023)
Article
Neurosciences
Theodoros Tsetsenis, Julia K. Badyna, Rebecca Li, John A. Dani
Summary: Processing of contextual information is crucial for learning and memory. This study demonstrates that increasing noradrenergic activity in the hippocampus enhances contextual associative learning, and this effect requires activation of specific receptors. Additionally, it shows that increasing norepinephrine release can ameliorate contextual fear learning impairments caused by dopaminergic dysregulation in the hippocampus.
FRONTIERS IN CELLULAR NEUROSCIENCE
(2022)
Article
Neurosciences
Anthony M. Downs, Zoe A. McElligott
Summary: This review discusses recent advances in understanding the role of the noradrenergic system in substance use disorders, including potential therapeutic targets and new treatment approaches.
Article
Clinical Neurology
Michael A. Urbin, Charles W. Lafe, Tyler W. Simpson, George F. Wittenberg, Bharath Chandrasekaran, Douglas J. Weber
Summary: The study investigated the acute pupillary responses elicited by transcutaneous stimulation of the external ear, finding that stimulation at different locations can provoke such responses, with effects influenced by pulse amplitude and frequency. Further research is needed to distinguish the roles of vagal and non-vagal afferents in mediating biomarker activation.
Article
Behavioral Sciences
F. Krohn, E. Lancini, M. Ludwig, M. Leiman, G. Guruprasath, L. Haag, J. Panczyszyn, E. Duezel, D. Haemmerer, M. Betts
Summary: The locus coeruleus (LC), a small structure in the brainstem, is the main source of noradrenaline (NA) in the brain. It modulates cognition, autonomic functions, and the brain's immune response. Degeneration of the LC may contribute to the pathogenesis of Alzheimer's and Parkinson's disease. Understanding early LC degeneration could provide insights into the mechanisms of these neurodegenerative diseases.
NEUROSCIENCE AND BIOBEHAVIORAL REVIEWS
(2023)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Alejandro Osorio-Forero, Romain Cardis, Gil Vantomme, Aurelie Guillaume-Gentil, Georgia Katsioudi, Christiane Devenoges, Laura M. J. Fernandez, Anita Luthi
Summary: During NREMS, fluctuation of noradrenaline levels in thalamus are associated with sleep spindle rhythms and heart-rate variations, indicating vigilance-promoting mechanism by LC neurons. Optogenetic activation or inhibition of LC neurons can modulate sleep-spindle clustering and heart-rate variations, affecting sensory arousability during NREMS. Noradrenergic modulation of thalamic circuits plays a key role in maintaining sensory arousability in mammalian NREMS.
Article
Neurosciences
Angelica Salinas-Birt, Xiangyu Zhu, Eunice Y. Lim, Aryana J. Cruz J. Santory, Liang Ye, Martin Paukert
Summary: Behavioral state plays an important role in astroglia Ca2+ signaling, with locomotion-induced vigilance triggering norepinephrine-dependent Ca2+ elevations. The speed of locomotion has little effect on Ca2+ signals, but prolonged locomotion events result in steady-state Ca2+ elevation. Coordinated activity among noradrenergic terminals determines Bergmann glia Ca2+ activity.
Review
Oncology
Cody Slater, Qi Wang
Summary: Alzheimer's disease is a significant global health issue with no disease-altering therapy achieved yet, but research shows dysfunction in the noradrenergic system plays an important role in the pathogenesis and symptomatic exacerbation of the disease. The imbalance between noradrenergic and cholinergic systems is involved in AD, with potential for treatment using neural stimulation techniques.
CLINICAL AND TRANSLATIONAL MEDICINE
(2021)
Article
Immunology
Juan Li, Yiyong Wei, Junli Zhou, Helin Zou, Lulin Ma, Chengxi Liu, Zhi Xiao, Xingfeng Liu, Xinran Tan, Tian Yu, Song Cao
Summary: Selective activation of the LC:SC pathway alleviates neuropathic pain in mice by increasing noradrenaline release and reducing neuroinflammation of astrocytes and microglia in the spinal dorsal horn.
JOURNAL OF NEUROINFLAMMATION
(2022)
Review
Neurosciences
Vishaal Rajani, Qi Yuan
Summary: Olfactory dysfunction is a biomarker for Alzheimer's disease diagnosis and progression. Understanding the mechanisms of olfactory impairment may provide a critical window for early detection and intervention of disease progression.
FRONTIERS IN CELLULAR NEUROSCIENCE
(2022)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Shahryar Noei, Ioannis S. Zouridis, Nikos K. Logothetis, Stefano Panzeri, Nelson K. Totah
Summary: The noradrenergic locus coeruleus (LC) plays a crucial role in controlling brain and behavioral states. It has been found that different ensembles of spontaneously coactive LC neurons could lead to diverse cortical states, with some showing high-frequency power increase and others showing decreased high-frequency power.
PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
(2022)
Article
Clinical Neurology
Yuxiao Zhang, Yan Chen, Yushi Xin, Beibei Peng, Shuai Liu
Summary: Reward learning is crucial for survival and attention plays a key role in the recognition of reward cues and formation of reward memories. However, the neurological processes of the interaction between reward and attention are not well understood due to the diverse neural substrates involved in these processes.
PROGRESS IN NEURO-PSYCHOPHARMACOLOGY & BIOLOGICAL PSYCHIATRY
(2023)
Article
Neurosciences
Ana Paula S. Dornellas, Nathan W. Burnham, Kendall L. Luhn, Maxwell Petruzzi, Todd E. Thiele, Montserrat Navarro
Summary: There is evidence showing that ethanol has aversive effects that reduce consumption. The study found that the LC to RMTg pathway plays a key role in modulating ethanol intake.
Article
Behavioral Sciences
Alexa F. Iannitelli, David Weinshenker
Summary: The noradrenergic locus coeruleus (LC) is an early affected region in both Alzheimer's disease (AD) and Parkinson's disease (PD), but the reasons for this selective vulnerability are not fully understood. This review focuses on the presence of neuromelanin (NM), a dark pigment unique to catecholaminergic cells, as a contributing factor to dysfunction and degeneration of LC neurons. The authors discuss the limitations of historical approaches and introduce a new human tyrosinase (hTyr) model for studying NM production and its potential therapeutic applications in neurodegenerative diseases.
NEUROSCIENCE AND BIOBEHAVIORAL REVIEWS
(2023)
Article
Neurosciences
Shai Porat, Francesca Sibilia, Josephine Yoon, Yonggang Shi, Martin J. Dahl, Markus Werkle-Bergner, Sandra Duezel, Nils Bodammer, Ulman Lindenberger, Simone Kuhn, Mara Mather
Summary: Diffusion in the noradrenergic locus coeruleus (LC) and its ascending bundle is susceptible to structural changes in aging, resulting in opposing effects on fractional anisotropy.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Yitang Yan, Jingli Liu, Arianna Lawrence, Michael J. Dykstra, Rick Fannin, Kevin Gerrish, Charles J. Tucker, Erica Scappini, Darlene Dixon
Summary: This study found that continuous exposure to cadmium in vitro can potentially malignantly transform benign human uterine leiomyoma cells. The cells exposed to cadmium exhibited specific growth characteristics and dysregulated gene expression indicative of progression towards a cancer phenotype.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Jingli Liu, Linda Yu, Lysandra Castro, Yitang Yan, Natasha P. Clayton, Pierre Bushel, Norris D. Flagler, Erica Scappini, Darlene Dixon
Summary: TBBPA, a ubiquitous environmental contaminant with weak estrogenic properties, can promote fibrosis in uterine fibroids through the TGFB/SMAD signaling pathway.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Esteban A. Oyarzabal, Li-Ming Hsu, Manasmita Das, Tzu-Hao Harry Chao, Jingheng Zhou, Sheng Song, Weiting Zhang, Kathleen G. Smith, Natale R. Sciolino, Irina Y. Evsyukova, Hong Yuan, Sung-Ho Lee, Guohong Cui, Patricia Jensen, Yen-Yu Ian Shih
Summary: This study reveals the selective neuromodulatory effect of norepinephrine-releasing neurons in the locus coeruleus on the default mode network of the brain. The activation of these neurons alters neuronal activity coupling and cerebral blood volume within the frontal DMN, strengthens functional connectivity within the frontal DMN, and is mediated by reduced modulatory inputs from retrosplenial and hippocampal regions.
Article
Anatomy & Morphology
Jeanne M. Powell, Kiyoshi Inoue, Kelly J. Wallace, Ashley W. Seifert, Larry J. Young, Aubrey M. Kelly
Summary: The nonapeptide system, through the activation of oxytocin and vasopressin receptors, modulates various social behaviors. This study mapped the distribution and expression of OXTR and AVPR1A receptors in the spiny mouse brain and found differences between males and females in the binding densities and co-expression patterns in brain regions involved in social behavior and reward. These findings provide important insights for studying nonapeptide-mediated behavior in a highly social species.
BRAIN STRUCTURE & FUNCTION
(2023)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Yu-Ping Lin, Erica Scappini, Carlos Landaverde, Frederick Parekh-Glitsch, Charles J. Tucker, Gary R. Mirams, Anant B. Parekh
Summary: AKAP79 is a critical protein that organizes calcium signaling at the plasma membrane and maintains long-term signal transduction. It interacts with Orai1 channels and activates calcium nanodomains to stimulate calcineurin. This study finds that the interaction between AKAP79 and Orai1 is transient, and the recycling of inactive NFAT1 to AKAP79 in the plasma membrane helps maintain signal coupling.
MOLECULAR AND CELLULAR BIOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Neurosciences
Barry D. Waterhouse, Haven K. Predale, Nicholas W. Plummer, Patricia Jensen, Daniel J. Chandler
Summary: The brainstem nucleus locus coeruleus (LC) is a source of the neurotransmitter norepinephrine (NE) and sends projections to various regions of the brain. Recent studies have revealed that LC is modular in design, with segregated output channels, allowing for differential release and action of NE. However, little is known about the relationship between the LC-NE system and CNS motor control centers. This study aims to investigate the efferent connectivity and physiological attributes of mouse LC-motor network projection neurons using an intersectional recombinase-based viral-genetic strategy and ex vivo electrophysiological assays, to gain a better understanding of the role of the LC-NE system in motor control.
FRONTIERS IN NEURAL CIRCUITS
(2022)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Natale R. Sciolino, Madeline Hsiang, Christopher M. Mazzone, Leslie R. Wilson, Nicholas W. Plummer, Jaisal Amin, Kathleen G. Smith, Christopher A. McGee, Sydney A. Fry, Cindy X. Yang, Jeanne M. Powell, Michael R. Bruchas, Alexxai Kravitz, Jesse D. Cushman, Michael J. Krashes, Guohong Cui, Patricia Jensen
Summary: Noradrenergic neurons of the locus coeruleus (LC-NE) modulate feeding behavior by integrating external and internal stimuli. LC-NE activity is suppressed during food consumption, and activation of the LC to the lateral hypothalamus pathway suppresses feeding and enhances avoidance and anxiety-like responding.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Jeanne M. Powell, Madison M. Garvin, Nicholas S. Lee, Aubrey M. Kelly
Summary: This study examined the effects of aging on social behavior in prairie voles. The results showed that age influenced neophobia and dominance, but not social approach behavior. Furthermore, young adult prairie voles adapted prosocial and aggressive behavior based on social context, while older adult voles did not adjust their behavior.
Article
Neurosciences
Serena M. Dudek, Ashley N. Phoenix, Erica Scappini, Darya V. Shepeleva, Yury E. Herbeck, Lyudmila N. Trut, Shannon Farris, Anna V. Kukekova
Summary: The Russian Farm-Fox study has bred foxes for specific behaviors and used them to study brain structures. This study aimed to identify the CA2 region in foxes and found that they do have a molecularly defined CA2, suggesting that other carnivores might as well.
Article
Toxicology
Wei Qu, Yitang Yan, Kevin Gerrish, Erica Scappini, Charles J. Tucker, Darlene Dixon, B. Alex Merrick
Summary: In this study, long-term in vitro exposure to perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) in rat liver epithelial cells produced malignant progression characteristics and differential gene expression changes, indicating the potential transformation of rat liver cells.
TOXICOLOGY IN VITRO
(2023)
Article
Neurosciences
Jack H. Taylor, Noah S. Campbell, Jeanne M. Powell, H. Elliott Albers, Aubrey M. Kelly
Summary: The nonapeptide system plays a crucial role in regulating various social behaviors in different species. This study maps the distribution of oxytocin and vasopressin receptors in the brain of male and female Mongolian gerbils and explores the influence of gonadal sex on these receptors. The findings provide a foundation for future research on manipulating the nonapeptide system to study social behavior.
Article
Cell Biology
Pradeep Barak, Suneet Kaur, Erica Scappini, Charles J. Tucker, Anant B. Parekh
Summary: In many cell types, the rise in cytosolic Ca2+ due to opening of CRAC channels drives various cellular responses, but extended Ca2+ rise is toxic. This study reveals the role of PMCA4b in preventing prolonged cytosolic Ca2+ signal following CRAC channel activation and in maintaining Ca2+ nanodomains near the open channels, while protecting cells from Ca2+ overload.
Meeting Abstract
Critical Care Medicine
C. Trempus, B. Papas, X. Xu, C. Bortner, E. Scappini, A. T. Perl, S. Garantziotis
AMERICAN JOURNAL OF RESPIRATORY AND CRITICAL CARE MEDICINE
(2022)