Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Rachel E. H. Sager, Adam K. Walker, Frank Middleton, Kate Robinson, Maree J. Webster, Cynthia Shannon Weickert
Summary: The immune system components play a role in regulating synapse formation and refinement in neurodevelopment. The complement pathway, associated with cell lysis and phagocytosis, is involved in synaptic elimination. Changes in complement activity during human development, particularly during adolescence, may be linked to the onset of neurodevelopmental disorders such as autism or schizophrenia.
JOURNAL OF NEUROCHEMISTRY
(2021)
Article
Neurosciences
Sitong Zhou, Yue Yang, Zheng Cheng, Mengyao Wu, Qi Han, Wenzhong Zhao, Honggui Liu
Summary: In piglets, intermittent maternal separation during the early lactation period can potentially affect the neurodevelopment and cognitive abilities. This study aimed to investigate the effects of intermittent separation on the hippocampus and prefrontal cortex in piglets. Results showed that differential genes and pathways associated with neurodevelopment and cognition were affected by intermittent maternal separation.
FRONTIERS IN MOLECULAR NEUROSCIENCE
(2023)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Melanie Druart, Marika Nosten-Bertrand, Stefanie Poll, Sophie Crux, Felix Nebeling, Celia Delhaye, Yaelle Dubois, Manuel Mittag, Marion Leboyer, Ryad Tamouza, Martin Fuhrmann, Corentin Le Magueresse
Summary: Accumulated evidence suggests that high expression variants of the C4 gene are associated with susceptibility to schizophrenia. Overexpression of C4 in the mouse prefrontal cortex leads to reduced spine density and glutamatergic input to pyramidal cells. These deficits may be attributed to decreased dendritic spine formation and hypofunction of NMDA receptors in juvenile C4-OE mice.
MOLECULAR PSYCHIATRY
(2021)
Article
Biology
Lilya Andrianova, Steliana Yanakieva, Gabriella Margetts-Smith, Shivali Kohli, Erica S. Brady, John P. Aggleton, Michael T. Craig
Summary: The connectivity and interplay between the prefrontal cortex and hippocampus are important for cognitive processes, but the existence of a direct glutamatergic projection from the anterior cingulate cortex to the hippocampus has been questioned. In this study, multiple methods were used to validate a recent finding of this projection, but no evidence of such a projection was found.
Review
Behavioral Sciences
Daniela L. L. Uliana, Xiyu Zhu, Felipe V. V. Gomes, Anthony A. A. Grace
Summary: Animal models have been instrumental in studying psychiatric disorders and identifying therapeutic targets, but there is a recent shift towards focusing on circuits in normal subjects. This shift is driven by a lack of discovery of new effective targets and the failure of targets based on preclinical research to show efficacy.
FRONTIERS IN BEHAVIORAL NEUROSCIENCE
(2022)
Article
Neurosciences
Johanna K. K. Kostka, Ileana L. L. Hanganu-Opatz
Summary: Cognitive processing in neonatal mice relies on the functional refinement of the limbic circuitry, with early olfactory processing playing a crucial role in shaping activity within these circuits. Through in vivo recordings and manipulations of mitral/tufted cells in the olfactory bulb, researchers found that the neonatal olfactory bulb synchronizes the limbic circuitry and drives activity in the lateral entorhinal cortex, hippocampus, and prefrontal cortex. This suggests that the olfactory bulb plays a significant role in the communication within limbic circuits during neonatal development.
JOURNAL OF PHYSIOLOGY-LONDON
(2023)
Article
Neurosciences
P. Abad-Perez, F. J. Molina-Paya, L. Martinez-Otero, V. Borrell, R. L. Redondo, J. R. Brotons-Mas
Summary: We investigated the role of NMDAr function in pathological oscillations and behavior in schizophrenia. Our results show that NMDAr blockade disrupted the correlation between oscillations and speed of movement, crucial for internal representations of distance. Moreover, NMDAr function might explain several cognitive symptoms of schizophrenia and be crucial to hippocampal-prefrontal cortex interaction.
Article
Neurosciences
Kyla Gaeul Lee, Nagalingam Rajakumar
Summary: The impact of diseases on early brain development may lead to behavioral abnormalities in schizophrenia during adulthood. Delayed maturation of GABA function and lesions in the subplate are related to the clinical manifestations of schizophrenia.
MOLECULAR AND CELLULAR NEUROSCIENCE
(2022)
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)
Review
Cell Biology
You Yi, Chen Zhong, Hu Wei-wei
Summary: Febrile seizures (FSs) are convulsions caused by a sudden increase in body temperature during a fever. They are common in young children, with a prevalence of up to 4% in children aged 6 months to 5 years old. FSs can have detrimental effects on neurodevelopment, leading to ADHD, increased susceptibility to epilepsy, hippocampal sclerosis, and cognitive decline in adulthood. However, the underlying mechanisms of these developmental abnormalities and disease occurrence have not yet been determined.
FRONTIERS IN CELL AND DEVELOPMENTAL BIOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Houri Hintiryan, Ian Bowman, David L. Johnson, Laura Korobkova, Muye Zhu, Neda Khanjani, Lin Gou, Lei Gao, Seita Yamashita, Michael S. Bienkowski, Luis Garcia, Nicholas N. Foster, Nora L. Benavidez, Monica Y. Song, Darrick Lo, Kaelan Cotter, Marlene Becerra, Sarvia Aquino, Chunru Cao, Ryan P. Cabeen, Jim Stanis, Marina Fayzullina, Sarah Ustrell, Tyler Boesen, Amanda J. Tugangui, Zheng-Gang Zhang, Bo Peng, Michael S. Fanselow, Peyman Golshani, Joel D. Hahn, Ian R. Wickersham, Giorgio A. Ascoli, Li Zhang, Hong-Wei Dong
Summary: The authors used machine-learning based computational techniques to map the connectivity of the basolateral amygdalar complex, identifying distinct domains within the anterior BLA with target-specific projection neurons and morphological features. This study provides insights into the circuitry of BLA projection neurons and their connections to behavior networks within the brain.
NATURE COMMUNICATIONS
(2021)
Article
Clinical Neurology
Julian Klingbeil, Max-Lennart Brandt, Max Wawrzyniak, Anika Stockert, Hans R. Schneider, Petra Baum, Karl-Titus Hoffmann, Dorothee Saur
Summary: Lesions in the left ventrolateral prefrontal cortex increase the risk of depressive symptoms 6 months poststroke. Lesions within the right hemisphere are unrelated to depressive symptoms.
Article
Psychiatry
Tiziana Imbriglio, Marika Alborghetti, Valeria Bruno, Giuseppe Battaglia, Ferdinando Nicoletti, Milena Cannella
Summary: The study found that TAAR1 mRNA levels were increased in the SCZ prefrontal cortex, with no correlation to various factors. Differences in TAAR1 protein levels were observed between neuropathological burden subgroups of CTRL, but not within the SCZ group. TAAR1 protein levels were lower in CTRL with low neuropathological burden compared to all SCZ samples or SCZ samples with low neuropathological burden. In the SCZ group, TAAR1 protein levels were inversely correlated with duration of antipsychotic treatment and higher in individuals treated with second-generation antipsychotics.
SCHIZOPHRENIA BULLETIN
(2023)
Article
Neurosciences
Li-Min Mao, Khyathi Thallapureddy, John Q. Wang
Summary: Propofol can enhance synapsin phosphorylation and modulate synaptic transmission in the mouse brain. The study reveals the potential role of synapsin as a substrate of propofol and its effects on neurotransmitter release machinery.
Article
Neurosciences
Ling Yan, Fang-Ling Xuan, Song Chen, Mengzhuang Gou, Wenjin Chen, Yanli Li, Zhiren Wang, Leilei Wang, Ting Xie, Fengmei Fan, Alexander Zharkovsky, Yunlong Tan, Li Tian
Summary: Microglial replenishment may potentially benefit stress-associated psychiatric disorders such as schizophrenia. Through studying mice and patients with schizophrenia, the research findings suggest that repopulated microglia can alleviate negative emotions and social withdrawal caused by stress, and repair damaged neural connections.
FRONTIERS IN CELLULAR NEUROSCIENCE
(2023)
Article
Neurosciences
Maroussia Hennes, Nathalie Lombaert, Jerome Wahis, Chris Van den Haute, Matthew G. Holt, Lutgarde Arckens
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Eduard Bentea, Agnes Villers, Cynthia Moore, Adam J. Funk, Sinead M. O'Donovan, Lise Verbruggen, Olaya Lara, Pauline Janssen, Laura De Pauw, Noemi B. Declerck, Erica A. K. DePasquale, Madeline J. Churchill, Hideyo Sato, Emmanuel Hermans, Lutgarde Arckens, Charles K. Meshul, Laurence Ris, Robert E. McCullumsmith, Ann Massie
Summary: The study revealed that the lack of the specific subunit xCT of the system x(c)(-) in xCT(-/-) mice leads to decreased corticostriatal neurotransmission, possibly due to reduced extracellular glutamate availability rather than morphological or structural abnormalities. Additionally, the xCT(-/-) mice exhibited decreased intracellular glutamate density, aberrant presynaptic protein expression, and altered kinase network signaling in the striatum, potentially contributing to changes in postsynaptic responses and behavioral phenotypes indicative of autism spectrum disorder.
MOLECULAR PSYCHIATRY
(2021)
Review
Neurosciences
Lucas J. A. Durieux, Sara R. J. Gilissen, Lutgarde Arckens
Summary: The endocannabinoid system is associated with neurological disorders like schizophrenia, where CB1R signaling plays a crucial role in regulating cortical plasticity and the E/I balance. Modulation of elements such as neurons and astrocytes fine-tunes the E/I balance, impacting the pathogenesis of schizophrenia.
EUROPEAN JOURNAL OF NEUROSCIENCE
(2022)
Article
Neurosciences
Sara R. J. Gilissen, Lutgarde Arckens
Summary: Sensory loss triggers compensatory behavior and cross-modal plasticity, with individual traits and environmental factors influencing cortical functions. Understanding these processes is crucial for rehabilitation.
CURRENT OPINION IN NEUROBIOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Neurosciences
Jerome Wahis, Maroussia Hennes, Lutgarde Arckens, Matthew G. Holt
Summary: This article reviews recent progress in understanding the function of astrocytes and highlights their crucial role in neuronal plasticity, positioning them as indispensable central players in the process.
CURRENT OPINION IN NEUROBIOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Luc Joyeux, Allan Javaux, Mary P. Eastwood, Felix R. De Bie, Gert Van den Bergh, Rebecca S. Degliuomini, Simen Vergote, Talita Micheletti, Geertje Callewaert, Sebastien Ourselin, Paolo De Coppi, Frank Van Calenbergh, Emmanuel Vander Poorten, Jan Deprest
Summary: This study developed and validated a high-fidelity training model for fetoscopic spina bifida repair, involving simulated procedures on adult rabbits. The technical performance of laparoscopic fetal surgeons was evaluated using competency analysis, confirming differences between novices and experts. Construct and criterion validity were established, with novices needing 33 consecutive procedures to reach competency, similar to clinical practice. Expert fetal surgeons worldwide confirmed the realism and usefulness of the model.
SCIENTIFIC REPORTS
(2021)
Review
Cell Biology
Jolien Van Houcke, Valerie Marien, Caroline Zandecki, Eve Seuntjens, Rajagopal Ayana, Lutgarde Arckens
Summary: This review discusses the potential of using the teleost brain as a non-standard gerontology model to study the impact of aging on neurorepair, highlighting the high capacity for regeneration in teleost fish compared to mammals. The access to large mutagenesis screens in teleost species can bridge the gap between established invertebrate and rodent models, providing new opportunities for research in the neuro-gerontology field.
FRONTIERS IN CELL AND DEVELOPMENTAL BIOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Cell Biology
Jolien Van Houcke, Valerie Marien, Caroline Zandecki, Sophie Vanhunsel, Lieve Moons, Rajagopal Ayana, Eve Seuntjens, Lutgarde Arckens
Summary: The research found that the impaired and incomplete brain regeneration in aged killifish is primarily due to the decline in proliferation capacity of non-glial progenitors with age, along with a high inflammatory response and glial scarring hindering the generation of new neurons.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Marie Claes, Joana R. F. Santos, Luca Masin, Lien Cools, Benjamin M. Davis, Lutgarde Arckens, Karl Farrow, Lies De Groef, Lieve Moons
Summary: Research has shown that anterior chamber depth measurements and scotopic threshold response recordings in the murine microbead occlusion model are important tools for evaluating the model's success rate and recording glaucomatous damage.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR SCIENCES
(2021)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Lise Verbruggen, Gamze Ates, Olaya Lara, Jolien De Munck, Agnes Villers, Laura De Pauw, Sigrid Ottestad-Hansen, Sho Kobayashi, Pauline Beckers, Pauline Janssen, Hideyo Sato, Yun Zhou, Emmanuel Hermans, Rose Njemini, Lutgarde Arckens, Niels C. Danbolt, Dimitri De Bundel, Joeri L. Aerts, Kurt Barbe, Benoit Guillaume, Laurence Ris, Eduard Bentea, Ann Massie
Summary: Deletion of the xCT subunit of system x(c)(-) has been found to extend lifespan and promote healthy aging in mice. Although aged xCT(-/-) mice had higher plasma cystine/cysteine ratio, it did not negatively affect their overall health status. On the contrary, the age-related priming of the innate immune system was attenuated in xCT(-/-) mice, and these mice showed preserved hippocampal function and retention of hippocampus-dependent memory.
MOLECULAR PSYCHIATRY
(2022)
Article
Cell Biology
Marie Claes, Emiel Geeraerts, Stephane Plaisance, Stephanie Mentens, Chris Van den Haute, Lies De Groef, Lut Arckens, Lieve Moons
Summary: One important aspect of glaucoma pathophysiology is axonal damage, which disrupts the connection between the retina and brain targets. Stimulation of neuronal activity in the superior colliculus has been shown to promote RGC survival in an acute glaucoma model. In this study, chronic stimulation of the superior colliculus in a murine glaucoma model resulted in similar molecular responses, but functional rescue of injured RGCs was not achieved. The complexity of chronic neuromodulation and growth factor signaling may explain this lack of neuroprotection.
Article
Cell & Tissue Engineering
Jolien Van Houcke, Valerie Marien, Caroline Zandecki, Rajagopal Ayana, Elise Pepermans, Kurt Boonen, Eve Seuntjens, Geert Baggerman, Lutgarde Arckens
Summary: The study found that the young African turquoise killifish has a high regenerative capacity, but loses it with advancing age, exhibiting limited forms of mammalian regeneration. Cellular senescence was identified as a potential barrier to successful neurorepair. Using a senolytic cocktail D + Q, chronic senescent cells in the aged killifish central nervous system were cleared, leading to increased neurogenic output. This research provides insights into age-related regeneration resilience and suggests a potential therapy for reviving neurogenic potential in an aged or diseased CNS.
NPJ REGENERATIVE MEDICINE
(2023)
Review
Cell Biology
Maria Joao Pereira, Rajagopal Ayana, Matthew G. G. Holt, Lutgarde Arckens
Summary: Astrocytes are crucial regulators of brain development and function, playing a role in synapse formation and maturation. They express G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) that activate intracellular signaling pathways and modulate synaptic transmission. Manipulating astrocyte activity through genetically engineered GPCRs shows promise in improving neuronal function and behavior in both healthy and disease models, suggesting potential therapeutic applications for managing brain disorders.
FRONTIERS IN CELL AND DEVELOPMENTAL BIOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Geriatrics & Gerontology
Sophie Vanhunsel, Steven Bergmans, An Beckers, Isabelle Etienne, Jolien Van Houcke, Eve Seuntjens, Lut Arckens, Lies De Groef, Lieve Moons
Summary: With people globally living longer and facing an increasing prevalence of age-related neurodegenerative diseases, achieving healthy brain aging remains a challenge. The African turquoise killifish, being a short-lived vertebrate model displaying aging hallmarks similar to humans, provides insights into cellular and molecular mechanisms underlying aging in the vertebrate central nervous system, making it a promising model for target validation and drug discovery for neuroprotective therapies.
NPJ AGING AND MECHANISMS OF DISEASE
(2021)
Article
Neurosciences
Sara R. J. Gilissen, Karl Farrow, Vincent Bonin, Lutgarde Arckens
Summary: The posterior parietal cortex (PPC) in mice is proposed to be comprised of at least six subregions, including RL, AM, and MMA. These subregions exhibit different connectivity patterns and receive inputs from different cortical areas, suggesting distinct functions for each. These anatomical findings pave the way for a deeper understanding of how the PPC and its subdivisions contribute to multisensory integration-based behavior in mice.
