Article
Anatomy & Morphology
Mathias L. Mathiasen, John P. Aggleton, Menno P. Witter
Summary: The dense fiber pathways connecting the insular cortex with frontal cortices are crucial for executive functions. We used neuroanatomical tracing in rats to map the detailed organization of projections from the insular cortex to orbitofrontal and medial prefrontal cortex. Different parts of the insular cortex project to distinct regions of the frontal cortices, with primary gustatory cortex projections avoiding the mPFC. These findings provide insights into the role of the insular cortex in interoceptive processing and executive control.
FRONTIERS IN NEUROANATOMY
(2023)
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
Biology
Geoffrey W. Diehl, A. David Redish
Summary: Decision-making requires different aspects of information and involves multiple cognitive processes. The rodent medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) is believed to play a central role in these abilities. Previous studies on mPFC function have yielded controversial results, but this study with rats performing an economic decision task revealed four distinct functional domains within mPFC, closely related to anatomical subregions. Dorsal mPFC regions were more involved in processing active decisions, while ventral regions were more engaged in motivational factors.
Article
Psychiatry
Ying Hao Yu, Arthur C. Tsai, Chen Yin Ou, Cai-N Cheng, Fang Chih Chang, Bai Chuang Shyu, Andrew Chih Wei Huang
Summary: This study found that optogenetic stimulation in the medial prefrontal cortex can modulate the valence of stimuli, including rewarding, aversive, and neutral states. This finding is important for the development of new treatments for drug addiction.
FRONTIERS IN PSYCHIATRY
(2023)
Article
Neurosciences
Franz R. Villaruel, Melissa Martins, Nadia Chaudhri
Summary: The neural circuit from the infralimbic cortex to the nucleus accumbens shell plays a crucial role in suppressing conditioned responding and renewal of CS responding. The IL-to-NAcS circuit is involved in both acquisition and expression of Pavlovian conditioning and is not exclusively dependent on extinction process.
JOURNAL OF NEUROSCIENCE
(2022)
Article
Neurosciences
Giovana Benassi-Cezar, Isabela Miranda Carmona, Daniela Baptista-de-Souza, Ricardo Luiz Nunes-de-Souza, Azair Canto-de-Souza
Summary: The study found that cohabitation with a conspecific suffering from chronic pain affects the anxiety levels of mice, with changes in neuronal activation observed in the anterior cingulate and insular cortices. Injecting a synaptic blocker in these brain areas can reverse the anxiety-inducing effect caused by cohabitation with a conspecific in chronic pain.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Manabu Taniguchi, Misaki Iwahashi, Yuichiro Oka, Sheena Y. X. Tiong, Makoto Sato
Summary: The fork cell and von Economo neuron play important roles in the insular cortex and/or the anterior cingulate cortex, especially in humans and great apes. Although von Economo-like neurons were not identified, Fezf2-positive fork cell-like neurons were discovered in mice, suggesting the existence of an equivalent to the fork cell in mice.
Article
Neurosciences
Tomasz Gorkiewicz, Konrad Danielewski, Karolina Andraka, Kacper Kondrakiewicz, Ksenia Meyza, Jan Kaminski, Ewelina Knapska
Summary: This study investigated the role of social support in fear extinction using a behavioral model and neuroscientific methods. The results showed that the presence of a partner during fear extinction training can inhibit fear response, but this effect is transient and differs from the mechanisms of individual extinction.
Review
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Jung-Hyun Alex Lee, Qiyu Chen, Min Zhuo
Summary: This review summarizes recent progress in synaptic mechanisms of different forms of cortical long-term potentiation (LTP) and their potential contribution to behavioral pain and emotional changes.
Article
Behavioral Sciences
Masoomeh Dadkhah, Ali Rashidy-Pour, Abbas Ali Vafaei
Summary: This study identified the key role of the infralimbic (IL) region of the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) in regulating fear extinction. By infusing the D2 receptor antagonist sulpiride into the IL region, auditory fear extinction was enhanced in an inverted U-shape pattern, with moderate doses being most effective.
PHARMACOLOGY BIOCHEMISTRY AND BEHAVIOR
(2021)
Article
Clinical Neurology
Shuxiang Shi, Mengke Zhang, Weijie Xie, Peijun Ju, Ningning Chen, Fan Wang, Dongbin Lyu, Meiti Wang, Wu Hong
Summary: This study examined the mechanisms of sleep deprivation (SD) in alleviating depression-like behaviors in mice and the role of neuroinflammation and neuroplasticity. The results showed that SD swiftly attenuated depression-like behaviors, downregulated immune and inflammatory pathways, and improved neuroplasticity in the brain regions involved in depression.
JOURNAL OF AFFECTIVE DISORDERS
(2023)
Article
Neurosciences
Justine Fam, Billy Chieng, R. Frederick Westbrook, Vincent Laurent, Nathan M. Holmes
Summary: This study investigated how animals process contradictory information by conducting second-order fear conditioning in rats. The results showed that the brain is capable of encoding competing associations in different brain regions to resolve the contradiction.
Article
Behavioral Sciences
Nathaniel S. Rieger, Nicholas B. Worley, Alexandra J. Ng, John P. Christianson
Summary: Avoiding sick individuals is crucial for maintaining health and preventing disease transmission. Social cues for sickness, such as sickness behaviors and chemosignals, must be identified and used to orchestrate social interactions. Despite the social capabilities of many species, the neural mechanisms behind social responses to sick individuals remain incompletely understood.
BEHAVIOURAL BRAIN RESEARCH
(2022)
Article
Neurosciences
Jae-Hyun Kim, Dong-Hyun Ma, Eunji Jung, Ilsong Choi, Seung-Hee Lee
Summary: In this study, Kim et al. found that visual inputs trigger gated feedforward inhibition of ACC neurons, which disinhibits striatal motor neurons and initiates precise responses in mice performing a visual Go/No-go task. The characteristics of ACC neurons can predict response times in mice, and optogenetic activation of visual inputs in the ACC prompts task-relevant actions by suppressing ACC motor neurons and disinhibiting downstream striatal neurons.
NATURE NEUROSCIENCE
(2021)
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
Clinical Neurology
Bridget J. Power, Gavin O'reilly, Robert Murphy, Keith J. Murphy, Mark Pickering, James F. X. Jones
Article
Chemistry, Medicinal
Ahmed Al-Sabi, Declan Daly, Patrick Hoefer, Gemma K. Kinsella, Charles Metais, Mark Pickering, Caroline Herron, Seshu Kumar Kaza, Kieran Nolan, J. Oliver Dolly
JOURNAL OF MEDICINAL CHEMISTRY
(2017)
Article
Anatomy & Morphology
Luke M. Alvey, James F. X. Jones, Cathal Tobin-O'Brien, Mark Pickering
JOURNAL OF ANATOMY
(2019)
Article
Gastroenterology & Hepatology
Keira Turner, Mark Pickering, P. Ronan O'Connell, James F. X. Jones
NEUROGASTROENTEROLOGY AND MOTILITY
(2019)
Article
Engineering, Biomedical
Owen Humphreys, Mark Pickering, Eoin D. O'Cearbhaill, Thomas C. Flanagan
JOURNAL OF THE MECHANICAL BEHAVIOR OF BIOMEDICAL MATERIALS
(2020)
Article
Neurosciences
Amy Courtney, Jeremy Liegey, Niamh Burke, Amy R. Hassett, Madeleine Lowery, Mark Pickering
Summary: Neuroscience lacks diverse model organisms, but Ctenophores show neurobiological and experimental features that make them a promising candidate for expanding our understanding of neural function. The researchers investigated the structure and organization of the nerve net in Pleurobrachia pileus and found that certain morphological features remain unchanged during growth, suggesting their importance for the functionality of the nervous system. They also identified different geometric properties in different regions of the body, indicating potential functional differences. This study provides the most comprehensive structural description of a ctenophore nerve net to date.
JOURNAL OF COMPARATIVE NEUROLOGY
(2022)
Meeting Abstract
Anatomy & Morphology
[Anonymous]
JOURNAL OF ANATOMY
(2023)
Article
Engineering, Electrical & Electronic
George O. T. Merces, Conor Kennedy, Blanca Lenoci, Emmanuel G. Reynaud, Niamh Burke, Mark Pickering
Summary: The study presents a low-cost microscope designed for conventional tissue culture incubators, allowing for various imaging experiments. The open-source design aims to facilitate adaptation by the community and individual researchers, with an easy-to-use graphic user interface for experimental design.
Meeting Abstract
Medicine, General & Internal
N. Burke, G. O. T. Merces, A. Courtney, M. Pickering
IRISH JOURNAL OF MEDICAL SCIENCE
(2019)
Meeting Abstract
Medicine, General & Internal
R. O'Carroll, A. Courtney, M. Pickering
IRISH JOURNAL OF MEDICAL SCIENCE
(2017)
Meeting Abstract
Medicine, General & Internal
C. Tobin-O'Brien, L. Alvey, M. Pickering
IRISH JOURNAL OF MEDICAL SCIENCE
(2017)
Meeting Abstract
Medicine, General & Internal
C. Mohan, L. Alvey, M. Pickering
IRISH JOURNAL OF MEDICAL SCIENCE
(2015)
Meeting Abstract
Medicine, General & Internal
B. Ryan, M. Pickering
IRISH JOURNAL OF MEDICAL SCIENCE
(2015)
Meeting Abstract
Neurosciences
R. Murphy, L. Alvey, J. Jones, K. Murphy, M. Pickering
Meeting Abstract
Neurosciences
E. A. Keogh, S. D. O'Shea, R. P. Murphy, M. Pickering, K. J. Murphy