Neuroscience
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Degeneration of the noradrenergic locus coeruleus (LC) in aging and neurodegenerative diseases is well documented. Slowing or reversing this effect may have therapeutic implications. Phox2a and Phox2b are homeodomain transcriptional factors that function as determinants of the noradrenergic phenotype during embryogenesis. ⋯ Over-expression of Phox2 genes resulted in a significant increase in BrdU-positive cells in the hippocampal dentate gyrus. The present study demonstrates an upregulatory effect of Phox2a and Phox2b on the expression of DBH and NET in noradrenergic neurons of rat brains, an effect not previously shown in adult animals. Phox2 genes may play an important role in maintaining the function of the noradrenergic neurons after birth, and regulation of Phox2 gene expression may have therapeutic utility in aging or disorders involving degeneration of noradrenergic neurons.
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Alpha-2 adrenergic receptors (A2AR) regulate multiple brain functions and are enriched in developing brain. Studies demonstrate norepinephrine (NE) plays a role in regulating brain maturation, suggesting it is important in A2AR development. To investigate this we employed models of NE absence and excess during brain development. ⋯ In contrast to DSP4 lesions, increasing NE results in a large increase in A2AR. Animals treated with MAM on gestational day 14 had cortical [(3)H]RX821002 binding 100-200% greater than controls on PND 25, 35, 45, 55 and 65. These data indicate that NE regulation of A2AR differs in developing and mature brain and support the idea that NE regulates A2AR development and this has long term effects on A2AR function.
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Rotenone, a widely used pesticide and an environmental risk factor for Parkinson's disease (PD), induces nigrostriatal injury, Lewy body-like inclusions, and Parkinsonian symptoms in rat models for PD. Our previous data indicated that glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase (GAPDH) overexpression and glycolytic inhibition were co-current in rotenone-induced PC12 (rat adrenal pheochromocytoma cells) cell death. ⋯ Furthermore, GAPDH knockdown reduces rotenone toxicity significantly in PC12. These in vitro and in vivo data suggest that GAPDH contributes to the pathogenesis of Parkinson's disease, possibly representing a new molecular target for neuroprotective strategies and alternative therapies for PD.
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Cholinergic inputs from the medial septum are projected to pyramidal neurons in the hippocampal CA1 region and release acetylcholine (ACh) from their terminals. The cholinergic inputs are considered to be integrated with sensory inputs and to play a crucial role in learning and memory. Meanwhile, it has been reported that the relative timing between pre- and post-synaptic spiking determines the direction and extent of synaptic changes in a critical temporal window, a process known as spike timing-dependent plasticity (STDP). ⋯ In addition, STDP was suppressed in the presence of atropine, a muscarinic ACh receptor antagonist. Taken together, the findings suggest that synaptic plasticity modulation depends on the amount of cholinergic inputs. The modulation of synaptic plasticity by muscarinic activation might be an important stage in the integration of top-down and bottom-up information in hippocampal CA1 neurons.
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Partial hearing loss is known to cause increased spontaneous activity at several stages of the central auditory pathways, and this phenomenon has been suggested as a possible neural substrate for tinnitus, a phantom hearing sensation. One recent study in guinea pig has suggested that approximately 6 weeks after acoustic trauma, the increased spontaneous activity in inferior colliculus is not intrinsically generated in the central nucleus but is dependent on afferent input from the cochlea. ⋯ In this study, we show that when recovery time after acoustic trauma is extended to 8 and 12 weeks, cochlear ablation does not significantly decrease the increased spontaneous activity measured in the inferior colliculus. This result demonstrates for the first time that central hyperactivity that develops after acoustic trauma transitions from an early stage when it is dependent on continued peripheral afferent input to a later stage in which the hyperactivity is intrinsically generated within the central nervous system.