Neuroscience
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Comparative Study
Distinct neurobehavioral dysfunction based on the timing of developmental binge-like alcohol exposure.
Gestational exposure to alcohol can result in long-lasting behavioral deficiencies generally described as fetal alcohol spectrum disorder (FASD). FASD-modeled rodent studies of acute ethanol exposure typically select one developmental window to simulate a specific context equivalent of human embryogenesis, and study consequences of ethanol exposure within that particular developmental epoch. Exposure timing is likely a large determinant in the neurobehavioral consequence of early ethanol exposure, as each brain region is variably susceptible to ethanol cytotoxicity and has unique sensitive periods in their development. ⋯ Finally, spatial memory performance and object exploration were affected in P7-exposed mice, but not E8-exposed mice. Our physiology and behavioral results are conceptually coherent with the neuroanatomical data attained from these same mice. Our results recognize both variable and shared effects of ethanol exposure timing on long-term circuit function and their supported behavior.
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Hypofunction of the N-methyl-D-aspartic acid receptor (NMDAr) has been considered to play a crucial role in the pathophysiology of schizophrenia. In rodent electroencephalogram (EEG) studies, non-competitive NMDAr antagonists have been reported to produce aberrant basal gamma band oscillation (GBO), as observed in schizophrenia. Aberrations in GBO power have attracted attention as a translational biomarker for the development of novel antipsychotic drugs. ⋯ Likewise, LY379268 (0.3-3 mg/kg), an metabotropic glutamate 2/3 receptor (mGlu2/3 receptor) agonist, reduced the GBO increase in a dose-dependent manner, which was antagonized by an mGlu2/3 receptor antagonist LY341495. These results suggest that an increase in cortical GBO power induced by NMDAr hypofunction can be attributed to the aberrant activities of both excitatory pyramidal neurons and inhibitory interneurons in local circuits. The aberrant cortical GBO power reflecting cortical network dysfunction observed in schizophrenia might be a useful biomarker for the discovery of novel antipsychotic drugs.
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Binding of bacterial lipopolysaccharides (LPS) to toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4) triggers an innate immunoresponse associated with pain and inflammation. The expression, and to a greater extent the regulation of TLR4 and its auxiliary proteins (myeloid differentiation protein 1 (MD1), myeloid differentiation protein 2 (MD2) and cluster of differentiation 14 (CD14)), are both poorly understood in trigeminal and nodose neurons. We used a combination of Western blotting, semi-quantitative polymerase chain reaction (PCR), pharmacological manipulation and immunohistochemistry. ⋯ Also we observed that in both neuronal types LPS acutely (within 20 min) down-regulated CD14 and MD2 mRNAs. In addition, LPS increased significantly the proportion of trigeminal and nodose neurons expressing nociceptin/orphanin FQ in culture probably acting via TLR4/MD2. Although the exact mechanisms underlying the regulation by trophic factors and LPS require further elucidation, the findings of this study indicate that LPS acts through its archetypical receptor in trigeminal and nodose neurons.
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The "plasticity hypothesis" proposes that major depression is caused by morphological and biochemical modifications in neurons and astrocytes and those beneficial pharmacological effects of selective-serotonin-reuptake-inhibitors (SSRI) are at least partially associated with modifications of cellular communications between these cells. In this study we examined effects of the antidepressant fluoxetine on cultured astrocytes that were, in some cases, pretreated with dexamethasone, a cortisol analog known to trigger depressive disorder. Primary rat astrocytes were purified and treated with dexamethasone and the SSRI fluoxetine in physiological concentrations so that both drugs did not affect cell viability. ⋯ Intracellular IL-2 increased, while GDNF amount expression was diminished following dexamethasone treatment. Simultaneous administration of fluoxetine reversed dexamethasone-triggered IL-2 elevation but had no effect on decreased GDNF concentration. These results suggest that mobility and growth factor equilibrium of astrocytes are affected by dexamethasone and by fluoxetine and that fluoxetine could reverse some changes induced by dexamethasone.
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Cav2.2 channels are a substrate for phosphorylation by protein kinase C (PKC) isozymes. The contribution of Cavβ, an auxiliary subunit of these channels, in the PKC modulation was studied. Cav2.2 channels were expressed in Xenopus oocytes in various subunit combinations with or without Cavβ subunits. ⋯ The action of PKC on these sites was further substantiated by the increased basal IBa along with the loss of MCh potentiation when Ser/Thr was mutated to aspartate. The observation that MCh or PKC isozymes failed to affect Cav2.2 currents in the presence of Cavβ subunits suggests that these subunits may have interfered with the interaction between PKC and Ser/Thr sites of Cav2.2α1 subunits. In addition to affecting channel expression and current kinetics, Cavβ subunits may also modulate the response of these channels to neurochemicals.