Neuroscience
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The capacity to flexibly switch between different task rules has been previously associated with distributed fronto-parietal networks, predominantly in the left hemisphere for phasic switching sub-processes, and in the right hemisphere for more tonic aspects of task-switching, such as rule maintenance and management. It is thus likely that the white matter (WM) connectivity between these regions is critical in sustaining the flexibility required by task-switching. This study examined the relationship between WM microstructure in young adults and task-switching performance in different paradigms: classical shape-color, spatial and grammatical tasks. ⋯ No association was found with behavioral measures obtained in the grammatical task-switching paradigm. The switch costs, a measure of phasic switching processes, were not correlated with WM microstructure in any task. This study shows that a more efficient inter-hemispheric connectivity within the frontal lobes favors sustained task-switching processes, especially with task contexts embedding non-verbal components.
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Anodal transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) is known to increase the force-generating capacity of the skeletal muscles. However, when tDCS is concurrently combined with a motor task, interference may occur that hinders tDCS effects. Here, we tested the interaction and time course of tDCS effects on force production when paired with a low-level force-matching task. ⋯ There was no significant effect for knee flexion. This suggests that interference does not occur for force production tasks when tDCS is combined with a motor task. Rather, the task appears to aid and isolate the effects to the muscle groups involved in the task.
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Age-associated changes in cognition are mirrored by impairments in cellular models of memory and learning, such as long-term potentiation (LTP) and long-term depression (LTD). In young rodents, environmental enrichment (EE) can enhance memory, alter LTP and LTD, as well as reverse cognitive deficits induced by aging. Whether short-term EE can benefit cognition and synaptic plasticity in aged rodents is unclear. ⋯ EE-facilitated LTP was dependent upon N-methyl-d-aspartate receptors (NMDARs). These alterations in synaptic plasticity occurred with elevated levels of phosphorylated cAMP response element-binding protein and vascular endothelial growth factor, but in the absence of changes in several other synaptic and cellular markers. Importantly, our study suggests that even a relatively short period of EE is sufficient to alter synaptic plasticity and molecular markers linked to cognitive function in aged animals.
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Hypothyroidism during early development leads to numerous morphological, biochemical and functional changes in developing brain. In this study, we investigated the effects of voluntary and treadmill exercise on learning, memory and hippocampal BDNF levels in both hypothyroid male and female rat pups. To induce hypothyroidism in the mothers, 6-propyl-2-thiouracil (PTU) was added to their drinking water (100mg/L) from their embryonic day 6 to their postnatal day (PND) 21. ⋯ The findings of the present study indicate that hypothyroidism during the fetal period and the early postnatal period is associated with the impairment of spatial learning and memory and reduced hippocampal BDNF levels in both male and female rat offspring. Both the short-term treadmill exercise and the voluntary wheel exercise performed during the postnatal period reverse the behavioral and neurochemical deficits induced by developmental thyroid hormone insufficiency in both male and female rat offspring. The findings of this study thus demonstrate a marked reversibility of both behavioral and neurochemical disorders induced by developmental thyroid hormone insufficiency through the performance of exercise.
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Kynurenine pathway metabolites (KPM) are thought to be synthesized mainly by non-neuronal cells in the mammalian brain. KPM are of particular interest because several studies demonstrated their implication in various disorders of the nervous system. Among KPM is xanthurenic acid (XA) deriving from the catabolism of 3-hydroxykynurenine. ⋯ Our results also reveal that XA-like immunoreactivity is not expressed by glial cells. To double-check our findings, we have also used another XA antibody obtained from a commercial source to confirm the neuronal expression of XA. Together, our results suggest that, differently to several other KPM produced by glial cells, XA exhibits a neuronal distribution in the mouse brain.