Neuroscience
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The role of T-type calcium channels in brain diseases such as absence epilepsy and neuropathic pain has been studied extensively. However, less is known regarding the involvement of T-type channels in cognition and behavior. Prepulse inhibition (PPI) is a measure of sensorimotor gating which is a basic process whereby the brain filters incoming stimuli to enable appropriate responding in sensory rich environments. ⋯ Z944 dose-dependently disrupted PPI in the Wistar and GAERS strains with the most potent effect observed with the higher doses. These findings suggest that T-type calcium channels contribute to normal patterns of brain activity that regulate PPI. Given that PPI is disrupted in psychiatric disorders, future experiments that test the specific brain regions involved in the regulation of PPI by T-type calcium channels may help inform therapeutic development for those suffering from sensorimotor gating impairments.
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Stress-induced modifications of the prefrontal cortex (PFC) are believed to contribute to the onset of mood disorders, such as depression and anxiety, which are more prevalent in women. In depression, the PFC is hypoactive; however the origin of this hypoactivity remains unclear. Possibly, stress could impact the prefrontal GABAergic inhibitory system that, as a result, impairs the functioning of downstream limbic structures controlling emotions. ⋯ In males, small changes in emotionality following UCMS were associated with minor changes in prefrontal PV expression, and with hypoactivity of the nucleus accumbens. Our data suggest that prefrontal hypoactivity observed in stress-related mood disorders could result from stress-induced increases in PV expression, particularly in females. This increased vulnerability of the female prefrontal PV system to stress could underlie sex differences in the prevalence and symptomatology of stress-related mood disorders.
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Auditory-visual (AV) events often involve a leading visual cue (e.g. auditory-visual speech) that allows the perceiver to generate predictions about the upcoming auditory event. Electrophysiological evidence suggests that when an auditory event is predicted, processing is sped up, i.e., the N1 component of the ERP occurs earlier (N1 facilitation). However, it is not clear (1) whether N1 facilitation is based specifically on predictive rather than multisensory integration and (2) which particular properties of the visual cue it is based on. ⋯ Visual form cues (high and low salience) and the auditory-visual pairing were manipulated so that auditory predictions could be based on form and timing or on timing only. The results showed that N1 facilitation occurred only for combined form and temporal predictions. These results suggest that faster auditory processing (as indicated by N1 facilitation) is based on predictive processing generated by a visual cue that clearly predicts both what and when the auditory stimulus will occur.
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Serotonin (5-HT) neurons contribute to respiratory chemoreception in adult mice, but it is unclear whether they play a similar role in neonatal mice. We studied breathing during development in Lmx1b(f/f/p) mice, which lack 5-HT neurons. From postnatal days 1-7 (P1-P7), ventilation of Lmx1b(f/f/p) mice breathing room air was 50% of WT mice (p<0.001). ⋯ Mortality was decreased in hyperoxia. These results indicate that maturation of 5-HT neurons contributes to development of respiratory CO2/pH chemoreception during the first few weeks of life in mice in vivo. A defect in the 5-HT system in early postnatal life decreases survival due in part to hypoxia.
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Sensorimotor adaptation can be induced by action observation, and also by passive training. Here, we investigated the effect of a protocol that combined action observation and passive training on visuomotor adaptation, by comparing it with the effect of action observation or passive training alone. ⋯ Results showed that the subjects in the combined training condition adapted to the rotation significantly better than those in the observation or proprioceptive training condition, although their performance was not as good as that of those who adapted actively. These findings suggest that although a protocol that combines action observation and passive training consists of all the processes involved in active training (error detection and correction, effector-specific and proprioceptively based reaching movements), these processes in that protocol may work differently as compared to a protocol in which the same processes are engaged actively.