Neuroscience
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Corticotropin-releasing factor (CRF) is an important stress hormone, and because of the different distributions and functions of its receptors, CRF has various effects on the stress response of animals. CRF receptor 2 (CRFR2) is a functional receptor of CRF that may be related to appetite regulation and sex differences. In this study, male and female C57BL/6 mice were exposed to an ambient temperature of 4 °C, and feed intake were determined. ⋯ As a result, 1) there were only significant changes in 2 h feed intake and rectal temperature in males; 2) neuronal excitability was elevated in the paraventricular thalamus (PVT) and paraventricular hypothalamic nucleus (PVH) brain regions of both male and female mice; 3) serum corticosterone and the expression of corticosterone receptors in the PVH were elevated in males but not in females; 4) the activation of the CRFR2 signal in the PVT and PVH brain regions differed by sex: the expression of CRFR2 was upregulated in male mice, and the phosphorylation of protein kinase B (AKT) and cAMP-response element binding protein (CREB) was significantly reduced; and 5) the cold-evoked eating behavior of male mice was abolished when CRFR2 in the PVT was knocked down. In summary, we conclude that male mice are more sensitive to cold stress than are female mice. The CRFR2/AKT/CREB signaling pathway in the PVT and PVH may mediate sex differences in the eating behavior of cold-exposed mice.
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Radiation-induced cognitive impairment (RICI) and emotional disorder (RIED) are comorbidity which seriously affect the quality of life in radiation-induced brain injury (RIBI) patients. ⋯ RICI intensively occurred in post-irradiation middle stage and progressed to late stage while RIED occurred mostly in late stage in RIBI. Consistency of RICI and RIED development process was observed.
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This study aims to investigate the changes in the topological organization of WM functional connectivity in individuals with TAO, providing a novel and insightful perspective on the functional disruptions that characterize this condition. ⋯ In our study, we found that patients with TAO exhibited abnormalities in the white matter functional network regarding small-world metrics and modularity, which are related to visual and cognitive functions.
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Fentanyl, a highly potent synthetic opioid, is a major contributor to the ongoing opioid epidemic. During adulthood, fentanyl is known to induce pronounced sleep and circadian disturbances during use and withdrawal. Children exposed to opioids in utero are likely to develop neonatal opioid withdrawal syndrome, and display sleep disturbances after birth. ⋯ After weaning, fentanyl and saline treated mice underwent non-invasive sleep and circadian rhythm monitoring during adolescence postnatal days 23 through 30. Neonatal fentanyl exposure led to an increase in the percent time spent in rapid eye movement sleep across days. Thus, neonatal fentanyl exposure leads to altered sleep-wake states during adolescence in mice.
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Review
Cross-species dissection of the modular role of the ventral tegmental area in depressive disorders.
Depressive disorders, including major depressive disorder (MDD), represent one of the most prevalent set of disorders worldwide. MDD is characterized by a range of cognitive, behavioral, and neurobiological changes that contribute to the vast array of symptom profiles that make this disorder particularly difficult to treat. A multitude of established evidence suggests a role for the dopamine system, stemming in part from the ventral tegmental area (VTA), in mediating symptoms and behavioral changes that underlie depression. ⋯ Then, we introduce the role of the VTA in reward processing as it compares to aversion processing. Next, we characterize distinct neural pathways within the VTA circuitry to understand the effects of chronic social and non-social stress and tie together how these neurobiological changes manifest into specific behavioral phenotypes. Finally, we relate these preclinical findings to clinical findings to parse the heterogeneity of depressive phenotypes and explain the efficacy of recent novel pharmacological interventions that may target the VTA in MDD.