Neuroscience and biobehavioral reviews
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Neurosci Biobehav Rev · Oct 2014
ReviewEarly-life risk factors for panic and separation anxiety disorder: insights and outstanding questions arising from human and animal studies of CO2 sensitivity.
Genetically informative studies showed that genetic and environmental risk factors act and interact to influence liability to (a) panic disorder, (b) its childhood precursor separation anxiety disorder, and (c) heightened sensitivity to CO2, an endophenotype common to both disorders. Childhood adversities including parental loss influence both panic disorder and CO2 hypersensitivity. ⋯ Animal findings paralleled those of human studies, in that different forms of early maternal separation in mice and rats evoked heightened CO2 sensitivity; in mice, this could be explained by gene-by-environment interactional mechanisms. While several questions and issues (including obvious divergences between humans and rodents) remain open, parallel investigations by contemporary molecular genetic tools of (1) human longitudinal cohorts and (2) animals in controlled laboratory settings, can help elucidate the mechanisms beyond these phenomena.
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Neurosci Biobehav Rev · Sep 2014
ReviewEpigenetics: the neglected key to minimize learning and memory deficits in Down syndrome.
Down syndrome (DS) is the most common genetic intellectual disability, caused by the triplication of the human chromosome 21 (HSA21). Although this would theoretically lead to a 1.5 fold increase in gene transcription, transcript levels of many genes significantly deviate. Surprisingly, the underlying cause of this gene expression variation has been largely neglected so far. ⋯ Importantly, epigenetic marks are reversible, offering a huge therapeutic potential to alleviate or cure certain genetic deficits. Current epigenetic therapies are already used for cancer and epilepsy, and might provide novel possibilities for cognition-enhancing treatment in DS as well. To that end, this review discusses the still limited knowledge on epigenetics in DS and describes the potential of epigenetic therapies to reverse dysregulated gene expression.
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Neurosci Biobehav Rev · Sep 2014
ReviewModulating the delicate glial-neuronal interactions in neuropathic pain: promises and potential caveats.
During neuropathic pain, glial cells (mainly astrocytes and microglia) become activated and initiate a series of signaling cascades that modulate pain processing at both spinal and supraspinal levels. It has been generally accepted that glial cell activation contributes to neuropathic pain because glia release proinflammatory cytokines, chemokines, and factors such as calcitonin gene-related peptide, substance P, and glutamate, which are known to facilitate pain signaling. ⋯ Accordingly, use of glial inhibitors might compromise the protective functions of glia in addition to suppressing their detrimental effects. With a better understanding of how different conditions affect glial cell activation, we may be able to promote the protective function of glia and pave the way for future development of novel, safe, and effective treatments of neuropathic pain.
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Neurosci Biobehav Rev · Mar 2014
ReviewThe trouble with circadian clock dysfunction: multiple deleterious effects on the brain and body.
This review consolidates research employing human correlational and experimental work across brain and body with experimental animal models to provide a more complete representation of how circadian rhythms influence almost all aspects of life. In doing so, we will cover the morphological and biochemical pathways responsible for rhythm generation as well as interactions between these systems and others (e.g., stress, feeding, reproduction). The effects of circadian disruption on the health of humans, including time of day effects, cognitive sequelae, dementia, Alzheimer's disease, diet, obesity, food preferences, mood disorders, and cancer will also be discussed. Subsequently, experimental support for these largely correlational human studies conducted in non-human animal models will be described.