Neurobiology of disease
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Neurobiology of disease · Jan 2015
Genetic background modulates impaired excitability of inhibitory neurons in a mouse model of Dravet syndrome.
Dominant loss-of-function mutations in voltage-gated sodium channel NaV1.1 cause Dravet Syndrome, an intractable childhood-onset epilepsy. NaV1.1(+/-) Dravet Syndrome mice in C57BL/6 genetic background exhibit severe seizures, cognitive and social impairments, and premature death. Here we show that Dravet Syndrome mice in pure 129/SvJ genetic background have many fewer seizures and much less premature death than in pure C57BL/6 background. ⋯ Excitability is less impaired in inhibitory neurons of Dravet Syndrome mice in 129/SvJ genetic background. Because specific deletion of NaV1.1 in forebrain GABAergic interneuons is sufficient to cause the symptoms of Dravet Syndrome in mice, our results support the conclusion that the milder phenotype in 129/SvJ mice is caused by lesser impairment of sodium channel function and electrical excitability in their forebrain interneurons. This mild impairment of excitability of interneurons leads to a milder disease phenotype in 129/SvJ mice, similar to Genetic Epilepsy with Febrile Seizures Plus in humans.
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Neurobiology of disease · Jan 2015
Dynamic cortical gray matter volume changes after botulinum toxin in cervical dystonia.
Previous electrophysiological and functional imaging studies in focal dystonia have reported on cerebral reorganization after botulinum toxin (BoNT) injections. With the exception of microstructural changes, alterations in gray matter volume after BoNT have not been explored. In this study, we sought to determine whether BoNT influences gray matter volume in a group of cervical dystonia (CD) patients. ⋯ We have identified structural, yet dynamic gray matter volume changes in CD. There were specific gray matter volume changes related to BoNT injections, illustrating indirect central consequences of modified peripheral sensory input. As differences were exclusively seen in higher order motor areas relevant to motor planning and spatial cognition, these observations support the hypothesis that deficits in these cognitive processes are crucial in the pathophysiology of CD.
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Neurobiology of disease · Jan 2015
Role of CSPG receptor LAR phosphatase in restricting axon regeneration after CNS injury.
Extracellular matrix molecule chondroitin sulfate proteoglycans (CSPGs) are highly upregulated in scar tissues and form a potent chemical barrier for CNS axon regeneration. Recent studies support that the receptor protein tyrosine phosphatase σ (PTPσ) and its subfamily member leukocyte common antigen related phosphatase (LAR) act as transmembrane receptors to mediate CSPG inhibition. PTPσ deficiency increased regrowth of ascending axons into scar tissues and descending corticospinal tract (CST) axons into the caudal spinal cord after spinal cord injury (SCI). ⋯ LAR protein was upregulated days to weeks after injury and co-localized to serotonergic and CST axons. Moreover, LAR deletion improved functional recovery by increasing BMS locomotor scores and stride length and reducing grid walk errors. This is the first transgenic study that demonstrates the crucial role of LAR in restricting regrowth of injured CNS axons.
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Neurobiology of disease · Jan 2015
Progressive nigrostriatal terminal dysfunction and degeneration in the engrailed1 heterozygous mouse model of Parkinson's disease.
Current research on Parkinson's disease (PD) pathogenesis requires relevant animal models that mimic the gradual and progressive development of neuronal dysfunction and degeneration that characterizes the disease. Polymorphisms in engrailed 1 (En1), a homeobox transcription factor that is crucial for both the development and survival of mesencephalic dopaminergic neurons, are associated with sporadic PD. This suggests that En1 mutant mice might be a promising candidate PD model. ⋯ Using in vivo electrochemistry, we found that nigrostriatal terminals in the dorsal striatum were severely deficient in dopamine release and reuptake. Our findings support a progressive retrograde degeneration of En1(+/-) nigrostriatal neurons, akin to what is suggested to occur in PD. We suggest that using the En1(+/-) mice as a model will provide further key insights into PD pathogenesis, and propose that axon terminal integrity and function can be utilized to estimate dopaminergic neuron health and efficacy of experimental PD therapies.
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Neurobiology of disease · Jan 2015
Diet, age, and prior injury status differentially alter behavioral outcomes following concussion in rats.
Mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI) or concussion affects a large portion of the population and although many of these individuals recover completely, a small subset of people experience lingering symptomology and poor outcomes. Little is known about the factors that affect individual susceptibility or resilience to poor outcomes after mTBI and there are currently no biomarkers to delineate mTBI diagnosis or prognosis. Based upon the growing literature associated with caloric intake and altered neurological aging and the ambiguous link between repetitive mTBI and progressive neurodegeneration, the current study was designed to examine the effect of a high fat diet (HFD), developmental age, and repetitive mTBI on behavioral outcomes following a mTBI. ⋯ Exposure to the high fat diet exacerbated many of the behavioral deficits associated with concussion. Finally, telomere length was shortened following mTBI and was influenced by the animal's dietary intake. Diet, age at the time of injury, and the number of prior concussion incidents differentially contribute to behavioral deficits and may help explain individual variations in susceptibility and resilience to poor outcomes following an mTBI.