scholarly journals Quantitative Cellular-Resolution Map of the Oxytocin Receptor in Postnatally Developing Mouse Brains

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kyra T. Newmaster ◽  
Zachary T. Nolan ◽  
Uree Chon ◽  
Daniel J. Vanselow ◽  
Abigael R. Weit ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Oxytocin Receptor ◽  
Imaging Data ◽  
Brain Images ◽  
Fluorescent Reporter ◽  
Temporal Regulation ◽  
Cellular Resolution ◽  
Reporter Mice ◽  
Cell Densities ◽  
Subcortical Regions ◽  
Cortical Regions

AbstractOxytocin receptor (OTR) plays critical roles in social behavior development. Despite its significance, brain-wide quantitative understanding of OTR expression remains limited in postnatally developing brains. Here, we validated and utilized fluorescent reporter mice (OTRvenus/+) to examine OTR cells across postnatal periods. We developed postnatal 3D template brains to register whole brain images with cellular resolution to systematically quantify OTR cell densities. We found that cortical regions showed temporally and spatially heterogeneous patterns with transient postnatal OTR expression without cell death. Cortical OTR cells were largely not GABAergic neurons with the exception of cells in layer 6b. Subcortical regions showed similar temporal regulation except the hypothalamus. Moreover, our unbiased approach identified two hypothalamic nuclei with sexually dimorphic OTR expression. Lastly, we created a website to easily share our imaging data. In summary, we provide comprehensive quantitative data to understand postnatal OTR expression in the mouse brain.

scholarly journals Noradrenergic correlates of chronic cocaine craving: neuromelanin and functional brain imaging

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Wuyi Wang ◽  
Simon Zhornitsky ◽  
Sheng Zhang ◽  
Chiang-shan R. Li
Keyword(s):  
Functional Brain Imaging ◽  
Cocaine Exposure ◽  
Imaging Data ◽  
Significant Group ◽  
Motivated Behavior ◽  
Chronic Cocaine ◽  
Cocaine Craving ◽  
Lc Circuit ◽  
Psychophysiological Interaction ◽  
Subcortical Regions

AbstractPreclinical studies have implicated noradrenergic (NA) dysfunction in cocaine addiction. In particular, the NA system plays a central role in motivated behavior and may partake in the regulation of craving and drug use. Yet, human studies of the NA system are scarce, likely hampered by the difficulty in precisely localizing the locus coeruleus (LC). Here, we used neuromelanin imaging to localize the LC and quantified LC neuromelanin signal (NMS) intensity in 44 current cocaine users (CU; 37 men) and 59 nondrug users (NU; 44 men). We also employed fMRI to investigate cue-induced regional responses and LC functional connectivities, as quantified by generalized psychophysiological interaction (gPPI), in CU. Imaging data were processed by published routines and the findings were evaluated with a corrected threshold. We examined how these neural measures were associated with chronic cocaine craving, as assessed by the Cocaine Craving Questionnaire (CCQ). Compared to NU, CU demonstrated higher LC NMS for all probabilistic thresholds defined of 50–90% of the peak. In contrast, NMS of the ventral tegmental area/substantia nigra (VTA/SN) did not show significant group differences. Drug as compared to neutral cues elicited higher activations of many cortical and subcortical regions, none of which were significantly correlated with CCQ score. Drug vs. neutral cues also elicited “deactivation” of bilateral parahippocampal gyri (PHG) and PHG gPPI with a wide array of cortical and subcortical regions, including the ventral striatum and, with small volume correction, the LC. Less deactivation of the PHG (r = 0.40, p = 0.008) and higher PHG-LC gPPI (r = 0.44, p = 0.003) were positively correlated with the CCQ score. In contrast, PHG-VTA/SN connectivity did not correlate with the CCQ score. Together, chronic cocaine exposure may induce higher NMS intensity, suggesting neurotoxic effects on the LC. The correlation of cue-elicited PHG LC connectivity with CCQ score suggests a noradrenergic correlate of chronic cocaine craving. Potentially compensating for memory functions as in neurodegenerative conditions, cue-elicited PHG LC circuit connectivity plays an ill-adaptive role in supporting cocaine craving.

scholarly journals CRISPR/Cas9 mediated dual fluorescent reporter mice to study spatial bone genomics of osteoblasts and osteoclasts in the local in vivo environment

Bone Reports ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 14 ◽  
pp. 100871
Author(s):  
Dilara Yilmaz ◽  
Yannick Fischer ◽  
Sandra Zimmermann ◽  
Gaonhae Hwang ◽  
Ralph Müller ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Fluorescent Reporter ◽  
Reporter Mice

Abstract W MP14: Detection of Early Ischemia Varies Extensively with Topography: Concurrent CT versus DWI ASPECTS

Stroke ◽  
2015 ◽  
Vol 46 (suppl_1) ◽  
Author(s):  
David S Liebeskind ◽  
Sunil A Sheth ◽  
Farhad Mehrkhani ◽  
Shahmir Kamalian ◽  
Fabien Scalzo ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Ischemic Stroke ◽  
Symptom Onset ◽  
Regional Variation ◽  
Internal Capsule ◽  
Kappa Statistic ◽  
Subcortical Structures ◽  
Subcortical Regions ◽  
Cortical Regions ◽  
Ct And Mri ◽  
Good Agreement

Background: Numerous studies have compared CT with DWI ASPECTS, yet differences in timing between study acquisition may impart error or confound. We analyzed a large cohort of concurrently acquired CT and MRI to discern differences in regional variation in the ability to detect early ischemia. Methods: CT and DWI were acquired within 1 hour of each other during the first 8 hours after symptom onset and pooled from two large academic stroke centers for these analyses. Two raters independently scored CT ASPECTS and DWI ASPECTS at separate reading sessions. Modified DWI-ASPECTS (including only >20% per region) was also scored. Consensus readings were then utilized to compare regional ASPECTS across the 3 ASPECTS scales using the kappa statistic. Results: 136 patients underwent both CT and DWI within 1 hour of each other in the setting of acute ischemic stroke. Regional involvement on DWI included caudate in 57%, lentiform in 73%, insula in 69%, internal capsule in 24%, M1 in 34%, M2 in 49%, M3 in 36%, M4 in 21%, M5 in 57% and M6 in 41%. The agreement between CT and DWI varied by region, from caudate kappa 0.616 (0.484-0.748), to lentiform 0.602 (0.457-0.748), insula 0.690 (0.558-0.822), internal capsule 0.374 (0.189-0.559), M1 0.583 (0.435-0.731), M2 0.515 (0.389-0.641), M3 0.421 (0.275-0.568), M4 0.453 (0.262-0.644), M5 0.388 (0.268-0.507) and M6 0.500 (0.366-0.634). Modified DWI-ASPECTS (>20% per region) and CT demonstrated overall better agreement, yet still markedly varied by region. In general, CT and DWI ASPECTS reveal good agreement in subcortical structures, whereas very limited agreement is noted in several cortical ischemic regions. Modified-DWI ASPECTS improves cortical agreement, yet remains poor in the internal capsule. Conclusions: Detection of early ischemia varies considerably depending on the location or topography depicted with either CT or MRI. Deep subcortical regions are best detected with either modality, whereas cortical regions exhibit marked distinctions. Modified DWI ASPECTS improves agreement with CT ASPECTS in cortical regions.

Neurocognitive underpinnings of social development during childhood

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nikolaus Steinbeis
Keyword(s):  
Social Control ◽  
Social Development ◽  
Middle Childhood ◽  
Behavioral Control ◽  
Control Mechanisms ◽  
Social Phenomena ◽  
Prefrontal Cortical ◽  
Regulatory Processes ◽  
Subcortical Regions ◽  
Cortical Regions

This chapter reviews the neurocognitive mechanisms underlying social development during middle childhood. The author focuses on social abilities (e.g., theory of mind and empathy) and prosocial behavior (e.g., sharing and helping). The chapter discusses studies and theories on developmental changes in these social phenomena and references evidence of neurocognitive underpinnings where available. The author argues that changes in social development during childhood can best be explained in developments in regulatory processes, such as behavioral control, emotion regulation, conflict processing, and self-other control. The author refers to this cluster of functions as social control mechanisms. Changes in these social control mechanisms are driven by the maturation of neural circuitry comprising prefrontal cortical regions and their interactions with subcortical regions. Crucially, while the neurocognitive mechanisms underlying social development are distinct for different abilities and behaviors, it appears to be domain-general processes that predominantly shape social development during middle childhood.

Neural hybrid model of semantic object memory: Implications from event-related timing using fMRI

2003 ◽  
Vol 9 (7) ◽  
pp. 1031-1040 ◽  
Author(s):  
MICHAEL A. KRAUT ◽  
VINCE CALHOUN ◽  
JEFFERY A. PITCOCK ◽  
CATHERINE CUSICK ◽  
JOHN HART
Keyword(s):  
Hybrid Model ◽  
Time Course ◽  
Object Memory ◽  
Fmri Signal ◽  
Gamma Rhythm ◽  
Area 6 ◽  
Signal Changes ◽  
Subcortical Regions ◽  
Cortical Regions ◽  
Semantic Object

Previous studies by our group have demonstrated fMRI signal changes and synchronized gamma rhythm EEG oscillations between thalamus and cortical regions as subjects recall objects from visually presented features. Here, we extend this work by estimating the time course of fMRI signal changes in the cortical and subcortical regions found to exhibit evidence for task-related activation. Our results indicate that there are separate loci of signal changes in the thalamus (dorsomedial and pulvinar) that exhibit notable differences in times of onset, peak and return to baseline of signal changes. The signal changes in the pulvinar demonstrate the slowest transients of all the cortical and subcortical regions we examined. Evaluation of cortical regions demonstrated salient differences as well, with the signal changes in Brodmann area 6 (BA6) rising, peaking, and returning to baseline earlier than those detected in other regions. We conclude that BA6 mediates early designation or refinement of search criteria, and that the pulvinar may be involved in the binding of feature stimuli for an integrated object memory. (JINS, 2003, 9, 1031–1040.)

scholarly journals Protocol for rapid clearing and staining of fixed Arabidopsis ovules for improved imaging by confocal laser scanning microscopy

Plant Methods ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 15 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Rachele Tofanelli ◽  
Athul Vijayan ◽  
Sebastian Scholz ◽  
Kay Schneitz
Keyword(s):  
Laser Scanning ◽  
Developmental Stages ◽  
Imaging Techniques ◽  
Three Dimensional ◽  
Laser Scanning Microscopy ◽  
Confocal Laser ◽  
Imaging Data ◽  
Model Species ◽  
Cellular Models ◽  
Cellular Resolution

Abstract Background A salient topic in developmental biology relates to the molecular and genetic mechanisms that underlie tissue morphogenesis. Modern quantitative approaches to this central question frequently involve digital cellular models of the organ or tissue under study. The ovules of the model species Arabidopsis thaliana have long been established as a model system for the study of organogenesis in plants. While ovule development in Arabidopsis can be followed by a variety of different imaging techniques, no experimental strategy presently exists that enables an easy and straightforward investigation of the morphology of internal tissues of the ovule with cellular resolution. Results We developed a protocol for rapid and robust confocal microscopy of fixed Arabidopsis ovules of all stages. The method combines clearing of fixed ovules in ClearSee solution with marking the cell outline using the cell wall stain SCRI Renaissance 2200 and the nuclei with the stain TO-PRO-3 iodide. We further improved the microscopy by employing a homogenous immersion system aimed at minimizing refractive index differences. The method allows complete inspection of the cellular architecture even deep within the ovule. Using the new protocol we were able to generate digital three-dimensional models of ovules of various stages. Conclusions The protocol enables the quick and reproducible imaging of fixed Arabidopsis ovules of all developmental stages. From the imaging data three-dimensional digital ovule models with cellular resolution can be rapidly generated using image analysis software, for example MorphographX. Such digital models will provide the foundation for a future quantitative analysis of ovule morphogenesis in a model species.

scholarly journals Quantitative cellular-resolution map of the oxytocin receptor in postnatally developing mouse brains

2020 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Kyra T. Newmaster ◽  
Zachary T. Nolan ◽  
Uree Chon ◽  
Daniel J. Vanselow ◽  
Abigael R. Weit ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Oxytocin Receptor ◽  
Cellular Resolution ◽  
Resolution Map

scholarly journals Estimating anisotropy directly via neural timeseries

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Erik D. Fagerholm ◽  
W.M.C. Foulkes ◽  
Yasir Gallero-Salas ◽  
Fritjof Helmchen ◽  
Rosalyn J. Moran ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Synthetic Data ◽  
Neural Systems ◽  
Imaging Data ◽  
Individual Organism ◽  
Model Inversion ◽  
Brain States ◽  
Anisotropic Systems ◽  
Cortical Regions ◽  
Insight Into

An isotropic dynamical system is one that looks the same in every direction, i.e., if we imagine standing somewhere within an isotropic system, we would not be able to differentiate between different lines of sight. Conversely, anisotropy is a measure of the extent to which a system deviates from perfect isotropy, with larger values indicating greater discrepancies between the structure of the system along its axes. Here, we derive the form of a generalised scalable (mechanically similar) discretized field theoretic Lagrangian that allows for levels of anisotropy to be directly estimated via timeseries of arbitrary dimensionality. We generate synthetic data for both isotropic and anisotropic systems and, by using Bayesian model inversion and reduction, show that we can discriminate between the two datasets - thereby demonstrating proof of principle. We then apply this methodology to murine calcium imaging data collected in rest and task states, showing that anisotropy can be estimated directly from different brain states and cortical regions in an empirical in vivo biological setting. We hope that this theoretical foundation, together with the methodology and publicly available MATLAB code, will provide an accessible way for researchers to obtain new insight into the structural organization of neural systems in terms of how scalable neural regions grow - both ontogenetically during the development of an individual organism, as well as phylogenetically across species.

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