scholarly journals Astrocytic Factors Controlling Synaptogenesis: A Team Play

Cells ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 9 (10) ◽  
pp. 2173
Author(s):  
Giuliana Fossati ◽  
Michela Matteoli ◽  
Elisabetta Menna
Keyword(s):  
Synaptic Plasticity ◽  
Critical Period ◽  
Synapse Formation ◽  
Brain Regions ◽  
Brain Areas ◽  
Astrocyte Heterogeneity ◽  
Formation Function ◽  
Circuit Development ◽  
Brain Circuit ◽  
Neuropsychiatric Conditions

Astrocytes are essential players in brain circuit development and homeostasis, controlling many aspects of synapse formation, function, plasticity and elimination both during development and adulthood. Accordingly, alterations in astrocyte morphogenesis and physiology may severely affect proper brain development, causing neurological or neuropsychiatric conditions. Recent findings revealed a huge astrocyte heterogeneity among different brain areas, which is likely at the foundation of the different synaptogenic potential of these cells in selected brain regions. This review highlights recent findings on novel mechanisms that regulate astrocyte-mediated synaptogenesis during development, and the control of synapse number in the critical period or upon synaptic plasticity.

scholarly journals From Synapses to Circuits, Astrocytes Regulate Behavior

2022 ◽  
Vol 15 ◽  
Author(s):  
Krissy A. Lyon ◽  
Nicola J. Allen
Keyword(s):  
Nervous System ◽  
Synapse Formation ◽  
Behavioral Flexibility ◽  
Active Role ◽  
Neuronal Synapses ◽  
Astrocyte Heterogeneity ◽  
Formation Function ◽  
Nervous System Function ◽  
And Behavior

Astrocytes are non-neuronal cells that regulate synapses, neuronal circuits, and behavior. Astrocytes ensheath neuronal synapses to form the tripartite synapse where astrocytes influence synapse formation, function, and plasticity. Beyond the synapse, recent research has revealed that astrocyte influences on the nervous system extend to the modulation of neuronal circuitry and behavior. Here we review recent findings on the active role of astrocytes in behavioral modulation with a focus on in vivo studies, primarily in mice. Using tools to acutely manipulate astrocytes, such as optogenetics or chemogenetics, studies reviewed here have demonstrated a causal role for astrocytes in sleep, memory, sensorimotor behaviors, feeding, fear, anxiety, and cognitive processes like attention and behavioral flexibility. Current tools and future directions for astrocyte-specific manipulation, including methods for probing astrocyte heterogeneity, are discussed. Understanding the contribution of astrocytes to neuronal circuit activity and organismal behavior will be critical toward understanding how nervous system function gives rise to behavior.

scholarly journals Molecular Mechanisms Underlying Activity-Dependent GABAergic Synapse Development and Plasticity and Its Implications for Neurodevelopmental Disorders

2011 ◽  
Vol 2011 ◽  
pp. 1-8 ◽  
Author(s):  
Bidisha Chattopadhyaya
Keyword(s):  
Neurodevelopmental Disorders ◽  
Critical Period ◽  
Molecular Mechanisms ◽  
Synapse Formation ◽  
Neural Circuits ◽  
Normal Function ◽  
Gabaergic Synapse ◽  
Synapse Maturation ◽  
Circuit Development ◽  
Activity Dependent

GABAergic interneurons are critical for the normal function and development of neural circuits, and their dysfunction is implicated in a large number of neurodevelopmental disorders. Experience and activity-dependent mechanisms play an important role in GABAergic circuit development, also recent studies involve a number of molecular players involved in the process. Emphasizing the molecular mechanisms of GABAergic synapse formation, in particular basket cell perisomatic synapses, this paper draws attention to the links between critical period plasticity, GABAergic synapse maturation, and the consequences of its dysfunction on the development of the nervous system.

Intrauterine growth restriction disrupts the postnatal critical period of synaptic plasticity in the mouse dorsal hippocampus in a model of hypertensive disease of pregnancy

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mark St. Pierre ◽  
Neetika Rastogi ◽  
Ashley Brown ◽  
Pritika Parmar ◽  
Charles Lechner ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Synaptic Plasticity ◽  
Intrauterine Growth Restriction ◽  
Critical Period ◽  
Synapse Formation ◽  
Dorsal Hippocampus ◽  
Cognitive Disorders ◽  
Growth Restriction ◽  
Hypertensive Disease ◽  
Intrauterine Growth ◽  
Mouse Hippocampus

Introduction: Intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR) from hypertensive disease of pregnancy complicates up to 10% of all pregnancies. Significant hippocampal-dependent cognitive and memory impairments as well as neuropsychiatric disorders have been linked to IUGR. Because disturbance of hippocampal critical period (CPd) of synaptic plasticity leads to impairments similar to those described in IUGR human offspring, we hypothesized that IUGR would perturb the CPd of synaptic plasticity in the mouse hippocampus in our model. Methods: IUGR was produced by a micro-osmotic pump infusion of the potent vasoconstrictor U-46619, a thromboxane A2-agonist (TXA2), at embryonic day (E) 12.5 in C57BL/6J mouse dams to precipitate hypertensive disease of pregnancy and IUGR. Sham-operated mice acted as controls. At P10, P18, and P40, we assessed astrogliosis using GFAP-IHC. In dorsal CA1 and CA3 subfields, we assessed the immunoreactivities (IR) (IF-IHC) to: i) parvalbumin (PV) and glutamate decarboxylase (GAD) 65/67, involved in CPd onset; ii) PSA-NCAM, that antagonizes CPd onset; iii) NPTX2, necessary for excitatory synapse formation and engagement of CPd; and iv) MBP and WFA, staining perineural nets (PNNs), marking CPd closure. ImageJ/Fiji and IMARIS were used for image processing and SPSS v24 for statistical analysis. Results: Although PV+ interneuron (IN) numbers and IR intensity were unchanged, development of GAD65/67+ synaptic boutons was accelerated at P18 IUGR mice, and inversely correlated with decreased expression of PSA-NCAM in the CA of P18 IUGR mice at P18. NPTX2 + puncta and total volume were persistently decreased in the CA3 pyramidal and radiatum layers of IUGR mice from P18 to P40. At P40, axonal myelination (MBP+) in CA3 of IUGR mice was decreased and correlated with NPTX2 deficits. Lastly, the volume and integrity of the PNNs in the dorsal CA was disrupted in IUGR mice at P40. Discussion/Conclusion: IUGR disrupts the molecular and structural initiation, consolidation and closure of the CPd of synaptic plasticity in the mouse hippocampus in our model, which may explain the learning and memory deficits observed in juvenile IUGR mice and the cognitive disorders seen in human IUGR offspring. The mechanistic links warrant further investigation, to identify therapeutic targets to prevent neurodevelopmental deficits in patients affected by IUGR.

Engaging regularly with fiction influences connectivity in cortical areas for language and mentalizing

2017 ◽  
Author(s):  
Roel M. Willems ◽  
Franziska Hartung
Keyword(s):  
Functional Connectivity ◽  
Time Course ◽  
Language Skills ◽  
Brain Regions ◽  
Brain Areas ◽  
Daily Lives ◽  
Cortical Areas ◽  
Social Abilities ◽  
Behavioral Evidence ◽  
Amount Of Reading

Behavioral evidence suggests that engaging with fiction is positively correlated with social abilities. The rationale behind this link is that engaging with fictional narratives offers a ‘training modus’ for mentalizing and empathizing. We investigated the influence of the amount of reading that participants report doing in their daily lives, on connections between brain areas while they listened to literary narratives. Participants (N=57) listened to two literary narratives while brain activation was measured with fMRI. We computed time-course correlations between brain regions, and compared the correlation values from listening to narratives to listening to reversed speech. The between-region correlations were then related to the amount of fiction that participants read in their daily lives. Our results show that amount of fiction reading is related to functional connectivity in areas known to be involved in language and mentalizing. This suggests that reading fiction influences social cognition as well as language skills.

scholarly journals Genetic and Neuroimaging Approaches to Understanding Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder

2020 ◽  
Vol 21 (12) ◽  
pp. 4503
Author(s):  
Sabah Nisar ◽  
Ajaz A. Bhat ◽  
Sheema Hashem ◽  
Najeeb Syed ◽  
Santosh K. Yadav ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Post Traumatic Stress Disorder ◽  
Traumatic Stress ◽  
Stress Disorder ◽  
Memory Function ◽  
Deep Understanding ◽  
Brain Regions ◽  
Post Traumatic Stress ◽  
Brain Areas ◽  
Social Burden ◽  
Post Traumatic

Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a highly disabling condition, increasingly recognized as both a disorder of mental health and social burden, but also as an anxiety disorder characterized by fear, stress, and negative alterations in mood. PTSD is associated with structural, metabolic, and molecular changes in several brain regions and the neural circuitry. Brain areas implicated in the traumatic stress response include the amygdala, hippocampus, and prefrontal cortex, which play an essential role in memory function. Abnormalities in these brain areas are hypothesized to underlie symptoms of PTSD and other stress-related psychiatric disorders. Conventional methods of studying PTSD have proven to be insufficient for diagnosis, measurement of treatment efficacy, and monitoring disease progression, and currently, there is no diagnostic biomarker available for PTSD. A deep understanding of cutting-edge neuroimaging genetic approaches is necessary for the development of novel therapeutics and biomarkers to better diagnose and treat the disorder. A current goal is to understand the gene pathways that are associated with PTSD, and how those genes act on the fear/stress circuitry to mediate risk vs. resilience for PTSD. This review article explains the rationale and practical utility of neuroimaging genetics in PTSD and how the resulting information can aid the diagnosis and clinical management of patients with PTSD.

scholarly journals Proteolytic Remodeling of Perineuronal Nets: Effects on Synaptic Plasticity and Neuronal Population Dynamics

2018 ◽  
Vol 2018 ◽  
pp. 1-13 ◽  
Author(s):  
P. Lorenzo Bozzelli ◽  
Seham Alaiyed ◽  
Eunyoung Kim ◽  
Sonia Villapol ◽  
Katherine Conant
Keyword(s):  
Population Dynamics ◽  
Synaptic Plasticity ◽  
Synaptic Input ◽  
Neuronal Plasticity ◽  
Population Level ◽  
Gamma Oscillations ◽  
Brain Regions ◽  
Neuronal Population ◽  
Perineuronal Nets ◽  
Perineuronal Net

The perineuronal net (PNN) represents a lattice-like structure that is prominently expressed along the soma and proximal dendrites of parvalbumin- (PV-) positive interneurons in varied brain regions including the cortex and hippocampus. It is thus apposed to sites at which PV neurons receive synaptic input. Emerging evidence suggests that changes in PNN integrity may affect glutamatergic input to PV interneurons, a population that is critical for the expression of synchronous neuronal population discharges that occur with gamma oscillations and sharp-wave ripples. The present review is focused on the composition of PNNs, posttranslation modulation of PNN components by sulfation and proteolysis, PNN alterations in disease, and potential effects of PNN remodeling on neuronal plasticity at the single-cell and population level.

scholarly journals A three-dimensional thalamocortical dataset for characterizing brain heterogeneity

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Judy A. Prasad ◽  
Aishwarya H. Balwani ◽  
Erik C. Johnson ◽  
Joseph D. Miano ◽  
Vandana Sampathkumar ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Three Dimensional ◽  
Brain Regions ◽  
Regions Of Interest ◽  
Subcortical Structures ◽  
Neural Structure ◽  
Brain Areas ◽  
X Ray ◽  
Anatomical Imaging ◽  
Brain Pathways ◽  
Critical Aspects

AbstractNeural cytoarchitecture is heterogeneous, varying both across and within brain regions. The consistent identification of regions of interest is one of the most critical aspects in examining neurocircuitry, as these structures serve as the vital landmarks with which to map brain pathways. Access to continuous, three-dimensional volumes that span multiple brain areas not only provides richer context for identifying such landmarks, but also enables a deeper probing of the microstructures within. Here, we describe a three-dimensional X-ray microtomography imaging dataset of a well-known and validated thalamocortical sample, encompassing a range of cortical and subcortical structures. In doing so, we provide the field with access to a micron-scale anatomical imaging dataset ideal for studying heterogeneity of neural structure.

scholarly journals Local Anesthesia at ST36 to Reveal Responding Brain Areas todeqi

2014 ◽  
Vol 2014 ◽  
pp. 1-6 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ling-min Jin ◽  
Cai-juan Qin ◽  
Lei Lan ◽  
Jin-bo Sun ◽  
Fang Zeng ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Local Anesthesia ◽  
Primary Motor Cortex ◽  
Superior Temporal Gyrus ◽  
Brain Regions ◽  
Manual Acupuncture ◽  
Brain Areas ◽  
Potential Approach ◽  
Brain Responses ◽  
Set Up ◽  
Significant Activation

Background.Development of non-deqicontrol is still a challenge. This study aims to set up a potential approach to non-deqicontrol by using lidocaine anesthesia at ST36.Methods.Forty healthy volunteers were recruited and they received two fMRI scans. One was accompanied with manual acupuncture at ST36 (DQ group), and another was associated with both local anesthesia and manual acupuncture at the same acupoint (LA group).Results.Comparing to DQ group, more than 90 percentdeqisensations were reduced by local anesthesia in LA group. The mainly activated regions in DQ group were bilateral IFG, S1, primary motor cortex, IPL, thalamus, insula, claustrum, cingulate gyrus, putamen, superior temporal gyrus, and cerebellum. Surprisingly only cerebellum showed significant activation in LA group. Compared to the two groups, bilateral S1, insula, ipsilateral IFG, IPL, claustrum, and contralateral ACC were remarkably activated.Conclusions.Local anesthesia at ST36 is able to block most of thedeqifeelings and inhibit brain responses todeqi, which would be developed into a potential approach for non-deqicontrol. Bilateral S1, insula, ipsilateral IFG, IPL, claustrum, and contralateral ACC might be the key brain regions responding todeqi.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document