scholarly journals Mechanistic Insights in NeuroD Potentiation of Mineralocorticoid Receptor Signaling

2019 ◽  
Vol 20 (7) ◽  
pp. 1575 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lisa van Weert ◽  
Jacobus Buurstede ◽  
Hetty Sips ◽  
Isabel Mol ◽  
Tanvi Puri ◽  
...  

Mineralocorticoid receptor (MR)-mediated signaling in the brain has been suggested as a protective factor in the development of psychopathology, in particular mood disorders. We recently identified genomic loci at which either MR or the closely related glucocorticoid receptor (GR) binds selectively, and found members of the NeuroD transcription factor family to be specifically associated with MR-bound DNA in the rat hippocampus. We show here using forebrain-specific MR knockout mice that GR binding to MR/GR joint target loci is not affected in any major way in the absence of MR. Neurod2 binding was also independent of MR binding. Moreover, functional comparison with MyoD family members indicates that it is the chromatin remodeling aspect of NeuroD, rather than its direct stimulation of transcription, that is responsible for potentiation of MR-mediated transcription. These findings suggest that NeuroD acts in a permissive way to enhance MR-mediated transcription, and they argue against competition for DNA binding as a mechanism of MR- over GR-specific binding.

Author(s):  
Newman Osafo ◽  
David Darko Obiri ◽  
Kwabena Owusu Danquah ◽  
Oduro Kofi Yeboah ◽  
Aaron Opoku Antwi ◽  
...  

Neurons are the building units of the nervous system and are therefore critical units for the health of the brain and the spinal cord. This is necessitated by their inability to be either replaced or reproduced once lost. Their losses are implicated in a number of conditions which have been elaborated in this chapter. Oxidative stress has been strongly implicated in neurodegeneration through blockade of neuroprotection by a number of mechanisms including inhibitory effect on insulin-like growth factor I (IGF-1) via stimulation of the transcription factor, Forkhead box O3 (FOXO3). This chapter elaborates on these two phenomena which cannot be decoupled.


Neurology ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 91 (16) ◽  
pp. e1519-e1527 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kieran C. R. Fox ◽  
Jennifer Yih ◽  
Omri Raccah ◽  
Shrita L. Pendekanti ◽  
Lauren E. Limbach ◽  
...  

ObjectiveWe applied direct cortical stimulation (DCS) to the orbitofrontal cortex (OFC) in neurosurgical patients implanted with intracranial electrodes to probe, with high anatomic precision, the causal link between the OFC and human subjective experience.MethodsWe administered 272 instances of DCS at 172 OFC sites in 22 patients with intractable focal epilepsy (from 2011 to 2017), none of whom had seizures originating from the OFC.ResultsOur observations revealed a rich variety of affective, olfactory, gustatory, and somatosensory changes in the subjective domain. Elicited experiences were largely neutral or negatively valenced (e.g., aversive smells and tastes, sadness, and anger). Evidence was found for preferential left lateralization of negatively valenced experiences and strong right lateralization of neutral effects. Moreover, most of the elicited effects were observed after stimulation of OFC tissue around the transverse orbital sulcus, and none were seen in the most anterior aspects of the OFC.ConclusionsOur study yielded 3 central findings: first, a dissociation between the “silent” anterior and nonsilent middle/posterior OFC where stimulation clearly elicits changes in subjective experience; second, evidence that the OFC might play a causal role in integrating affect and multimodal sensory experiences; and third, clear evidence for left lateralization of negatively valenced effects. Our findings provide important information for clinicians treating OFC injury or planning OFC resection and scientists seeking to understand the brain basis for the integration of sensation, cognition, and affect.


1975 ◽  
Vol 69 (7) ◽  
pp. 300-304
Author(s):  
Raymond M. Fish

A detailed discussion of the visual mechanisms found in the higher vertebrates is used as the basis for exploring the problems found in creating visual substitution systems. Specific attention is given to the control mechanisms used in the visual system and to the processing of visual information in the retina and brain. The three types of substitution systems discussed are tactual display systems, audio display systems, and those involving direct stimulation of the brain using electrodes.


1959 ◽  
Vol 42 (4) ◽  
pp. 761-777 ◽  
Author(s):  
V. B. Brooks ◽  
P. S. Enger

A study has been made of the electrical responses to direct stimulation of the exposed cerebral cortex of cats that had been immobilized with neuromuscular blocking drugs, and whose muscle and skin wounds had been locally anesthetized. The characteristics and spread of the first and second surface-negative responses are described. It was found that the first surface-negative response to weak stimuli decays linearly to zero at 3 to 6 mm. from the point of stimulation. Intermediate stimuli cause farther and non-linear spread: responses are re-initiated, or reinforced, at 6 to 10 mm.; and supramaximal stimulation produces reinforcement both at 5 and at 10 mm. The conduction velocity of these responses is uniform for linear spread (0.7 to 2.0 m./sec.), but reinforced responses occur 1 to 3 msec. earlier than would be expected for simple conduction. The phenomenon of re-initiation, or reinforcement, depends upon the excitatory state of the brain; circulation and previous stimulation are important factors. Connections outside the gyrus matter only in so far as they provide other sources of general excitation. It is concluded that two types of transmission: slow and fast, can lead to generation of similar surface-negative responses. The suggestion is made that the slowly conducted surface-negative potentials are due to direct or to synaptic excitation of pyramidal cells; while the responses with shortened latency are initiated synaptically on other pyramidal cells after fast conduction at about 10 m./sec. in tangential fibres.


Scientifica ◽  
2016 ◽  
Vol 2016 ◽  
pp. 1-10 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gabriel W. Vattendahl Vidal ◽  
Mathew L. Rynes ◽  
Zachary Kelliher ◽  
Shikha Jain Goodwin

The brain-machine interface (BMI) used in neural prosthetics involves recording signals from neuron populations, decoding those signals using mathematical modeling algorithms, and translating the intended action into physical limb movement. Recently, somatosensory feedback has become the focus of many research groups given its ability in increased neural control by the patient and to provide a more natural sensation for the prosthetics. This process involves recording data from force sensitive locations on the prosthetics and encoding these signals to be sent to the brain in the form of electrical stimulation. Tactile sensation has been achieved through peripheral nerve stimulation and direct stimulation of the somatosensory cortex using intracortical microstimulation (ICMS). The initial focus of this paper is to review these principles and link them to modern day applications such as restoring limb use to those who lack such control. With regard to how far the research has come, a new perspective for the signal breakdown concludes the paper, offering ideas for more real somatosensory feedback using ICMS to stimulate particular sensations by differentiating touch sensors and filtering data based on unique frequencies.


2011 ◽  
Vol 366 (1571) ◽  
pp. 1634-1637 ◽  
Author(s):  
Anthony C. Little ◽  
Benedict C. Jones ◽  
Lisa M. DeBruine

Face perception is fundamental to human social interaction. Many different types of important information are visible in faces and the processes and mechanisms involved in extracting this information are complex and can be highly specialized. The importance of faces has long been recognized by a wide range of scientists. Importantly, the range of perspectives and techniques that this breadth has brought to face perception research has, in recent years, led to many important advances in our understanding of face processing. The articles in this issue on face perception each review a particular arena of interest in face perception, variously focusing on (i) the social aspects of face perception (attraction, recognition and emotion), (ii) the neural mechanisms underlying face perception (using brain scanning, patient data, direct stimulation of the brain, visual adaptation and single-cell recording), and (iii) comparative aspects of face perception (comparing adult human abilities with those of chimpanzees and children). Here, we introduce the central themes of the issue and present an overview of the articles.


1961 ◽  
Vol 200 (5) ◽  
pp. 901-908 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alan B. Rothballer ◽  
Seth K. Sharpless

The effect of intracranial stimulation on the chronically denervated nictitating membrane of the encéphale isolé cat has been studied. After eliminating sympathoadrenal discharge, we found that the nictitating membrane responds to direct stimulation of the brain stem and certain cranial nerves through: 1) an intrinsic sensitivity to direct mechanical stimulation which develops in the smooth-muscle fibers of the nictitating membrane after chronic denervation; 2) an effect by way of the greater superficial petrosal nerve, producing retraction of the nictitating membrane from diffusion of acetylcholine onto the sensitized smooth muscle from secretomotor fibers innervating nearby orbital glands; and 3) finally, after exclusion of cranial nerve effects, one can still, under optimal conditions, obtain retraction of the nictitating membrane after stimulation of the reticular formation, an effect that is tentatively ascribed to the release of a humoral factor from some intracranial source. The bearing of these findings on previous work in which the nictitating membrane has been used as an indicator of circulating neurohumors is discussed.


Hypertension ◽  
2012 ◽  
Vol 60 (suppl_1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Steve W Mifflin ◽  
Brandon Cherry ◽  
Michelle Franzke ◽  
Bhuvaneswari Koneru

A group of neurons in the nucleus of the solitary tract (NTS) contains the mineralocorticoid receptor (MR) which makes these neurons candidates for stimulating salt intake in response to aldosterone. The purpose of this study was to determine if neurons within the NTS that possess the MR play a role in aldosterone stimulation of salt intake. Five adult WKY rats received microinjections into the NTS of a small, hairpin RNA (shRNA) for the MR (Genedetect, Inc.) and 5 rats received NTS injections of a scrambled RNA (scRNA). In each rat injections of viral constructs were made at 3 points, all 0.5mm below the surface of the brain: calamus; bilaterally at 0.5mm rostral to calamus and 0.5mm lateral to the midline. One week after the viral construct injections, aldosterone-filled osmotic mini-pumps were implanted subcutaneously and connected to tubing within the 4 th ventricle to infuse aldosterone at a rate of 20ng/h. Prior to and after surgeries, rats had ad libitum access to food and two graduated drinking bottles filled with distilled water and 0.3M NaCl respectively. Fluid level within each bottle was measured at the same time every day and salt intake expressed as 100 X the ratio of 0.3M NaCl intake to total fluid intake. Previous studies indicate that the viral constructs require 2 weeks to have a discernible effect. One week after injection of the viral constructs and prior to infusion of implantation of the aldosterone mini-pump, salt intake in shRNA injected rats was 6% ± 3% and in scRNA injected rats it was 4% ± 2%. One week after beginning aldosterone infusion (two weeks after injection of viral constructs), salt intake in shRNA injected rats was 16% ± 5% and in scRNA injected rats it was 22% ± 7% (p=0.01). Three weeks after beginning aldosterone infusion, salt intake in shRNA injected rats was 5% ± 2% and in scRNA injected rats it was 14% ± 9% (p=0.01). Post-mortem immunohistochemistry revealed a significant reduction in the number of NTS neurons exhibiting immunoreactivity for the MR (shRNA 2 ± 2 cells/section; scRNA 12 ± 2 cells/section; p=.008). These results indicate hindbrain infusions of aldosterone stimulate salt intake and that at least part of the hindbrain aldosterone stimulation of salt intake are mediated by hindbrain NTS neurons that possess the MR.


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