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Zhang J, Li SJ, Miao W, Zhang X, Zheng JJ, Wang C, Yu X. Oxytocin Regulates Synaptic Transmission in the Sensory Cortices in a Developmentally Dynamic Manner. Front Cell Neurosci 2021; 15:673439. [PMID: 34177467 PMCID: PMC8221398 DOI: 10.3389/fncel.2021.673439] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/27/2021] [Accepted: 05/10/2021] [Indexed: 01/08/2023] Open
Abstract
The development and stabilization of neuronal circuits are critical to proper brain function. Synapses are the building blocks of neural circuits. Here we examine the effects of the neuropeptide oxytocin on synaptic transmission in L2/3 pyramidal neurons of the barrel field of the primary somatosensory cortex (S1BF). We find that perfusion of oxytocin onto acute brain slices significantly increases the frequency of miniature excitatory postsynaptic currents (mEPSC) of S1BF L2/3 pyramidal neurons at P10 and P14, but reduces it at the later ages of P22 and P28; the transition occurs at around P18. Since oxytocin expression is itself regulated by sensory experience, we also examine whether the effects of oxytocin on excitatory synaptic transmission correlate with that of sensory experience. We find that, indeed, the effects of sensory experience and oxytocin on excitatory synaptic transmission of L2/3 pyramidal neurons both peak at around P14 and plateau around P18, suggesting that they regulate a specific form of synaptic plasticity in L2/3 pyramidal neurons, with a sensitive/critical period ending around P18. Consistently, oxytocin receptor (Oxtr) expression in glutamatergic neurons of the upper layers of the cerebral cortex peaks around P14. By P28, however, Oxtr expression becomes more prominent in GABAergic neurons, especially somatostatin (SST) neurons. At P28, oxytocin perfusion increases inhibitory synaptic transmission and reduces excitatory synaptic transmission, effects that result in a net reduction of neuronal excitation, in contrast to increased excitation at P14. Using oxytocin knockout mice and Oxtr conditional knockout mice, we show that loss-of-function of oxytocin affects baseline excitatory synaptic transmission, while Oxtr is required for oxytocin-induced changes in excitatory synaptic transmission, at both P14 and P28. Together, these results demonstrate that oxytocin has complex and dynamic functions in regulating synaptic transmission in cortical L2/3 pyramidal neurons. These findings add to existing knowledge of the function of oxytocin in regulating neural circuit development and plasticity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jing Zhang
- Institute of Neuroscience, State Key Laboratory of Neuroscience, Center for Excellence in Brain Science and Intelligence Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China.,Department of Clinical Pharmacology, Pharmacy College, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China
| | - Shu-Jing Li
- Institute of Neuroscience, State Key Laboratory of Neuroscience, Center for Excellence in Brain Science and Intelligence Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China
| | - Wanying Miao
- Institute of Neuroscience, State Key Laboratory of Neuroscience, Center for Excellence in Brain Science and Intelligence Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China
| | - Xiaodi Zhang
- Institute of Neuroscience, State Key Laboratory of Neuroscience, Center for Excellence in Brain Science and Intelligence Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China
| | - Jing-Jing Zheng
- Institute of Neuroscience, State Key Laboratory of Neuroscience, Center for Excellence in Brain Science and Intelligence Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China
| | - Chen Wang
- CAS Key Laboratory of Biological Effects of Nanomaterials and Nanosafety, CAS Center for Excellence in Nanoscience, National Center for Nanoscience and Technology, Beijing, China
| | - Xiang Yu
- Institute of Neuroscience, State Key Laboratory of Neuroscience, Center for Excellence in Brain Science and Intelligence Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China.,School of Life Sciences, Peking-Tsinghua Center for Life Sciences, and Peking University McGovern Institute, Peking University, Beijing, China
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52
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Grant RA, Goss VGA. What can whiskers tell us about mammalian evolution, behaviour, and ecology? Mamm Rev 2021. [DOI: 10.1111/mam.12253] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/29/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Robyn A. Grant
- Department of Natural Sciences Manchester Metropolitan University John Dalton Building, Chester Street ManchesterM1 5GDUK
| | - Victor G. A. Goss
- School of Engineering London South Bank University Borough Road LondonSE1 0AAUK
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53
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Bragg-Gonzalo L, De León Reyes NS, Nieto M. Genetic and activity dependent-mechanisms wiring the cortex: Two sides of the same coin. Semin Cell Dev Biol 2021; 118:24-34. [PMID: 34030948 DOI: 10.1016/j.semcdb.2021.05.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/26/2021] [Revised: 04/27/2021] [Accepted: 05/08/2021] [Indexed: 01/17/2023]
Abstract
The cerebral cortex is responsible for the higher-order functions of the brain such as planning, cognition, or social behaviour. It provides us with the capacity to interact with and transform our world. The substrates of cortical functions are complex neural circuits that arise during development from the dynamic remodelling and progressive specialization of immature undefined networks. Here, we review the genetic and activity-dependent mechanisms of cortical wiring focussing on the importance of their interaction. Cortical circuits emerge from an initial set of neuronal types that engage in sequential forms of embryonic and postnatal activity. Such activities further complement the cells' genetic programs, increasing neuronal diversity and modifying the electrical properties while promoting selective connectivity. After a temporal window of enhanced plasticity, the main features of mature circuits are established. Failures in these processes can lead to neurodevelopmental disorders whose treatment remains elusive. However, a deeper dissection of cortical wiring will pave the way for innovative therapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- L Bragg-Gonzalo
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Biology, Centro Nacional de Biotecnología, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas, (CNB-CSIC) Campus de Cantoblanco, Darwin 3, 28049 Madrid, Spain
| | - N S De León Reyes
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Biology, Centro Nacional de Biotecnología, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas, (CNB-CSIC) Campus de Cantoblanco, Darwin 3, 28049 Madrid, Spain; Instituto de Neurociencias de Alicante, CSIC-UMH, 03550 San Juan de Alicante, Spain
| | - M Nieto
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Biology, Centro Nacional de Biotecnología, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas, (CNB-CSIC) Campus de Cantoblanco, Darwin 3, 28049 Madrid, Spain.
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54
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Iannone AF, De Marco García NV. The Emergence of Network Activity Patterns in the Somatosensory Cortex - An Early Window to Autism Spectrum Disorders. Neuroscience 2021; 466:298-309. [PMID: 33887384 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroscience.2021.04.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/14/2020] [Revised: 03/30/2021] [Accepted: 04/09/2021] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
Across mammalian species, patterned activity in neural populations is a prominent feature of developing sensory cortices. Numerous studies have long appreciated the diversity of these patterns, characterizing their differences in spatial and temporal dynamics. In the murine somatosensory cortex, neuronal co-activation is thought to guide the formation of sensory maps and prepare the cortex for sensory processing after birth. While pioneering studies deftly utilized slice electrophysiology and unit recordings to characterize correlated activity, a detailed understanding of the underlying circuits remains poorly understood. More recently, advances in in vivo calcium imaging in awake mouse pups and increasing genetic tractability of neuronal types have allowed unprecedented manipulation of circuit components at select developmental timepoints. These novel approaches have proven fundamental in uncovering the identity of neurons engaged in correlated activity during development. In particular, recent studies have highlighted interneurons as key in refining the spatial extent and temporal progression of patterned activity. Here, we discuss how emergent synchronous activity across the first postnatal weeks is shaped by underlying gamma aminobutyric acid (GABA)ergic contributors in the somatosensory cortex. Further, the importance of participation in specific activity patterns per se for neuronal maturation and perdurance will be of particular highlight in this survey of recent literature. Finally, we underscore how aberrant neuronal synchrony and disrupted inhibitory interneuron activity underlie sensory perturbations in neurodevelopmental disorders, particularly Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASDs), emphasizing the importance of future investigative approaches that incorporate the spatiotemporal features of patterned activity alongside the cellular components to probe disordered circuit assembly.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrew F Iannone
- Center for Neurogenetics, Brain and Mind Research Institute, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY 10021, USA; Weill Cornell/Rockefeller/Sloan Kettering Tri-Institutional MD-PhD Program, New York, NY 10021, USA
| | - Natalia V De Marco García
- Center for Neurogenetics, Brain and Mind Research Institute, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY 10021, USA.
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55
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Fletcher JL, Makowiecki K, Cullen CL, Young KM. Oligodendrogenesis and myelination regulate cortical development, plasticity and circuit function. Semin Cell Dev Biol 2021; 118:14-23. [PMID: 33863642 DOI: 10.1016/j.semcdb.2021.03.017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/20/2021] [Revised: 03/23/2021] [Accepted: 03/25/2021] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
During cortical development and throughout adulthood, oligodendrocytes add myelin internodes to glutamatergic projection neurons and GABAergic inhibitory neurons. In addition to directing node of Ranvier formation, to enable saltatory conduction and influence action potential transit time, oligodendrocytes support axon health by communicating with axons via the periaxonal space and providing metabolic support that is particularly critical for healthy ageing. In this review we outline the timing of oligodendrogenesis in the developing mouse and human cortex and describe the important role that oligodendrocytes play in sustaining and modulating neuronal function. We also provide insight into the known and speculative impact that myelination has on cortical axons and their associated circuits during the developmental critical periods and throughout life, particularly highlighting their life-long role in learning and remembering.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jessica L Fletcher
- Menzies Institute for Medical Research, University of Tasmania, Hobart, Australia
| | - Kalina Makowiecki
- Menzies Institute for Medical Research, University of Tasmania, Hobart, Australia
| | - Carlie L Cullen
- Menzies Institute for Medical Research, University of Tasmania, Hobart, Australia
| | - Kaylene M Young
- Menzies Institute for Medical Research, University of Tasmania, Hobart, Australia.
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56
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Su M, Liu J, Yu B, Zhou K, Sun C, Yang M, Zhao C. Loss of Calretinin in L5a impairs the formation of the barrel cortex leading to abnormal whisker-mediated behaviors. Mol Brain 2021; 14:67. [PMID: 33845857 PMCID: PMC8042711 DOI: 10.1186/s13041-021-00775-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/12/2021] [Accepted: 03/23/2021] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
The rodent whisker-barrel cortex system has been established as an ideal model for studying sensory information integration. The barrel cortex consists of barrel and septa columns that receive information input from the lemniscal and paralemniscal pathways, respectively. Layer 5a is involved in both barrel and septa circuits and play a key role in information integration. However, the role of layer 5a in the development of the barrel cortex remains unclear. Previously, we found that calretinin is dynamically expressed in layer 5a. In this study, we analyzed calretinin KO mice and found that the dendritic complexity and length of layer 5a pyramidal neurons were significantly decreased after calretinin ablation. The membrane excitability and excitatory synaptic transmission of layer 5a neurons were increased. Consequently, the organization of the barrels was impaired. Moreover, layer 4 spiny stellate cells were not able to properly gather, leading to abnormal formation of barrel walls as the ratio of barrel/septum size obviously decreased. Calretinin KO mice exhibited deficits in exploratory and whisker-associated tactile behaviors as well as social novelty preference. Our study expands our knowledge of layer 5a pyramidal neurons in the formation of barrel walls and deepens the understanding of the development of the whisker-barrel cortex system.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mingzhao Su
- Key Laboratory of Developmental Genes and Human Diseases, Ministry of Education, School of Medicine, Southeast University, Nanjing, 210009, China
| | - Junhua Liu
- Key Laboratory of Developmental Genes and Human Diseases, Ministry of Education, School of Medicine, Southeast University, Nanjing, 210009, China
| | - Baocong Yu
- Key Laboratory of Developmental Genes and Human Diseases, Ministry of Education, School of Medicine, Southeast University, Nanjing, 210009, China
| | - Kaixing Zhou
- Key Laboratory of Developmental Genes and Human Diseases, Ministry of Education, School of Medicine, Southeast University, Nanjing, 210009, China
| | - Congli Sun
- Key Laboratory of Developmental Genes and Human Diseases, Ministry of Education, School of Medicine, Southeast University, Nanjing, 210009, China
| | - Mengjie Yang
- Key Laboratory of Developmental Genes and Human Diseases, Ministry of Education, School of Medicine, Southeast University, Nanjing, 210009, China
| | - Chunjie Zhao
- Key Laboratory of Developmental Genes and Human Diseases, Ministry of Education, School of Medicine, Southeast University, Nanjing, 210009, China.
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57
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Distinct functional developments of surviving and eliminated presynaptic terminals. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2021; 118:2022423118. [PMID: 33688051 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2022423118] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
For neuronal circuits in the brain to mature, necessary synapses must be maintained and redundant synapses eliminated through experience-dependent mechanisms. However, the functional differentiation of these synapse types during the refinement process remains elusive. Here, we addressed this issue by distinct labeling and direct recordings of presynaptic terminals fated for survival and for elimination in the somatosensory thalamus. At surviving terminals, the number of total releasable vesicles was first enlarged, and then calcium channels and fast-releasing synaptic vesicles were tightly coupled in an experience-dependent manner. By contrast, transmitter release mechanisms did not mature at terminals fated for elimination, irrespective of sensory experience. Nonetheless, terminals fated for survival and for elimination both exhibited developmental shortening of action potential waveforms that was experience independent. Thus, we dissected experience-dependent and -independent developmental maturation processes of surviving and eliminated presynaptic terminals during neuronal circuit refinement.
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58
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Kitazawa T, Machlab D, Joshi O, Maiorano N, Kohler H, Ducret S, Kessler S, Gezelius H, Soneson C, Papasaikas P, López-Bendito G, Stadler MB, Rijli FM. A unique bipartite Polycomb signature regulates stimulus-response transcription during development. Nat Genet 2021; 53:379-391. [PMID: 33603234 PMCID: PMC7610396 DOI: 10.1038/s41588-021-00789-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/05/2020] [Accepted: 01/19/2021] [Indexed: 01/31/2023]
Abstract
Rapid cellular responses to environmental stimuli are fundamental for development and maturation. Immediate early genes can be transcriptionally induced within minutes in response to a variety of signals. How their induction levels are regulated and their untimely activation by spurious signals prevented during development is poorly understood. We found that in developing sensory neurons, before perinatal sensory-activity-dependent induction, immediate early genes are embedded into a unique bipartite Polycomb chromatin signature, carrying active H3K27ac on promoters but repressive Ezh2-dependent H3K27me3 on gene bodies. This bipartite signature is widely present in developing cell types, including embryonic stem cells. Polycomb marking of gene bodies inhibits mRNA elongation, dampening productive transcription, while still allowing for fast stimulus-dependent mark removal and bipartite gene induction. We reveal a developmental epigenetic mechanism regulating the rapidity and amplitude of the transcriptional response to relevant stimuli, while preventing inappropriate activation of stimulus-response genes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Taro Kitazawa
- Friedrich Miescher Institute for Biomedical Research, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Dania Machlab
- Friedrich Miescher Institute for Biomedical Research, Basel, Switzerland,Swiss Institute of Bioinformatics, Basel, Switzerland,University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Onkar Joshi
- Friedrich Miescher Institute for Biomedical Research, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Nicola Maiorano
- Friedrich Miescher Institute for Biomedical Research, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Hubertus Kohler
- Friedrich Miescher Institute for Biomedical Research, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Sebastien Ducret
- Friedrich Miescher Institute for Biomedical Research, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Sandra Kessler
- Friedrich Miescher Institute for Biomedical Research, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Henrik Gezelius
- Instituto de Neurociencias de Alicante, Universidad Miguel Hernández-Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (UMH-CSIC), Sant Joan d’Alacant, Spain
| | - Charlotte Soneson
- Friedrich Miescher Institute for Biomedical Research, Basel, Switzerland,Swiss Institute of Bioinformatics, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Panagiotis Papasaikas
- Friedrich Miescher Institute for Biomedical Research, Basel, Switzerland,Swiss Institute of Bioinformatics, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Guillermina López-Bendito
- Instituto de Neurociencias de Alicante, Universidad Miguel Hernández-Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (UMH-CSIC), Sant Joan d’Alacant, Spain
| | - Michael B. Stadler
- Friedrich Miescher Institute for Biomedical Research, Basel, Switzerland,Swiss Institute of Bioinformatics, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Filippo M. Rijli
- Friedrich Miescher Institute for Biomedical Research, Basel, Switzerland,University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland,Correspondence to:
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59
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Chakraborty R, Vijay Kumar MJ, Clement JP. Critical aspects of neurodevelopment. Neurobiol Learn Mem 2021; 180:107415. [PMID: 33647449 DOI: 10.1016/j.nlm.2021.107415] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/16/2020] [Revised: 12/21/2020] [Accepted: 02/16/2021] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
Organisms have the unique ability to adapt to their environment by making use of external inputs. In the process, the brain is shaped by experiences that go hand-in-hand with optimisation of neural circuits. As such, there exists a time window for the development of different brain regions, each unique for a particular sensory modality, wherein the propensity of forming strong, irreversible connections are high, referred to as a critical period of development. Over the years, this domain of neurodevelopmental research has garnered considerable attention from many scientists, primarily because of the intensive activity-dependent nature of development. This review discusses the cellular, molecular, and neurophysiological bases of critical periods of different sensory modalities, and the disorders associated in cases the regulators of development are dysfunctional. Eventually, the neurobiological bases of the behavioural abnormalities related to developmental pathologies are discussed. A more in-depth insight into the development of the brain during the critical period of plasticity will eventually aid in developing potential therapeutics for several neurodevelopmental disorders that are categorised under critical period disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ranabir Chakraborty
- Neuroscience Unit, Jawaharlal Nehru Centre for Advanced Scientific Research, Jakkur, Bengaluru. Karnataka. India
| | - M J Vijay Kumar
- Neuroscience Unit, Jawaharlal Nehru Centre for Advanced Scientific Research, Jakkur, Bengaluru. Karnataka. India
| | - James P Clement
- Neuroscience Unit, Jawaharlal Nehru Centre for Advanced Scientific Research, Jakkur, Bengaluru. Karnataka. India.
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60
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Hanganu-Opatz IL, Butt SJB, Hippenmeyer S, De Marco García NV, Cardin JA, Voytek B, Muotri AR. The Logic of Developing Neocortical Circuits in Health and Disease. J Neurosci 2021; 41:813-822. [PMID: 33431633 PMCID: PMC7880298 DOI: 10.1523/jneurosci.1655-20.2020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/30/2020] [Revised: 12/15/2020] [Accepted: 12/17/2020] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
The sensory and cognitive abilities of the mammalian neocortex are underpinned by intricate columnar and laminar circuits formed from an array of diverse neuronal populations. One approach to determining how interactions between these circuit components give rise to complex behavior is to investigate the rules by which cortical circuits are formed and acquire functionality during development. This review summarizes recent research on the development of the neocortex, from genetic determination in neural stem cells through to the dynamic role that specific neuronal populations play in the earliest circuits of neocortex, and how they contribute to emergent function and cognition. While many of these endeavors take advantage of model systems, consideration will also be given to advances in our understanding of activity in nascent human circuits. Such cross-species perspective is imperative when investigating the mechanisms underlying the dysfunction of early neocortical circuits in neurodevelopmental disorders, so that one can identify targets amenable to therapeutic intervention.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ileana L Hanganu-Opatz
- Institute of Developmental Neurophysiology, Center for Molecular Neurobiology, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, 20246, Germany
| | - Simon J B Butt
- Department of Physiology, Anatomy & Genetics, University of Oxford, Oxford, OX1 3PT, United Kingdom
| | - Simon Hippenmeyer
- Institute of Science and Technology Austria, Klosterneuburg, 3400, Austria
| | - Natalia V De Marco García
- Center for Neurogenetics, Brain and Mind Research Institute, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, New York 10021
| | - Jessica A Cardin
- Department of Neuroscience and Kavli Institute for Neuroscience, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut 06520
| | - Bradley Voytek
- University of California San Diego, Department of Cognitive Science, Halıcıoğlu Data Science Institute, Neurosciences Graduate Program, La Jolla, California 92093
- University of California San Diego, Kavli Institute for Brain and Mind, La Jolla, California 92093
| | - Alysson R Muotri
- University of California San Diego, Kavli Institute for Brain and Mind, La Jolla, California 92093
- University of California San Diego, School of Medicine, Department of Pediatrics/Rady Children's Hospital San Diego, Department of Cellular & Molecular Medicine, Center for Academic Research and Training in Anthropogeny, La Jolla, California 92037
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61
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Meng X, Mukherjee D, Kao JPY, Kanold PO. Early peripheral activity alters nascent subplate circuits in the auditory cortex. SCIENCE ADVANCES 2021; 7:eabc9155. [PMID: 33579707 PMCID: PMC7880598 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.abc9155] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/20/2020] [Accepted: 12/28/2020] [Indexed: 05/10/2023]
Abstract
Cortical function can be shaped by sensory experience during a critical period. The onset of the critical period is thought to coincide with the onset of thalamocortical transmission to the thalamo-recipient layer 4 (L4). In early development, subplate neurons (SPNs), and not L4 neurons, are the first targets of thalamic afferents. SPNs are transiently involved in early development and are largely eliminated during development. Activation of L4 by thalamic afferents coincides with the opening of ear canal (~P11 in mice) and precedes the later critical period. Here, we show in mice that abolishing peripheral function or presenting sound stimuli even before P11 leads to bidirectionally altered functional connectivity of SPNs in auditory cortex. Thus, early sensory experience can sculpt subplate circuits before thalamocortical circuits to L4 are mature. Our results show that peripheral activity shapes cortical circuits in a sequential manner and from earlier ages than has been appreciated.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiangying Meng
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
- Department of Biology, University of Maryland, College Park, MD 20742, USA
| | - Didhiti Mukherjee
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
- Department of Biology, University of Maryland, College Park, MD 20742, USA
| | - Joseph P Y Kao
- Center for Biomedical Engineering and Technology and Department of Physiology, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21201, USA
| | - Patrick O Kanold
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA.
- Department of Biology, University of Maryland, College Park, MD 20742, USA
- Kavli Neuroscience Discovery Institute, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
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63
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Jansch C, Ziegler GC, Forero A, Gredy S, Wäldchen S, Vitale MR, Svirin E, Zöller JEM, Waider J, Günther K, Edenhofer F, Sauer M, Wischmeyer E, Lesch KP. Serotonin-specific neurons differentiated from human iPSCs form distinct subtypes with synaptic protein assembly. J Neural Transm (Vienna) 2021; 128:225-241. [PMID: 33560471 PMCID: PMC7914246 DOI: 10.1007/s00702-021-02303-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/21/2019] [Accepted: 01/10/2021] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Human induced pluripotent stem cells (hiPSCs) have revolutionized the generation of experimental disease models, but the development of protocols for the differentiation of functionally active neuronal subtypes with defined specification is still in its infancy. While dysfunction of the brain serotonin (5-HT) system has been implicated in the etiology of various neuropsychiatric disorders, investigation of functional human 5-HT specific neurons in vitro has been restricted by technical limitations. We describe an efficient generation of functionally active neurons from hiPSCs displaying 5-HT specification by modification of a previously reported protocol. Furthermore, 5-HT specific neurons were characterized using high-end fluorescence imaging including super-resolution microscopy in combination with electrophysiological techniques. Differentiated hiPSCs synthesize 5-HT, express specific markers, such as tryptophan hydroxylase 2 and 5-HT transporter, and exhibit an electrophysiological signature characteristic of serotonergic neurons, with spontaneous rhythmic activities, broad action potentials and large afterhyperpolarization potentials. 5-HT specific neurons form synapses reflected by the expression of pre- and postsynaptic proteins, such as Bassoon and Homer. The distribution pattern of Bassoon, a marker of the active zone along the soma and extensions of neurons, indicates functionality via volume transmission. Among the high percentage of 5-HT specific neurons (~ 42%), a subpopulation of CDH13 + cells presumably designates dorsal raphe neurons. hiPSC-derived 5-HT specific neuronal cell cultures reflect the heterogeneous nature of dorsal and median raphe nuclei and may facilitate examining the association of serotonergic neuron subpopulations with neuropsychiatric disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Charline Jansch
- Division of Molecular Psychiatry, Center of Mental Health, University of Würzburg, Margarete-Höppel-Platz 1, 97080, Würzburg, Germany
| | - Georg C Ziegler
- Division of Molecular Psychiatry, Center of Mental Health, University of Würzburg, Margarete-Höppel-Platz 1, 97080, Würzburg, Germany.
- Department of Psychiatry, Psychosomatics and Psychotherapy, Center of Mental Health, University of Würzburg, Würzburg, Germany.
| | - Andrea Forero
- Division of Molecular Psychiatry, Center of Mental Health, University of Würzburg, Margarete-Höppel-Platz 1, 97080, Würzburg, Germany
| | - Sina Gredy
- Institute of Physiology, Molecular Electrophysiology, University of Würzburg, Würzburg, Germany
- Laboratory of Psychiatric Neurobiology, Institute of Molecular Medicine, Sechenov First Moscow State Medical University, Moscow, Russia
| | - Sina Wäldchen
- Department of Biotechnology and Biophysics, Biocenter, University of Würzburg, Würzburg, Germany
| | - Maria Rosaria Vitale
- Division of Molecular Psychiatry, Center of Mental Health, University of Würzburg, Margarete-Höppel-Platz 1, 97080, Würzburg, Germany
- Laboratory of Psychiatric Neurobiology, Institute of Molecular Medicine, Sechenov First Moscow State Medical University, Moscow, Russia
| | - Evgeniy Svirin
- Division of Molecular Psychiatry, Center of Mental Health, University of Würzburg, Margarete-Höppel-Platz 1, 97080, Würzburg, Germany
- Laboratory of Psychiatric Neurobiology, Institute of Molecular Medicine, Sechenov First Moscow State Medical University, Moscow, Russia
| | - Johanna E M Zöller
- Division of Molecular Psychiatry, Center of Mental Health, University of Würzburg, Margarete-Höppel-Platz 1, 97080, Würzburg, Germany
- Department of Translational Neuroscience, School for Mental Health and Neuroscience (MHeNS), Maastricht University, Maastricht, The Netherlands
| | - Jonas Waider
- Division of Molecular Psychiatry, Center of Mental Health, University of Würzburg, Margarete-Höppel-Platz 1, 97080, Würzburg, Germany
| | - Katharina Günther
- Department of Genomics, Stem Cell Biology and Regenerative Medicine, Institute of Molecular Biology and CMBI, Leopold-Franzens-University Innsbruck, Innsbruck, Austria
- Institute of Molecular Regenerative Medicine, SCI-TReCS, Paracelsus Medical University, Salzburg, Austria
| | - Frank Edenhofer
- Department of Genomics, Stem Cell Biology and Regenerative Medicine, Institute of Molecular Biology and CMBI, Leopold-Franzens-University Innsbruck, Innsbruck, Austria
| | - Markus Sauer
- Department of Biotechnology and Biophysics, Biocenter, University of Würzburg, Würzburg, Germany
| | - Erhard Wischmeyer
- Division of Molecular Psychiatry, Center of Mental Health, University of Würzburg, Margarete-Höppel-Platz 1, 97080, Würzburg, Germany
- Institute of Physiology, Molecular Electrophysiology, University of Würzburg, Würzburg, Germany
| | - Klaus-Peter Lesch
- Division of Molecular Psychiatry, Center of Mental Health, University of Würzburg, Margarete-Höppel-Platz 1, 97080, Würzburg, Germany.
- Laboratory of Psychiatric Neurobiology, Institute of Molecular Medicine, Sechenov First Moscow State Medical University, Moscow, Russia.
- Department of Translational Neuroscience, School for Mental Health and Neuroscience (MHeNS), Maastricht University, Maastricht, The Netherlands.
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64
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Abstract
The adult brain is the result of a multistages complex neurodevelopmental process involving genetic, molecular and microenvironmental factors as well as diverse patterns of electrical activity. In the postnatal life, immature neuronal circuits undergo an experience-dependent maturation during critical periods of plasticity, but the brain still retains plasticity during adult life. In all these stages, the neurotransmitter GABA plays a pivotal role. In this chapter, we will describe the interaction of 5-HT with GABA in regulating neurodevelopment and plasticity.
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65
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Durieux LJA, Gilissen SRJ, Arckens L. Endocannabinoids and cortical plasticity: CB1R as a possible regulator of the excitation/inhibition balance in health and disease. Eur J Neurosci 2021; 55:971-988. [PMID: 33427341 DOI: 10.1111/ejn.15110] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/06/2020] [Revised: 01/04/2021] [Accepted: 01/06/2021] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
Abstract
The endocannabinoid system has been linked to neurological disorders in which the excitation inhibition (E/I) balance in the neocortex is dysregulated, such as schizophrenia. The main endocannabinoid receptor type 1 of the central nervous system-CB1R-is expressed on different cell types, that when activated, modulate the cortical E/I balance. Here we review how CB1R signalling contributes to phases of heightened plasticity of the neocortex. We review the major role of the CB1R in cortical plasticity throughout life, including the early life sensory critical periods, the later maturation phase of the association cortex in adolescence, and the adult phase of sensory deprivation-induced cortical plasticity. Endocannabinoid-mediated long-term potentiation and depression of synapse strength fine-tune the E/I balance in visual, somatosensory and association areas. We emphasize how a distinct set of key endocannabinoid-regulated elements such as GABA and glutamate release, basket parvalbumin interneurons, somatostatin interneurons and astrocytes, are essential for normal cortical plasticity and dysregulated in schizophrenia. Even though a lot of data has been gathered, mechanistic knowledge about the exact CB1R-based modulation of excitation and/or inhibition is still lacking depending on cortical area and maturation phase in life. We emphasize the importance of creating such detailed knowledge for a better comprehension of what underlies the dysregulation of the neocortex in schizophrenic patients in adulthood. We propose that taking age, brain area and cell type into consideration when modulating the cortical E/I imbalance via cannabinoid-based pharmacology may pave the way for better patient care.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lucas J A Durieux
- KU Leuven, Department of Biology, Laboratory of Neuroplasticity and Neuroproteomics, Leuven, Belgium.,Leuven Brain Institute, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Sara R J Gilissen
- KU Leuven, Department of Biology, Laboratory of Neuroplasticity and Neuroproteomics, Leuven, Belgium.,Leuven Brain Institute, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Lutgarde Arckens
- KU Leuven, Department of Biology, Laboratory of Neuroplasticity and Neuroproteomics, Leuven, Belgium.,Leuven Brain Institute, Leuven, Belgium
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66
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How the Barrel Cortex Became a Working Model for Developmental Plasticity: A Historical Perspective. J Neurosci 2021; 40:6460-6473. [PMID: 32817388 DOI: 10.1523/jneurosci.0582-20.2020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/25/2020] [Revised: 06/22/2020] [Accepted: 06/24/2020] [Indexed: 01/08/2023] Open
Abstract
For half a century now, the barrel cortex of common laboratory rodents has been an exceptionally useful model for studying the formation of topographically organized maps, neural patterning, and plasticity, both in development and in maturity. We present a historical perspective on how barrels were discovered, and how thereafter, they became a workhorse for developmental neuroscientists and for studies on brain plasticity and activity-dependent modeling of brain circuits. What is particularly remarkable about this sensory system is a cellular patterning that is induced by signals derived from the sensory receptors surrounding the snout whiskers and transmitted centrally to the brainstem (barrelettes), the thalamus (barreloids), and the neocortex (barrels). Injury to the sensory receptors shortly after birth leads to predictable pattern alterations at all levels of the system. Mouse genetics have increased our understanding of how barrels are constructed and revealed the interplay of the molecular programs that direct axon growth and cell specification, with activity-dependent mechanisms. There is an ever-rising interest in this sensory system as a neurobiological model to study development of somatotopy, patterning, and plasticity at both the morphologic and physiological levels. This article is part of a group of articles commemorating the 50th anniversary of the Society for Neuroscience.
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67
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Jamann N, Dannehl D, Lehmann N, Wagener R, Thielemann C, Schultz C, Staiger J, Kole MHP, Engelhardt M. Sensory input drives rapid homeostatic scaling of the axon initial segment in mouse barrel cortex. Nat Commun 2021; 12:23. [PMID: 33397944 PMCID: PMC7782484 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-020-20232-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 41] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/06/2020] [Accepted: 11/16/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
The axon initial segment (AIS) is a critical microdomain for action potential initiation and implicated in the regulation of neuronal excitability during activity-dependent plasticity. While structural AIS plasticity has been suggested to fine-tune neuronal activity when network states change, whether it acts in vivo as a homeostatic regulatory mechanism in behaviorally relevant contexts remains poorly understood. Using the mouse whisker-to-barrel pathway as a model system in combination with immunofluorescence, confocal analysis and electrophysiological recordings, we observed bidirectional AIS plasticity in cortical pyramidal neurons. Furthermore, we find that structural and functional AIS remodeling occurs in distinct temporal domains: Long-term sensory deprivation elicits an AIS length increase, accompanied with an increase in neuronal excitability, while sensory enrichment results in a rapid AIS shortening, accompanied by a decrease in action potential generation. Our findings highlight a central role of the AIS in the homeostatic regulation of neuronal input-output relations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nora Jamann
- Axonal Signaling Group, Netherlands Institute for Neurosciences (NIN), Royal Netherlands Academy for Arts and Sciences (KNAW), Amsterdam, The Netherlands
- Cell Biology, Neurobiology and Biophysics, Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Utrecht University, Utrecht, The Netherlands
- Institute of Neuroanatomy, Mannheim Center for Translational Neuroscience (MCTN), Medical Faculty Mannheim, Heidelberg University, Mannheim, Germany
| | - Dominik Dannehl
- Institute of Neuroanatomy, Mannheim Center for Translational Neuroscience (MCTN), Medical Faculty Mannheim, Heidelberg University, Mannheim, Germany
| | - Nadja Lehmann
- Institute of Neuroanatomy, Mannheim Center for Translational Neuroscience (MCTN), Medical Faculty Mannheim, Heidelberg University, Mannheim, Germany
| | - Robin Wagener
- Clinic of Neurology, University Hospital Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Corinna Thielemann
- Institute of Neuroanatomy, Mannheim Center for Translational Neuroscience (MCTN), Medical Faculty Mannheim, Heidelberg University, Mannheim, Germany
| | - Christian Schultz
- Institute of Neuroanatomy, Mannheim Center for Translational Neuroscience (MCTN), Medical Faculty Mannheim, Heidelberg University, Mannheim, Germany
| | - Jochen Staiger
- Institute of Neuroanatomy, University Medical Center, Georg August University of Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Maarten H P Kole
- Axonal Signaling Group, Netherlands Institute for Neurosciences (NIN), Royal Netherlands Academy for Arts and Sciences (KNAW), Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
- Cell Biology, Neurobiology and Biophysics, Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Utrecht University, Utrecht, The Netherlands.
| | - Maren Engelhardt
- Institute of Neuroanatomy, Mannheim Center for Translational Neuroscience (MCTN), Medical Faculty Mannheim, Heidelberg University, Mannheim, Germany.
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68
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Lepow L, Morishita H, Yehuda R. Critical Period Plasticity as a Framework for Psychedelic-Assisted Psychotherapy. Front Neurosci 2021; 15:710004. [PMID: 34616272 PMCID: PMC8488335 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2021.710004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/14/2021] [Accepted: 08/17/2021] [Indexed: 12/28/2022] Open
Abstract
As psychedelic compounds gain traction in psychiatry, there is a need to consider the active mechanism to explain the effect observed in randomized clinical trials. Traditionally, biological psychiatry has asked how compounds affect the causal pathways of illness to reduce symptoms and therefore focus on analysis of the pharmacologic properties. In psychedelic-assisted psychotherapy (PAP), there is debate about whether ingestion of the psychedelic alone is thought to be responsible for the clinical outcome. A question arises how the medication and psychotherapeutic intervention together might lead to neurobiological changes that underlie recovery from illness such as post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). This paper offers a framework for investigating the neurobiological basis of PAP by extrapolating from models used to explain how a pharmacologic intervention might create an optimal brain state during which environmental input has enduring effects. Specifically, there are developmental "critical" periods (CP) with exquisite sensitivity to environmental input; the biological characteristics are largely unknown. We discuss a hypothesis that psychedelics may remove the brakes on adult neuroplasticity, inducing a state similar to that of neurodevelopment. In the visual system, progress has been made both in identifying the biological conditions which distinguishes the CP and in manipulating the active ingredients with the idea that we might pharmacologically reopen a critical period in adulthood. We highlight ocular dominance plasticity (ODP) in the visual system as a model for characterizing CP in limbic systems relevant to psychiatry. A CP framework may help to integrate the neuroscientific inquiry with the influence of the environment both in development and in PAP.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lauren Lepow
- Department of Psychiatry, Icahn School of Medicine Mount Sinai, New York, NY, United States.,Department of Neuroscience, Icahn School of Medicine Mount Sinai, New York, NY, United States
| | - Hirofumi Morishita
- Department of Psychiatry, Icahn School of Medicine Mount Sinai, New York, NY, United States.,Department of Neuroscience, Icahn School of Medicine Mount Sinai, New York, NY, United States.,Department of Ophthalmology, Icahn School of Medicine Mount Sinai, New York, NY, United States
| | - Rachel Yehuda
- Department of Psychiatry, Icahn School of Medicine Mount Sinai, New York, NY, United States.,Department of Psychiatry, James J. Peters Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Bronx, NY, United States
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69
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Chen F, Takemoto M, Nishimura M, Tomioka R, Song WJ. Postnatal development of subfields in the core region of the mouse auditory cortex. Hear Res 2020; 400:108138. [PMID: 33285368 DOI: 10.1016/j.heares.2020.108138] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/27/2020] [Revised: 11/24/2020] [Accepted: 11/25/2020] [Indexed: 10/22/2022]
Abstract
The core region of the rodent auditory cortex has two subfields: the primary auditory area (A1) and the anterior auditory field (AAF). Although the postnatal development of A1 has been studied in several mammalian species, few studies have been conducted on the postnatal development of AAF. Using a voltage-sensitive-dye-based imaging method, we examined and compared the postnatal development of AAF and A1 in mice from postnatal day 11 (P11) to P40. We focused on the postnatal development of tonotopy, the relative position between A1 and AAF, and the properties of tone-evoked responses in the subfields. Tone-evoked responses in the mouse auditory cortex were first observed at P12, and tonotopy was found in both A1 and AAF at this age. Quantification of tonotopy using the cortical magnification factor (CMF; octave difference per unit cortical distance) revealed a rapid change from P12 to P14 in both A1 and AAF, and a stable level from P14. A similar time course of postnatal development was found for the distance between the 4 kHz site in A1 and AAF, the distance between the 16 kHz site in A1 and AAF, and the angle between the frequency axis of A1 and AAF. The maximum amplitude and rise time of tone-evoked signals in both A1 and AAF showed no significant change from P12 to P40, but the latency of the responses to both the 4 kHz and 16 kHz tones decreased during this period, with a more rapid decrease in the latency to 16 kHz tones in both subfields. The duration of responses evoked by 4 kHz tones in both A1 and AAF showed no significant postnatal change, but the duration of responses to 16 kHz tones decreased exponentially in both subfields. The cortical area activated by 4 kHz tones in AAF was always larger than that in A1 at all ages (P12-P40). Our results demonstrated that A1 and AAF developed in parallel postnatally, showing a rapid maturation of tonotopy, slow maturation of response latency and response duration, and a dorsal-to-ventral order (high-frequency site to low-frequency site) of functional maturation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Feifan Chen
- Department of Sensory and Cognitive Physiology, Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Kumamoto University, Japan; Program for Leading Graduate Schools HIGO Program, Kumamoto University, Kumamoto, Japan
| | - Makoto Takemoto
- Department of Sensory and Cognitive Physiology, Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Kumamoto University, Japan
| | - Masataka Nishimura
- Department of Sensory and Cognitive Physiology, Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Kumamoto University, Japan
| | - Ryohei Tomioka
- Department of Sensory and Cognitive Physiology, Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Kumamoto University, Japan
| | - Wen-Jie Song
- Department of Sensory and Cognitive Physiology, Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Kumamoto University, Japan; Program for Leading Graduate Schools HIGO Program, Kumamoto University, Kumamoto, Japan; Center for Metabolic Regulation of Healthy Aging, Faculty of Life Sciences, Kumamoto University, Kumamoto 860-8556, Japan.
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70
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Iwasato T. In vivo imaging of neural circuit formation in the neonatal mouse barrel cortex. Dev Growth Differ 2020; 62:476-486. [DOI: 10.1111/dgd.12693] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/18/2020] [Revised: 09/13/2020] [Accepted: 09/27/2020] [Indexed: 01/21/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Takuji Iwasato
- Laboratory of Mammalian Neural Circuits National Institute of Genetics Mishima Japan
- Department of Genetics SOKENDAI Mishima Japan
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71
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Plantier V, Watrin F, Buhler E, Martineau FS, Sahu S, Manent JB, Bureau I, Represa A. Direct and Collateral Alterations of Functional Cortical Circuits in a Rat Model of Subcortical Band Heterotopia. Cereb Cortex 2020; 29:4253-4262. [PMID: 30534979 DOI: 10.1093/cercor/bhy307] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/19/2018] [Revised: 11/08/2018] [Accepted: 11/12/2018] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Subcortical band heterotopia (SBH), also known as double-cortex syndrome, is a neuronal migration disorder characterized by an accumulation of neurons in a heterotopic band below the normotopic cortex. The majority of patients with SBH have mild to moderate intellectual disability and intractable epilepsy. However, it is still not clear how cortical networks are organized in SBH patients and how this abnormal organization contributes to improper brain function. In this study, cortical networks were investigated in the barrel cortex in an animal model of SBH induced by in utero knockdown of Dcx, main causative gene of this condition in human patients. When the SBH was localized below the Barrel Field (BF), layer (L) four projection to correctly positioned L2/3 pyramidal cells was weakened due to lower connectivity. Conversely, when the SBH was below an adjacent cortical region, the excitatory L4 to L2/3 projection was stronger due to increased L4 neuron excitability, synaptic strength and excitation/inhibition ratio of L4 to L2/3 connection. We propose that these developmental alterations contribute to the spectrum of clinical dysfunctions reported in patients with SBH.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vanessa Plantier
- INMED, Aix-Marseille Université, INSERM UMR1249, Marseille 13009, France
| | - Françoise Watrin
- INMED, Aix-Marseille Université, INSERM UMR1249, Marseille 13009, France
| | - Emmanuelle Buhler
- INMED, Aix-Marseille Université, INSERM UMR1249, Marseille 13009, France
| | | | - Surajit Sahu
- INMED, Aix-Marseille Université, INSERM UMR1249, Marseille 13009, France
| | | | - Ingrid Bureau
- INMED, Aix-Marseille Université, INSERM UMR1249, Marseille 13009, France
| | - Alfonso Represa
- INMED, Aix-Marseille Université, INSERM UMR1249, Marseille 13009, France
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72
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Arakawa H. Somatosensorimotor and Odor Modification, Along with Serotonergic Processes Underlying the Social Deficits in BTBR T+ Itpr3 tf/J and BALB/cJ Mouse Models of Autism. Neuroscience 2020; 445:144-162. [PMID: 32061779 PMCID: PMC8078887 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroscience.2020.02.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/09/2019] [Revised: 02/02/2020] [Accepted: 02/04/2020] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
Autism is a complex spectrum of disorders characterized by core behavioral deficits in social communicative behavior, which are also required for comprehensive analysis of preclinical mouse models. As animal models of the core behavioral deficits in autism, two inbred mouse strains, BTBR T+ Itpr3tf/J (BTBR) and BALB/cJ (BALB), were compared with the standard social strain, C57BL/6J (B6), regarding a variety of behavioral factors underlying social communicative interactions, including olfactory and tactile sensory processes, social recognition abilities and behavioral expression strategies. Although both female BTBR and BALB mice can express social recognition and approach behavior depending on the stimuli they encounter, the available sensory modalities, along with modulation of the serotonergic system, differ between the two strains. BALB mice have deficits in using volatile olfactory cues and tactile information in a social context; they fail to exhibit a social approach to volatile cues and seek nonvolatile cues by exhibiting substantial sniff/contact behavior when allowed direct contact with social opponents. Systemic injection of the serotonin (5-HT1A) agonist buspirone has little effect on these social deficits, suggesting a congenitally degraded serotonergic system in BALB mice. In contrast, BTBR mice exhibit impaired body coordination and social motivation-modified olfactory signals, which are relevant to a reduced social approach. A systemic injection of the 5-HT1A agonist restored these social deficits in BTBR mice, indicating that a downregulated serotonergic system is involved in the social deficits exhibited by BTBR mice.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hiroyuki Arakawa
- Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA; Rodent Behavioral Core Department of Research Administration, Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, Cleveland, OH, USA.
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73
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James SS, Krubitzer LA, Wilson SP. Modelling the emergence of whisker barrels. eLife 2020; 9:55588. [PMID: 32988453 PMCID: PMC7524548 DOI: 10.7554/elife.55588] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/29/2020] [Accepted: 08/26/2020] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Brain development relies on an interplay between genetic specification and self-organization. Striking examples of this relationship can be found in the somatosensory brainstem, thalamus, and cortex of rats and mice, where the arrangement of the facial whiskers is preserved in the arrangement of cell aggregates to form precise somatotopic maps. We show in simulation how realistic whisker maps can self-organize, by assuming that information is exchanged between adjacent cells only, under the guidance of gene expression gradients. The resulting model provides a simple account of how patterns of gene expression can constrain spontaneous pattern formation to faithfully reproduce functional maps in subsequent brain structures.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sebastian S James
- Department of Psychology, The University of Sheffield, Sheffield, United Kingdom
| | - Leah A Krubitzer
- Center for Neuroscience, The University of California, Davis, Davis, United States
| | - Stuart P Wilson
- Department of Psychology, The University of Sheffield, Sheffield, United Kingdom
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74
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Dehorter N, Del Pino I. Shifting Developmental Trajectories During Critical Periods of Brain Formation. Front Cell Neurosci 2020; 14:283. [PMID: 33132842 PMCID: PMC7513795 DOI: 10.3389/fncel.2020.00283] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/20/2020] [Accepted: 08/10/2020] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Critical periods of brain development are epochs of heightened plasticity driven by environmental influence necessary for normal brain function. Recent studies are beginning to shed light on the possibility that timely interventions during critical periods hold potential to reorient abnormal developmental trajectories in animal models of neurological and neuropsychiatric disorders. In this review, we re-examine the criteria defining critical periods, highlighting the recently discovered mechanisms of developmental plasticity in health and disease. In addition, we touch upon technological improvements for modeling critical periods in human-derived neural networks in vitro. These scientific advances associated with the use of developmental manipulations in the immature brain of animal models are the basic preclinical systems that will allow the future translatability of timely interventions into clinical applications for neurodevelopmental disorders such as intellectual disability, autism spectrum disorders (ASD) and schizophrenia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nathalie Dehorter
- Eccles Institute of Neuroscience, The John Curtin School of Medical Research, Australian National University, Canberra, ACT, Australia
| | - Isabel Del Pino
- Principe Felipe Research Center (Centro de Investigación Principe Felipe, CIPF), Valencia, Spain
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75
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Developmental Phase Transitions in Spatial Organization of Spontaneous Activity in Postnatal Barrel Cortex Layer 4. J Neurosci 2020; 40:7637-7650. [PMID: 32887743 DOI: 10.1523/jneurosci.1116-20.2020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/09/2020] [Revised: 07/27/2020] [Accepted: 08/16/2020] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Spatially-organized spontaneous activity is a characteristic feature of developing mammalian sensory systems. However, the transitions of spontaneous-activity spatial organization during development and related mechanisms remain largely unknown. We reported previously that layer 4 (L4) glutamatergic neurons in the mouse barrel cortex exhibit spontaneous activity with a patchwork-type pattern at postnatal day (P)5, which is during barrel formation. In the current work, we revealed that spontaneous activity in mouse barrel-cortex L4 glutamatergic neurons exhibits at least three phases during the first two weeks of postnatal development. Phase I activity has a patchwork-type pattern and is observed not only at P5, but also P1, before barrel formation. Phase II is found at P9, by which time barrel formation is completed, and exhibits broadly synchronized activity across barrel borders. Phase III emerges around P11 when L4-neuron activity is desynchronized. The Phase I activity, but not Phase II or III activity, is blocked by thalamic inhibition, demonstrating that the Phase I to II transition is associated with loss of thalamic dependency. Dominant-negative (DN)-Rac1 expression in L4 neurons hampers the Phase II to III transition. It also suppresses developmental increases in spine density and excitatory synapses of L4 neurons in the second postnatal week, suggesting that Rac1-mediated synapse maturation could underlie the Phase II to III transition. Our findings revealed the presence of distinct mechanisms for Phase I to II and Phase II to III transition. They also highlighted the role of a small GTPase in the developmental desynchronization of cortical spontaneous activity.SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT Developing neocortex exhibits spatially-organized spontaneous activity, which plays a critical role in cortical circuit development. The features of spontaneous-activity spatial organization and the mechanisms underlying its changes during development remain largely unknown. In the present study, using two-photon in vivo imaging, we revealed three phases (Phases I, II, and III) of spontaneous activity in barrel-cortex layer 4 (L4) glutamatergic neurons during the first two postnatal weeks. We also demonstrated the presence of distinct mechanisms underlying phase transitions. Phase I to II shift arose from the switch in the L4-neuron driving source, and Phase II to III transition relied on L4-neuron Rac1 activity. These results provide new insights into the principles of developmental transitions of neocortical spontaneous-activity spatial patterns.
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76
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Clark EA, Rutlin M, Capano LS, Aviles S, Saadon JR, Taneja P, Zhang Q, Bullis JB, Lauer T, Myers E, Schulmann A, Forrest D, Nelson SB. Cortical RORβ is required for layer 4 transcriptional identity and barrel integrity. eLife 2020; 9:e52370. [PMID: 32851975 PMCID: PMC7492084 DOI: 10.7554/elife.52370] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/02/2019] [Accepted: 08/26/2020] [Indexed: 02/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Retinoic acid-related orphan receptor beta (RORβ) is a transcription factor (TF) and marker of layer 4 (L4) neurons, which are distinctive both in transcriptional identity and the ability to form aggregates such as barrels in rodent somatosensory cortex. However, the relationship between transcriptional identity and L4 cytoarchitecture is largely unknown. We find RORβ is required in the cortex for L4 aggregation into barrels and thalamocortical afferent (TCA) segregation. Interestingly, barrel organization also degrades with age in wildtype mice. Loss of RORβ delays excitatory input and disrupts gene expression and chromatin accessibility, with down-regulation of L4 and up-regulation of L5 genes, suggesting a disruption in cellular specification. Expression and binding site accessibility change for many other TFs, including closure of neurodevelopmental TF binding sites and increased expression and binding capacity of activity-regulated TFs. Lastly, a putative target of RORβ, Thsd7a, is down-regulated without RORβ, and Thsd7a knock-out alone disrupts TCA organization in adult barrels.
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MESH Headings
- Animals
- Antigens, Surface/chemistry
- Antigens, Surface/genetics
- Antigens, Surface/metabolism
- Female
- Male
- Membrane Proteins/chemistry
- Membrane Proteins/genetics
- Membrane Proteins/metabolism
- Mice
- Mice, Knockout
- Neurons/chemistry
- Neurons/cytology
- Neurons/metabolism
- Nuclear Receptor Subfamily 1, Group F, Member 2/chemistry
- Nuclear Receptor Subfamily 1, Group F, Member 2/genetics
- Nuclear Receptor Subfamily 1, Group F, Member 2/metabolism
- Somatosensory Cortex/chemistry
- Somatosensory Cortex/cytology
- Somatosensory Cortex/metabolism
- Somatosensory Cortex/physiology
- Thalamus/chemistry
- Thalamus/metabolism
- Transcription Factors/chemistry
- Transcription Factors/genetics
- Transcription Factors/metabolism
- Transcriptome/genetics
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Affiliation(s)
- Erin A Clark
- Department of Biology and Program in Neuroscience, Brandeis UniversityWalthamUnited States
| | - Michael Rutlin
- Department of Biology and Program in Neuroscience, Brandeis UniversityWalthamUnited States
| | - Lucia S Capano
- Department of Biology and Program in Neuroscience, Brandeis UniversityWalthamUnited States
| | - Samuel Aviles
- Department of Biology and Program in Neuroscience, Brandeis UniversityWalthamUnited States
| | - Jordan R Saadon
- Department of Biology and Program in Neuroscience, Brandeis UniversityWalthamUnited States
| | - Praveen Taneja
- Department of Biology and Program in Neuroscience, Brandeis UniversityWalthamUnited States
| | - Qiyu Zhang
- Department of Biology and Program in Neuroscience, Brandeis UniversityWalthamUnited States
| | - James B Bullis
- Department of Biology and Program in Neuroscience, Brandeis UniversityWalthamUnited States
| | - Timothy Lauer
- Department of Biology and Program in Neuroscience, Brandeis UniversityWalthamUnited States
| | - Emma Myers
- Department of Biology and Program in Neuroscience, Brandeis UniversityWalthamUnited States
| | | | - Douglas Forrest
- Laboratory of Endocrinology and Receptor Biology, National Institutes of Health, NIDDKBethesdaUnited States
| | - Sacha B Nelson
- Department of Biology and Program in Neuroscience, Brandeis UniversityWalthamUnited States
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77
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Two-Photon Voltage Imaging of Spontaneous Activity from Multiple Neurons Reveals Network Activity in Brain Tissue. iScience 2020; 23:101363. [PMID: 32717641 PMCID: PMC7393527 DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2020.101363] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/13/2020] [Revised: 04/07/2020] [Accepted: 07/09/2020] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Recording the electrical activity of multiple neurons simultaneously would greatly facilitate studies on the function of neuronal circuits. The combination of the fast scanning by random-access multiphoton microscopy (RAMP) and the latest two-photon-compatible high-performance fluorescent genetically encoded voltage indicators (GEVIs) has enabled action potential detection in deep layers in in vivo brain. However, neuron connectivity analysis on optically recorded action potentials from multiple neurons in brain tissue has yet to be achieved. With high expression of a two-photon-compatible GEVI, ASAP3, via in utero electroporation and RAMP, we achieved voltage recording of spontaneous activities from multiple neurons in brain slice. We provide evidence for the developmental changes in intralaminar horizontal connections in somatosensory cortex layer 2/3 with a greater sensitivity than calcium imaging. This method thus enables investigation of neuronal network connectivity at the cellular resolution in brain tissue.
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78
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Zheng JJ, Zou R, Huang S, Song TJ, Yu X. Enriched Environment Rearing from Birth Reduced Anxiety, Improved Learning and Memory, and Promoted Social Interactions in Adult Male Mice. Neuroscience 2020; 442:138-150. [PMID: 32652178 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroscience.2020.07.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/13/2020] [Revised: 06/11/2020] [Accepted: 07/02/2020] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
Rearing rodents in an enriched environment (EE), with increased sensory stimulations and social interactions, is a well-established model for naturally increasing neural activity. It is well-known that EE-rearing of rodents from adolescence or during adulthood leads to extensive biochemical, morphological, electrophysiological and behavioral changes. Here, we examine the effects of EE-rearing from birth on adult behavior. Through a battery of assays, we found that mice EE-reared from birth had better acquisition and consolidation of memory, in both aversive-based fear conditioning and reward-based contextual association tasks. Moreover, EE-reared mice showed reduced anxiety in novel environments and enhanced social interactions. Together, these results demonstrated that EE-rearing from birth significantly improved motor ability, learning and memory and sociability, while reducing anxiety. A better understanding of how early environmental influences affect behavior is not only important for understanding neural circuit wiring, but also provides insight into developing more effective intervention programs for neurodevelopmental disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jing-Jing Zheng
- Institute of Neuroscience and State Key Laboratory of Neuroscience, CAS Center for Excellence in Brain Science and Intelligence Technology, Shanghai Institutes for Biological Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 200031, China
| | - Rong Zou
- Institute of Neuroscience and State Key Laboratory of Neuroscience, CAS Center for Excellence in Brain Science and Intelligence Technology, Shanghai Institutes for Biological Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 200031, China
| | - Shajin Huang
- Institute of Neuroscience and State Key Laboratory of Neuroscience, CAS Center for Excellence in Brain Science and Intelligence Technology, Shanghai Institutes for Biological Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 200031, China
| | - Tian-Jia Song
- School of Life Sciences, Peking-Tsinghua Center for Life Sciences, and Peking University McGovern Institute, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China.
| | - Xiang Yu
- Institute of Neuroscience and State Key Laboratory of Neuroscience, CAS Center for Excellence in Brain Science and Intelligence Technology, Shanghai Institutes for Biological Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 200031, China; School of Life Sciences, Peking-Tsinghua Center for Life Sciences, and Peking University McGovern Institute, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China.
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79
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Self-Generated Whisker Movements Drive State-Dependent Sensory Input to Developing Barrel Cortex. Curr Biol 2020; 30:2404-2410.e4. [PMID: 32413304 DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2020.04.045] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/12/2020] [Revised: 03/25/2020] [Accepted: 04/16/2020] [Indexed: 01/02/2023]
Abstract
Cortical development is an activity-dependent process [1-3]. Regarding the role of activity in the developing somatosensory cortex, one persistent debate concerns the importance of sensory feedback from self-generated movements. Specifically, recent studies claim that cortical activity is generated intrinsically, independent of movement [3, 4]. However, other studies claim that behavioral state moderates the relationship between movement and cortical activity [5-7]. Thus, perhaps inattention to behavioral state leads to failures to detect movement-driven activity [8]. Here, we resolve this issue by associating local field activity (i.e., spindle bursts) and unit activity in the barrel cortex of 5-day-old rats with whisker movements during wake and myoclonic twitches of the whiskers during active (REM) sleep. Barrel activity increased significantly within 500 ms of whisker movements, especially after twitches. Also, higher-amplitude movements were more likely to trigger barrel activity; when we controlled for movement amplitude, barrel activity was again greater after a twitch than a wake movement. We then inverted the analysis to assess the likelihood that increases in barrel activity were preceded within 500 ms by whisker movements: at least 55% of barrel activity was attributable to sensory feedback from whisker movements. Finally, when periods with and without movement were compared, 70%-75% of barrel activity was movement related. These results confirm the importance of sensory feedback from movements in driving activity in sensorimotor cortex and underscore the necessity of monitoring sleep-wake states to ensure accurate assessments of the contributions of the sensory periphery to activity in developing somatosensory cortex.
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80
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Hiramoto M, Cline HT. NMDARs Translate Sequential Temporal Information into Spatial Maps. iScience 2020; 23:101130. [PMID: 32480133 PMCID: PMC7262552 DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2020.101130] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/22/2020] [Revised: 03/20/2020] [Accepted: 04/28/2020] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Spatial representations of the sensory world are important for brain function. Timing is an essential component of sensory information. Many brain circuits transform the temporal sequence of input activity into spatial maps; however, the mechanisms underlying this transformation are unclear. Different N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor (NMDAR) response magnitudes result in synaptic potentiation or depression. We asked whether NMDAR response magnitude also affects the transformation of temporal information into directional spatial maps. We quantified retinotectal axon branch dynamics in Xenopus optic tectum in response to temporal sequences of visual stimulation. Reducing NMDAR responses by 50% inverts the spatial distribution of branch dynamics along the rostrocaudal axis in response to temporal patterns of input, suggesting that the magnitude of NMDAR signaling encodes the temporal sequence of inputs and translates the temporal code into a directional spatial map using structural plasticity-based branch dynamics. We discuss how this NMDAR-dependent decoding mechanism retrieves spatial information from sequential afferent activity. NMDAR response magnitude encodes the temporal sequence of inputs NMDAR mechanism decodes spatial information from sequential input activity NMDAR attenuation inverts the temporal to spatial transformation NMDAR activity alters the spatial distribution of dynamic and stable branches
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Affiliation(s)
- Masaki Hiramoto
- The Dorris Neuroscience Center, Department of Neuroscience, The Scripps Research Institute, 10550 North Torrey Pines Road, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA
| | - Hollis T Cline
- The Dorris Neuroscience Center, Department of Neuroscience, The Scripps Research Institute, 10550 North Torrey Pines Road, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA.
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81
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Cheyne JE, Montgomery JM. The cellular and molecular basis of in vivo synaptic plasticity in rodents. Am J Physiol Cell Physiol 2020; 318:C1264-C1283. [PMID: 32320288 DOI: 10.1152/ajpcell.00416.2019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/29/2023]
Abstract
Plasticity within the neuronal networks of the brain underlies the ability to learn and retain new information. The initial discovery of synaptic plasticity occurred by measuring synaptic strength in vivo, applying external stimulation and observing an increase in synaptic strength termed long-term potentiation (LTP). Many of the molecular pathways involved in LTP and other forms of synaptic plasticity were subsequently uncovered in vitro. Over the last few decades, technological advances in recording and imaging in live animals have seen many of these molecular mechanisms confirmed in vivo, including structural changes both pre- and postsynaptically, changes in synaptic strength, and changes in neuronal excitability. A well-studied aspect of neuronal plasticity is the capacity of the brain to adapt to its environment, gained by comparing the brains of deprived and experienced animals in vivo, and in direct response to sensory stimuli. Multiple in vivo studies have also strongly linked plastic changes to memory by interfering with the expression of plasticity and by manipulating memory engrams. Plasticity in vivo also occurs in the absence of any form of external stimulation, i.e., during spontaneous network activity occurring with brain development. However, there is still much to learn about how plasticity is induced during natural learning and how this is altered in neurological disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Juliette E Cheyne
- Department of Physiology and Centre for Brain Research, University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand
| | - Johanna M Montgomery
- Department of Physiology and Centre for Brain Research, University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand
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82
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Wang M, Yu Z, Li G, Yu X. Multiple Morphological Factors Underlie Experience-Dependent Cross-Modal Plasticity in the Developing Sensory Cortices. Cereb Cortex 2020; 30:2418-2433. [PMID: 31828301 DOI: 10.1093/cercor/bhz248] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/12/2019] [Revised: 08/21/2019] [Accepted: 09/18/2019] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Sensory experience regulates the structural and functional wiring of sensory cortices. In previous work, we showed that whisker deprivation (WD) from birth not only reduced excitatory synaptic transmission of layer (L) 2/3 pyramidal neurons of the correspondent barrel cortex in mice, but also cross-modally reduced synaptic transmission of L2/3 pyramidal neurons in other sensory cortices. Here, we used in utero electroporation, in combination with optical clearing, to examine the main morphological components regulating neural circuit wiring, namely presynaptic bouton density, spine density, as well as dendrite and axon arbor lengths. We found that WD from P0 to P14 reduced presynaptic bouton density in both L4 and L2/3 inputs to L2/3 pyramidal neurons, as well as spine density across the dendritic tree of L2/3 pyramidal neurons, in the barrel field of the primary somatosensory cortex. The cross-modal effects in the primary auditory cortex were manifested mostly as reduced dendrite and axon arbor size, as well as reduced bouton density of L2/3 inputs. Increasing sensory experience by rearing mice in an enriched environment rescued the effects of WD. Together, these results demonstrate that multiple morphological factors contribute to experience-dependent structural plasticity during early wiring of the sensory cortices.
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Affiliation(s)
- Miao Wang
- Institute of Neuroscience, State Key Laboratory of Neuroscience, CAS Center for Excellence in Brain Science and Intelligence Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 200031, China.,University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Zixian Yu
- Institute of Neuroscience, State Key Laboratory of Neuroscience, CAS Center for Excellence in Brain Science and Intelligence Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 200031, China.,University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Guangying Li
- Institute of Neuroscience, State Key Laboratory of Neuroscience, CAS Center for Excellence in Brain Science and Intelligence Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 200031, China
| | - Xiang Yu
- Institute of Neuroscience, State Key Laboratory of Neuroscience, CAS Center for Excellence in Brain Science and Intelligence Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 200031, China.,University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China.,School of Life Sciences, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China
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83
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Xu X, Hanganu-Opatz IL, Bieler M. Cross-Talk of Low-Level Sensory and High-Level Cognitive Processing: Development, Mechanisms, and Relevance for Cross-Modal Abilities of the Brain. Front Neurorobot 2020; 14:7. [PMID: 32116637 PMCID: PMC7034303 DOI: 10.3389/fnbot.2020.00007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/31/2019] [Accepted: 01/27/2020] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
The emergence of cross-modal learning capabilities requires the interaction of neural areas accounting for sensory and cognitive processing. Convergence of multiple sensory inputs is observed in low-level sensory cortices including primary somatosensory (S1), visual (V1), and auditory cortex (A1), as well as in high-level areas such as prefrontal cortex (PFC). Evidence shows that local neural activity and functional connectivity between sensory cortices participate in cross-modal processing. However, little is known about the functional interplay between neural areas underlying sensory and cognitive processing required for cross-modal learning capabilities across life. Here we review our current knowledge on the interdependence of low- and high-level cortices for the emergence of cross-modal processing in rodents. First, we summarize the mechanisms underlying the integration of multiple senses and how cross-modal processing in primary sensory cortices might be modified by top-down modulation of the PFC. Second, we examine the critical factors and developmental mechanisms that account for the interaction between neuronal networks involved in sensory and cognitive processing. Finally, we discuss the applicability and relevance of cross-modal processing for brain-inspired intelligent robotics. An in-depth understanding of the factors and mechanisms controlling cross-modal processing might inspire the refinement of robotic systems by better mimicking neural computations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaxia Xu
- Developmental Neurophysiology, Center for Molecular Neurobiology, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Ileana L Hanganu-Opatz
- Developmental Neurophysiology, Center for Molecular Neurobiology, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Malte Bieler
- Laboratory for Neural Computation, Institute of Basic Medical Sciences, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway
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84
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Cisneros-Franco JM, Voss P, Thomas ME, de Villers-Sidani E. Critical periods of brain development. HANDBOOK OF CLINICAL NEUROLOGY 2020; 173:75-88. [PMID: 32958196 DOI: 10.1016/b978-0-444-64150-2.00009-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/11/2023]
Abstract
Brain plasticity is maximal at specific time windows during early development known as critical periods (CPs), during which sensory experience is necessary to establish optimal cortical representations of the surrounding environment. After CP closure, a range of functional and structural elements prevent passive experience from eliciting significant plastic changes in the brain. The transition from a plastic to a more fixed state is advantageous as it allows for the sequential consolidation and retention of new and more complex perceptual, motor, and cognitive functions. However, the formation of stable neural representations may pose limitations on future revisions to the circuitry. If sensory experience is abnormal or absent during this time, it can have profound effects on sensory representations in adulthood, resulting in quasi-permanent adaptations that can make it nearly impossible to learn certain skills or process certain stimulus properties later on in life. This chapter begins with a brief introduction to experience-dependent plasticity throughout the lifespan (Section Introduction). Next, we define what constitutes a CP (Section What Are Critical Periods?) and review some of the key CPs in the visual and auditory systems (Section Key Critical Periods of Sensory Systems). We then discuss the mechanisms whereby cortical plasticity is regulated both locally and through neuromodulatory systems (Section How Are Critical Periods Regulated?). Finally, we highlight studies showing that CPs can be extended beyond their normal epochs, closed prematurely, or reopened during adult life by merely altering sensory inputs (Section Timing of Critical Periods: Can CP Plasticity Be Extended, Limited, or Reactivated?).
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Affiliation(s)
- J Miguel Cisneros-Franco
- Department of Neurology and Neurosurgery, Montreal Neurological Institute, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada; Centre for Research on Brain, Language and Music, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Patrice Voss
- Department of Neurology and Neurosurgery, Montreal Neurological Institute, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada; Centre for Research on Brain, Language and Music, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Maryse E Thomas
- Department of Neurology and Neurosurgery, Montreal Neurological Institute, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada; Centre for Research on Brain, Language and Music, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Etienne de Villers-Sidani
- Department of Neurology and Neurosurgery, Montreal Neurological Institute, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada; Centre for Research on Brain, Language and Music, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada.
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85
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The metabotropic glutamate receptor subtype 1 regulates development and maintenance of lemniscal synaptic connectivity in the somatosensory thalamus. PLoS One 2019; 14:e0226820. [PMID: 31881077 PMCID: PMC6934304 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0226820] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/20/2019] [Accepted: 12/05/2019] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
The metabotropic glutamate receptor subtype 1 (mGluR1) is a major subtype of group I mGluRs, which contributes to the development and plasticity of synapses in the brain. In the sensory thalamus, the thalamocortical neuron receives sensory afferents and massive feedback input from corticothalamic (CT) fibers. Notably, mGluR1 is more concentrated in CT synapses in the sensory thalamus. In the visual thalamus, mGluR1 maintains mature afferent synaptic connectivity. However, it is unknown whether mGluR1 contributes to strengthening of immature synapses or weakening of excess synapses during development and whether mGluR1 at CT synapses heterosynaptically regulates the development or refinement of afferent synapses. Here we investigated the effects of knocking out the gene encoding mGluR1 or pharmacologically blocking cortical activity on the development and maintenance of lemniscal synapses, i.e., the somatosensory afferent synapses, in the ventral posteromedial somatosensory thalamus. mGluR1-knockout (KO) mice exhibited delayed developmental strengthening as well as incomplete elimination and remodeling after maturation of lemniscal synapses. Similar to the phenotypes exhibited by mGluR1-KO mice, pharmacological blockade of somatosensory cortical activity from P12 or P21 for 1 week in wild-type mice perturbed elimination or maintenance of lemniscal synapses, respectively. The same manipulation in mGluR1-KO mice failed to induce additional abnormalities in lemniscal synaptic connectivity. These results suggest that activation of mGluR1, driven by CT input, regulates multiple stages of the development of lemniscal synapses, including strengthening, refinement, and maintenance in the somatosensory thalamus.
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86
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Vitalis T, Dauphinot L, Gressens P, Potier MC, Mariani J, Gaspar P. RORα Coordinates Thalamic and Cortical Maturation to Instruct Barrel Cortex Development. Cereb Cortex 2019; 28:3994-4007. [PMID: 29040410 DOI: 10.1093/cercor/bhx262] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The retinoic acid-related orphan receptor alpha (RORα) is well-known for its role in cerebellar development and maturation as revealed in staggerer mice. However, its potential involvement in the development of other brain regions has hardly been assessed. Here, we describe a new role of RORα in the development of primary somatosensory maps. Staggerer mice showed a complete disruption of barrels in the somatosensory cortex and of barreloids in the thalamus. This phenotype results from a severe reduction of thalamocortical axon (TCA) branching and a defective maturation of layer IV cortical neurons during postnatal development. Conditional deletion of RORα was conducted in the thalamus or the cortex to determine the specific contribution of RORα in each of these structures to these phenotypes. This showed that RORα is cell-autonomously required in the thalamus for the organization of TCAs into periphery-related clusters and in the somatosensory cortex for the dendritic maturation of layer IV neurons. Microarray analyses revealed that Sema7a, Neph, and Adcy8 are RORα regulated genes that could be implicated in TCA and cortical maturation. Overall, our study outlines a new role of RORα for the coordinated maturation of the somatosensory thalamus and cortex during the assembly of columnar barrel structures.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tania Vitalis
- PROTECT, INSERM, Université Paris Diderot, Sorbonne Paris Cité, Paris, France
- Université Pierre et Marie Curie, Sorbonne Université, Paris, France
| | - Luce Dauphinot
- Université Pierre et Marie Curie, Sorbonne Université, Paris, France
- CNRS UMR 7225, INSERM U1127, Institut du Cerveau et de la Moelle, Paris, France
| | - Pierre Gressens
- PROTECT, INSERM, Université Paris Diderot, Sorbonne Paris Cité, Paris, France
| | - Marie-Claude Potier
- Université Pierre et Marie Curie, Sorbonne Université, Paris, France
- CNRS UMR 7225, INSERM U1127, Institut du Cerveau et de la Moelle, Paris, France
| | - Jean Mariani
- Université Pierre et Marie Curie, Sorbonne Université, Paris, France
- CNRS, UMR 8256, Institut de Biologie de Paris Seine (IBPS), Biological adaptation and ageing (B2A), Team Brain Development, Repair and Ageing, Paris, France
- APHP, DHU FAST, Institut de la Longévité, Ivry-Sur-Seine, France
| | - Patricia Gaspar
- Université Pierre et Marie Curie, Sorbonne Université, Paris, France
- INSERM, UMR-S839, Institut du Fer à Moulin, Paris, France
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87
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Arakawa H. Sensorimotor developmental factors influencing the performance of laboratory rodents on learning and memory. Behav Brain Res 2019; 375:112140. [PMID: 31401145 PMCID: PMC6741784 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbr.2019.112140] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/10/2019] [Revised: 07/31/2019] [Accepted: 08/01/2019] [Indexed: 02/08/2023]
Abstract
Behavioral studies in animal models have advanced our knowledge of brain function and the neural mechanisms of human diseases. Commonly used laboratory rodents, such as mice and rats, provide a useful tool for studying the behaviors and mechanisms associated with learning and memory processes which are cooperatively regulated by multiple underlying factors, including sensory and motor performance and emotional/defense innate components. Each of these factors shows unique ontogeny and governs the sustainment of behavioral performance in learning tasks, and thus, understanding the integrative processes of behavioral development are crucial in the accurate interpretation of the functional meaning of learning and memory behaviors expressed in commonly employed behavioral test paradigms. In this review, we will summarize the major findings in the developmental processes of rodent behavior on the basis of the emergence of fundamental components for sustaining learning and memory behaviors. Briefly, most sensory modalities (except for vision) and motor abilities are functional at the juvenile stage, in which several defensive components, including active and passive defensive strategies and risk assessment behavior, emerge. Sex differences are detectable from the juvenile stage through adulthood and are considerable factors that influence behavioral tests. The test paradigms addressed in this review include associative learning (with an emphasis on fear conditioning), spatial learning, and recognition. This basic background information will aid in accurately performing behavioral studies in laboratory rodents and will therefore contribute to reducing inappropriate interpretations of behavioral data and further advance research on learning and memory in rodent models.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hiroyuki Arakawa
- Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, University of Maryland School of Medicine, 20 Penn St. HSF2/S251, Baltimore, MD, 21201, USA.
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88
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Kalambogias J, Chen CC, Khan S, Son T, Wercberger R, Headlam C, Lin C, Brumberg JC. Development and sensory experience dependent regulation of microglia in barrel cortex. J Comp Neurol 2019; 528:559-573. [PMID: 31502243 DOI: 10.1002/cne.24771] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/21/2019] [Revised: 08/21/2019] [Accepted: 09/02/2019] [Indexed: 01/09/2023]
Abstract
The barrel cortex is within the primary somatosensory cortex of the rodent, and processes signals from the vibrissae. Much focus has been devoted to the function of neurons, more recently, the role of glial cells in the processing of sensory input has gained increasing interest. Microglia are the principal immune cells of the nervous system that survey and regulate the cellular constituents of the dynamic nervous system. We investigated the normal and disrupted development of microglia in barrel cortex by chronically depriving sensory signals via whisker trimming for the animals' first postnatal month. Using immunohistochemistry to label microglia, we performed morphological reconstructions as well as densitometry analyses as a function of developmental age and sensory experience. Findings suggest that both developmental age and sensory experience has profound impact on microglia morphology. Following chronic sensory deprivation, microglia undergo a morphological transition from a monitoring or resting state to an altered morphological state, by exhibiting expanded cell body size and retracted processes. Sensory restoration via whisker regrowth returns these morphological alterations back to age-matched control values. Our results indicate that microglia may be recruited to participate in the modulation of neuronal structural remodeling during developmental critical periods and in response to alteration in sensory input.
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Affiliation(s)
- John Kalambogias
- Neuroscience Doctoral Subprogram (Biology), The Graduate Center, City University of New York, New York, New York
| | - Chia-Chien Chen
- Neuropsychology Doctoral Subprogram (Psychology), The Graduate Center, City University of New York, New York, New York.,Psychology Department, Queens College, City University of New York, Flushing, New York
| | - Safraz Khan
- Biology Department, Queens College, City University of New York, Flushing, New York
| | - Titus Son
- Neuroscience Major, Queens College, City University of New York, Flushing, New York
| | - Racheli Wercberger
- Neuroscience Major, Queens College, City University of New York, Flushing, New York
| | - Carolyn Headlam
- Psychology Department, Queens College, City University of New York, Flushing, New York
| | - Cindy Lin
- Psychology Department, Queens College, City University of New York, Flushing, New York
| | - Joshua C Brumberg
- Neuroscience Doctoral Subprogram (Biology), The Graduate Center, City University of New York, New York, New York.,Neuropsychology Doctoral Subprogram (Psychology), The Graduate Center, City University of New York, New York, New York.,Psychology Department, Queens College, City University of New York, Flushing, New York.,Neuroscience Major, Queens College, City University of New York, Flushing, New York
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89
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Huang JY, Lu HC. mGluR5 Tunes NGF/TrkA Signaling to Orient Spiny Stellate Neuron Dendrites Toward Thalamocortical Axons During Whisker-Barrel Map Formation. Cereb Cortex 2019; 28:1991-2006. [PMID: 28453662 DOI: 10.1093/cercor/bhx105] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/18/2016] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Neurons receive and integrate synaptic inputs at their dendrites, thus dendritic patterning shapes neural connectivity and behavior. Aberrant dendritogenesis is present in neurodevelopmental disorders such as Down's syndrome and autism. Abnormal glutamatergic signaling has been observed in these diseases, as has dysfunction of the metabotropic glutamate receptor 5 (mGluR5). Deleting mGluR5 in cortical glutamatergic neurons disrupted their coordinated dendritic outgrowth toward thalamocortical axons and perturbed somatosensory circuits. Here we show that mGluR5 loss-of-function disrupts dendritogenesis of cortical neurons by increasing mRNA levels of nerve growth factor (NGF) and fibroblast growth factor 10 (FGF10), in part through calcium-permeable AMPA receptors (CP-AMPARs), as the whisker-barrel map is forming. Postnatal NGF and FGF10 expression in cortical layer IV spiny stellate neurons differentially impacted dendritic patterns. Remarkably, NGF-expressing neurons exhibited dendritic patterns resembling mGluR5 knockout neurons: increased total dendritic length/complexity and reduced polarity. Furthermore, suppressing the kinase activity of TrkA, a major NGF receptor, prevents aberrant dendritic patterning in barrel cortex of mGluR5 knockout neurons. These results reveal novel roles for NGF-TrkA signaling and CP-AMPARs for proper dendritic development of cortical neurons. This is the first in vivo demonstration that cortical neuronal NGF expression modulates dendritic patterning during postnatal brain development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jui-Yen Huang
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, the Linda and Jack Gill Center for Biomolecular Sciences, Indiana University, Bloomington, IN 47405, USA.,The Cain Foundation Laboratories, Jan and Dan Duncan Neurological Research Institute at Texas Children's Hospital, Houston, TX 77030, USA.,Department of Pediatrics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Hui-Chen Lu
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, the Linda and Jack Gill Center for Biomolecular Sciences, Indiana University, Bloomington, IN 47405, USA.,The Cain Foundation Laboratories, Jan and Dan Duncan Neurological Research Institute at Texas Children's Hospital, Houston, TX 77030, USA.,Department of Pediatrics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA
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90
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Smirnov K, Sitnikova E. Developmental milestones and behavior of infant rats: The role of sensory input from whiskers. Behav Brain Res 2019; 374:112143. [PMID: 31398362 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbr.2019.112143] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/18/2019] [Revised: 08/05/2019] [Accepted: 08/05/2019] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
Developmental milestones are behavioral and physical skills which are considered as markers of neurodevelopment. In rodents, sensory input from whiskers plays a crucial role in development of brain functions. Development of whisker system in rats includes the early period of passive whisker touch (PN1-8) before the onset of coordinated whisker movements which underlie active sensing. Inasmuch as transitioning from passive to active sensing requires a strong sensorimotor integration, we assume that the effect of whisker deprivation during the period of passive touch is unfavorable for neurodevelopment, but deprivation after the onset of active sensing might elicit less harmful effect due to compensatory neuroplalstic changes. Here we examined the effect of complete whisker trimming (WT) in WAG/Rij rats during PN1-8 and PN9-16 (active sensing) on achieving developmental milestones (e.g., eyelid opening, walking, self-grooming, rearing activity, physical maturation of forelimbs), locomotor activity and body weight. Control groups underwent sham trimming during the same periods. WT during PN1-8 caused a delay in achieving all investigated milestones, but WT during PN9-16 delayed only self-grooming. Both WT/sham trimming during PN9-16 caused a delay in explorative behavior, but accelerated self-grooming. These changes are likely to link with the effect of manipulations during PN9-16 in previously unhandled pups, but not specifically with WT. In general, developmental milestones appeared to be an informative tool to access neurodevelopment in rat pups and might have a translational value for studying developmental disorders during early life.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kirill Smirnov
- Institute of Higher Nervous Activity and Neurophysiology of Russian Academy of Sciences, Butlerova str., 5A, Moscow, 117485, Russia.
| | - Evgenia Sitnikova
- Institute of Higher Nervous Activity and Neurophysiology of Russian Academy of Sciences, Butlerova str., 5A, Moscow, 117485, Russia
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91
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Rogers-Carter MM, Christianson JP. An insular view of the social decision-making network. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2019; 103:119-132. [PMID: 31194999 PMCID: PMC6699879 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2019.06.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 52] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/10/2019] [Revised: 05/24/2019] [Accepted: 06/08/2019] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Social animals must detect, evaluate and respond to the emotional states of other individuals in their group. A constellation of gestures, vocalizations, and chemosignals enable animals to convey affect and arousal to others in nuanced, multisensory ways. Observers integrate social information with environmental and internal factors to select behavioral responses to others via a process call social decision-making. The Social Decision Making Network (SDMN) is a system of brain structures and neurochemicals that are conserved across species (mammals, reptiles, amphibians, birds) that are the proximal mediators of most social behaviors. However, how sensory information reaches the SDMN to shape behavioral responses during a social encounter is not well known. Here we review the empirical data that demonstrate the necessity of sensory systems in detecting social stimuli, as well as the anatomical connectivity of sensory systems with each node of the SDMN. We conclude that the insular cortex is positioned to link integrated social sensory cues to this network to produce flexible and appropriate behavioral responses to socioemotional cues.
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Affiliation(s)
- Morgan M Rogers-Carter
- Department of Psychology, McGuinn Rm 300, Boston College, 140 Commonwealth Ave, Chestnut Hill, MA, 02467, USA.
| | - John P Christianson
- Department of Psychology, McGuinn Rm 300, Boston College, 140 Commonwealth Ave, Chestnut Hill, MA, 02467, USA.
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92
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Singh MB, White JA, McKimm EJ, Milosevic MM, Antic SD. Mechanisms of Spontaneous Electrical Activity in the Developing Cerebral Cortex-Mouse Subplate Zone. Cereb Cortex 2019; 29:3363-3379. [PMID: 30169554 PMCID: PMC7963116 DOI: 10.1093/cercor/bhy205] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/03/2018] [Revised: 06/28/2018] [Accepted: 08/05/2018] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Subplate (SP) neurons exhibit spontaneous plateau depolarizations mediated by connexin hemichannels. Postnatal (P1-P6) mice show identical voltage pattern and drug-sensitivity as observed in slices from human fetal cortex; indicating that the mouse is a useful model for studying the cellular physiology of the developing neocortex. In mouse SP neurons, spontaneous plateau depolarizations were insensitive to blockers of: synaptic transmission (glutamatergic, GABAergic, or glycinergic), pannexins (probenecid), or calcium channels (mibefradil, verapamil, diltiazem); while highly sensitive to blockers of gap junctions (octanol), hemichannels (La3+, lindane, Gd3+), or glial metabolism (DLFC). Application of La3+ (100 μM) does not exert its effect on electrical activity by blocking calcium channels. Intracellular application of Gd3+ determined that Gd3+-sensitive pores (putative connexin hemichannels) reside on the membrane of SP neurons. Immunostaining of cortical sections (P1-P6) detected connexins 26, and 45 in neurons, but not connexins 32 and 36. Vimentin-positive glial cells were detected in the SP zone suggesting a potential physiological interaction between SP neurons and radial glia. SP spontaneous activity was reduced by blocking glial metabolism with DFLC or by blocking purinergic receptors by PPADS. Connexin hemichannels and ATP release from vimentin-positive glial cells may underlie spontaneous plateau depolarizations in the developing mammalian cortex.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mandakini B Singh
- Institute for Systems Genomics, Stem Cell Institute, Department of Neuroscience, UConn Health, Farmington, CT, USA
| | - Jesse A White
- Institute for Systems Genomics, Stem Cell Institute, Department of Neuroscience, UConn Health, Farmington, CT, USA
| | - Eric J McKimm
- Institute for Systems Genomics, Stem Cell Institute, Department of Neuroscience, UConn Health, Farmington, CT, USA
| | - Milena M Milosevic
- Institute for Systems Genomics, Stem Cell Institute, Department of Neuroscience, UConn Health, Farmington, CT, USA
| | - Srdjan D Antic
- Institute for Systems Genomics, Stem Cell Institute, Department of Neuroscience, UConn Health, Farmington, CT, USA
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93
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Pyrroloquinoline quinone improves abnormal functional development of whisker-mediated tactile perception and social behaviors caused by neonatal whisker trimming. Neurosci Lett 2019; 705:67-73. [DOI: 10.1016/j.neulet.2019.04.040] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/19/2019] [Revised: 04/11/2019] [Accepted: 04/20/2019] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
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94
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Gunner G, Cheadle L, Johnson KM, Ayata P, Badimon A, Mondo E, Nagy MA, Liu L, Bemiller SM, Kim KW, Lira SA, Lamb BT, Tapper AR, Ransohoff RM, Greenberg ME, Schaefer A, Schafer DP. Sensory lesioning induces microglial synapse elimination via ADAM10 and fractalkine signaling. Nat Neurosci 2019; 22:1075-1088. [PMID: 31209379 PMCID: PMC6596419 DOI: 10.1038/s41593-019-0419-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 177] [Impact Index Per Article: 35.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/22/2018] [Accepted: 05/02/2019] [Indexed: 01/25/2023]
Abstract
Microglia rapidly respond to changes in neural activity and inflammation to regulate synaptic connectivity. The extracellular signals, particularly neuron-derived molecules, that drive these microglial functions at synapses remains a key open question. Here, whisker lesioning, known to dampen cortical activity, induces microglia-mediated synapse elimination. We show that this synapse elimination is dependent on the microglial fractalkine receptor, CX3CR1, but not complement receptor 3, signaling. Further, mice deficient in the CX3CR1 ligand (CX3CL1) also have profound defects in synapse elimination. Single-cell RNAseq then revealed that Cx3cl1 is cortical neuron-derived and Adam10, a metalloprotease that cleaves CX3CL1 into a secreted form, is upregulated specifically in layer IV neurons and microglia following whisker lesioning. Finally, inhibition of Adam10 phenocopies Cx3cr1−/− and Cx3cl1−/− synapse elimination defects. Together, these results identify novel neuron-to-microglia signaling necessary for cortical synaptic remodeling and reveal context-dependent immune mechanisms are utilized to remodel synapses in the mammalian brain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Georgia Gunner
- Department of Neurobiology, Brudnick Neuropsychiatric Research Institute, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, MA, USA
| | - Lucas Cheadle
- Department of Neurobiology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Kasey M Johnson
- Department of Neurobiology, Brudnick Neuropsychiatric Research Institute, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, MA, USA
| | - Pinar Ayata
- Fishberg Department of Neuroscience, Department of Psychiatry, Friedman Brain Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA.,Ronald M. Loeb Center for Alzheimer's Disease, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
| | - Ana Badimon
- Fishberg Department of Neuroscience, Department of Psychiatry, Friedman Brain Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
| | - Erica Mondo
- Department of Neurobiology, Brudnick Neuropsychiatric Research Institute, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, MA, USA
| | - M Aurel Nagy
- Department of Neurobiology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Liwang Liu
- Department of Neurobiology, Brudnick Neuropsychiatric Research Institute, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, MA, USA
| | - Shane M Bemiller
- Stark Neurosciences Research Institute, Indiana University, Indianapolis, IN, USA
| | - Ki-Wook Kim
- Department of Pharmacology and Center for Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine, University of Illinois College of Medicine, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Sergio A Lira
- Precision Immunology Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
| | - Bruce T Lamb
- Stark Neurosciences Research Institute, Indiana University, Indianapolis, IN, USA
| | - Andrew R Tapper
- Department of Neurobiology, Brudnick Neuropsychiatric Research Institute, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, MA, USA
| | | | | | - Anne Schaefer
- Fishberg Department of Neuroscience, Department of Psychiatry, Friedman Brain Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA.,Ronald M. Loeb Center for Alzheimer's Disease, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
| | - Dorothy P Schafer
- Department of Neurobiology, Brudnick Neuropsychiatric Research Institute, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, MA, USA.
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95
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Verma V, Paul A, Amrapali Vishwanath A, Vaidya B, Clement JP. Understanding intellectual disability and autism spectrum disorders from common mouse models: synapses to behaviour. Open Biol 2019; 9:180265. [PMID: 31185809 PMCID: PMC6597757 DOI: 10.1098/rsob.180265] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Normal brain development is highly dependent on the timely coordinated actions of genetic and environmental processes, and an aberration can lead to neurodevelopmental disorders (NDDs). Intellectual disability (ID) and autism spectrum disorders (ASDs) are a group of co-occurring NDDs that affect between 3% and 5% of the world population, thus presenting a great challenge to society. This problem calls for the need to understand the pathobiology of these disorders and to design new therapeutic strategies. One approach towards this has been the development of multiple analogous mouse models. This review discusses studies conducted in the mouse models of five major monogenic causes of ID and ASDs: Fmr1, Syngap1, Mecp2, Shank2/3 and Neuroligins/Neurnexins. These studies reveal that, despite having a diverse molecular origin, the effects of these mutations converge onto similar or related aetiological pathways, consequently giving rise to the typical phenotype of cognitive, social and emotional deficits that are characteristic of ID and ASDs. This convergence, therefore, highlights common pathological nodes that can be targeted for therapy. Other than conventional therapeutic strategies such as non-pharmacological corrective methods and symptomatic alleviation, multiple studies in mouse models have successfully proved the possibility of pharmacological and genetic therapy enabling functional recovery.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vijaya Verma
- Neuroscience Unit, Jawaharlal Nehru Centre for Advanced Scientific Research , Jakkur, Bengaluru 560 064, Karnataka, India
| | - Abhik Paul
- Neuroscience Unit, Jawaharlal Nehru Centre for Advanced Scientific Research , Jakkur, Bengaluru 560 064, Karnataka, India
| | - Anjali Amrapali Vishwanath
- Neuroscience Unit, Jawaharlal Nehru Centre for Advanced Scientific Research , Jakkur, Bengaluru 560 064, Karnataka, India
| | - Bhupesh Vaidya
- Neuroscience Unit, Jawaharlal Nehru Centre for Advanced Scientific Research , Jakkur, Bengaluru 560 064, Karnataka, India
| | - James P Clement
- Neuroscience Unit, Jawaharlal Nehru Centre for Advanced Scientific Research , Jakkur, Bengaluru 560 064, Karnataka, India
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96
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexandre Tiriac
- Department of Molecular and Cell Biology and Helen Wills Neuroscience Institute, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA, USA
| | - Marla B Feller
- Department of Molecular and Cell Biology and Helen Wills Neuroscience Institute, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA, USA.
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97
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Antón-Bolaños N, Sempere-Ferràndez A, Guillamón-Vivancos T, Martini FJ, Pérez-Saiz L, Gezelius H, Filipchuk A, Valdeolmillos M, López-Bendito G. Prenatal activity from thalamic neurons governs the emergence of functional cortical maps in mice. Science 2019; 364:987-990. [PMID: 31048552 DOI: 10.1126/science.aav7617] [Citation(s) in RCA: 92] [Impact Index Per Article: 18.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/12/2018] [Revised: 03/22/2019] [Accepted: 04/23/2019] [Indexed: 11/02/2022]
Abstract
The mammalian brain's somatosensory cortex is a topographic map of the body's sensory experience. In mice, cortical barrels reflect whisker input. We asked whether these cortical structures require sensory input to develop or are driven by intrinsic activity. Thalamocortical columns, connecting the thalamus to the cortex, emerge before sensory input and concur with calcium waves in the embryonic thalamus. We show that the columnar organization of the thalamocortical somatotopic map exists in the mouse embryo before sensory input, thus linking spontaneous embryonic thalamic activity to somatosensory map formation. Without thalamic calcium waves, cortical circuits become hyperexcitable, columnar and barrel organization does not emerge, and the somatosensory map lacks anatomical and functional structure. Thus, a self-organized protomap in the embryonic thalamus drives the functional assembly of murine thalamocortical sensory circuits.
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Affiliation(s)
- Noelia Antón-Bolaños
- Instituto de Neurociencias de Alicante, Universidad Miguel Hernández-Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (UMH-CSIC), Sant Joan d'Alacant, Spain
| | - Alejandro Sempere-Ferràndez
- Instituto de Neurociencias de Alicante, Universidad Miguel Hernández-Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (UMH-CSIC), Sant Joan d'Alacant, Spain
| | - Teresa Guillamón-Vivancos
- Instituto de Neurociencias de Alicante, Universidad Miguel Hernández-Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (UMH-CSIC), Sant Joan d'Alacant, Spain
| | - Francisco J Martini
- Instituto de Neurociencias de Alicante, Universidad Miguel Hernández-Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (UMH-CSIC), Sant Joan d'Alacant, Spain
| | - Leticia Pérez-Saiz
- Instituto de Neurociencias de Alicante, Universidad Miguel Hernández-Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (UMH-CSIC), Sant Joan d'Alacant, Spain
| | - Henrik Gezelius
- Instituto de Neurociencias de Alicante, Universidad Miguel Hernández-Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (UMH-CSIC), Sant Joan d'Alacant, Spain
| | - Anton Filipchuk
- Instituto de Neurociencias de Alicante, Universidad Miguel Hernández-Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (UMH-CSIC), Sant Joan d'Alacant, Spain
| | - Miguel Valdeolmillos
- Instituto de Neurociencias de Alicante, Universidad Miguel Hernández-Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (UMH-CSIC), Sant Joan d'Alacant, Spain
| | - Guillermina López-Bendito
- Instituto de Neurociencias de Alicante, Universidad Miguel Hernández-Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (UMH-CSIC), Sant Joan d'Alacant, Spain.
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98
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LaMantia A. The strengths of the genetic approach to understanding neural systems development and function: Ray Guillery's synthesis. Eur J Neurosci 2019; 49:888-899. [PMID: 29883004 PMCID: PMC6369024 DOI: 10.1111/ejn.13985] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/10/2018] [Revised: 05/04/2018] [Accepted: 05/23/2018] [Indexed: 12/29/2022]
Abstract
The organization and function of sensory systems, especially the mammalian visual system, has been the focus of philosophers and scientists for centuries-from Descartes and Newton onward. Nevertheless, the utility of understanding development and its genetic foundations for deeper insight into neural function has been debated: Do you need to know how something is assembled-a car, for example-to understand how it works or how to use it-to turn on the ignition and drive? This review addresses this issue for sensory pathways. The pioneering work of the late Rainer W. (Ray) Guillery provides an unequivocal answer to this central question: Using genetics for mechanistic exploration of sensory system development yields essential knowledge of organization and function. Ray truly built the foundation for this now accepted tenet of modern neuroscience. His work on the development and reorganization of visual pathways in albino mammals-all with primary genetic mutations in genes for pigmentation-defined the genetic approach to neural systems development, function and plasticity. The work that followed his lead in a variety of sensory systems, including my own work in the developing olfactory system, proceeds directly from Ray's fundamental contributions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anthony‐Samuel LaMantia
- Institute for Neuroscience and Department of Anatomy and Cell BiologyThe George Washington University School of Medicine and Health SciencesWashingtonDistrict of Columbia
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99
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Mizuno H, Ikezoe K, Nakazawa S, Sato T, Kitamura K, Iwasato T. Patchwork-Type Spontaneous Activity in Neonatal Barrel Cortex Layer 4 Transmitted via Thalamocortical Projections. Cell Rep 2019; 22:123-135. [PMID: 29298415 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2017.12.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 58] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/10/2017] [Revised: 10/22/2017] [Accepted: 12/01/2017] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Establishment of precise neuronal connectivity in the neocortex relies on activity-dependent circuit reorganization during postnatal development; however, the nature of cortical activity during this period remains largely unknown. Using two-photon calcium imaging of the barrel cortex in vivo during the first postnatal week, we reveal that layer 4 (L4) neurons within the same barrel fire synchronously in the absence of peripheral stimulation, creating a "patchwork" pattern of spontaneous activity corresponding to the barrel map. By generating transgenic mice expressing GCaMP6s in thalamocortical axons, we show that thalamocortical axons also demonstrate the spontaneous patchwork activity pattern. Patchwork activity is diminished by peripheral anesthesia but is mostly independent of self-generated whisker movements. The patchwork activity pattern largely disappeared during postnatal week 2, as even L4 neurons within the same barrel tended to fire asynchronously. This spontaneous L4 activity pattern has features suitable for thalamocortical (TC) circuit refinement in the neonatal barrel cortex.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hidenobu Mizuno
- Division of Neurogenetics, National Institute of Genetics, Mishima 411-8540, Japan; Department of Genetics, SOKENDAI (The Graduate University for Advanced Studies), Mishima 411-8540, Japan.
| | - Koji Ikezoe
- Department of Neurophysiology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Yamanashi, Chuo, Yamanashi 409-3898, Japan
| | - Shingo Nakazawa
- Division of Neurogenetics, National Institute of Genetics, Mishima 411-8540, Japan; Department of Genetics, SOKENDAI (The Graduate University for Advanced Studies), Mishima 411-8540, Japan
| | - Takuya Sato
- Division of Neurogenetics, National Institute of Genetics, Mishima 411-8540, Japan
| | - Kazuo Kitamura
- Department of Neurophysiology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Yamanashi, Chuo, Yamanashi 409-3898, Japan
| | - Takuji Iwasato
- Division of Neurogenetics, National Institute of Genetics, Mishima 411-8540, Japan; Department of Genetics, SOKENDAI (The Graduate University for Advanced Studies), Mishima 411-8540, Japan.
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100
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Repeated touch and needle-prick stimulation in the neonatal period increases the baseline mechanical sensitivity and postinjury hypersensitivity of adult spinal sensory neurons. Pain 2019. [PMID: 29528964 PMCID: PMC5959002 DOI: 10.1097/j.pain.0000000000001201] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Neonatal abnormal noxious and tactile stimulations facilitate the activity of spinal neurons, which leads to an altered somatosensory and pain phenotype in adulthood. Noxious stimulation at critical stages of development has long-term consequences on somatosensory processing in later life, but it is not known whether this developmental plasticity is restricted to nociceptive pathways. Here, we investigate the effect of repeated neonatal noxious or innocuous hind paw stimulation on adult spinal dorsal horn cutaneous mechanical sensitivity. Neonatal Sprague-Dawley rats of both sexes received 4 unilateral left hind paw needle pricks (NPs, n = 13) or 4 tactile (cotton swab touch) stimuli, per day (TC, n = 11) for the first 7 days of life. Control pups were left undisturbed (n = 17). When adult (6-8 weeks), lumbar wide-dynamic-range neuron activity in laminae III-V was recorded using in vivo extracellular single-unit electrophysiology. Spike activity evoked by cutaneous dynamic tactile (brush), pinch and punctate (von Frey hair) stimulation, and plantar receptive field areas were recorded, at baseline and 2 and 5 days after left plantar hind paw incision. Baseline brush receptive fields, von Frey hair, and pinch sensitivity were significantly enhanced in adult NP and TC animals compared with undisturbed controls, although effects were greatest in NP rats. After incision, injury sensitivity of adult wide-dynamic-range neurons to both noxious and dynamic tactile hypersensitivity was significantly greater in NP animals compared with TC and undisturbed controls. We conclude that both repeated touch and needle-prick stimulation in the neonatal period can alter adult spinal sensory neuron sensitivity to both innocuous and noxious mechanical stimulation. Thus, spinal sensory circuits underlying touch and pain processing are shaped by a range of early-life somatosensory experiences.
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