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Bastos-Gonçalves R, Coimbra B, Rodrigues AJ. The mesopontine tegmentum in reward and aversion: From cellular heterogeneity to behaviour. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2024; 162:105702. [PMID: 38718986 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2024.105702] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/29/2023] [Revised: 04/06/2024] [Accepted: 05/01/2024] [Indexed: 05/18/2024]
Abstract
The mesopontine tegmentum, comprising the pedunculopontine tegmentum (PPN) and the laterodorsal tegmentum (LDT), is intricately connected to various regions of the basal ganglia, motor systems, and limbic systems. The PPN and LDT can regulate the activity of different brain regions of these target systems, and in this way are in a privileged position to modulate motivated behaviours. Despite recent findings, the PPN and LDT have been largely overlooked in discussions about the neural circuits associated with reward and aversion. This review aims to provide a timely and comprehensive resource on past and current research, highlighting the PPN and LDT's connectivity and influence on basal ganglia and limbic, and motor systems. Seminal studies, including lesion, pharmacological, and optogenetic/chemogenetic approaches, demonstrate their critical roles in modulating reward/aversive behaviours. The review emphasizes the need for further investigation into the associated cellular mechanisms, in order to clarify their role in behaviour and contribution for different neuropsychiatric disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ricardo Bastos-Gonçalves
- Life and Health Sciences Research Institute (ICVS), School of Medicine, University of Minho, Braga, Portugal; ICVS/3B's-PT Government Associate Laboratory, Braga/Guimarães, Portugal
| | - Bárbara Coimbra
- Life and Health Sciences Research Institute (ICVS), School of Medicine, University of Minho, Braga, Portugal; ICVS/3B's-PT Government Associate Laboratory, Braga/Guimarães, Portugal.
| | - Ana João Rodrigues
- Life and Health Sciences Research Institute (ICVS), School of Medicine, University of Minho, Braga, Portugal; ICVS/3B's-PT Government Associate Laboratory, Braga/Guimarães, Portugal.
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2
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Juárez Tello A, van der Zouwen CI, Dejas L, Duque-Yate J, Boutin J, Medina-Ortiz K, Suresh JS, Swiegers J, Sarret P, Ryczko D. Dopamine-sensitive neurons in the mesencephalic locomotor region control locomotion initiation, stop, and turns. Cell Rep 2024; 43:114187. [PMID: 38722743 PMCID: PMC11157412 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2024.114187] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/20/2023] [Revised: 03/31/2024] [Accepted: 04/17/2024] [Indexed: 06/01/2024] Open
Abstract
The locomotor role of dopaminergic neurons is traditionally attributed to their ascending projections to the basal ganglia, which project to the mesencephalic locomotor region (MLR). In addition, descending dopaminergic projections to the MLR are present from basal vertebrates to mammals. However, the neurons targeted in the MLR and their behavioral role are unknown in mammals. Here, we identify genetically defined MLR cells that express D1 or D2 receptors and control different motor behaviors in mice. In the cuneiform nucleus, D1-expressing neurons promote locomotion, while D2-expressing neurons stop locomotion. In the pedunculopontine nucleus, D1-expressing neurons promote locomotion, while D2-expressing neurons evoke ipsilateral turns. Using RNAscope, we show that MLR dopamine-sensitive neurons comprise a combination of glutamatergic, GABAergic, and cholinergic neurons, suggesting that different neurotransmitter-based cell types work together to control distinct behavioral modules. Altogether, our study uncovers behaviorally relevant cell types in the mammalian MLR based on the expression of dopaminergic receptors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrea Juárez Tello
- Département de Pharmacologie-Physiologie, Faculté de médecine et des sciences de la santé, Université de Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, QC, Canada
| | - Cornelis Immanuel van der Zouwen
- Département de Pharmacologie-Physiologie, Faculté de médecine et des sciences de la santé, Université de Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, QC, Canada
| | - Léonie Dejas
- Département de Pharmacologie-Physiologie, Faculté de médecine et des sciences de la santé, Université de Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, QC, Canada
| | - Juan Duque-Yate
- Département de Pharmacologie-Physiologie, Faculté de médecine et des sciences de la santé, Université de Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, QC, Canada
| | - Joël Boutin
- Département de Pharmacologie-Physiologie, Faculté de médecine et des sciences de la santé, Université de Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, QC, Canada
| | - Katherine Medina-Ortiz
- Département de Pharmacologie-Physiologie, Faculté de médecine et des sciences de la santé, Université de Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, QC, Canada
| | - Jacinthlyn Sylvia Suresh
- Département de Pharmacologie-Physiologie, Faculté de médecine et des sciences de la santé, Université de Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, QC, Canada
| | - Jordan Swiegers
- Département de Pharmacologie-Physiologie, Faculté de médecine et des sciences de la santé, Université de Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, QC, Canada
| | - Philippe Sarret
- Département de Pharmacologie-Physiologie, Faculté de médecine et des sciences de la santé, Université de Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, QC, Canada; Centre de recherche du Centre Hospitalier Universitaire de Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, QC, Canada; Neurosciences Sherbrooke, Institut de Pharmacologie de Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, QC, Canada
| | - Dimitri Ryczko
- Département de Pharmacologie-Physiologie, Faculté de médecine et des sciences de la santé, Université de Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, QC, Canada; Centre de recherche du Centre Hospitalier Universitaire de Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, QC, Canada; Neurosciences Sherbrooke, Institut de Pharmacologie de Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, QC, Canada.
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Coulombe V, Goetz L, Bhattacharjee M, Gould PV, Saikali S, Takech MA, Philippe É, Parent A, Parent M. Cholinergic and Nadph-δ neurons in the pedunculopontine and laterodorsal tegmental nuclei of human and nonhuman primates. J Comp Neurol 2024; 532:e25570. [PMID: 38108576 DOI: 10.1002/cne.25570] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/14/2023] [Revised: 09/25/2023] [Accepted: 11/24/2023] [Indexed: 12/19/2023]
Abstract
The brainstem pedunculopontine (PPN) and laterodorsal tegmental (LDTg) nuclei are involved in multifarious activities, including motor control. Yet, their exact cytoarchitectural boundaries are still uncertain. We therefore initiated a comparative study of the topographical and neurochemical organization of the PPN and LDTg in cynomolgus monkeys (Macaca fascicularis) and humans. The distribution and morphological characteristics of neurons expressing choline acetyltransferase (ChAT) and/or nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate diaphorase (Nadph-δ) were documented. The number and density of the labeled neurons were obtained by stringent stereological methods, whereas their topographical distribution was reported upon corresponding magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) planes. In both human and nonhuman primates, the PPN and LDTg are populated by three neurochemically distinct types of neurons (ChAT-/Nadph-δ+, ChAT+/Nadph-δ-, and ChAT+/Nadph-δ+), which are distributed according to a complex spatial interplay. Three-dimensional reconstructions reveal that ChAT+ neurons in the PPN and LDTg form a continuum with some overlaps with pigmented neurons of the locus coeruleus, dorsally, and of the substantia nigra (SN) complex, ventrally. The ChAT+ neurons in the PPN and LDTg are -two to three times more numerous in humans than in monkeys but their density is -three to five times higher in monkeys than in humans. Neurons expressing both ChAT and Nadph-δ have a larger cell body and a longer primary dendritic arbor than singly labeled neurons. Stereological quantification reveals that 25.6% of ChAT+ neurons in the monkey PPN are devoid of Nadph-δ staining, a finding that questions the reliability of Nadph-δ as a marker for cholinergic neurons in primate brainstem.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Laurent Goetz
- Hôpital Fondation Rothschild, Neurochirurgie pédiatrique - Unité Parkinson, Paris, France
| | - Manik Bhattacharjee
- Grenoble Institut des Neurosciences, Université Grenoble Alpes, Inserm, Grenoble, France
- CNRS, UMR, Grenoble INP, TIMC, Grenoble, France
| | - Peter V Gould
- Hôpital de L'Enfant-Jésus, CHU de Québec-Université Laval, Quebec City, QC, Canada
| | - Stephan Saikali
- Hôpital de L'Enfant-Jésus, CHU de Québec-Université Laval, Quebec City, QC, Canada
| | | | - Éric Philippe
- Laboratoire d'Anatomie, Université Laval, Quebec City, QC, Canada
| | - André Parent
- CERVO Brain Research Center, Quebec City, QC, Canada
| | - Martin Parent
- CERVO Brain Research Center, Quebec City, QC, Canada
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Li J, Hu R, Tan W, Li J, Huang W, Wang Z. Activation of glutamatergic neurones in the pedunculopontine tegmental nucleus promotes cortical activation and behavioural emergence from sevoflurane-induced unconsciousness in mice. Br J Anaesth 2024; 132:320-333. [PMID: 37953203 DOI: 10.1016/j.bja.2023.08.033] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/21/2022] [Revised: 07/30/2023] [Accepted: 08/26/2023] [Indexed: 11/14/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The neural mechanisms underlying sevoflurane-induced loss of consciousness and recovery of consciousness after anaesthesia remain unknown. We investigated whether glutamatergic pedunculopontine tegmental nucleus (PPT) neurones are involved in the regulation of states of consciousness under sevoflurane anaesthesia. METHODS In vivo fibre photometry combined with electroencephalography (EEG)/electromyography recording was used to record changes in the activity of glutamatergic PPT neurones under sevoflurane anaesthesia. Chemogenetic and cortical EEG recordings were used to explore their roles in the induction of and emergence from sevoflurane anaesthesia. Optogenetic methods combined with EEG recordings were used to explore the roles of glutamatergic PPT neurones and of the PPT-ventral tegmental area pathway in maintenance of anaesthesia. RESULTS The population activity of glutamatergic PPT neurones was reduced before sevoflurane-induced loss of righting reflex and gradually recovered after return of righting reflex. Chemogenetic inhibition of glutamatergic PPT neurones accelerated induction of anaesthesia (hM4Di-CNO vs mCherry-CNO, 76 [17] vs 121 [27] s, P<0.0001) and delayed emergence from sevoflurane anaesthesia (278 [98] vs 145 [53] s, P<0.0001) but increased sevoflurane sensitivity. Optogenetic stimulation of glutamatergic PPT neurons or of the PPT-ventral tegmental area pathway promoted cortical activation and behavioural emergence during steady-state sevoflurane anaesthesia, reduced the depth of anaesthesia, and caused cortical arousal during sevoflurane-induced EEG burst suppression. CONCLUSIONS Glutamatergic PPT neurones regulate induction and emergence of sevoflurane anaesthesia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiayan Li
- Department of Anaesthesiology, The First Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Rong Hu
- Department of Anaesthesiology, The First Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Wulin Tan
- Department of Anaesthesiology, The First Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Jing Li
- Department of Anaesthesiology, The First Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Wenqi Huang
- Department of Anaesthesiology, The First Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China.
| | - Zhongxing Wang
- Department of Anaesthesiology, The First Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China.
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Morgenstern NA, Esposito MS. The Basal Ganglia and Mesencephalic Locomotor Region Connectivity Matrix. Curr Neuropharmacol 2024; 22:1454-1472. [PMID: 37559244 PMCID: PMC11097982 DOI: 10.2174/1570159x21666230809112840] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/09/2022] [Revised: 02/16/2023] [Accepted: 02/23/2023] [Indexed: 08/11/2023] Open
Abstract
Although classically considered a relay station for basal ganglia (BG) output, the anatomy, connectivity, and function of the mesencephalic locomotor region (MLR) were redefined during the last two decades. In striking opposition to what was initially thought, MLR and BG are actually reciprocally and intimately interconnected. New viral-based, optogenetic, and mapping technologies revealed that cholinergic, glutamatergic, and GABAergic neurons coexist in this structure, which, in addition to extending descending projections, send long-range ascending fibers to the BG. These MLR projections to the BG convey motor and non-motor information to specific synaptic targets throughout different nuclei. Moreover, MLR efferent fibers originate from precise neuronal subpopulations located in particular MLR subregions, defining independent anatomo-functional subcircuits involved in particular aspects of animal behavior such as fast locomotion, explorative locomotion, posture, forelimb- related movements, speed, reinforcement, among others. In this review, we revised the literature produced during the last decade linking MLR and BG. We conclude that the classic framework considering the MLR as a homogeneous output structure passively receiving input from the BG needs to be revisited. We propose instead that the multiple subcircuits embedded in this region should be taken as independent entities that convey relevant and specific ascending information to the BG and, thus, actively participate in the execution and tuning of behavior.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicolás A. Morgenstern
- Champalimaud Research, Champalimaud Foundation, Lisbon, Portugal
- Faculty of Medicine, University of Lisbon, Instituto De Medicina Molecular João Lobo Antunes, Lisbon, Portugal
| | - Maria S. Esposito
- Department of Medical Physics, Centro Atomico Bariloche, CNEA, CONICET, Av. Bustillo 9500, San Carlos de Bariloche, Rio Negro, Argentina
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Luo Y, Li Y, Yuan J. The regulation of the pedunculopontine tegmental nucleus in sleep-wake states. Sleep Biol Rhythms 2024; 22:5-11. [PMID: 38469582 PMCID: PMC10900045 DOI: 10.1007/s41105-023-00489-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/20/2022] [Accepted: 09/06/2023] [Indexed: 03/13/2024]
Abstract
The pedunculopontine tegmental nucleus (PPTg) plays a vital role in sleep/wake states. There are three main kinds of heterogeneous neurons involved: cholinergic, glutamatergic, and gamma-aminobutyric acidergic (GABAergic) neurons. However, the precise roles of cholinergic, glutamatergic and GABAergic PPTg cell groups in regulating sleep-wake are unknown. Recent work suggests that the cholinergic, glutamatergic, and GABAergic neurons of the PPTg may activate the main arousal-promoting nucleus, thus exerting their wakefulness effects. We review the related projection pathways and functions of various neurons of the PPTg, especially the mechanisms of the PPTg in sleep-wake, thus providing new perspectives for research of sleep-wake mechanisms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yiting Luo
- Department of Anesthesiology, The Affiliated Hospital of Zunyi Medical University, No.149 Dalian Road, Huichuan District, Zunyi, 563000 Guizhou China
- Department of Pain Medicine, Affiliated Hospital of Zunyi Medical University, Zunyi, 563000 Guizhou China
| | - Ying Li
- Department of Anesthesiology, The Affiliated Hospital of Zunyi Medical University, No.149 Dalian Road, Huichuan District, Zunyi, 563000 Guizhou China
- Department of Pain Medicine, Affiliated Hospital of Zunyi Medical University, Zunyi, 563000 Guizhou China
| | - Jie Yuan
- Department of Anesthesiology, The Affiliated Hospital of Zunyi Medical University, No.149 Dalian Road, Huichuan District, Zunyi, 563000 Guizhou China
- Department of Pain Medicine, Affiliated Hospital of Zunyi Medical University, Zunyi, 563000 Guizhou China
- Guizhou Key Laboratory of Anesthesia and Organ Protection, Zunyi Medical University, Zunyin, China
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7
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Goñi-Erro H, Selvan R, Caggiano V, Leiras R, Kiehn O. Pedunculopontine Chx10 + neurons control global motor arrest in mice. Nat Neurosci 2023; 26:1516-1528. [PMID: 37501003 PMCID: PMC10471498 DOI: 10.1038/s41593-023-01396-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/21/2022] [Accepted: 06/22/2023] [Indexed: 07/29/2023]
Abstract
Arrest of ongoing movements is an integral part of executing motor programs. Behavioral arrest may happen upon termination of a variety of goal-directed movements or as a global motor arrest either in the context of fear or in response to salient environmental cues. The neuronal circuits that bridge with the executive motor circuits to implement a global motor arrest are poorly understood. We report the discovery that the activation of glutamatergic Chx10-derived neurons in the pedunculopontine nucleus (PPN) in mice arrests all ongoing movements while simultaneously causing apnea and bradycardia. This global motor arrest has a pause-and-play pattern with an instantaneous interruption of movement followed by a short-latency continuation from where it was paused. Mice naturally perform arrest bouts with the same combination of motor and autonomic features. The Chx10-PPN-evoked arrest is different to ventrolateral periaqueductal gray-induced freezing. Our study defines a motor command that induces a global motor arrest, which may be recruited in response to salient environmental cues to allow for a preparatory or arousal state, and identifies a locomotor-opposing role for rostrally biased glutamatergic neurons in the PPN.
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Affiliation(s)
- Haizea Goñi-Erro
- Department of Neuroscience, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Raghavendra Selvan
- Department of Neuroscience, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
- Department of Computer Science, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Vittorio Caggiano
- Department of Neuroscience, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
- Meta AI Research, New York, NY, USA
| | - Roberto Leiras
- Department of Neuroscience, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark.
| | - Ole Kiehn
- Department of Neuroscience, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark.
- Department of Neuroscience, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden.
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de Oliveira RP, Yokoyama T, Cardoso Thomaz LDS, de Andrade JS, Santos ADA, de Carvalho Mendonça V, Rosentock T, Carrera M, Medeiros P, Cruz FC, Coimbra NC, Silva RCB. Prepulse inhibition of the acoustic startle reflex impairment by 5-HT2A receptor activation in the inferior colliculusis prevented by GABAA receptor blockade in the pedunculopontine tegmental nucleus. Behav Brain Res 2023; 448:114436. [PMID: 37061200 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbr.2023.114436] [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: 11/22/2022] [Revised: 04/10/2023] [Accepted: 04/10/2023] [Indexed: 04/17/2023]
Abstract
The relationship between serotonin dysfunction and schizophrenia commenced with the discovery of the effects of lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD) that has high affinity for 5-HT2A receptors. Activation of these receptors produces perceptual and behavioural changes such as illusions, visual hallucinations and locomotor hyperactivity. Using prepulse inhibition (PPI) of the acoustic startle, which is impaired in schizophrenia,we aimed to investigate:i) the existence of a direct and potentially inhibitory neural pathway between the inferior colliculus (IC) and the pedunculopontine tegmental nucleus (PPTg) involved in the mediation of PPI responses by a neural tract tracing procedure;ii) if the microinjection of the 5-HT2A receptors agonist DOI in IC would activate neurons in this structure and in the PPTg by a c-Fos protein immunohistochemistry study;iii) whether the deficits in PPI responses, observed after the administration of DOI in the IC, could be prevented by the concomitant microinjection of the GABAA receptor antagonist bicuculline in the PPTg.Male Wistar rats were used in this study. An IC-PPTg reciprocated neuronal pathway was identified by neurotracing. The number of c-Fos labelled cells was lower in the DOI group in IC and PPTg, suggesting that this decrease could be due to the high levels of GABA in both structures. The concomitant microinjections of bicuculline in PPTg and DOI in IC prevented the PPI deficit observed after the IC microinjection of DOI. Ourfindings suggest that IC 5-HT2A receptors may be at least partially involved in the regulation of inhibitory pathways mediating PPI response in IC and PPTg structures.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rodolpho Pereira de Oliveira
- Laboratory of Psychobiology of Schizophrenia, Departmentof Biosciences, Federal University of São Paulo (UNIFESP), Silva Jardim Street 136, Santos, 11015-020, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Thais Yokoyama
- Department of Pharmacology, - Federal University of São Paulo (UNIFESP), São Paulo-SP, 04023-062, Brazil
| | - Lucas de Santana Cardoso Thomaz
- Laboratory of Psychobiology of Schizophrenia, Departmentof Biosciences, Federal University of São Paulo (UNIFESP), Silva Jardim Street 136, Santos, 11015-020, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - José Simões de Andrade
- Laboratory of Psychobiology of Schizophrenia, Departmentof Biosciences, Federal University of São Paulo (UNIFESP), Silva Jardim Street 136, Santos, 11015-020, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Alexia Dos Anjos Santos
- Department of Pharmacology, - Federal University of São Paulo (UNIFESP), São Paulo-SP, 04023-062, Brazil
| | - Vinícius de Carvalho Mendonça
- Laboratory of Psychobiology of Schizophrenia, Departmentof Biosciences, Federal University of São Paulo (UNIFESP), Silva Jardim Street 136, Santos, 11015-020, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Tatiana Rosentock
- Sygnature Discovery, Department of Bioscience, BioCity, Pennyfoot Street, Nottingham, NG1 1GR, United Kingdom
| | - Marinete Carrera
- Behavioral Pharmacology Group, Laboratory of Animal Morphology and Pathology, State University of North Fluminense Darcy Ribeiro, Avenida Alberto Lamego, 2000, Campos dos Goytacazes, 28013-602, RJ, Brazil
| | - Priscila Medeiros
- Laboratory of Neuroanatomy and Neuropsychobiology, Department of Pharmacology, RibeirãoPreto Medical School of the Univertsity of São Paulo (FMRP-USP), Av. Bandeirantes, 30900, RibeirãoPreto, 14049-900, São Paulo, Brazil; Laboratory of Neurosciences of Pain & Emotion, Department of Surgery and Anatomy, FMRP-USP, Av. Bandeirantes, 3900, Ribeirão Preto, 14049-900, São Paulo, Brazil; InstituteofNeuroscienceandBehavior (INeC), Av. do Café, 2450, Monte Alegre, Ribeirão Preto, 14050-220, São Paulo, Brazil; Interdisciplinary Center for PainCare, Federal Universityof São Carlos (UFSCar), Universidade Federal de São Carlos, Rodovia Washington Luiz, Km 235, Caixa Postal 676, CEP 13565-905, SP, Brazil; Department of General and Specialized Nursing - EERP/USP RibeirãoPreto College of Nursing - USP
| | - Fábio Cardoso Cruz
- Department of Pharmacology, - Federal University of São Paulo (UNIFESP), São Paulo-SP, 04023-062, Brazil
| | - Norberto Cysne Coimbra
- Laboratory of Neuroanatomy and Neuropsychobiology, Department of Pharmacology, RibeirãoPreto Medical School of the Univertsity of São Paulo (FMRP-USP), Av. Bandeirantes, 30900, RibeirãoPreto, 14049-900, São Paulo, Brazil; Laboratory of Neurosciences of Pain & Emotion, Department of Surgery and Anatomy, FMRP-USP, Av. Bandeirantes, 3900, Ribeirão Preto, 14049-900, São Paulo, Brazil; InstituteofNeuroscienceandBehavior (INeC), Av. do Café, 2450, Monte Alegre, Ribeirão Preto, 14050-220, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Regina Cláudia Barbosa Silva
- Laboratory of Psychobiology of Schizophrenia, Departmentof Biosciences, Federal University of São Paulo (UNIFESP), Silva Jardim Street 136, Santos, 11015-020, São Paulo, Brazil; InstituteofNeuroscienceandBehavior (INeC), Av. do Café, 2450, Monte Alegre, Ribeirão Preto, 14050-220, São Paulo, Brazil.
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9
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Lacroix-Ouellette P, Dubuc R. Brainstem neural mechanisms controlling locomotion with special reference to basal vertebrates. Front Neural Circuits 2023; 17:910207. [PMID: 37063386 PMCID: PMC10098025 DOI: 10.3389/fncir.2023.910207] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/01/2022] [Accepted: 03/13/2023] [Indexed: 04/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Over the last 60 years, the basic neural circuitry responsible for the supraspinal control of locomotion has progressively been uncovered. Initially, significant progress was made in identifying the different supraspinal structures controlling locomotion in mammals as well as some of the underlying mechanisms. It became clear, however, that the complexity of the mammalian central nervous system (CNS) prevented researchers from characterizing the detailed cellular mechanisms involved and that animal models with a simpler nervous system were needed. Basal vertebrate species such as lampreys, xenopus embryos, and zebrafish became models of choice. More recently, optogenetic approaches have considerably revived interest in mammalian models. The mesencephalic locomotor region (MLR) is an important brainstem region known to control locomotion in all vertebrate species examined to date. It controls locomotion through intermediary cells in the hindbrain, the reticulospinal neurons (RSNs). The MLR comprises populations of cholinergic and glutamatergic neurons and their specific contribution to the control of locomotion is not fully resolved yet. Moreover, the downward projections from the MLR to RSNs is still not fully understood. Reporting on discoveries made in different animal models, this review article focuses on the MLR, its projections to RSNs, and the contribution of these neural elements to the control of locomotion. Excellent and detailed reviews on the brainstem control of locomotion have been recently published with emphasis on mammalian species. The present review article focuses on findings made in basal vertebrates such as the lamprey, to help direct new research in mammals, including humans.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Réjean Dubuc
- Department of Neurosciences, Université de Montréal, Montréal, QC, Canada
- Department of Physical Activity Sciences, Université du Québec à Montréal, Montréal, QC, Canada
- Research Group for Adapted Physical Activity, Université du Québec à Montréal, Montréal, QC, Canada
- *Correspondence: Réjean Dubuc,
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10
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Roussel M, Lafrance-Zoubga D, Josset N, Lemieux M, Bretzner F. Functional contribution of mesencephalic locomotor region nuclei to locomotor recovery after spinal cord injury. Cell Rep Med 2023; 4:100946. [PMID: 36812893 PMCID: PMC9975330 DOI: 10.1016/j.xcrm.2023.100946] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/23/2022] [Revised: 12/09/2022] [Accepted: 01/23/2023] [Indexed: 02/23/2023]
Abstract
Spinal cord injury (SCI) results in a disruption of information between the brain and the spinal circuit. Electrical stimulation of the mesencephalic locomotor region (MLR) can promote locomotor recovery in acute and chronic SCI rodent models. Although clinical trials are currently under way, there is still debate about the organization of this supraspinal center and which anatomic correlate of the MLR should be targeted to promote recovery. Combining kinematics, electromyographic recordings, anatomic analysis, and mouse genetics, our study reveals that glutamatergic neurons of the cuneiform nucleus contribute to locomotor recovery by enhancing motor efficacy in hindlimb muscles, and by increasing locomotor rhythm and speed on a treadmill, over ground, and during swimming in chronic SCI mice. In contrast, glutamatergic neurons of the pedunculopontine nucleus slow down locomotion. Therefore, our study identifies the cuneiform nucleus and its glutamatergic neurons as a therapeutical target to improve locomotor recovery in patients living with SCI.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marie Roussel
- Centre de Recherche du CHU de Québec, CHUL-Neurosciences, 2705 Boul. Laurier, Québec, QC G1V 4G2, Canada
| | - David Lafrance-Zoubga
- Centre de Recherche du CHU de Québec, CHUL-Neurosciences, 2705 Boul. Laurier, Québec, QC G1V 4G2, Canada
| | - Nicolas Josset
- Centre de Recherche du CHU de Québec, CHUL-Neurosciences, 2705 Boul. Laurier, Québec, QC G1V 4G2, Canada
| | - Maxime Lemieux
- Centre de Recherche du CHU de Québec, CHUL-Neurosciences, 2705 Boul. Laurier, Québec, QC G1V 4G2, Canada
| | - Frederic Bretzner
- Centre de Recherche du CHU de Québec, CHUL-Neurosciences, 2705 Boul. Laurier, Québec, QC G1V 4G2, Canada; Faculty of Medicine, Department of Psychiatry and Neurosciences, Université Laval, Québec, QC G1V 4G2, Canada.
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11
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Behavioral Reaction and c-fos Expression after Opioids Injection into the Pedunculopontine Tegmental Nucleus and Electrical Stimulation of the Ventral Tegmental Area. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 24:ijms24010512. [PMID: 36613953 PMCID: PMC9820701 DOI: 10.3390/ijms24010512] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/21/2022] [Revised: 12/18/2022] [Accepted: 12/22/2022] [Indexed: 12/29/2022] Open
Abstract
The pedunculopontine tegmental nucleus (PPN) regulates the activity of dopaminergic cells in the ventral tegmental area (VTA). In this study, the role of opioid receptors (OR) in the PPN on motivated behaviors was investigated by using a model of feeding induced by electrical VTA-stimulation (Es-VTA) in rats (male Wistar; n = 91). We found that the OR excitation by morphine and their blocking by naloxone within the PPN caused a change in the analyzed motivational behavior and neuronal activation. The opioid injections into the PPN resulted in a marked, dose-dependent increase/decrease in latency to feeding response (FR), which corresponded with increased neuronal activity (c-Fos protein), in most of the analyzed brain structures. Morphine dosed at 1.25/1.5 µg into the PPN significantly reduced behavior induced by Es-VTA, whereas morphine dosed at 0.25/0.5 µg into the PPN did not affect this behavior. The opposite effect was observed after the naloxone injection into the PPN, where its lowest doses of 2.5/5.0 μg shortened the FR latency. However, its highest dose of 25.0 μg into the PPN nucleus did not cause FR latency changes. In conclusion, the level of OR arousal in the PPN can modulate the activity of the reward system.
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12
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Kroeger D, Thundercliffe J, Phung A, De Luca R, Geraci C, Bragg S, McCafferty KJ, Bandaru SS, Arrigoni E, Scammell TE. Glutamatergic pedunculopontine tegmental neurons control wakefulness and locomotion via distinct axonal projections. Sleep 2022; 45:zsac242. [PMID: 36170177 PMCID: PMC9742893 DOI: 10.1093/sleep/zsac242] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/03/2021] [Revised: 09/02/2022] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
STUDY OBJECTIVES The pedunculopontine tegmental (PPT) nucleus is implicated in many brain functions, ranging from sleep/wake control and locomotion, to reward mechanisms and learning. The PPT contains cholinergic, GABAergic, and glutamatergic neurons with extensive ascending and descending axonal projections. Glutamatergic PPT (PPTvGlut2) neurons are thought to promote wakefulness, but the mechanisms through which this occurs are unknown. In addition, some researchers propose that PPTvGlut2 neurons promote locomotion, yet even though the PPT is a target for deep brain stimulation in Parkinson's disease, the role of the PPT in locomotion is debated. We hypothesized that PPTvGluT2 neurons drive arousal and specific waking behaviors via certain projections and modulate locomotion via others. METHODS We mapped the axonal projections of PPTvGlut2 neurons using conditional anterograde tracing and then photostimulated PPTvGlut2 soma or their axon terminal fields across sleep/wake states and analyzed sleep/wake behavior, muscle activity, and locomotion in transgenic mice. RESULTS We found that stimulation of PPTvGlut2 soma and their axon terminals rapidly triggered arousals from non-rapid eye movement sleep, especially with activation of terminals in the basal forebrain (BF) and lateral hypothalamus (LH). With photoactivation of PPTvGlut2 terminals in the BF and LH, this wakefulness was accompanied by locomotion and other active behaviors, but stimulation of PPTvGlut2 soma and terminals in the substantia nigra triggered only quiet wakefulness without locomotion. CONCLUSIONS These findings demonstrate the importance of the PPTvGluT2 neurons in driving various aspects of arousal and show that heterogeneous brain nuclei, such as the PPT, can promote a variety of behaviors via distinct axonal projections.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel Kroeger
- Department of Neurology, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center and Division of Sleep Medicine, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
- Department of Anatomy, Physiology, and Pharmacology, Auburn University, Auburn, AL, USA
| | - Jack Thundercliffe
- Department of Neurology, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center and Division of Sleep Medicine, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Alex Phung
- Department of Neurology, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center and Division of Sleep Medicine, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Roberto De Luca
- Department of Neurology, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center and Division of Sleep Medicine, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Carolyn Geraci
- Department of Neurology, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center and Division of Sleep Medicine, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Samuel Bragg
- Department of Neurology, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center and Division of Sleep Medicine, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Kayleen J McCafferty
- Department of Anatomy, Physiology, and Pharmacology, Auburn University, Auburn, AL, USA
| | - Sathyajit S Bandaru
- Department of Neurology, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center and Division of Sleep Medicine, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Elda Arrigoni
- Department of Neurology, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center and Division of Sleep Medicine, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Thomas E Scammell
- Department of Neurology, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center and Division of Sleep Medicine, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
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13
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Lin M, Wang Y, Wang Y, Chen F. Electrical activation of the pedunculopontine tegmental nucleus modulates the neuronal activities of the subthalamic nucleus and the substantia nigra pars reticulata in anesthetized rats. J Neurosci Res 2022; 100:2090-2106. [DOI: 10.1002/jnr.25117] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/09/2022] [Revised: 06/28/2022] [Accepted: 07/24/2022] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Muxin Lin
- Bio‐X Institutes, Key Laboratory for the Genetics of Developmental and Neuropsychiatric Disorders, Ministry of Education Shanghai Jiao Tong University Shanghai China
- Exercise, Health and Technology Centre, Department of Physical Education Shanghai Jiao Tong University Shanghai China
| | - Ying Wang
- Core Research Facilities Southern University of Science and Technology Shenzhen China
| | - Yi Wang
- Enlight Medical Technologies (Shanghai) Co., Ltd. Shanghai China
| | - Fujun Chen
- Bio‐X Institutes, Key Laboratory for the Genetics of Developmental and Neuropsychiatric Disorders, Ministry of Education Shanghai Jiao Tong University Shanghai China
- Exercise, Health and Technology Centre, Department of Physical Education Shanghai Jiao Tong University Shanghai China
- WLA Laboratories, World Laureates Association Shanghai China
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14
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Shafei MN, Fakharzadeh Moghaddam O, Alikhani V, Mohebbati R. The possible role of pedunculopontine tegmental nucleus (PPT) opioid receptors in the cardiovascular responses in normotensive and hemorrhagic hypotensive rats. Clin Exp Hypertens 2022; 44:366-371. [PMID: 35261308 DOI: 10.1080/10641963.2022.2050744] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/03/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The pedunculopontine tegmental nucleus (PPT) is involved in cardiovascular regulation. The presence of mu (μ) opioid receptors in the PPT nucleus has been determined. In the present study, the role of this nucleus in normotensive conditions and then the role of these receptors on cardiovascular function in hypotension induced by hemorrhage (HEM) were investigated. METHOD Animals were divided into the following groups: Group 1: control, Group 2: HEM, Group 3: morphine at dose 100 nmol (a general opioid receptor agonist), Group 4: naloxone at dose 100 nmol (a general opioid receptor antagonist), Group 5: morphine + HEM, and Group 6: naloxone + HEM. After anesthesia, two femoral arteries were cannulated to record the cardiovascular parameters and blood withdrawal. Two minutes after induction of HEM, drugs were injected into the nucleus, and cardiovascular parameters were measured. Changes (Δ) in cardiovascular responses due to drug injection and HEM were calculated and compared to control and HEM groups. RESULTS HEM significantly reduced changes in systolic and mean arterial pressures and increased heart rate changes compared to control. Morphine microinjection in normotensive and HEM rats significantly decreased systolic blood pressure, mean arterial pressure, and heart rate, and naloxone significantly increased all these parameters. CONCLUSION This study showed that the PPT nucleus plays a role in modulating the cardiovascular responses induced by HEM. The µ opioid receptor of the PPT nucleus in the normotensive and HEM rats have inhibitory effects on blood pressure and heart rate mainly, and these effects are eliminated by naloxone microinjection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mohammad Naser Shafei
- Applied Biomedical Research Center, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran
| | | | - Vida Alikhani
- Department of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran
| | - Reza Mohebbati
- Applied Biomedical Research Center, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran
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15
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Masini D, Kiehn O. Targeted activation of midbrain neurons restores locomotor function in mouse models of parkinsonism. Nat Commun 2022; 13:504. [PMID: 35082287 PMCID: PMC8791953 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-022-28075-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/25/2021] [Accepted: 01/07/2022] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Abstract
The pedunculopontine nucleus (PPN) is a locomotor command area containing glutamatergic neurons that control locomotor initiation and maintenance. These motor actions are deficient in Parkinson’s disease (PD), where dopaminergic neurodegeneration alters basal ganglia activity. Being downstream of the basal ganglia, the PPN may be a suitable target for ameliorating parkinsonian motor symptoms. Here, we use in vivo cell-type specific PPN activation to restore motor function in two mouse models of parkinsonism made by acute pharmacological blockage of dopamine transmission. With a combination of chemo- and opto-genetics, we show that excitation of caudal glutamatergic PPN neurons can normalize the otherwise severe locomotor deficit in PD, whereas targeting the local GABAergic population only leads to recovery of slow locomotion. The motor rescue driven by glutamatergic PPN activation is independent of activity in nearby locomotor promoting glutamatergic Cuneiform neurons. Our observations point to caudal glutamatergic PPN neurons as a potential target for neuromodulatory restoration of locomotor function in PD. Here, the authors use cell-type specific stimulation of brainstem neurons within the caudal pedunculopontine nucleus to show that activation of excitatory neurons can normalize severe locomotor deficit in mouse models of parkinsonism. The study defines a potential target for neuromodulatory restoration of locomotor function in Parkinson’s disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Débora Masini
- Department of Neuroscience, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Blegdamsvej 3B, 2200, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Ole Kiehn
- Department of Neuroscience, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Blegdamsvej 3B, 2200, Copenhagen, Denmark. .,Department of Neuroscience, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden.
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16
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Luquin E, Paternain B, Zugasti I, Santomá C, Mengual E. Stereological estimations and neurochemical characterization of neurons expressing GABAA and GABAB receptors in the rat pedunculopontine and laterodorsal tegmental nuclei. Brain Struct Funct 2022; 227:89-110. [PMID: 34510281 PMCID: PMC8741722 DOI: 10.1007/s00429-021-02375-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/23/2020] [Accepted: 08/31/2021] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
To better understand GABAergic transmission at two targets of basal ganglia downstream projections, the pedunculopontine (PPN) and laterodorsal (LDT) tegmental nuclei, the anatomical localization of GABAA and GABAB receptors was investigated in both nuclei. Specifically, the total number of neurons expressing the GABAA receptor γ2 subunit (GABAAR γ2) and the GABAB receptor R2 subunit (GABAB R2) in PPN and LDT was estimated using stereological methods, and the neurochemical phenotype of cells expressing each subunit was also determined. The mean number of non-cholinergic cells expressing GABAAR γ2 was 9850 ± 1856 in the PPN and 8285 ± 962 in the LDT, whereas those expressing GABAB R2 were 7310 ± 1970 and 9170 ± 1900 in the PPN and LDT, respectively. In addition, all cholinergic neurons in both nuclei co-expressed GABAAR γ2 and 95-98% of them co-expressed GABAB R2. Triple labeling using in situ hybridization revealed that 77% of GAD67 mRNA-positive cells in the PPT and 49% in the LDT expressed GABAAR γ2, while 90% (PPN) and 65% (LDT) of Vglut2 mRNA-positive cells also expressed GABAAR γ2. In contrast, a similar proportion (~2/3) of glutamatergic and GABAergic cells co-expressed GABAB R2 in both nuclei. The heterogeneous distribution of GABAAR and GABABR among non-cholinergic cells in PPN and LDT may give rise to physiological differences within each neurochemical subpopulation. In addition, the dissimilar proportion of GABAAR γ2-expressing glutamatergic and GABAergic neurons in the PPN and LDT may contribute to some of the functional differences found between the two nuclei.
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Affiliation(s)
- Esther Luquin
- Department of Pathology, Anatomy, and Physiology, School of Medicine, University of Navarra, Ed. Los Castaños, Irunlarrea 1, 31008 Pamplona, Spain
- IdiSNA, Navarra Institute for Health Research, 31008 Pamplona, Spain
| | - Beatriz Paternain
- Department of Pathology, Anatomy, and Physiology, School of Medicine, University of Navarra, Ed. Los Castaños, Irunlarrea 1, 31008 Pamplona, Spain
- IdiSNA, Navarra Institute for Health Research, 31008 Pamplona, Spain
| | - Inés Zugasti
- Department of Pathology, Anatomy, and Physiology, School of Medicine, University of Navarra, Ed. Los Castaños, Irunlarrea 1, 31008 Pamplona, Spain
- IdiSNA, Navarra Institute for Health Research, 31008 Pamplona, Spain
| | - Carmen Santomá
- Department of Pathology, Anatomy, and Physiology, School of Medicine, University of Navarra, Ed. Los Castaños, Irunlarrea 1, 31008 Pamplona, Spain
- IdiSNA, Navarra Institute for Health Research, 31008 Pamplona, Spain
| | - Elisa Mengual
- Department of Pathology, Anatomy, and Physiology, School of Medicine, University of Navarra, Ed. Los Castaños, Irunlarrea 1, 31008 Pamplona, Spain
- IdiSNA, Navarra Institute for Health Research, 31008 Pamplona, Spain
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17
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King G, Veros KM, MacLaren DAA, Leigh MPK, Spernyak JA, Clark SD. Human wildtype tau expression in cholinergic pedunculopontine tegmental neurons is sufficient to produce PSP-like behavioural deficits and neuropathology. Eur J Neurosci 2021; 54:7688-7709. [PMID: 34668254 DOI: 10.1111/ejn.15496] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/18/2021] [Revised: 09/30/2021] [Accepted: 10/12/2021] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
Progressive Supranuclear Palsy (PSP) is the most common atypical parkinsonism and exhibits hallmark symptomology including motor function impairment and dysexecutive dementia. In contrast to Parkinson's disease, the underlying pathology displays aggregation of the protein tau, which is also seen in disorders such as Alzheimer's disease. Currently, there are no pharmacological treatments for PSP, and drug discovery efforts are hindered by the lack of an animal model specific to PSP. Based on previous results and clinical pathology, it was hypothesized that viral deposition of tau in cholinergic neurons within the hindbrain would produce a tauopathy along neural connections to produce PSP-like symptomology and pathology. By using a combination of ChAT-CRE rats and CRE-dependent AAV vectors, wildtype human tau (the PSP-relevant 1N4R isoform; hTau) was expressed in hindbrain cholinergic neurons. Compared to control subjects (GFP), rats with tau expression displayed deficits in a variety of behavioural paradigms: acoustic startle reflex, marble burying, horizontal ladder and hindlimb motor reflex. Postmortem, the hTau rats had significantly reduced number of cholinergic pedunculopontine tegmentum and dopaminergic substantia nigra neurons, as well as abnormal tau deposits. This preclinical model has multiple points of convergence with the clinical features of PSP, some of which distinguish between PSP and Parkinson's disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gabriella King
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, University at Buffalo, Buffalo, New York, USA
| | - Kaliana M Veros
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, University at Buffalo, Buffalo, New York, USA
| | | | | | - Joseph A Spernyak
- Department of Cell Stress Biology, Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center, Buffalo, New York, USA
| | - Stewart D Clark
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, University at Buffalo, Buffalo, New York, USA
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18
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Effects of aging on the cholinergic innervation of the rat ventral tegmental area: A stereological study. Exp Gerontol 2021; 148:111298. [PMID: 33652122 DOI: 10.1016/j.exger.2021.111298] [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: 07/01/2020] [Revised: 02/12/2021] [Accepted: 02/22/2021] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
Dopamine neurons in the ventral tegmental area (VTA) play a main role in processing both rewarding and aversive stimuli, and their response to salient stimuli is significantly shaped by afferents originating in the brainstem cholinergic nuclei. Aging is associated with a decline in dopaminergic activity and reduced response to positive reinforcement. We have used stereological techniques to examine, in adult and aged rats, the dopaminergic neurons and the cholinergic innervation of the VTA, and the cholinergic populations of the pedunculopontine tegmental (PPT) and laterodorsal tegmental (LDT) nuclei, which are the only source of cholinergic inputs to the VTA. In the VTA, there were no age-related variations in the number and size of tyrosine hydroxylase (TH)-immunoreactive neurons, but the density of cholinergic varicosities was reduced in aged rats. The total number of choline acetyltransferase (ChAT)-immunoreactive neurons in the PPT and LDT was unchanged, but their somas were hypertrophied in aged rats. Our results suggest that dysfunction of the cholinergic system might contribute for the age-associated deterioration of the brain reward system.
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19
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Henrich MT, Geibl FF, Lakshminarasimhan H, Stegmann A, Giasson BI, Mao X, Dawson VL, Dawson TM, Oertel WH, Surmeier DJ. Determinants of seeding and spreading of α-synuclein pathology in the brain. SCIENCE ADVANCES 2020; 6:eabc2487. [PMID: 33177086 PMCID: PMC7673735 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.abc2487] [Citation(s) in RCA: 48] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/16/2020] [Accepted: 09/22/2020] [Indexed: 05/22/2023]
Abstract
In Parkinson's disease (PD), fibrillar forms of α-synuclein are hypothesized to propagate through synaptically coupled networks, causing Lewy pathology (LP) and neurodegeneration. To more rigorously characterize the determinants of spreading, preformed α-synuclein fibrils were injected into the mouse pedunculopontine nucleus (PPN), a brain region that manifests LP in PD patients and the distribution of developing α-synuclein pathology compared to that ascertained by anterograde and retrograde connectomic mapping. Within the PPN, α-synuclein pathology was cell-specific, being robust in PD-vulnerable cholinergic neurons but not in neighboring noncholinergic neurons. While nearly all neurons projecting to PPN cholinergics manifested α-synuclein pathology, the kinetics, magnitude, and persistence of the propagated pathology were unrelated to the strength of those connections. Thus, neuronal phenotype governs the somatodendritic uptake of pathological α-synuclein, and while the afferent connectome restricts the subsequent spreading of pathology, its magnitude and persistence is not a strict function of the strength of coupling.
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Affiliation(s)
- Martin T Henrich
- Department of Physiology, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL 60611, USA
- Department of Neurology, Philipps University Marburg, Marburg 35043, Germany
| | - Fanni F Geibl
- Department of Neurology, Philipps University Marburg, Marburg 35043, Germany
| | - Harini Lakshminarasimhan
- Department of Physiology, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL 60611, USA
| | - Anna Stegmann
- Department of Neurology, Philipps University Marburg, Marburg 35043, Germany
| | - Benoit I Giasson
- Department of Neuroscience, Center for Translational Research in Neurodegenerative Disease, McKnight Brain Institute, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32610, USA
| | - Xiaobo Mao
- Neuroregeneration and Stem Cell Programs, Institute for Cell Engineering, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
- Department of Neurology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
| | - Valina L Dawson
- Neuroregeneration and Stem Cell Programs, Institute for Cell Engineering, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
- Department of Neurology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
- Solomon H. Snyder Department of Neuroscience, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
- Department of Physiology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
| | - Ted M Dawson
- Neuroregeneration and Stem Cell Programs, Institute for Cell Engineering, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
- Department of Neurology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
- Solomon H. Snyder Department of Neuroscience, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
- Department of Pharmacology and Molecular Sciences, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, 21205, USA
| | - Wolfgang H Oertel
- Department of Neurology, Philipps University Marburg, Marburg 35043, Germany
| | - D James Surmeier
- Department of Physiology, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL 60611, USA.
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20
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Chang SJ, Cajigas I, Opris I, Guest JD, Noga BR. Dissecting Brainstem Locomotor Circuits: Converging Evidence for Cuneiform Nucleus Stimulation. Front Syst Neurosci 2020; 14:64. [PMID: 32973468 PMCID: PMC7473103 DOI: 10.3389/fnsys.2020.00064] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/17/2020] [Accepted: 08/03/2020] [Indexed: 01/06/2023] Open
Abstract
There are a pressing and unmet need for effective therapies for freezing of gait (FOG) and other neurological gait disorders. Deep brain stimulation (DBS) of a midbrain target known as the pedunculopontine nucleus (PPN) was proposed as a potential treatment based on its postulated involvement in locomotor control as part of the mesencephalic locomotor region (MLR). However, DBS trials fell short of expectations, leading many clinicians to abandon this strategy. Here, we discuss the potential reasons for this failure and review recent clinical data along with preclinical optogenetics evidence to argue that another nearby nucleus, the cuneiform nucleus (CnF), may be a superior target.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stephano J. Chang
- Neuroscience Graduate Program, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, FL, United States
- The Miami Project to Cure Paralysis, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, FL, United States
- Division of Neurosurgery, Department of Surgery, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
| | - Iahn Cajigas
- The Miami Project to Cure Paralysis, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, FL, United States
- Department of Neurological Surgery, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, FL, United States
| | - Ioan Opris
- The Miami Project to Cure Paralysis, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, FL, United States
| | - James D. Guest
- Neuroscience Graduate Program, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, FL, United States
- The Miami Project to Cure Paralysis, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, FL, United States
- Department of Neurological Surgery, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, FL, United States
| | - Brian R. Noga
- Neuroscience Graduate Program, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, FL, United States
- The Miami Project to Cure Paralysis, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, FL, United States
- Department of Neurological Surgery, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, FL, United States
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21
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Sharma PK, Wells L, Rizzo G, Elson JL, Passchier J, Rabiner EA, Gunn RN, Dexter DT, Pienaar IS. DREADD Activation of Pedunculopontine Cholinergic Neurons Reverses Motor Deficits and Restores Striatal Dopamine Signaling in Parkinsonian Rats. Neurotherapeutics 2020; 17:1120-1141. [PMID: 31965550 PMCID: PMC7609798 DOI: 10.1007/s13311-019-00830-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/27/2023] Open
Abstract
The brainstem-based pedunculopontine nucleus (PPN) traditionally associates with motor function, but undergoes extensive degeneration during Parkinson's disease (PD), which correlates with axial motor deficits. PPN-deep brain stimulation (DBS) can alleviate certain symptoms, but its mechanism(s) of action remains unknown. We previously characterized rats hemi-intranigrally injected with the proteasomal inhibitor lactacystin, as an accurate preclinical model of PD. Here we used a combination of chemogenetics with positron emission tomography imaging for in vivo interrogation of discrete neural networks in this rat model of PD. Stimulation of excitatory designer receptors exclusively activated by designer drugs expressed within PPN cholinergic neurons activated residual nigrostriatal dopaminergic neurons to produce profound motor recovery, which correlated with striatal dopamine efflux as well as restored dopamine receptor 1- and dopamine receptor 2-based medium spiny neuron activity, as was ascertained with c-Fos-based immunohistochemistry and stereological cell counts. By revealing that the improved axial-related motor functions seen in PD patients receiving PPN-DBS may be due to stimulation of remaining PPN cholinergic neurons interacting with dopaminergic ones in both the substantia nigra pars compacta and the striatum, our data strongly favor the PPN cholinergic-midbrain dopaminergic connectome as mechanism for PPN-DBS's therapeutic effects. These findings have implications for refining PPN-DBS as a promising treatment modality available to PD patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Puneet K Sharma
- Centre for Neuroinflammation and Neurodegeneration, Division of Brain Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, Imperial College London, London, W12 0NN, UK
| | - Lisa Wells
- Invicro, Hammersmith Hospital Campus, Imperial College London, London, W12 0NN, UK
| | - Gaia Rizzo
- Invicro, Hammersmith Hospital Campus, Imperial College London, London, W12 0NN, UK
| | - Joanna L Elson
- Institute of Genetic Medicine, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE1 3BZ, UK
| | - Jan Passchier
- Invicro, Hammersmith Hospital Campus, Imperial College London, London, W12 0NN, UK
| | - Eugenii A Rabiner
- Invicro, Hammersmith Hospital Campus, Imperial College London, London, W12 0NN, UK
| | - Roger N Gunn
- Centre for Neuroinflammation and Neurodegeneration, Division of Brain Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, Imperial College London, London, W12 0NN, UK
- Invicro, Hammersmith Hospital Campus, Imperial College London, London, W12 0NN, UK
| | - David T Dexter
- Centre for Neuroinflammation and Neurodegeneration, Division of Brain Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, Imperial College London, London, W12 0NN, UK
| | - Ilse S Pienaar
- Centre for Neuroinflammation and Neurodegeneration, Division of Brain Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, Imperial College London, London, W12 0NN, UK.
- School of Life Sciences, University of Sussex, Falmer, BN1 9PH, UK.
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22
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Li HQ, Spitzer NC. Exercise enhances motor skill learning by neurotransmitter switching in the adult midbrain. Nat Commun 2020; 11:2195. [PMID: 32366867 PMCID: PMC7198516 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-020-16053-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/30/2019] [Accepted: 04/07/2020] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Physical exercise promotes motor skill learning in normal individuals and those with neurological disorders but its mechanism of action is unclear. We find that one week of voluntary wheel running enhances the acquisition of motor skills in normal adult mice. One week of running also induces switching from ACh to GABA expression in neurons in the caudal pedunculopontine nucleus (cPPN). Consistent with regulation of motor skills, we show that the switching neurons make projections to the substantia nigra (SN), ventral tegmental area (VTA) and ventrolateral-ventromedial nuclei of the thalamus (VL-VM). Use of viral vectors to override transmitter switching blocks the beneficial effect of running on motor skill learning. We suggest that neurotransmitter switching provides the basis by which sustained running benefits motor skill learning, presenting a target for clinical treatment of movement disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hui-Quan Li
- Neurobiology Section, Division of Biological Sciences and Center for Neural Circuits and Behavior, La Jolla, CA, 92093-0357, USA.
- Kavli Institute for Brain and Mind, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, 92093-0357, USA.
| | - Nicholas C Spitzer
- Neurobiology Section, Division of Biological Sciences and Center for Neural Circuits and Behavior, La Jolla, CA, 92093-0357, USA.
- Kavli Institute for Brain and Mind, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, 92093-0357, USA.
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23
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Opris I, Dai X, Johnson DMG, Sanchez FJ, Villamil LM, Xie S, Lee-Hauser CR, Chang S, Jordan LM, Noga BR. Activation of Brainstem Neurons During Mesencephalic Locomotor Region-Evoked Locomotion in the Cat. Front Syst Neurosci 2019; 13:69. [PMID: 31798423 PMCID: PMC6868058 DOI: 10.3389/fnsys.2019.00069] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/23/2019] [Accepted: 10/31/2019] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Abstract
The distribution of locomotor-activated neurons in the brainstem of the cat was studied by c-Fos immunohistochemistry in combination with antibody-based cellular phenotyping following electrical stimulation of the mesencephalic locomotor region (MLR) – the anatomical constituents of which remain debated today, primarily between the cuneiform (CnF) and the pedunculopontine tegmental nuclei (PPT). Effective MLR sites were co-extensive with the CnF nucleus. Animals subject to the locomotor task showed abundant Fos labeling in the CnF, parabrachial nuclei of the subcuneiform region, periaqueductal gray, locus ceruleus (LC)/subceruleus (SubC), Kölliker–Fuse, magnocellular and lateral tegmental fields, raphe, and the parapyramidal region. Labeled neurons were more abundant on the side of stimulation. In some animals, Fos-labeled cells were also observed in the ventral tegmental area, medial and intermediate vestibular nuclei, dorsal motor nucleus of the vagus, n. tractus solitarii, and retrofacial nucleus in the ventrolateral medulla. Many neurons in the reticular formation were innervated by serotonergic fibers. Numerous locomotor-activated neurons in the parabrachial nuclei and LC/SubC/Kölliker–Fuse were noradrenergic. Few cholinergic neurons within the PPT stained for Fos. In the medulla, serotonergic neurons within the parapyramidal region and the nucleus raphe magnus were positive for Fos. Control animals, not subject to locomotion, showed few Fos-labeled neurons in these areas. The current study provides positive evidence for a role for the CnF in the initiation of locomotion while providing little evidence for the participation of the PPT. The results also show that MLR-evoked locomotion involves the parallel activation of reticular and monoaminergic neurons in the pons/medulla, and provides the anatomical and functional basis for spinal monoamine release during evoked locomotion. Lastly, the results indicate that vestibular, cardiovascular, and respiratory centers are centrally activated during MLR-evoked locomotion. Altogether, the results show a complex pattern of neuromodulatory influences of brainstem neurons by electrical activation of the MLR.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ioan Opris
- The Miami Project to Cure Paralysis, Department of Neurological Surgery, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, FL, United States
| | - Xiaohong Dai
- Department of Physiology, Spinal Cord Research Centre, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, MB, Canada
| | - Dawn M G Johnson
- The Miami Project to Cure Paralysis, Department of Neurological Surgery, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, FL, United States
| | - Francisco J Sanchez
- The Miami Project to Cure Paralysis, Department of Neurological Surgery, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, FL, United States
| | - Luz M Villamil
- The Miami Project to Cure Paralysis, Department of Neurological Surgery, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, FL, United States
| | - Songtao Xie
- The Miami Project to Cure Paralysis, Department of Neurological Surgery, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, FL, United States
| | - Cecelia R Lee-Hauser
- The Miami Project to Cure Paralysis, Department of Neurological Surgery, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, FL, United States
| | - Stephano Chang
- The Miami Project to Cure Paralysis, Department of Neurological Surgery, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, FL, United States
| | - Larry M Jordan
- Department of Physiology, Spinal Cord Research Centre, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, MB, Canada
| | - Brian R Noga
- The Miami Project to Cure Paralysis, Department of Neurological Surgery, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, FL, United States
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24
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Pereira PA, Gonçalves E, Silva A, Millner T, Madeira MD. Effects of chronic alcohol consumption and withdrawal on the cholinergic neurons of the pedunculopontine and laterodorsal tegmental nuclei of the rat: An unbiased stereological study. Neurotoxicology 2019; 76:58-66. [PMID: 31634498 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuro.2019.10.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/18/2019] [Revised: 10/12/2019] [Accepted: 10/15/2019] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
The brain cholinergic system comprises two main recognized subdivisions, the basal forebrain and the brainstem cholinergic systems. The effects of chronic alcohol consumption on the basal forebrain cholinergic nuclei have been investigated extensively, but there is only one study that has examined those effects on the brainstem cholinergic nuclei. The last one comprises the pedunculopontine tegmental (PPT) and the laterodorsal tegmental (LDT) nuclei, which are known to give origin to the main cholinergic projection to the ventral tegmental area, a key brain region of the neural circuit, the mesocorticolimbic system, that mediates several behavioral and physiological processes, including reward. In the present study, we have examined, using stereological methods, the effects of chronic alcohol consumption (6 months) and subsequent withdrawal (2 months) on the total number and size of PPT and LDT choline acetyltransferase (ChAT)-immunoreactive neurons. The total number of PPT and LDT ChAT-immunoreactive neurons was unchanged in ethanol-treated and withdrawn rats. However, ChAT-immunoreactive neurons were significantly hypertrophied in ethanol-treated rats, an alteration that did not revert 2 months after ethanol withdrawal. These results show that prolonged exposure to ethanol leads to long-lasting, and potentially irreversible, cytoarchitectonic and neurochemical alterations in the brainstem cholinergic nuclei. These alterations suggest that the alcohol-induced changes in the brainstem cholinergic nuclei might play a role in the mechanisms underlying the development of addictive behavior to alcohol.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pedro A Pereira
- Unit of Anatomy, Department of Biomedicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Porto, Alameda Professor Hernâni Monteiro, 4200-319 Porto, Portugal; Center for Health Technology and Services Research (CINTESIS), Rua Dr. Plácido da Costa, 4200-450 Porto, Portugal.
| | - Eugénio Gonçalves
- Unit of Anatomy, Department of Biomedicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Porto, Alameda Professor Hernâni Monteiro, 4200-319 Porto, Portugal.
| | - Ana Silva
- Unit of Anatomy, Department of Biomedicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Porto, Alameda Professor Hernâni Monteiro, 4200-319 Porto, Portugal; Center for Health Technology and Services Research (CINTESIS), Rua Dr. Plácido da Costa, 4200-450 Porto, Portugal.
| | - Tiago Millner
- Unit of Anatomy, Department of Biomedicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Porto, Alameda Professor Hernâni Monteiro, 4200-319 Porto, Portugal.
| | - M Dulce Madeira
- Unit of Anatomy, Department of Biomedicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Porto, Alameda Professor Hernâni Monteiro, 4200-319 Porto, Portugal; Center for Health Technology and Services Research (CINTESIS), Rua Dr. Plácido da Costa, 4200-450 Porto, Portugal.
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25
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Nowacki A, Galati S, Ai-Schlaeppi J, Bassetti C, Kaelin A, Pollo C. Pedunculopontine nucleus: An integrative view with implications on Deep Brain Stimulation. Neurobiol Dis 2019; 128:75-85. [DOI: 10.1016/j.nbd.2018.08.015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/02/2018] [Revised: 06/22/2018] [Accepted: 08/24/2018] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
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26
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Jerzemowska G, Plucińska K, Piwka A, Ptaszek K, Podlacha M, Orzeł-Gryglewska J. NMDA receptor modulation of the pedunculopontine tegmental nucleus underlies the motivational drive for feeding induced by midbrain dopaminergic neurons. Brain Res 2019; 1715:134-147. [PMID: 30914249 DOI: 10.1016/j.brainres.2019.03.028] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/21/2018] [Revised: 03/18/2019] [Accepted: 03/22/2019] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
The mesolimbic system, particularly the somatodendritic ventral tegmental area (VTA), is responsible for the positive reinforcing aspects of various homeostatic stimuli. In turn, the pedunculopontine tegmental nucleus (PPN) is anatomically and functionally connected with the VTA and substantia nigra (SN). In the present study, we investigated the role of glutamate receptors in the PPN in motivated behaviors by using a model of feeding induced by electrical stimulation of the VTA in male Wistar rats (n = 80). We found that injection of 2.5/5 µg dizocilpine (MK-801; NMDA receptor antagonist) to the PPN significantly reduced the feeding response induced by unilateral VTA-stimulation. This reaction was significantly impaired after local injection of MK-801 into the PPN in the ipsilateral rather than the contralateral hemisphere. After NMDA injection (2/3 µg) to the PPN we did not observe behavioral changes, only a trend of a lengthening/shortening of the latency to a feeding reaction at the highest dose of NMDA (3 µg). Immunohistochemical TH+/c-Fos+ analysis revealed a decrease in the number of TH+ cells in the midbrain (VTA-SN) in all experimental groups and altered activity of c-Fos+ neurons in selected brain structures depending on drug type (MK-801/NMDA) and injection site (ipsi-/contralateral hemisphere). Additionally, the pattern of TH+/c-Fos+ expression showed lateralization of feeding circuit functional connectivity. We conclude that the level of NMDA receptor arousal in the PPN regulates the activity of the midbrain dopaminergic cells, and the PPN-VTA circuit may be important in the regulation of motivational aspects of food intake.
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Affiliation(s)
- Grażyna Jerzemowska
- Department of Animal and Human Physiology, University of Gdansk, 59 Wita Stwosza Str, 80-308 Gdansk, Poland.
| | - Karolina Plucińska
- Department of Animal and Human Physiology, University of Gdansk, 59 Wita Stwosza Str, 80-308 Gdansk, Poland
| | - Aleksandra Piwka
- Department of Animal and Human Physiology, University of Gdansk, 59 Wita Stwosza Str, 80-308 Gdansk, Poland
| | - Kacper Ptaszek
- Department of Animal and Human Physiology, University of Gdansk, 59 Wita Stwosza Str, 80-308 Gdansk, Poland
| | - Magdalena Podlacha
- Department of Molecular Biology, University of Gdansk, 59 Wita Stwosza Str, 80-308 Gdansk, Poland
| | - Jolanta Orzeł-Gryglewska
- Department of Animal and Human Physiology, University of Gdansk, 59 Wita Stwosza Str, 80-308 Gdansk, Poland
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27
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Baksa B, Kovács A, Bayasgalan T, Szentesi P, Kőszeghy Á, Szücs P, Pál B. Characterization of functional subgroups among genetically identified cholinergic neurons in the pedunculopontine nucleus. Cell Mol Life Sci 2019; 76:2799-2815. [PMID: 30734834 PMCID: PMC6588655 DOI: 10.1007/s00018-019-03025-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/07/2018] [Revised: 12/21/2018] [Accepted: 01/23/2019] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
The pedunculopontine nucleus (PPN) is a part of the reticular activating system which is composed of cholinergic, glutamatergic and GABAergic neurons. Early electrophysiological studies characterized and grouped PPN neurons based on certain functional properties (i.e., the presence or absence of the A-current, spike latency, and low threshold spikes). Although other electrophysiological characteristics of these neurons were also described (as high threshold membrane potential oscillations, great differences in spontaneous firing rate and the presence or absence of the M-current), systematic assessment of these properties and correlation of them with morphological markers are still missing. In this work, we conducted electrophysiological experiments on brain slices of genetically identified cholinergic neurons in the PPN. Electrophysiological properties were compared with rostrocaudal location of the neuronal soma and selected morphometric features obtained with post hoc reconstruction. We found that functional subgroups had different proportions in the rostral and caudal subregions of the nucleus. Neurons with A-current can be divided to early-firing and late-firing neurons, where the latter type was found exclusively in the caudal subregion. Similar to this, different parameters of high threshold membrane potential oscillations also showed characteristic rostrocaudal distribution. Furthermore, based on our data, we propose that high threshold oscillations rather emerge from neuronal somata and not from the proximal dendrites. In summary, we demonstrated the existence and spatial distribution of functional subgroups of genetically identified PPN cholinergic neurons, which are in accordance with differences found in projection and in vivo functional findings of the subregions. Being aware of functional differences of PPN subregions will help the design and analysis of experiments using genetically encoded opto- and chemogenetic markers for in vivo experiments.
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Affiliation(s)
- B Baksa
- Department of Physiology, University of Debrecen, Faculty of Medicine, Nagyerdei krt 98, Debrecen, 4012, Hungary
| | - A Kovács
- Department of Physiology, University of Debrecen, Faculty of Medicine, Nagyerdei krt 98, Debrecen, 4012, Hungary
| | - T Bayasgalan
- Department of Physiology, University of Debrecen, Faculty of Medicine, Nagyerdei krt 98, Debrecen, 4012, Hungary
| | - P Szentesi
- Department of Physiology, University of Debrecen, Faculty of Medicine, Nagyerdei krt 98, Debrecen, 4012, Hungary
| | - Á Kőszeghy
- Department of Physiology, University of Debrecen, Faculty of Medicine, Nagyerdei krt 98, Debrecen, 4012, Hungary
- Division of Cognitive Neurobiology, Center for Brain Research, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - P Szücs
- Department of Anatomy, Histology and Embriology, University of Debrecen, Faculty of Medicine, Debrecen, Hungary
| | - Balázs Pál
- Department of Physiology, University of Debrecen, Faculty of Medicine, Nagyerdei krt 98, Debrecen, 4012, Hungary.
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28
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Circuits That Mediate Expression of Signaled Active Avoidance Converge in the Pedunculopontine Tegmentum. J Neurosci 2019; 39:4576-4594. [PMID: 30936242 DOI: 10.1523/jneurosci.0049-19.2019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/08/2019] [Revised: 03/16/2019] [Accepted: 03/26/2019] [Indexed: 02/08/2023] Open
Abstract
An innocuous sensory stimulus that reliably signals an upcoming aversive event can be conditioned to elicit locomotion to a safe location before the aversive outcome ensues. The neural circuits that mediate the expression of this signaled locomotor action, known as signaled active avoidance, have not been identified. While exploring sensorimotor midbrain circuits in mice of either sex, we found that excitation of GABAergic cells in the substantia nigra pars reticulata blocks signaled active avoidance by inhibiting cells in the pedunculopontine tegmental nucleus (PPT), not by inhibiting cells in the superior colliculus or thalamus. Direct inhibition of putative-glutamatergic PPT cells, excitation of GABAergic PPT cells, or excitation of GABAergic afferents in PPT, abolish signaled active avoidance. Conversely, excitation of putative-glutamatergic PPT cells, or inhibition of GABAergic PPT cells, can be tuned to drive avoidance responses. The PPT is an essential junction for the expression of signaled active avoidance gated by nigral and other synaptic afferents.SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT When a harmful situation is signaled by a sensory stimulus (e.g., street light), subjects typically learn to respond with active or passive avoidance responses that circumvent the threat. During signaled active avoidance behavior, subjects move away to avoid a threat signaled by a preceding innocuous stimulus. We identified a part of the midbrain essential to process the signal and avoid the threat. Inhibition of neurons in this area eliminates avoidance responses to the signal but preserves escape responses caused by presentation of the threat. The results highlight an essential part of the neural circuits that mediate signaled active avoidance behavior.
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29
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Sébille SB, Rolland AS, Faillot M, Perez-Garcia F, Colomb-Clerc A, Lau B, Dumas S, Vidal SF, Welter ML, Francois C, Bardinet E, Karachi C. Normal and pathological neuronal distribution of the human mesencephalic locomotor region. Mov Disord 2018; 34:218-227. [PMID: 30485555 DOI: 10.1002/mds.27578] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/19/2018] [Revised: 06/10/2018] [Accepted: 10/22/2018] [Indexed: 12/29/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Deep brain stimulation of the pedunculopontine nucleus has been performed to treat dopamine-resistant gait and balance disorders in patients with degenerative diseases. The outcomes, however, are variable, which may be the result of the lack of a well-defined anatomical target. OBJECTIVES The objectives of this study were to identify the main neuronal populations of the pedunculopontine and the cuneiform nuclei that compose the human mesencephalic locomotor region and to compare their 3-dimensional distribution with those found in patients with Parkinson's disease and progressive supranuclear palsy. METHODS We used high-field MRI, immunohistochemistry, and in situ hybridization to characterize the distribution of the different cell types, and we developed software to merge all data within a common 3-dimensional space. RESULTS We found that cholinergic, GABAergic, and glutamatergic neurons comprised the main cell types of the mesencephalic locomotor region, with the peak densities of cholinergic and GABAergic neurons similarly located within the rostral pedunculopontine nucleus. Cholinergic and noncholinergic neuronal losses were homogeneous in the mesencephalic locomotor region of patients, with the peak density of remaining neurons at the same location as in controls. The degree of denervation of the pedunculopontine nucleus was highest in patients with progressive supranuclear palsy, followed by Parkinson's disease patients with falls. CONCLUSIONS The peak density of cholinergic and GABAergic neurons was located similarly within the rostral pedunculopontine nucleus not only in controls but also in pathological cases. The neuronal loss was homogeneously distributed and highest in the pedunculopontine nucleus of patients with falls, which suggests a potential pathophysiological link. © 2018 International Parkinson and Movement Disorder Society.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sophie B Sébille
- Sorbonne University, Univ. Pierre & Marie Curie Paris 06, Cnrs, Inserm, AP-HP Pitié-Salpêtrière hospital, Brain and Spinal Cord Institute, Paris, France.,Centre de Neuro-Imagerie de Recherche, Paris, France
| | - Anne-Sophie Rolland
- Sorbonne University, Univ. Pierre & Marie Curie Paris 06, Cnrs, Inserm, AP-HP Pitié-Salpêtrière hospital, Brain and Spinal Cord Institute, Paris, France
| | - Matthieu Faillot
- Sorbonne University, Univ. Pierre & Marie Curie Paris 06, Cnrs, Inserm, AP-HP Pitié-Salpêtrière hospital, Brain and Spinal Cord Institute, Paris, France.,Neurosurgical Department, La Pitié-Salpêtrière University Hospital, Paris, France
| | | | - Antoine Colomb-Clerc
- Sorbonne University, Univ. Pierre & Marie Curie Paris 06, Cnrs, Inserm, AP-HP Pitié-Salpêtrière hospital, Brain and Spinal Cord Institute, Paris, France
| | - Brian Lau
- Sorbonne University, Univ. Pierre & Marie Curie Paris 06, Cnrs, Inserm, AP-HP Pitié-Salpêtrière hospital, Brain and Spinal Cord Institute, Paris, France
| | | | | | - Marie-Laure Welter
- Sorbonne University, Univ. Pierre & Marie Curie Paris 06, Cnrs, Inserm, AP-HP Pitié-Salpêtrière hospital, Brain and Spinal Cord Institute, Paris, France.,Neurosurgical Department, La Pitié-Salpêtrière University Hospital, Paris, France
| | - Chantal Francois
- Sorbonne University, Univ. Pierre & Marie Curie Paris 06, Cnrs, Inserm, AP-HP Pitié-Salpêtrière hospital, Brain and Spinal Cord Institute, Paris, France
| | - Eric Bardinet
- Sorbonne University, Univ. Pierre & Marie Curie Paris 06, Cnrs, Inserm, AP-HP Pitié-Salpêtrière hospital, Brain and Spinal Cord Institute, Paris, France.,Centre de Neuro-Imagerie de Recherche, Paris, France
| | - Carine Karachi
- Sorbonne University, Univ. Pierre & Marie Curie Paris 06, Cnrs, Inserm, AP-HP Pitié-Salpêtrière hospital, Brain and Spinal Cord Institute, Paris, France.,Neurosurgical Department, La Pitié-Salpêtrière University Hospital, Paris, France
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30
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Pappas SS, Li J, LeWitt TM, Kim JK, Monani UR, Dauer WT. A cell autonomous torsinA requirement for cholinergic neuron survival and motor control. eLife 2018; 7:36691. [PMID: 30117805 PMCID: PMC6115190 DOI: 10.7554/elife.36691] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/15/2018] [Accepted: 08/16/2018] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Cholinergic dysfunction is strongly implicated in dystonia pathophysiology. Previously (Pappas et al., 2015;4:e08352), we reported that Dlx5/6-Cre mediated forebrain deletion of the DYT1 dystonia protein torsinA (Dlx-CKO) causes abnormal twisting and selective degeneration of dorsal striatal cholinergic interneurons (ChI) (Pappas et al., 2015). A central question raised by that work is whether the ChI loss is cell autonomous or requires torsinA loss from neurons synaptically connected to ChIs. Here, we addressed this question by using ChAT-Cre mice to conditionally delete torsinA from cholinergic neurons ('ChAT-CKO'). ChAT-CKO mice phenocopy the Dlx-CKO phenotype of selective dorsal striatal ChI loss and identify an essential requirement for torsinA in brainstem and spinal cholinergic neurons. ChAT-CKO mice are tremulous, weak, and exhibit trunk twisting and postural abnormalities. These findings are the first to demonstrate a cell autonomous requirement for torsinA in specific populations of cholinergic neurons, strengthening the connection between torsinA, cholinergic dysfunction and dystonia pathophysiology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Samuel S Pappas
- Department of Neurology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, United States
| | - Jay Li
- Department of Neurology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, United States.,Cell and Molecular Biology Program, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, United States
| | - Tessa M LeWitt
- Department of Neurology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, United States
| | - Jeong-Ki Kim
- Department of Cell Biology, Columbia University Medical Center, New York, United States.,Center for Motor Neuron Biology and Disease, Columbia University Medical Center, New York, United States.,Department of Pathology, Columbia University Medical Center, New York, United States
| | - Umrao R Monani
- Department of Cell Biology, Columbia University Medical Center, New York, United States.,Center for Motor Neuron Biology and Disease, Columbia University Medical Center, New York, United States.,Department of Pathology, Columbia University Medical Center, New York, United States
| | - William T Dauer
- Department of Neurology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, United States.,Cell and Molecular Biology Program, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, United States.,Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, United States
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31
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Parallel descending dopaminergic connectivity of A13 cells to the brainstem locomotor centers. Sci Rep 2018; 8:7972. [PMID: 29789702 PMCID: PMC5964077 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-018-25908-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/21/2017] [Accepted: 04/30/2018] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
The mesencephalic locomotor region (MLR) is an important integrative area for the initiation and modulation of locomotion. Recently it has been realized that dopamine (DA) projections from the substantia nigra pars compacta project to the MLR. Here we explore DA projections from an area of the medial zona incerta (ZI) known for its role in motor control onto the MLR. We provide evidence that dopaminergic (DAergic) A13 neurons have connectivity to the cuneiform nucleus (CnF) and pedunculopontine tegmental nucleus (PPTg) of the MLR. No ascending connectivity to the dorsolateral striatum was observed. On the other hand, DAergic A13 projections to the medullary reticular formation (MRF) and the lumbar spinal cord were sparse. A small number of non-DAergic neurons within the medial ZI projected to the lumbar spinal cord. We then characterized the DA A13 cells and report that these cells differ from canonical DA neurons since they lack the Dopamine Transporter (DAT). The lack of DAT expression, and possibly the lack of a dopamine reuptake mechanism, points to a longer time of action compared to typical dopamine neurons. Collectively our data suggest a parallel descending DAergic pathway from the A13 neurons of the medial ZI to the MLR, which we expect is important for modulating movement.
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32
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Luquin E, Huerta I, Aymerich MS, Mengual E. Stereological Estimates of Glutamatergic, GABAergic, and Cholinergic Neurons in the Pedunculopontine and Laterodorsal Tegmental Nuclei in the Rat. Front Neuroanat 2018; 12:34. [PMID: 29867374 PMCID: PMC5958217 DOI: 10.3389/fnana.2018.00034] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/24/2017] [Accepted: 04/16/2018] [Indexed: 01/29/2023] Open
Abstract
The pedunculopontine tegmental nucleus (PPN) and laterodorsal tegmental nucleus (LDT) are functionally associated brainstem structures implicated in behavioral state control and sensorimotor integration. The PPN is also involved in gait and posture, while the LDT plays a role in reward. Both nuclei comprise characteristic cholinergic neurons intermingled with glutamatergic and GABAergic cells whose absolute numbers in the rat have been only partly established. Here we sought to determine the complete phenotypical profile of each nucleus to investigate potential differences between them. Counts were obtained using stereological methods after the simultaneous visualization of cholinergic and either glutamatergic or GABAergic cells. The two isoforms of glutamic acid decarboxylase (GAD), GAD65 and GAD67, were separately analyzed. Dual in situ hybridization revealed coexpression of GAD65 and GAD67 mRNAs in ∼90% of GAD-positive cells in both nuclei; thus, the estimated mean numbers of (1) cholinergic, (2) glutamatergic, and (3) GABAergic cells in PPN and LDT, respectively, were (1) 3,360 and 3,650; (2) 5,910 and 5,190; and (3) 4,439 and 7,599. These data reveal significant differences between PPN and LDT in their relative phenotypical composition, which may underlie some of the functional differences observed between them. The estimation of glutamatergic cells was significantly higher in the caudal PPN, supporting the reported functional rostrocaudal segregation in this nucleus. Finally, a small subset of cholinergic neurons (8% in PPN and 5% in LDT) also expressed the glutamatergic marker Vglut2, providing anatomical evidence for a potential corelease of transmitters at specific target areas.
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Affiliation(s)
- Esther Luquin
- Division of Neurosciences, Center for Applied Medical Research (CIMA), University of Navarra, Pamplona, Spain
| | - Ibone Huerta
- Division of Neurosciences, Center for Applied Medical Research (CIMA), University of Navarra, Pamplona, Spain
| | - María S Aymerich
- Division of Neurosciences, Center for Applied Medical Research (CIMA), University of Navarra, Pamplona, Spain.,Department of Biochemistry and Genetics, School of Science, University of Navarra, Pamplona, Spain
| | - Elisa Mengual
- Division of Neurosciences, Center for Applied Medical Research (CIMA), University of Navarra, Pamplona, Spain.,Anatomy Department, School of Medicine, University of Navarra, Pamplona, Spain
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Klug JR, Engelhardt MD, Cadman CN, Li H, Smith JB, Ayala S, Williams EW, Hoffman H, Jin X. Differential inputs to striatal cholinergic and parvalbumin interneurons imply functional distinctions. eLife 2018; 7:35657. [PMID: 29714166 PMCID: PMC5929909 DOI: 10.7554/elife.35657] [Citation(s) in RCA: 67] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/03/2018] [Accepted: 04/18/2018] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Striatal cholinergic (ChAT) and parvalbumin (PV) interneurons exert powerful influences on striatal function in health and disease, yet little is known about the organization of their inputs. Here using rabies tracing, electrophysiology and genetic tools, we compare the whole-brain inputs to these two types of striatal interneurons and dissect their functional connectivity in mice. ChAT interneurons receive a substantial cortical input from associative regions of cortex, such as the orbitofrontal cortex. Amongst subcortical inputs, a previously unknown inhibitory thalamic reticular nucleus input to striatal PV interneurons is identified. Additionally, the external segment of the globus pallidus targets striatal ChAT interneurons, which is sufficient to inhibit tonic ChAT interneuron firing. Finally, we describe a novel excitatory pathway from the pedunculopontine nucleus that innervates ChAT interneurons. These results establish the brain-wide direct inputs of two major types of striatal interneurons and allude to distinct roles in regulating striatal activity and controlling behavior.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jason R Klug
- Molecular Neurobiology Laboratory, The Salk Institute for Biological Studies, La Jolla, United States
| | - Max D Engelhardt
- Molecular Neurobiology Laboratory, The Salk Institute for Biological Studies, La Jolla, United States
| | - Cara N Cadman
- Molecular Neurobiology Laboratory, The Salk Institute for Biological Studies, La Jolla, United States
| | - Hao Li
- Molecular Neurobiology Laboratory, The Salk Institute for Biological Studies, La Jolla, United States
| | - Jared B Smith
- Molecular Neurobiology Laboratory, The Salk Institute for Biological Studies, La Jolla, United States
| | - Sarah Ayala
- Molecular Neurobiology Laboratory, The Salk Institute for Biological Studies, La Jolla, United States
| | - Elora W Williams
- Molecular Neurobiology Laboratory, The Salk Institute for Biological Studies, La Jolla, United States
| | - Hilary Hoffman
- Molecular Neurobiology Laboratory, The Salk Institute for Biological Studies, La Jolla, United States
| | - Xin Jin
- Molecular Neurobiology Laboratory, The Salk Institute for Biological Studies, La Jolla, United States
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French IT, Muthusamy KA. A Review of the Pedunculopontine Nucleus in Parkinson's Disease. Front Aging Neurosci 2018; 10:99. [PMID: 29755338 PMCID: PMC5933166 DOI: 10.3389/fnagi.2018.00099] [Citation(s) in RCA: 72] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/31/2017] [Accepted: 03/22/2018] [Indexed: 01/04/2023] Open
Abstract
The pedunculopontine nucleus (PPN) is situated in the upper pons in the dorsolateral portion of the ponto-mesencephalic tegmentum. Its main mass is positioned at the trochlear nucleus level, and is part of the mesenphalic locomotor region (MLR) in the upper brainstem. The human PPN is divided into two subnuclei, the pars compacta (PPNc) and pars dissipatus (PPNd), and constitutes both cholinergic and non-cholinergic neurons with afferent and efferent projections to the cerebral cortex, thalamus, basal ganglia (BG), cerebellum, and spinal cord. The BG controls locomotion and posture via GABAergic output of the substantia nigra pars reticulate (SNr). In PD patients, GABAergic BG output levels are abnormally increased, and gait disturbances are produced via abnormal increases in SNr-induced inhibition of the MLR. Since the PPN is vastly connected with the BG and the brainstem, dysfunction within these systems lead to advanced symptomatic progression in Parkinson's disease (PD), including sleep and cognitive issues. To date, the best treatment is to perform deep brain stimulation (DBS) on PD patients as outcomes have shown positive effects in ameliorating the debilitating symptoms of this disease by treating pathological circuitries within the parkinsonian brain. It is therefore important to address the challenges and develop this procedure to improve the quality of life of PD patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Isobel T. French
- Division of Neurosurgery, Department of Surgery, University Malaya, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
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35
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GABA A receptor in the Pedunculopontine tegmental (PPT) nucleus: Effects on cardiovascular system. Pharmacol Rep 2018; 70:1001-1009. [PMID: 32002952 DOI: 10.1016/j.pharep.2018.03.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/16/2017] [Revised: 03/09/2018] [Accepted: 03/28/2018] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The pedunculopontine tegmental (PPT) nucleus is a heterogeneous nucleus with several functions including cardiovascular regulation. The presence of GABAA receptor has been shown in the PPT. Therefore, the cardiovascular effects of this receptor were examined. METHODS Rats were divided into: Control; Muscimol; Bicuculline (BMI); Hexamethonium (Hexa) + BMI and Atropine + BMI groups. The femoral vein and artery were cannulated for drug administration and recording of cardiovascular parameters, respectively. Muscimol (a GABAA agonist; 1.5 and 2.5 nmol), BMI (a GABAA antagonist; 0.1 and 0.2 nmol) were stereotaxically microinjected into the PPT. To evaluate the peripheral cardiovascular mechanisms of GABAA receptors, Hexa (a ganglionic blocker; 10 mg/kg) and atropine (a muscarinic receptor antagonist; 1 mg/kg) were intravenously (iv) injected before BMI (0.2 nmol). The average changes of mean arterial pressure (ΔMAP), systolic blood pressure (ΔSBP) and heart rate (ΔHR) in different intervals were calculated and compared both within and between case group and control group (repeated measures ANOVA). The peak changes in each group were also calculated and compared with those of the control group (independent sample t-test). RESULTS Both doses of BMI significantly increased ΔMAP, ΔSBP and ΔHR compared to control, while the only higher dose of muscimol significantly decreased ΔSBP. Iv injection of Hexa significantly attenuated ΔMAP, ΔSBP and ΔHR responses induced by BMI but atropine did not affect. CONCLUSIONS Our results demonstrate that GABAA receptor of the PPT has a tonic inhibitory effect on the cardiovascular system and its peripheral effect mostly is mediated by sympathetic system.
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36
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Soares JI, Afonso AR, Maia GH, Lukoyanov NV. The pedunculopontine and laterodorsal tegmental nuclei in the kainate model of epilepsy. Neurosci Lett 2018; 672:90-95. [DOI: 10.1016/j.neulet.2018.02.044] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/27/2017] [Revised: 02/15/2018] [Accepted: 02/20/2018] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
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Josset N, Roussel M, Lemieux M, Lafrance-Zoubga D, Rastqar A, Bretzner F. Distinct Contributions of Mesencephalic Locomotor Region Nuclei to Locomotor Control in the Freely Behaving Mouse. Curr Biol 2018. [PMID: 29526593 DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2018.02.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 113] [Impact Index Per Article: 18.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/01/2023]
Abstract
The mesencephalic locomotor region (MLR) has been initially identified as a supraspinal center capable of initiating and modulating locomotion. Whereas its functional contribution to locomotion has been widely documented throughout the phylogeny from the lamprey to humans, there is still debate about its exact organization. Combining kinematic and electrophysiological recordings in mouse genetics, our study reveals that glutamatergic neurons of the cuneiform nucleus initiate locomotion and induce running gaits, whereas glutamatergic and cholinergic neurons of the pedunculopontine nucleus modulate locomotor pattern and rhythm, contributing to slow-walking gaits. By initiating, modulating, and accelerating locomotion, our study identifies and characterizes distinct neuronal populations of this functional region important to locomotor command.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicolas Josset
- Centre de Recherche du CHU de Québec, CHUL-Neurosciences, 2705 boul. Laurier, Québec, QC G1V 4G2, Canada
| | - Marie Roussel
- Centre de Recherche du CHU de Québec, CHUL-Neurosciences, 2705 boul. Laurier, Québec, QC G1V 4G2, Canada
| | - Maxime Lemieux
- Centre de Recherche du CHU de Québec, CHUL-Neurosciences, 2705 boul. Laurier, Québec, QC G1V 4G2, Canada
| | - David Lafrance-Zoubga
- Centre de Recherche du CHU de Québec, CHUL-Neurosciences, 2705 boul. Laurier, Québec, QC G1V 4G2, Canada
| | - Ali Rastqar
- Centre de Recherche du CHU de Québec, CHUL-Neurosciences, 2705 boul. Laurier, Québec, QC G1V 4G2, Canada
| | - Frederic Bretzner
- Centre de Recherche du CHU de Québec, CHUL-Neurosciences, 2705 boul. Laurier, Québec, QC G1V 4G2, Canada; Faculty of Medicine, Department of Psychiatry and Neurosciences, Université Laval, Québec, QC G1V 4G2, Canada.
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Temporal-Spatial Profiling of Pedunculopontine Galanin-Cholinergic Neurons in the Lactacystin Rat Model of Parkinson's Disease. Neurotox Res 2017; 34:16-31. [PMID: 29218504 DOI: 10.1007/s12640-017-9846-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/15/2017] [Revised: 11/22/2017] [Accepted: 11/22/2017] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
Parkinson's disease (PD) is conventionally seen as resulting from single-system neurodegeneration affecting nigrostriatal dopaminergic neurons. However, accumulating evidence indicates multi-system degeneration and neurotransmitter deficiencies, including cholinergic neurons which degenerate in a brainstem nucleus, the pedunculopontine nucleus (PPN), resulting in motor and cognitive impairments. The neuropeptide galanin can inhibit cholinergic transmission, while being upregulated in degenerating brain regions associated with cognitive decline. Here we determined the temporal-spatial profile of progressive expression of endogenous galanin within degenerating cholinergic neurons, across the rostro-caudal axis of the PPN, by utilizing the lactacystin-induced rat model of PD. First, we show progressive neuronal death affecting nigral dopaminergic and PPN cholinergic neurons, reflecting that seen in PD patients, to facilitate use of this model for assessing the therapeutic potential of bioactive peptides. Next, stereological analyses of the lesioned brain hemisphere found that the number of PPN cholinergic neurons expressing galanin increased by 11%, compared to sham-lesioned controls, and increasing by a further 5% as the neurodegenerative process evolved. Galanin upregulation within cholinergic PPN neurons was most prevalent closest to the intra-nigral lesion site, suggesting that galanin upregulation in such neurons adapt intrinsically to neurodegeneration, to possibly neuroprotect. This is the first report on the extent and pattern of galanin expression in cholinergic neurons across distinct PPN subregions in both the intact rat CNS and lactacystin-lesioned rats. The findings pave the way for future work to target galanin signaling in the PPN, to determine the extent to which upregulated galanin expression could offer a viable treatment strategy for ameliorating PD symptoms associated with cholinergic degeneration.
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Fink AM, Dean C, Piano MR, Carley DW. The pedunculopontine tegmentum controls renal sympathetic nerve activity and cardiorespiratory activities in nembutal-anesthetized rats. PLoS One 2017; 12:e0187956. [PMID: 29121095 PMCID: PMC5679551 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0187956] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/28/2016] [Accepted: 10/30/2017] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Elevated renal sympathetic nerve activity (RSNA) accompanies a variety of complex disorders, including obstructive sleep apnea, heart failure, and chronic kidney disease. Understanding pathophysiologic renal mechanisms is important for determining why hypertension is both a common sequelae and a predisposing factor of these disorders. The role of the brainstem in regulating RSNA remains incompletely understood. The pedunculopontine tegmentum (PPT) is known for regulating behaviors including alertness, locomotion, and rapid eye movement sleep. Activation of PPT neurons in anesthetized rats was previously found to increase splanchnic sympathetic nerve activity and blood pressure, in addition to altering breathing. The present study is the first investigation of the PPT and its potential role in regulating RSNA. Microinjections of DL-homocysteic acid (DLH) were used to probe the PPT in 100-μm increments in Nembutal-anesthetized rats to identify effective sites, defined as locations where changes in RSNA could be evoked. A total of 239 DLH microinjections were made in 18 rats, which identified 20 effective sites (each confirmed by the ability to evoke a repeatable sympathoexcitatory response). Peak increases in RSNA occurred within 10–20 seconds of PPT activation, with RSNA increasing by 104.5 ± 68.4% (mean ± standard deviation) from baseline. Mean arterial pressure remained significantly elevated for 30 seconds, increasing from 101.6 ± 18.6 mmHg to 135.9 ± 36.4 mmHg. DLH microinjections also increased respiratory rate and minute ventilation. The effective sites were found throughout the rostal-caudal extent of the PPT with most located in the dorsal regions of the nucleus. The majority of PPT locations tested with DLH microinjections did not alter RSNA (179 sites), suggesting that the neurons that confer renal sympathoexcitatory functions comprise a small component of the PPT. The study also underscores the importance of further investigation to determine whether sympathoexcitatory PPT neurons contribute to adverse renal and cardiovascular consequences of diseases such as obstructive sleep apnea and heart failure.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anne M. Fink
- Center for Narcolepsy, Sleep, and Health Research, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, Illinois, United States of America
- Department of Biobehavioral Health Science, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, Illinois, United States of America
- * E-mail:
| | - Caron Dean
- Department of Anesthesiology, Medical College of Wisconsin and Zablocki VA Medical Center, Milwaukee, Wisconsin, United States of America
| | - Mariann R. Piano
- Department of Biobehavioral Health Science, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, Illinois, United States of America
| | - David W. Carley
- Center for Narcolepsy, Sleep, and Health Research, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, Illinois, United States of America
- Department of Biobehavioral Health Science, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, Illinois, United States of America
- Department of Bioengineering, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, Illinois, United States of America
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Kim LH, Sharma S, Sharples SA, Mayr KA, Kwok CHT, Whelan PJ. Integration of Descending Command Systems for the Generation of Context-Specific Locomotor Behaviors. Front Neurosci 2017; 11:581. [PMID: 29093660 PMCID: PMC5651258 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2017.00581] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/08/2017] [Accepted: 10/04/2017] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Over the past decade there has been a renaissance in our understanding of spinal cord circuits; new technologies are beginning to provide key insights into descending circuits which project onto spinal cord central pattern generators. By integrating work from both the locomotor and animal behavioral fields, we can now examine context-specific control of locomotion, with an emphasis on descending modulation arising from various regions of the brainstem. Here we examine approach and avoidance behaviors and the circuits that lead to the production and arrest of locomotion.
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Affiliation(s)
- Linda H Kim
- Hotchkiss Brain Institute, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada.,Department of Neuroscience, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada
| | - Sandeep Sharma
- Hotchkiss Brain Institute, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada.,Department of Comparative Biology and Experimental Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada
| | - Simon A Sharples
- Hotchkiss Brain Institute, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada.,Department of Neuroscience, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada
| | - Kyle A Mayr
- Hotchkiss Brain Institute, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada.,Department of Neuroscience, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada
| | - Charlie H T Kwok
- Hotchkiss Brain Institute, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada.,Department of Comparative Biology and Experimental Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada
| | - Patrick J Whelan
- Hotchkiss Brain Institute, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada.,Department of Neuroscience, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada.,Department of Comparative Biology and Experimental Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada
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Mena-Segovia J, Bolam JP. Rethinking the Pedunculopontine Nucleus: From Cellular Organization to Function. Neuron 2017; 94:7-18. [PMID: 28384477 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuron.2017.02.027] [Citation(s) in RCA: 149] [Impact Index Per Article: 21.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/10/2016] [Revised: 02/03/2017] [Accepted: 02/15/2017] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
The pedunculopontine nucleus (PPN) has long been considered an interface between the basal ganglia and motor systems, and its ability to regulate arousal states puts the PPN in a key position to modulate behavior. Despite the large amount of data obtained over recent decades, a unified theory of its function is still incomplete. By putting together classical concepts and new evidence that dissects the influence of its different neuronal subtypes on their various targets, we propose that the PPN and, in particular, cholinergic neurons have a central role in updating the behavioral state as a result of changes in environmental contingencies. Such a function is accomplished by a combined mechanism that simultaneously restrains ongoing obsolete actions while it facilitates new contextual associations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Juan Mena-Segovia
- Center for Molecular and Behavioral Neuroscience, Rutgers University, Newark, NJ 07102, USA.
| | - J Paul Bolam
- MRC Brain Network Dynamics Unit, University of Oxford, Oxford OX1 3TH, UK
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42
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Role of the pedunculopontine nucleus in controlling gait and sleep in normal and parkinsonian monkeys. J Neural Transm (Vienna) 2017; 125:471-483. [PMID: 28084536 DOI: 10.1007/s00702-017-1678-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/21/2016] [Accepted: 01/07/2017] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
Patients with Parkinson's disease (PD) develop cardinal motor symptoms, including akinesia, rigidity, and tremor, that are alleviated by dopaminergic medication and/or subthalamic deep brain stimulation. Over the time course of the disease, gait and balance disorders worsen and become resistant to pharmacological and surgical treatments. These disorders generate debilitating motor symptoms leading to increased dependency, morbidity, and mortality. PD patients also experience sleep disturbance that raise the question of a common physiological basis. An extensive experimental and clinical body of work has highlighted the crucial role of the pedunculopontine nucleus (PPN) in the control of gait and sleep, and its potential major role in PD. Here, we summarise our investigations in the monkey PPN in the normal and parkinsonian states. We first examined the anatomy and connectivity of the PPN and the cuneiform nucleus which both belong to the mesencephalic locomotor region. Second, we conducted experiments to demonstrate the specific effects of PPN cholinergic lesions on locomotion in the normal and parkinsonian monkey. Third, we aimed to understand how PPN cholinergic lesions impair sleep in parkinsonian monkeys. Our final goal was to develop a novel model of advanced PD with gait and sleep disorders. We believe that this monkey model, even if it does not attempt to reproduce the exact human disease with all its complexities, represents a good biomedical model to characterise locomotion and sleep in the context of PD.
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Falkenburger B. ExPPNing how acetylcholine improves gait in Parkinson's disease: An Editorial Highlight for 'Deletion of the Vesicular Acetylcholine Transporter from Pedunculopontine/laterodorsal tegmental neurons modifies gait'. J Neurochem 2017; 140:688-691. [PMID: 28058727 DOI: 10.1111/jnc.13899] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/01/2016] [Revised: 11/07/2016] [Accepted: 11/09/2016] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
Read the highlighted article 'Deletion of the Vesicular Acetylcholine Transporter from Pedunculopontine/laterodorsal tegmental neurons modifies gait' on page 787.
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Affiliation(s)
- Björn Falkenburger
- Department of Neurology, RWTH University Aachen, Aachen, Germany.,JARA-Institute Molecular Neuroscience and Neuroimaging, Forschungszentrum Jülich GmbH and RWTH Aachen University, Aachen, Germany
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Cholinergic, Glutamatergic, and GABAergic Neurons of the Pedunculopontine Tegmental Nucleus Have Distinct Effects on Sleep/Wake Behavior in Mice. J Neurosci 2016; 37:1352-1366. [PMID: 28039375 DOI: 10.1523/jneurosci.1405-16.2016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 125] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/28/2016] [Revised: 12/10/2016] [Accepted: 12/21/2016] [Indexed: 01/15/2023] Open
Abstract
The pedunculopontine tegmental (PPT) nucleus has long been implicated in the regulation of cortical activity and behavioral states, including rapid eye-movement (REM) sleep. For example, electrical stimulation of the PPT region during sleep leads to rapid awakening, whereas lesions of the PPT in cats reduce REM sleep. Though these effects have been linked with the activity of cholinergic PPT neurons, the PPT also includes intermingled glutamatergic and GABAergic cell populations, and the precise roles of cholinergic, glutamatergic, and GABAergic PPT cell groups in regulating cortical activity and behavioral state remain unknown. Using a chemogenetic approach in three Cre-driver mouse lines, we found that selective activation of glutamatergic PPT neurons induced prolonged cortical activation and behavioral wakefulness, whereas inhibition reduced wakefulness and increased non-REM (NREM) sleep. Activation of cholinergic PPT neurons suppressed lower-frequency electroencephalogram rhythms during NREM sleep. Last, activation of GABAergic PPT neurons slightly reduced REM sleep. These findings reveal that glutamatergic, cholinergic, and GABAergic PPT neurons differentially influence cortical activity and sleep/wake states. SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT More than 40 million Americans suffer from chronic sleep disruption, and the development of effective treatments requires a more detailed understanding of the neuronal mechanisms controlling sleep and arousal. The pedunculopontine tegmental (PPT) nucleus has long been considered a key site for regulating wakefulness and REM sleep. This is mainly because of the cholinergic neurons contained in the PPT nucleus. However, the PPT nucleus also contains glutamatergic and GABAergic neurons that likely contribute to the regulation of cortical activity and sleep-wake states. The chemogenetic experiments in the present study reveal that cholinergic, glutamatergic, and GABAergic PPT neurons each have distinct effects on sleep/wake behavior, improving our understanding of how the PPT nucleus regulates cortical activity and behavioral states.
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Sébille SB, Belaid H, Philippe AC, André A, Lau B, François C, Karachi C, Bardinet E. Anatomical evidence for functional diversity in the mesencephalic locomotor region of primates. Neuroimage 2016; 147:66-78. [PMID: 27956208 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2016.12.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/21/2016] [Revised: 11/25/2016] [Accepted: 12/05/2016] [Indexed: 01/26/2023] Open
Abstract
The mesencephalic locomotor region (MLR) is a highly preserved brainstem structure in vertebrates. The MLR performs a crucial role in locomotion but also controls various other functions such as sleep, attention, and even emotion. The MLR comprises the pedunculopontine (PPN) and cuneiform nuclei (CuN) but their specific roles are still unknown in primates. Here, we sought to characterise the inputs and outputs of the PPN and CuN to and from the basal ganglia, thalamus, amygdala and cortex, with a specific interest in identifying functional anatomical territories. For this purpose, we used tract-tracing techniques in monkeys and diffusion weighted imaging-based tractography in humans to understand structural connectivity. We found that MLR connections are broadly similar between monkeys and humans. The PPN projects to the sensorimotor, associative and limbic territories of the basal ganglia nuclei, the centre median-parafascicular thalamic nuclei and the central nucleus of the amygdala. The PPN receives motor cortical inputs and less abundant connections from the associative and limbic cortices. In monkeys, we found a stronger connection between the anterior PPN and motor cortex suggesting a topographical organisation of this specific projection. The CuN projected to similar cerebral structures to the PPN in both species. However, these projections were much stronger towards the limbic territories of the basal ganglia and thalamus, to the basal forebrain (extended amygdala) and the central nucleus of the amygdala, suggesting that the CuN is not primarily a motor structure. Our findings highlight the fact that the PPN integrates sensorimotor, cognitive and emotional information whereas the CuN participates in a more restricted network integrating predominantly emotional information.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sophie B Sébille
- Sorbonne Universités, UPMC Univ Paris 06, CNRS, INSERM, APHP GH Pitié-Salpêtrière, Institut du cerveau et de la moelle épinière (ICM), F-75013 Paris, France; Centre de Neuro-Imagerie de Recherche (CENIR), Paris, France
| | - Hayat Belaid
- Sorbonne Universités, UPMC Univ Paris 06, CNRS, INSERM, APHP GH Pitié-Salpêtrière, Institut du cerveau et de la moelle épinière (ICM), F-75013 Paris, France; Département de Neurochirurgie, Hôpital Pitie Salpêtrière, AP-HP, F-75013 Paris, France
| | - Anne-Charlotte Philippe
- Sorbonne Universités, UPMC Univ Paris 06, CNRS, INSERM, APHP GH Pitié-Salpêtrière, Institut du cerveau et de la moelle épinière (ICM), F-75013 Paris, France; Centre de Neuro-Imagerie de Recherche (CENIR), Paris, France
| | - Arthur André
- Sorbonne Universités, UPMC Univ Paris 06, CNRS, INSERM, APHP GH Pitié-Salpêtrière, Institut du cerveau et de la moelle épinière (ICM), F-75013 Paris, France; Département de Neurochirurgie, Hôpital Pitie Salpêtrière, AP-HP, F-75013 Paris, France
| | - Brian Lau
- Sorbonne Universités, UPMC Univ Paris 06, CNRS, INSERM, APHP GH Pitié-Salpêtrière, Institut du cerveau et de la moelle épinière (ICM), F-75013 Paris, France
| | - Chantal François
- Sorbonne Universités, UPMC Univ Paris 06, CNRS, INSERM, APHP GH Pitié-Salpêtrière, Institut du cerveau et de la moelle épinière (ICM), F-75013 Paris, France
| | - Carine Karachi
- Sorbonne Universités, UPMC Univ Paris 06, CNRS, INSERM, APHP GH Pitié-Salpêtrière, Institut du cerveau et de la moelle épinière (ICM), F-75013 Paris, France; Département de Neurochirurgie, Hôpital Pitie Salpêtrière, AP-HP, F-75013 Paris, France
| | - Eric Bardinet
- Sorbonne Universités, UPMC Univ Paris 06, CNRS, INSERM, APHP GH Pitié-Salpêtrière, Institut du cerveau et de la moelle épinière (ICM), F-75013 Paris, France; Centre de Neuro-Imagerie de Recherche (CENIR), Paris, France.
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46
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Pienaar IS, Vernon A, Winn P. The Cellular Diversity of the Pedunculopontine Nucleus: Relevance to Behavior in Health and Aspects of Parkinson's Disease. Neuroscientist 2016; 23:415-431. [PMID: 27932591 DOI: 10.1177/1073858416682471] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
Abstract
The pedunculopontine nucleus (PPN) is a rostral brainstem structure that has extensive connections with basal ganglia nuclei and the thalamus. Through these the PPN contributes to neural circuits that effect cortical and hippocampal activity. The PPN also has descending connections to nuclei of the pontine and medullary reticular formations, deep cerebellar nuclei, and the spinal cord. Interest in the PPN has increased dramatically since it was first suggested to be a novel target for treating patients with Parkinson's disease who are refractory to medication. However, application of frequency-specific electrical stimulation of the PPN has produced inconsistent results. A central reason for this is that the PPN is not a heterogeneous structure. In this article, we review current knowledge of the neurochemical identity and topographical distribution of neurons within the PPN of both humans and experimental animals, focusing on studies that used neuronally selective targeting strategies to ascertain how the neurochemical heterogeneity of the PPN relates to its diverse functions in relation to movement and cognitive processes. If the therapeutic potential of the PPN is to be realized, it is critical to understand the complex structure-function relationships that exist here.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ilse S Pienaar
- 1 Centre for Neuroinflammation & Neurodegeneration, Division of Brain Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, Imperial College London, Hammersmith Hospital Campus, Cane Road, London, UK.,2 Faculty of Health and Life Sciences, Department of Applied Sciences, Northumbria University, Newcastle upon Tyne, UK
| | - Anthony Vernon
- 3 Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, London, UK
| | - Philip Winn
- 4 Institute of Pharmacy & Biomedical Sciences, University of Strathclyde, Glasgow, UK
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Segregated cholinergic transmission modulates dopamine neurons integrated in distinct functional circuits. Nat Neurosci 2016; 19:1025-33. [PMID: 27348215 DOI: 10.1038/nn.4335] [Citation(s) in RCA: 97] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/29/2016] [Accepted: 05/27/2016] [Indexed: 02/08/2023]
Abstract
Dopamine neurons in the ventral tegmental area (VTA) receive cholinergic innervation from brainstem structures that are associated with either movement or reward. Whereas cholinergic neurons of the pedunculopontine nucleus (PPN) carry an associative/motor signal, those of the laterodorsal tegmental nucleus (LDT) convey limbic information. We used optogenetics and in vivo juxtacellular recording and labeling to examine the influence of brainstem cholinergic innervation of distinct neuronal subpopulations in the VTA. We found that LDT cholinergic axons selectively enhanced the bursting activity of mesolimbic dopamine neurons that were excited by aversive stimulation. In contrast, PPN cholinergic axons activated and changed the discharge properties of VTA neurons that were integrated in distinct functional circuits and were inhibited by aversive stimulation. Although both structures conveyed a reinforcing signal, they had opposite roles in locomotion. Our results demonstrate that two modes of cholinergic transmission operate in the VTA and segregate the neurons involved in different reward circuits.
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Strumpf H, Noesselt T, Schoenfeld MA, Voges J, Panther P, Kaufmann J, Heinze HJ, Hopf JM. Deep Brain Stimulation of the Pedunculopontine Tegmental Nucleus (PPN) Influences Visual Contrast Sensitivity in Human Observers. PLoS One 2016; 11:e0155206. [PMID: 27167979 PMCID: PMC4864298 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0155206] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/26/2015] [Accepted: 04/26/2016] [Indexed: 01/24/2023] Open
Abstract
The parapontine nucleus of the thalamus (PPN) is a neuromodulatory midbrain structure with widespread connectivity to cortical and subcortical motor structures, as well as the spinal cord. The PPN also projects to the thalamus, including visual relay nuclei like the LGN and the pulvinar. Moreover, there is intense connectivity with sensory structures of the tegmentum in particular with the superior colliculus (SC). Given the existence and abundance of projections to visual sensory structures, it is likely that activity in the PPN has some modulatory influence on visual sensory selection. Here we address this possibility by measuring the visual discrimination performance (luminance contrast thresholds) in a group of patients with Parkinson’s Disease (PD) treated with deep-brain stimulation (DBS) of the PPN to control gait and postural motor deficits. In each patient we measured the luminance-contrast threshold of being able to discriminate an orientation-target (Gabor-grating) as a function of stimulation frequency (high 60Hz, low 8/10, no stimulation). Thresholds were determined using a standard staircase-protocol that is based on parameter estimation by sequential testing (PEST). We observed that under low frequency stimulation thresholds increased relative to no and high frequency stimulation in five out of six patients, suggesting that DBS of the PPN has a frequency-dependent impact on visual selection processes at a rather elementary perceptual level.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Toemme Noesselt
- Institute for Biological Psychology, Otto-von-Guericke University, Magdeburg, Germany
| | - Mircea Ariel Schoenfeld
- Leibniz Institute for Neurobiology, Magdeburg, Germany
- Clinic for Neurology, Otto-von-Guericke University, Magdeburg, Germany
- Kliniken Schmieder, Allensbach, Germany
| | - Jürgen Voges
- Clinic for Stereotactic Neurosurgery, Otto-von-Guericke University, Magdeburg, Germany
| | - Patricia Panther
- Clinic for Stereotactic Neurosurgery, Otto-von-Guericke University, Magdeburg, Germany
| | - Joern Kaufmann
- Clinic for Neurology, Otto-von-Guericke University, Magdeburg, Germany
| | - Hans-Jochen Heinze
- Leibniz Institute for Neurobiology, Magdeburg, Germany
- Clinic for Neurology, Otto-von-Guericke University, Magdeburg, Germany
| | - Jens-Max Hopf
- Leibniz Institute for Neurobiology, Magdeburg, Germany
- Clinic for Neurology, Otto-von-Guericke University, Magdeburg, Germany
- * E-mail:
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Sitti I, Acar G, Zisakis AK, Özdemir M, Acar F, Burchiel KJ. Effect of Subthalamic Nucleus Stimulation on Pedunculopontine Nucleus Neural Activity. Stereotact Funct Neurosurg 2016; 94:54-9. [PMID: 26977617 DOI: 10.1159/000442892] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/25/2015] [Accepted: 11/30/2015] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The pedunculopontine nucleus has recently been proposed as an alternative target for deep brain stimulation for the treatment of medically intractable Parkinson's disease. The suggested indication for pedunculopontine nucleus deep brain stimulation is severe and medically intractable axial symptoms such as gait and postural impairment. OBJECTIVE Our goal in this study was to describe the effects of subthalamic nucleus stimulation on pedunculopontine nucleus electrophysiological activity. METHODS Fourteen male Wistar rats were divided into a sham stimulation group and an experimental group. In both groups, electrodes were implanted bilaterally into the subthalamic nucleus and into the right pedunculopontine nucleus. Microelectrode recordings were carried out in both groups prior to and during subthalamic nucleus stimulation. RESULTS Subthalamic nucleus stimulation produced no clear inhibition of neuronal firing in the pedunculopontine nucleus. However, we found that stimulation of the subthalamic nucleus at 60 Hz produces some entrainment of pedunculopontine nucleus neuronal firing and a shift of subthalamic nucleus firing patterns to more tonic and random patterns. These results are consistent with the effects of deep brain stimulation on neuronal activity in the subthalamic nucleus and globus pallidus internus. CONCLUSION The result of this study provides additional evidence to improve our understanding of the mechanism of subthalamic nucleus-deep brain stimulation, and its physiological consequences.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ilkay Sitti
- Department of Neurosurgery, Faculty of Medicine, Pamukkale University, Denizli, Turkey
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Mena-Segovia J. Structural and functional considerations of the cholinergic brainstem. J Neural Transm (Vienna) 2016; 123:731-736. [PMID: 26945862 DOI: 10.1007/s00702-016-1530-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/20/2016] [Accepted: 02/19/2016] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
Cholinergic neurons of the brainstem have traditionally been associated with a role in wakefulness as part of the reticular activating system, but their function cannot be explained solely on the basis of their modulation of the brain state. Recent findings about their connectivity and functional heterogeneity suggest a wider role in behavior, where basal ganglia is at the center of their influence. This review focuses on recent findings that suggest an intrinsic functional organization of the cholinergic brainstem that is closely correlated with its connectivity with midbrain and forebrain circuits. Furthermore, recent evidence on the temporal structure of the activation of brainstem cholinergic neurons reveals fundamental aspects about the nature of cholinergic signaling. Consideration of the cholinergic brainstem complex in the context of wider brain circuits is critical to understand its contribution to normal behavior.
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Affiliation(s)
- Juan Mena-Segovia
- Center for Molecular and Behavioral Neuroscience, Aidekman Research Center, Rutgers University, Newark, NJ, 07102, USA.
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