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Noftz WA, Echols EE, Beebe NL, Mellott JG, Schofield BR. Differential cholinergic innervation of lemniscal versus non-lemniscal regions of the inferior colliculus. J Chem Neuroanat 2024; 139:102443. [PMID: 38914378 DOI: 10.1016/j.jchemneu.2024.102443] [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: 05/16/2024] [Revised: 06/12/2024] [Accepted: 06/17/2024] [Indexed: 06/26/2024]
Abstract
The inferior colliculus (IC), a midbrain hub for integration of auditory information, receives dense cholinergic input that could modulate nearly all aspects of hearing. A key step in understanding cholinergic modulation is to identify the source(s) and termination patterns of cholinergic input. These issues have not been addressed for the IC in mice, an increasingly important model for study of hearing. We examined cholinergic inputs to the IC in adult male and female mice. We used retrograde tracing and immunochemistry to identify three sources of cholinergic innervation of the mouse IC: the pedunculopontine tegmental nucleus (PPT), the laterodorsal tegmental nucleus (LDT) and the lateral paragigantocellular nucleus (LPGi). We then used Cre-dependent labeling of cholinergic neurons in normal-hearing ChAT-Cre mice to selectively label the cholinergic projections to the IC from each of the cholinergic sources. Labeling of cholinergic projections from the PPT and LDT revealed cholinergic axons and boutons terminating throughout the IC, with the ipsilateral projection being denser. Electron microscopic examination showed that these cholinergic axons can form traditional synaptic junctions with IC neurons. In separate experiments, selective labeling of cholinergic projections from the LPGi revealed bilateral projections to the IC. The LPGi axons exhibited relatively equal densities on ipsilateral and contralateral sides, but on both sides the terminations were largely restricted to the non-lemniscal regions of the IC (i.e., the dorsal cortex, lateral cortex and intercollicular tegmentum). We conclude first that cholinergic axons can form traditional synapses in the IC. In addition, lemniscal and non-lemniscal regions of the IC receive different patterns of cholinergic innervation. The lemniscal IC (IC central nucleus) is innervated by cholinergic neurons in the PPT and the LDT whereas the non-lemniscal "shell" areas of the IC are innervated by the PPT and LDT and by cholinergic neurons in the LPGi. DATA AVAILABILITY: Data will be made available on request.
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Affiliation(s)
- William A Noftz
- Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, University Hospitals Hearing Research Center at NEOMED, Northeast Ohio Medical University, Rootstown, OH 44272, USA
| | - Emily E Echols
- Department of Biology, University of Akron, Akron, OH 44325, USA
| | - Nichole L Beebe
- Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, University Hospitals Hearing Research Center at NEOMED, Northeast Ohio Medical University, Rootstown, OH 44272, USA
| | - Jeffrey G Mellott
- Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, University Hospitals Hearing Research Center at NEOMED, Northeast Ohio Medical University, Rootstown, OH 44272, USA
| | - Brett R Schofield
- Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, University Hospitals Hearing Research Center at NEOMED, Northeast Ohio Medical University, Rootstown, OH 44272, USA.
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2
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Utashiro N, MacLaren DAA, Liu YC, Yaqubi K, Wojak B, Monyer H. Long-range inhibition from prelimbic to cingulate areas of the medial prefrontal cortex enhances network activity and response execution. Nat Commun 2024; 15:5772. [PMID: 38982042 PMCID: PMC11233578 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-50055-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/16/2023] [Accepted: 06/28/2024] [Indexed: 07/11/2024] Open
Abstract
It is well established that the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) exerts top-down control of many behaviors, but little is known regarding how cross-talk between distinct areas of the mPFC influences top-down signaling. We performed virus-mediated tracing and functional studies in male mice, homing in on GABAergic projections whose axons are located mainly in layer 1 and that connect two areas of the mPFC, namely the prelimbic area (PrL) with the cingulate area 1 and 2 (Cg1/2). We revealed the identity of the targeted neurons that comprise two distinct types of layer 1 GABAergic interneurons, namely single-bouquet cells (SBCs) and neurogliaform cells (NGFs), and propose that this connectivity links GABAergic projection neurons with cortical canonical circuits. In vitro electrophysiological and in vivo calcium imaging studies support the notion that the GABAergic projection neurons from the PrL to the Cg1/2 exert a crucial role in regulating the activity in the target area by disinhibiting layer 5 output neurons. Finally, we demonstrated that recruitment of these projections affects impulsivity and mechanical responsiveness, behaviors which are known to be modulated by Cg1/2 activity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nao Utashiro
- Department of Clinical Neurobiology at the Medical Faculty of the Heidelberg University and of the German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Duncan Archibald Allan MacLaren
- Department of Clinical Neurobiology at the Medical Faculty of the Heidelberg University and of the German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Yu-Chao Liu
- Department of Clinical Neurobiology at the Medical Faculty of the Heidelberg University and of the German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Kaneschka Yaqubi
- Department of Clinical Neurobiology at the Medical Faculty of the Heidelberg University and of the German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Heidelberg, Germany
- Department of Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Infectious Diseases, University Hospital Düsseldorf and Medical Faculty of Heinrich Heine University Düsseldorf, Düsseldorf, Germany
| | - Birgit Wojak
- Department of Clinical Neurobiology at the Medical Faculty of the Heidelberg University and of the German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Heidelberg, Germany
- Department of Internal Medicine III, University Hospital Ulm, Ulm, Germany
| | - Hannah Monyer
- Department of Clinical Neurobiology at the Medical Faculty of the Heidelberg University and of the German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Heidelberg, Germany.
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3
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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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4
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Beebe NL, Herrera YN, Noftz WA, Roberts MT, Schofield BR. Characterization of three cholinergic inputs to the cochlear nucleus. J Chem Neuroanat 2023; 131:102284. [PMID: 37164181 PMCID: PMC10330717 DOI: 10.1016/j.jchemneu.2023.102284] [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: 03/29/2023] [Revised: 05/02/2023] [Accepted: 05/03/2023] [Indexed: 05/12/2023]
Abstract
Acetylcholine modulates responses throughout the auditory system, including at the earliest brain level, the cochlear nucleus (CN). Previous studies have shown multiple sources of cholinergic input to the CN but information about their relative contributions and the distribution of inputs from each source is lacking. Here, we used staining for cholinergic axons and boutons, retrograde tract tracing, and acetylcholine-selective anterograde tracing to characterize three sources of acetylcholine input to the CN in mice. Staining for cholinergic axons showed heavy cholinergic inputs to granule cell areas and the dorsal CN with lighter input to the ventral CN. Retrograde tract tracing revealed that cholinergic cells from the superior olivary complex, pontomesencephalic tegmentum, and lateral paragigantocellular nucleus send projections to the CN. When we selectively labeled cholinergic axons from each source to the CN, we found surprising similarities in their terminal distributions, with patterns that were overlapping rather than complementary. Each source heavily targeted granule cell areas and the dorsal CN (especially the deep dorsal CN) and sent light input into the ventral CN. Our results demonstrate convergence of cholinergic inputs from multiple sources in most regions of the CN and raise the possibility of convergence onto single CN cells. Linking sources of acetylcholine and their patterns of activity to modulation of specific cell types in the CN will be an important next step in understanding cholinergic modulation of early auditory processing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nichole L Beebe
- Hearing Research Group, Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, Northeast Ohio Medical University, Rootstown, OH, USA
| | - Yoani N Herrera
- Kresge Hearing Research Institute, Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | - William A Noftz
- Hearing Research Group, Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, Northeast Ohio Medical University, Rootstown, OH, USA
| | - Michael T Roberts
- Kresge Hearing Research Institute, Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA; Department of Molecular and Integrative Physiology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | - Brett R Schofield
- Hearing Research Group, Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, Northeast Ohio Medical University, Rootstown, OH, USA.
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Bindi RP, Guimarães CC, de Oliveira AR, Melleu FF, de Lima MAX, Baldo MVC, Motta SC, Canteras NS. Anatomical and functional study of the cuneiform nucleus: A critical site to organize innate defensive behaviors. Ann N Y Acad Sci 2023; 1521:79-95. [PMID: 36606723 DOI: 10.1111/nyas.14954] [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] [Indexed: 01/07/2023]
Abstract
The cuneiform nucleus (CUN) is a midbrain structure located lateral to the caudal part of the periaqueductal gray. In the present investigation, we first performed a systematic analysis of the afferent and efferent projections of the CUN using FluoroGold and Phaseolus vulgaris leucoagglutinin as retrograde and anterograde neuronal tracers, respectively. Next, we examined the behavioral responses to optogenetic activation of the CUN and evaluated the impact of pharmacological inactivation of the CUN in both innate and contextual fear responses to a predatory threat (i.e., a live cat). The present hodologic evidence indicates that the CUN might be viewed as a caudal component of the periaqueductal gray. The CUN has strong bidirectional links with the dorsolateral periaqueductal gray (PAGdl). Our hodological findings revealed that the CUN and PAGdl share a similar source of inputs involved in integrating information related to life-threatening events and that the CUN provides particularly strong projections to brain sites influencing antipredatory defensive behaviors. Our functional studies revealed that the CUN mediates innate freezing and flight antipredatory responses but does not seem to influence the acquisition and expression of learned fear responses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ricardo P Bindi
- Deptarment of Anatomy, Institute of Biomedical Sciences, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | | | - Amanda R de Oliveira
- Deptarment of Anatomy, Institute of Biomedical Sciences, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Fernando F Melleu
- Deptarment of Anatomy, Institute of Biomedical Sciences, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Miguel A X de Lima
- Deptarment of Anatomy, Institute of Biomedical Sciences, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Marcus V C Baldo
- Department of Physiology and Biophysics, Institute of Biomedical Sciences, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Simone C Motta
- Deptarment of Anatomy, Institute of Biomedical Sciences, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Newton S Canteras
- Deptarment of Anatomy, Institute of Biomedical Sciences, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
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6
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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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7
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Rivera-Perez LM, Kwapiszewski JT, Roberts MT. α 3β 4 ∗ Nicotinic Acetylcholine Receptors Strongly Modulate the Excitability of VIP Neurons in the Mouse Inferior Colliculus. Front Neural Circuits 2021; 15:709387. [PMID: 34434092 PMCID: PMC8381226 DOI: 10.3389/fncir.2021.709387] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/13/2021] [Accepted: 07/19/2021] [Indexed: 12/03/2022] Open
Abstract
The inferior colliculus (IC), the midbrain hub of the central auditory system, receives extensive cholinergic input from the pontomesencephalic tegmentum. Activation of nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (nAChRs) in the IC can alter acoustic processing and enhance auditory task performance. However, how nAChRs affect the excitability of specific classes of IC neurons remains unknown. Recently, we identified vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP) neurons as a distinct class of glutamatergic principal neurons in the IC. Here, in experiments using male and female mice, we show that cholinergic terminals are routinely located adjacent to the somas and dendrites of VIP neurons. Using whole-cell electrophysiology in brain slices, we found that acetylcholine drives surprisingly strong and long-lasting excitation and inward currents in VIP neurons. This excitation was unaffected by the muscarinic receptor antagonist atropine. Application of nAChR antagonists revealed that acetylcholine excites VIP neurons mainly via activation of α3β4∗ nAChRs, a nAChR subtype that is rare in the brain. Furthermore, we show that acetylcholine excites VIP neurons directly and does not require intermediate activation of presynaptic inputs that might express nAChRs. Lastly, we found that low frequency trains of acetylcholine puffs elicited temporal summation in VIP neurons, suggesting that in vivo-like patterns of cholinergic input can reshape activity for prolonged periods. These results reveal the first cellular mechanisms of nAChR regulation in the IC, identify a functional role for α3β4∗ nAChRs in the auditory system, and suggest that cholinergic input can potently influence auditory processing by increasing excitability in VIP neurons and their postsynaptic targets.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luis M Rivera-Perez
- Kresge Hearing Research Institute, Department of Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, United States
| | - Julia T Kwapiszewski
- Kresge Hearing Research Institute, Department of Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, United States
| | - Michael T Roberts
- Kresge Hearing Research Institute, Department of Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, United States
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8
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Richardson BD, Sottile SY, Caspary DM. Mechanisms of GABAergic and cholinergic neurotransmission in auditory thalamus: Impact of aging. Hear Res 2020; 402:108003. [PMID: 32703637 DOI: 10.1016/j.heares.2020.108003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/04/2020] [Revised: 05/15/2020] [Accepted: 05/23/2020] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
Age-related hearing loss is a complex disorder affecting a majority of the elderly population. As people age, speech understanding becomes a challenge especially in complex acoustic settings and negatively impacts the ability to accurately analyze the auditory scene. This is in part due to an inability to focus auditory attention on a particular stimulus source while simultaneously filtering out other sound stimuli. The present review examines the impact of aging on two neurotransmitter systems involved in accurate temporal processing and auditory gating in auditory thalamus (medial geniculate body; MGB), a critical brain region involved in the coding and filtering of auditory information. The inhibitory neurotransmitter GABA and its synaptic receptors (GABAARs) are key to maintaining accurate temporal coding of complex sounds, such as speech, throughout the central auditory system. In the MGB, synaptic and extrasynaptic GABAARs mediate fast phasic and slow tonic inhibition respectively, which in turn regulate MGB neuron excitability, firing modes, and engage thalamocortical oscillations that shape coding and gating of acoustic content. Acoustic coding properties of MGB neurons are further modulated through activation of tegmental cholinergic afferents that project to MGB to potentially modulate attention and help to disambiguate difficult to understand or novel sounds. Acetylcholine is released onto MGB neurons and presynaptic terminals in MGB activating neuronal nicotinic and muscarinic acetylcholine receptors (nAChRs, mAChRs) at a subset of MGB afferents to optimize top-down and bottom-up information flow. Both GABAergic and cholinergic neurotransmission is significantly altered with aging and this review will detail how age-related changes in these circuits within the MGB may impact coding of acoustic stimuli.
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Affiliation(s)
- B D Richardson
- WWAMI Medical Education, University of Idaho, Moscow, ID, 83844, USA; Biological Engineering, University of Idaho, Moscow, ID, 83844, USA
| | - S Y Sottile
- Center for Clinical Research Southern Illinois University - School of Medicine, Springfield, IL, 62702, USA
| | - D M Caspary
- Department of Pharmacology Southern Illinois University - School of Medicine, Springfield, IL, 62702, USA.
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9
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Janickova H, Kljakic O, Rosborough K, Raulic S, Matovic S, Gros R, Saksida LM, Bussey TJ, Inoue W, Prado VF, Prado MAM. Selective decrease of cholinergic signaling from pedunculopontine and laterodorsal tegmental nuclei has little impact on cognition but markedly increases susceptibility to stress. FASEB J 2019; 33:7018-7036. [PMID: 30857416 DOI: 10.1096/fj.201802108r] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/19/2023]
Abstract
The pedunculopontine tegmental nucleus (PPT) and laterodorsal tegmental nucleus (LDT) are heterogeneous brainstem structures that contain cholinergic, glutamatergic, and GABAergic neurons. PPT/LDT neurons are suggested to modulate both cognitive and noncognitive functions, yet the extent to which acetylcholine (ACh) signaling from the PPT/LDT is necessary for normal behavior remains uncertain. We addressed this issue by using a mouse model in which PPT/LDT cholinergic signaling is highly decreased by selective deletion of the vesicular ACh transporter (VAChT) gene. This approach interferes exclusively with ACh signaling, leaving signaling by other neurotransmitters from PPT/LDT cholinergic neurons intact and sparing other cells. VAChT mutants were examined on different PPT/LDT-associated cognitive domains. Interestingly, VAChT mutants showed no attentional deficits and only minor cognitive flexibility impairments while presenting large deficiencies in both spatial and cued Morris water maze (MWM) tasks. Conversely, working spatial memory determined with the Y-maze and spatial memory measured with the Barnes maze were not affected, suggesting that deficits in MWM were unrelated to spatial memory abnormalities. Supporting this interpretation, VAChT mutants exhibited alterations in anxiety-like behavior and increased corticosterone levels after exposure to the MWM, suggesting altered stress response. Thus, PPT/LDT VAChT-mutant mice present little cognitive impairment per se, yet they exhibit increased susceptibility to stress, which may lead to performance deficits in more stressful conditions.-Janickova, H., Kljakic, O., Rosborough, K., Raulic, S., Matovic, S., Gros, R., Saksida, L. M., Bussey, T. J., Inoue, W., Prado, V. F., Prado, M. A. M. Selective decrease of cholinergic signaling from pedunculopontine and laterodorsal tegmental nuclei has little impact on cognition but markedly increases susceptibility to stress.
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Affiliation(s)
- Helena Janickova
- Robarts Research Institute, Schulich School of Medicine & Dentistry, University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, Canada
| | - Ornela Kljakic
- Robarts Research Institute, Schulich School of Medicine & Dentistry, University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, Canada.,Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, Schulich School of Medicine & Dentistry, University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, Canada
| | - Kaie Rosborough
- Robarts Research Institute, Schulich School of Medicine & Dentistry, University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, Canada.,Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, Schulich School of Medicine & Dentistry, University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, Canada
| | - Sanda Raulic
- Robarts Research Institute, Schulich School of Medicine & Dentistry, University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, Canada
| | - Sara Matovic
- Robarts Research Institute, Schulich School of Medicine & Dentistry, University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, Canada.,Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Schulich School of Medicine and Dentistry, University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, Canada; and
| | - Robert Gros
- Robarts Research Institute, Schulich School of Medicine & Dentistry, University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, Canada.,Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Schulich School of Medicine and Dentistry, University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, Canada; and
| | - Lisa M Saksida
- Robarts Research Institute, Schulich School of Medicine & Dentistry, University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, Canada.,Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Schulich School of Medicine and Dentistry, University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, Canada; and.,Brain and Mind Institute, The University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, Canada
| | - Timothy J Bussey
- Robarts Research Institute, Schulich School of Medicine & Dentistry, University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, Canada.,Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Schulich School of Medicine and Dentistry, University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, Canada; and.,Brain and Mind Institute, The University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, Canada
| | - Wataru Inoue
- Robarts Research Institute, Schulich School of Medicine & Dentistry, University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, Canada.,Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Schulich School of Medicine and Dentistry, University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, Canada; and
| | - Vania F Prado
- Robarts Research Institute, Schulich School of Medicine & Dentistry, University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, Canada.,Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, Schulich School of Medicine & Dentistry, University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, Canada.,Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Schulich School of Medicine and Dentistry, University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, Canada; and.,Brain and Mind Institute, The University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, Canada
| | - Marco A M Prado
- Robarts Research Institute, Schulich School of Medicine & Dentistry, University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, Canada.,Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, Schulich School of Medicine & Dentistry, University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, Canada.,Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Schulich School of Medicine and Dentistry, University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, Canada; and.,Brain and Mind Institute, The University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, Canada
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10
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Presynaptic Neuronal Nicotinic Receptors Differentially Shape Select Inputs to Auditory Thalamus and Are Negatively Impacted by Aging. J Neurosci 2017; 37:11377-11389. [PMID: 29061702 DOI: 10.1523/jneurosci.1795-17.2017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/27/2017] [Revised: 10/05/2017] [Accepted: 10/11/2017] [Indexed: 01/16/2023] Open
Abstract
Acetylcholine (ACh) is a potent neuromodulator capable of modifying patterns of acoustic information flow. In auditory cortex, cholinergic systems have been shown to increase salience/gain while suppressing extraneous information. However, the mechanism by which cholinergic circuits shape signal processing in the auditory thalamus (medial geniculate body, MGB) is poorly understood. The present study, in male Fischer Brown Norway rats, seeks to determine the location and function of presynaptic neuronal nicotinic ACh receptors (nAChRs) at the major inputs to MGB and characterize how nAChRs change during aging. In vitro electrophysiological/optogenetic methods were used to examine responses of MGB neurons after activation of nAChRs during a paired-pulse paradigm. Presynaptic nAChR activation increased responses evoked by stimulation of excitatory corticothalamic and inhibitory tectothalamic terminals. Conversely, nAChR activation appeared to have little effect on evoked responses from inhibitory thalamic reticular nucleus and excitatory tectothalamic terminals. In situ hybridization data showed nAChR subunit transcripts in GABAergic inferior colliculus neurons and glutamatergic auditory cortical neurons supporting the present slice findings. Responses to nAChR activation at excitatory corticothalamic and inhibitory tectothalamic inputs were diminished by aging. These findings suggest that cholinergic input to the MGB increases the strength of tectothalamic inhibitory projections, potentially improving the signal-to-noise ratio and signal detection while increasing corticothalamic gain, which may facilitate top-down identification of stimulus identity. These mechanisms appear to be affected negatively by aging, potentially diminishing speech perception in noisy environments. Cholinergic inputs to the MGB appear to maximize sensory processing by adjusting both top-down and bottom-up mechanisms in conditions of attention and arousal.SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT The pedunculopontine tegmental nucleus is the source of cholinergic innervation for sensory thalamus and is a critical part of an ascending arousal system that controls the firing mode of thalamic cells based on attentional demand. The present study describes the location and impact of aging on presynaptic neuronal nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (nAChRs) within the circuitry of the auditory thalamus (medial geniculate body, MGB). We show that nAChRs are located on ascending inhibitory and descending excitatory presynaptic inputs onto MGB neurons, likely increasing gain selectively and improving temporal clarity. In addition, we show that aging has a deleterious effect on nAChR efficacy. Cholinergic dysfunction at the level of MGB may affect speech understanding negatively in the elderly population.
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11
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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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12
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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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13
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Okada KI, Kobayashi Y. Reward and Behavioral Factors Contributing to the Tonic Activity of Monkey Pedunculopontine Tegmental Nucleus Neurons during Saccade Tasks. Front Syst Neurosci 2016; 10:94. [PMID: 27891082 PMCID: PMC5104745 DOI: 10.3389/fnsys.2016.00094] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/28/2016] [Accepted: 11/03/2016] [Indexed: 01/24/2023] Open
Abstract
The pedunculopontine tegmental nucleus (PPTg) in the brainstem plays a role in controlling reinforcement learning and executing conditioned behavior. We previously examined the activity of PPTg neurons in monkeys during a reward-conditioned, visually guided saccade task, and reported that a population of these neurons exhibited tonic responses throughout the task period. These tonic responses might depend on prediction of the upcoming reward, successful execution of the task, or both. Here, we sought to further distinguish these factors and to investigate how each contributes to the tonic neuronal activity of the PPTg. In our normal visually guided saccade task, the monkey initially fixated on the central fixation target (FT), then made saccades to the peripheral saccade target and received a juice reward after the saccade target disappeared. Most of the tonic activity terminated shortly after the reward delivery, when the monkey broke fixation. To distinguish between reward and behavioral epochs, we then changed the task sequence for a block of trials, such that the saccade target remained visible after the reward delivery. Under these visible conditions, the monkeys tended to continue fixating on the saccade target even after the reward delivery. Therefore, the prediction of the upcoming reward and the end of an individual trial were separated in time. Regardless of the task conditions, half of the tonically active PPTg neurons terminated their activity around the time of the reward delivery, consistent with the view that PPTg neurons might send reward prediction signals until the time of reward delivery, which is essential for computing reward prediction error in reinforcement learning. On the other hand, the other half of the tonically active PPTg neurons changed their activity dependent on the task condition. In the normal condition, the tonic responses terminated around the time of the reward delivery, while in the visible condition, the activity continued until the disappearance of the saccade target (ST) after reward delivery. Thus, for these neurons, the tonic activity might be related to maintaining attention to complete fixation behavior. These results suggest that, in addition to the reward value information, some PPTg neurons might contribute to the execution of conditioned task behavior.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ken-Ichi Okada
- Laboratories for Neuroscience, Visual Neuroscience Group, Graduate School of Frontier Biosciences, Osaka UniversityOsaka, Japan; Center for Information and Neural Networks, National Institute of Information and Communications Technology, Osaka UniversityOsaka, Japan
| | - Yasushi Kobayashi
- Laboratories for Neuroscience, Visual Neuroscience Group, Graduate School of Frontier Biosciences, Osaka UniversityOsaka, Japan; Center for Information and Neural Networks, National Institute of Information and Communications Technology, Osaka UniversityOsaka, Japan; Research Center for Behavioral Economics, Osaka UniversityOsaka, Japan
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14
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Gut NK, Winn P. The pedunculopontine tegmental nucleus-A functional hypothesis from the comparative literature. Mov Disord 2016; 31:615-24. [PMID: 26880095 PMCID: PMC4949639 DOI: 10.1002/mds.26556] [Citation(s) in RCA: 63] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/27/2015] [Revised: 12/22/2015] [Accepted: 12/28/2015] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
We present data from animal studies showing that the pedunculopontine tegmental nucleus-conserved through evolution, compartmentalized, and with a complex pattern of inputs and outputs-has functions that involve formation and updates of action-outcome associations, attention, and rapid decision making. This is in contrast to previous hypotheses about pedunculopontine function, which has served as a basis for clinical interest in the pedunculopontine in movement disorders. Current animal literature points to it being neither a specifically motor structure nor a master switch for sleep regulation. The pedunculopontine is connected to basal ganglia circuitry but also has primary sensory input across modalities and descending connections to pontomedullary, cerebellar, and spinal motor and autonomic control systems. Functional and anatomical studies in animals suggest strongly that, in addition to the pedunculopontine being an input and output station for the basal ganglia and key regulator of thalamic (and consequently cortical) activity, an additional major function is participation in the generation of actions on the basis of a first-pass analysis of incoming sensory data. Such a function-rapid decision making-has very high adaptive value for any vertebrate. We argue that in developing clinical strategies for treating basal ganglia disorders, it is necessary to take an account of the normal functions of the pedunculopontine. We believe that it is possible to use our hypothesis to explain why pedunculopontine deep brain stimulation used clinically has had variable outcomes in the treatment of parkinsonism motor symptoms and effects on cognitive processing. © 2016 International Parkinson and Movement Disorder Society.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nadine K Gut
- Biozentrum, University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Philip Winn
- Strathclyde Institute of Pharmacy & Biomedical Sciences, University of Strathclyde, Glasgow, United Kingdom
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MacLaren DAA, Santini JA, Russell AL, Markovic T, Clark SD. Deficits in motor performance after pedunculopontine lesions in rats--impairment depends on demands of task. Eur J Neurosci 2014; 40:3224-36. [PMID: 24995993 DOI: 10.1111/ejn.12666] [Citation(s) in RCA: 45] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/03/2014] [Revised: 05/21/2014] [Accepted: 06/06/2014] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
Anatomically and functionally located between basal ganglia and brainstem circuitry, the pedunculopontine tegmental nucleus (PPTg) is in a pivotal position to contribute to motor behavior. Studies in primates have reported akinesia and postural instability following destruction of the PPTg. In humans, the PPTg partially degenerates in Parkinson's disease and stimulation of this region is under investigation as a possible therapeutic. Studies in rats report no crude motor impairment following PPTg lesion, although a detailed assessment of the role of the PPTg in rat motor function has not been reported. Our studies applied motor tests generally used in rodent models of Parkinson's disease to rats bearing either excitotoxic damage to all neuronal populations within PPTg, or selective destruction of the cholinergic subpopulation created with the toxin Dtx-UII. Neither lesion type altered baseline locomotion. On the rotarod, excitotoxic lesions produced a persistent impairment on the accelerating, but not fixed speed, conditions. In the vermicelli handling task (a quantitative measure of fine motor control and effective behavioral sequencing) excitotoxic lesions produced no single impairment, but globally increased the number of normal and abnormal behaviors. In contrast, depletion of cholinergic PPTg neurons produced impairment on the accelerating rotarod but no changes in vermicelli handling. Together, these results show that while PPTg lesions produce no impairment in the execution of individual motor actions, impairments emerge when the demands of the task increase. Results are discussed in terms of PPTg acting as part of a rapid action selection system, which integrates sensory information into motor output.
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Affiliation(s)
- Duncan A A MacLaren
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, University at Buffalo, SUNY, Buffalo, NY, 14214, USA
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16
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Cyr M, Parent MJ, Mechawar N, Rosa-Neto P, Soucy JP, Clark SD, Aghourian M, Bedard MA. Deficit in sustained attention following selective cholinergic lesion of the pedunculopontine tegmental nucleus in rat, as measured with both post-mortem immunocytochemistry and in vivo PET imaging with [¹⁸F]fluoroethoxybenzovesamicol. Behav Brain Res 2014; 278:107-14. [PMID: 25257103 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbr.2014.09.021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/06/2014] [Revised: 09/12/2014] [Accepted: 09/15/2014] [Indexed: 12/28/2022]
Abstract
Cholinergic neurons of the pedunculopontine tegmental nucleus (PPTg) are thought to be involved in cognitive functions such as sustained attention, and lesions of these cells have been documented in patients showing fluctuations of attention such as in Parkinson's disease or dementia with Lewy Body. Animal studies have been conducted to support the role of these cells in attention, but the lesions induced in these animals were not specific to the cholinergic PPTg system, and were assessed by post-mortem methods remotely performed from the in vivo behavioral assessments. Moreover, sustained attention have not been directly assessed in these studies, but rather deduced from indirect measurements. In the present study, rats were assessed on the 5-Choice Serial Reaction Time Task (5-CSRTT), and a specific measure of variability in response latency was created. Animals were observed both before and after selective lesion of the PPTg cholinergic neurons. Brain cholinergic denervation was assessed both in vivo and ex vivo, using PET imaging with [(18)F]fluoroethoxybenzovesamicol ([(18)F]FEOBV) and immunocytochemistry respectively. Results showed that the number of correct responses and variability in response latency in the 5-CSRTT were the only behavioral measures affected following the lesions. These measures were found to correlate significantly with the number of PPTg cholinergic cells, as measured with both [(18)F]FEOBV and immunocytochemistry. This suggests the primary role of the PPTg cholinergic cells in sustained attention. It also allows to reliably use the PET imaging with [(18)F]FEOBV for the purpose of assessing the relationship between behavior and cholinergic innervation in living animals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marilyn Cyr
- Université du Québec à Montréal (UQAM), Canada; Douglas Mental Health University Institute, Canada
| | - Maxime J Parent
- Université du Québec à Montréal (UQAM), Canada; Douglas Mental Health University Institute, Canada
| | | | - Pedro Rosa-Neto
- Douglas Mental Health University Institute, Canada; Montreal Neurological Institute (MNI), Canada
| | | | | | | | - Marc-Andre Bedard
- Université du Québec à Montréal (UQAM), Canada; Douglas Mental Health University Institute, Canada; Montreal Neurological Institute (MNI), Canada.
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17
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Blanco L, Yuste JE, Carrillo-de Sauvage MA, Gómez A, Fernández-Villalba E, Avilés-Olmos I, Limousin P, Zrinzo L, Herrero MT. Critical evaluation of the anatomical location of the Barrington nucleus: relevance for deep brain stimulation surgery of pedunculopontine tegmental nucleus. Neuroscience 2013; 247:351-63. [PMID: 23732233 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroscience.2013.05.047] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/18/2013] [Revised: 04/26/2013] [Accepted: 05/23/2013] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
Deep brain stimulation (DBS) has become the standard surgical procedure for advanced Parkinson's disease (PD). Recently, the pedunculopontine tegmental nucleus (PPN) has emerged as a potential target for DBS in patients whose quality of life is compromised by freezing of gait and falls. To date, only a few groups have published their long-term clinical experience with PPN stimulation. Bearing in mind that the Barrington (Bar) nucleus and some adjacent nuclei (also known as the micturition centre) are close to the PPN and may be affected by DBS, the aim of the present study was to review the anatomical location of this structure in human and other species. To this end, the Bar nucleus area was analysed in mouse, monkey and human tissues, paying particular attention to the anatomical position in humans, where it has been largely overlooked. Results confirm that anatomical location renders the Bar nucleus susceptible to influence by the PPN DBS lead or to diffusion of electrical current. This may have an undesirable impact on the quality of life of patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lisette Blanco
- Clinical and Experimental Neuroscience, Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red sobre Enfermedades Neurodegenerativas, School of Medicine, University of Murcia, Campus de Espinardo, 30071 Murcia, Spain
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18
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Okada KI, Kobayashi Y. Reward prediction-related increases and decreases in tonic neuronal activity of the pedunculopontine tegmental nucleus. Front Integr Neurosci 2013; 7:36. [PMID: 23717270 PMCID: PMC3653103 DOI: 10.3389/fnint.2013.00036] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/12/2012] [Accepted: 04/25/2013] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The neuromodulators serotonin, acetylcholine, and dopamine have been proposed to play important roles in the execution of movement, control of several forms of attentional behavior, and reinforcement learning. While the response pattern of midbrain dopaminergic neurons and its specific role in reinforcement learning have been revealed, the roles of the other neuromodulators remain elusive. Reportedly, neurons in the dorsal raphe nucleus, one major source of serotonin, continually track the state of expectation of future rewards by showing a correlated response to the start of a behavioral task, reward cue presentation, and reward delivery. Here, we show that neurons in the pedunculopontine tegmental nucleus (PPTN), one major source of acetylcholine, showed similar encoding of the expectation of future rewards by a systematic increase or decrease in tonic activity. We recorded and analyzed PPTN neuronal activity in monkeys during a reward conditioned visually guided saccade task. The firing patterns of many PPTN neurons were tonically increased or decreased throughout the task period. The tonic activity pattern of neurons was correlated with their encoding of the predicted reward value; neurons exhibiting an increase or decrease in tonic activity showed higher or lower activity in the large reward-predicted trials, respectively. Tonic activity and reward-related modulation ended around the time of reward delivery. Additionally, some tonic changes in activity started prior to the appearance of the initial stimulus, and were related to the anticipatory fixational behavior. A partially overlapping population of neurons showed both the initial anticipatory response and subsequent predicted reward value-dependent activity modulation by their systematic increase or decrease of tonic activity. These bi-directional reward- and anticipatory behavior-related modulation patterns are suitable for the presumed role of the PPTN in reward processing and motivational control.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ken-Ichi Okada
- Graduate School of Frontier Biosciences, Osaka University Osaka, Japan ; Center for Information and Neural Networks, National Institute of Information and Communications Technology, and Osaka University Osaka, Japan
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Parker MO, Brock AJ, Walton RT, Brennan CH. The role of zebrafish (Danio rerio) in dissecting the genetics and neural circuits of executive function. Front Neural Circuits 2013; 7:63. [PMID: 23580329 PMCID: PMC3619107 DOI: 10.3389/fncir.2013.00063] [Citation(s) in RCA: 92] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/08/2013] [Accepted: 03/19/2013] [Indexed: 01/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Zebrafish have great potential to contribute to our understanding of behavioral genetics and thus to contribute to our understanding of the etiology of psychiatric disease. However, progress is dependent upon the rate at which behavioral assays addressing complex behavioral phenotypes are designed, reported and validated. Here we critically review existing behavioral assays with particular focus on the use of adult zebrafish to explore executive processes and phenotypes associated with human psychiatric disease. We outline the case for using zebrafish as models to study impulse control and attention, discussing the validity of applying extant rodent assays to zebrafish and evidence for the conservation of relevant neural circuits.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matthew O Parker
- School of Biological and Chemical Sciences, Queen Mary University of London London, UK
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20
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Waite MR, Skaggs K, Kaviany P, Skidmore JM, Causeret F, Martin JF, Martin DM. Distinct populations of GABAergic neurons in mouse rhombomere 1 express but do not require the homeodomain transcription factor PITX2. Mol Cell Neurosci 2012; 49:32-43. [PMID: 21925604 PMCID: PMC3244529 DOI: 10.1016/j.mcn.2011.08.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/10/2011] [Revised: 08/04/2011] [Accepted: 08/30/2011] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Hindbrain rhombomere 1 (r1) is located caudal to the isthmus, a critical organizer region, and rostral to rhombomere 2 in the developing mouse brain. Dorsal r1 gives rise to the cerebellum, locus coeruleus, and several brainstem nuclei, whereas cells from ventral r1 contribute to the trochlear and trigeminal nuclei as well as serotonergic and GABAergic neurons of the dorsal raphe. Recent studies have identified several molecular events controlling dorsal r1 development. In contrast, very little is known about ventral r1 gene expression and the genetic mechanisms regulating its formation. Neurons with distinct neurotransmitter phenotypes have been identified in ventral r1 including GABAergic, serotonergic, and cholinergic neurons. Here we show that PITX2 marks a distinct population of GABAergic neurons in mouse embryonic ventral r1. This population appears to retain its GABAergic identity even in the absence of PITX2. We provide a comprehensive map of markers that places these PITX2-positive GABAergic neurons in a region of r1 that intersects and is potentially in communication with the dorsal raphe.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mindy R Waite
- Program in Cell and Molecular Biology, 2966 Taubman Medical Library, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109-0619, USA.
| | - Kaia Skaggs
- Department of Neurology, 3520A MSRB I, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, 48019-5652, USA.
| | - Parisa Kaviany
- Department of Pediatrics, 3520A MSRB I, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, 48019-5652, USA.
| | - Jennifer M Skidmore
- Department of Pediatrics, 3520A MSRB I, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, 48019-5652, USA.
| | - Frédéric Causeret
- Institut Jacques Monod, Université Paris Diderot, CNRS UMR 7592, Sorbonne Paris Cité, Paris, France.
| | - James F Martin
- Department of Molecular Physiology and Biophysics, Baylor College of Medicine, Cardiomyocyte Renewal Lab Texas Heart Institute, Houston Texas, 77030, USA.
| | - Donna M Martin
- Program in Cell and Molecular Biology, 2966 Taubman Medical Library, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109-0619, USA; Department of Pediatrics, 3520A MSRB I, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, 48019-5652, USA; Department of Human Genetics, 3520A MSRB I, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, 48019-5652, USA.
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21
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Yamamoto S, Nishiyama S, Kawamata M, Ohba H, Wakuda T, Takei N, Tsukada H, Domino EF. Muscarinic receptor occupancy and cognitive impairment: a PET study with [11C](+)3-MPB and scopolamine in conscious monkeys. Neuropsychopharmacology 2011; 36:1455-65. [PMID: 21430646 PMCID: PMC3096814 DOI: 10.1038/npp.2011.31] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
The muscarinic cholinergic receptor (mAChR) antagonist scopolamine was used to induce transient cognitive impairment in monkeys trained in a delayed matching to sample task. The temporal relationship between the occupancy level of central mAChRs and cognitive impairment was determined. Three conscious monkeys (Macaca mulatta) were subjected to positron emission tomography (PET) scans with the mAChR radioligand N-[(11)C]methyl-3-piperidyl benzilate ([(11)C](+)3-MPB). The scan sequence was pre-, 2, 6, 24, and 48 h post-intramuscular administration of scopolamine in doses of 0.01 and 0.03 mg/kg. Occupancy levels of mAChR were maximal 2 h post-scopolamine in cortical regions innervated primarily by the basal forebrain, thalamus, and brainstem, showing that mAChR occupancy levels were 43-59 and 65-89% in doses of 0.01 and 0.03 mg/kg, respectively. In addition, dose-dependent impairment of working memory performance was measured 2 h after scopolamine. A positive correlation between the mAChR occupancy and cognitive impairment 2 and 6 h post-scopolamine was the greatest in the brainstem (P<0.00001). Although cognitive impairment was not observed 24 h post-scopolamine, sustained mAChR occupancy (11-24%) was found with both doses in the basal forebrain and thalamus, but not in the brainstem. These results indicate that a significant degree of mAChRs occupancy is needed to produce cognitive impairment by scopolamine. Furthermore, the importance of the brainstem cholinergic system in working memory in monkey is described.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shigeyuki Yamamoto
- Osaka-Hamamatsu Joint Research Center for Child Mental Development, Hamamatsu University School of Medicine, Hamamatsu, Shizuoka, Japan
| | - Shingo Nishiyama
- Central Research Laboratory, Hamamatsu Photonics KK, Hirakuchi, Hamakita, Hamamatsu, Shizuoka, Japan
| | - Masahiro Kawamata
- Central Research Laboratory, Hamamatsu Photonics KK, Hirakuchi, Hamakita, Hamamatsu, Shizuoka, Japan
| | - Hiroyuki Ohba
- Central Research Laboratory, Hamamatsu Photonics KK, Hirakuchi, Hamakita, Hamamatsu, Shizuoka, Japan
| | - Tomoyasu Wakuda
- Department of Psychiatry and Neurology, Hamamatsu University School of Medicine, Hamamatsu, Shizuoka, Japan
| | - Nori Takei
- Osaka-Hamamatsu Joint Research Center for Child Mental Development, Hamamatsu University School of Medicine, Hamamatsu, Shizuoka, Japan
| | - Hideo Tsukada
- Central Research Laboratory, Hamamatsu Photonics KK, Hirakuchi, Hamakita, Hamamatsu, Shizuoka, Japan
| | - Edward F Domino
- Department of Pharmacology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA,Department of Pharmacology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109-05632, USA, Tel: +1 734 764 9115, Fax: +1 734 763 4450, E-mail:
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22
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Motts SD, Schofield BR. Cholinergic cells in the tegmentum send branching projections to the inferior colliculus and the medial geniculate body. Neuroscience 2011; 179:120-30. [PMID: 21277952 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroscience.2011.01.044] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/29/2010] [Revised: 01/20/2011] [Accepted: 01/20/2011] [Indexed: 10/18/2022]
Abstract
The pontomesencephalic tegmentum (PMT) provides cholinergic input to the inferior colliculus (IC) and the medial geniculate body (MG). PMT cells are often characterized as projecting to more than one target. The purpose of this study was to determine whether individual PMT cholinergic cells, (1) innervate the auditory pathways bilaterally via collateral projections to left and right auditory thalamus; or, (2) innervate multiple levels of the auditory pathways via collateral projections to the auditory thalamus and inferior colliculus. We used multiple retrograde tracers to identify individual PMT cells that project to more than one target. We combined the retrograde tracer studies with immunohistochemistry for choline acetyltransferase to determine whether the projecting cells were cholinergic. We found that individual PMT cells send branching axonal projections to two or more auditory targets in the midbrain and thalamus. The collateral projection pattern that we observed most frequently was to the ipsilateral IC and ipsilateral MG. Cells projecting to both MGs were somewhat less common, followed by cells projecting to the contralateral IC and ipsilateral MG. Both cholinergic and non-cholinergic cells contribute to each of these projection patterns. Less often, we found cells that project to one IC and both MGs; there was no evidence for non-cholinergic cells in this projection pattern. It is likely that collateral projections from PMT cells could have coordinated effects bilaterally and at multiple levels of the ascending auditory pathways.
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Affiliation(s)
- S D Motts
- Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, Northeastern Ohio Universities College of Medicine, Rootstown, OH 44272, USA
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The pedunculopontine nucleus as a target for deep brain stimulation. J Neural Transm (Vienna) 2010; 118:1461-8. [PMID: 21194002 DOI: 10.1007/s00702-010-0547-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 52] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/30/2010] [Accepted: 11/29/2010] [Indexed: 10/18/2022]
Abstract
The pedunculopontine nucleus (PPN) is a brain stem locomotive center that is also involved in the processing of sensory and behavioral information. The PPN has been recently proposed as a potential target for the treatment of axial symptoms in Parkinson's disease (PD). To date, results of the first series of PD patients treated with PPN deep brain stimulation (DBS) have shown promising results. In this article, we review some of the basic aspects of the PPN as a target and the outcome of the recently published clinical trials.
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Ceravolo R, Brusa L, Galati S, Volterrani D, Peppe A, Siciliano G, Pierantozzi M, Moschella V, Bonuccelli U, Stanzione P, Stefani A. Low frequency stimulation of the nucleus tegmenti pedunculopontini increases cortical metabolism in Parkinsonian patients. Eur J Neurol 2010; 18:842-9. [DOI: 10.1111/j.1468-1331.2010.03254.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
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Rostron CL, Farquhar MJ, Latimer MP, Winn P. The pedunculopontine tegmental nucleus and the nucleus basalis magnocellularis: do both have a role in sustained attention? BMC Neurosci 2008; 9:16. [PMID: 18234074 PMCID: PMC2257968 DOI: 10.1186/1471-2202-9-16] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/03/2007] [Accepted: 01/30/2008] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND It is well established that nucleus basalis magnocellularis (NbM) lesions impair performance on tests of sustained attention. Previous work from this laboratory has also demonstrated that pedunculopontine tegmental nucleus (PPTg) lesioned rats make more omissions on a test of sustained attention, suggesting that it might also play a role in mediating this function. However, the results of the PPTg study were open to alternative interpretation. We aimed to resolve this by conducting a detailed analysis of the effects of damage to each brain region in the same sustained attention task used in our previous work. Rats were trained in the task before surgery and post-surgical testing examined performance in response to unpredictable light signals of 1500 ms and 4000 ms duration. Data for PPTg lesioned rats were compared to control rats, and rats with 192 IgG saporin infusions centred on the NbM. In addition to operant data, video data of rats' performance during the task were also analysed. RESULTS Both lesion groups omitted trials relative to controls but the effect was milder and transient in NbM rats. The number of omitted trials decreased in all groups when tested using the 4000 ms signal compared to the 1500 ms signal. This confirmed previous findings for PPTg lesioned rats. Detailed analysis revealed that the increase in omissions in PPTg rats was not a consequence of motor impairment. The video data (taken on selected days) showed reduced lever orientation in PPTg lesioned rats, coupled with an increase in unconditioned behaviours such as rearing and sniffing. In contrast NbM rats showed evidence of inadequate lever pressing. CONCLUSION The question addressed here is whether the PPTg and NbM both have a role in sustained attention. Rats bearing lesions of either structure showed deficits in the test used. However, we conclude that the most parsimonious explanation for the deficit observed in PPTg rats is inadequate response organization, rather than impairment in sustained attention. Furthermore the impairment observed in NbM lesioned rats included lever pressing difficulties in addition to impaired sustained attention. Unfortunately we could not link these deficits directly to cholinergic neuronal loss.
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Affiliation(s)
- Claire L Rostron
- Life Sciences, The Open University, Walton Hall, Milton Keynes, MK7 6AA, UK.
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An assessment of the contributions of the pedunculopontine tegmental and cuneiform nuclei to anxiety and neophobia. Neuroscience 2007; 150:273-90. [DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroscience.2007.09.018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/18/2007] [Revised: 08/22/2007] [Accepted: 09/12/2007] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
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Andero R, Torras-Garcia M, Quiroz-Padilla MF, Costa-Miserachs D, Coll-Andreu M. Electrical stimulation of the pedunculopontine tegmental nucleus in freely moving awake rats: Time- and site-specific effects on two-way active avoidance conditioning. Neurobiol Learn Mem 2007; 87:510-21. [PMID: 17169591 DOI: 10.1016/j.nlm.2006.11.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/28/2006] [Revised: 11/02/2006] [Accepted: 11/03/2006] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
The pedunculopontine tegmental nucleus (PPTg) is involved in the regulation of thalamocortical transmission and of several functions related to ventral and dorsal striatal circuits. Stimulation of the PPTg in anesthetized animals increases cortical arousal, cortical acetylcholine release, bursting activity of mesopontine dopaminergic cells, and striatal dopamine release. It was hypothetized that PPTg stimulation could improve learning by enhancing cortical arousal and optimizing the activity of striatal circuits. We tested whether electrical stimulation (ES) of the PPTg, applied to freely-moving awake rats previously implanted with a chronic electrode, would improve the acquisition and/or the retention of two-way active avoidance conditioning, and whether this effect would depend on the specific PPTg region stimulated (anterior vs posterior) and on the time of ES: just before (pre-training) or after (post-training) each of three training sessions. The treatment consisted of 20 min of ES (0.2 ms pulses at 100 Hz; current intensity: 40-80 microA). The results showed that (1) this stimulation did not induce either any signs of distress nor abnormal behaviors, apart from some motor stereotyped behaviors that disappeared when current intensity was lowered; (2) pre-training ES applied to the anterior PPTg improved the acquisition of two-way active avoidance, (3) no learning improvement was found after either post-training ES of the anterior PPTg, or pre- and post-training ES of the posterior PPTg. The results give support to a role of PPTg in learning-related processes, and point to the existence of functional PPTg regions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Raül Andero
- Institut de Neurociències, Departament de Psicobiologia i de Metodologia de les Ciències de la Salut, Edifici B, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Bellaterra, Barcelona, Spain
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Winn P. How best to consider the structure and function of the pedunculopontine tegmental nucleus: Evidence from animal studies. J Neurol Sci 2006; 248:234-50. [PMID: 16765383 DOI: 10.1016/j.jns.2006.05.036] [Citation(s) in RCA: 135] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/22/2023]
Abstract
This review presents the hypothesis that the best way to consider the pedunculopontine tegmental nucleus is by analogy with the substantia nigra. The substantia nigra contains two main compartments: the pars compacta and the pars reticulata. The former contains dopamine neurons that project widely within the basal ganglia while the latter is in receipt of corticostriatal output. Similarly, the PPTg contains the Ch5 acetylcholine containing neurons that project to the thalamus and corticostriatal systems (notably the pars compacta of substantia nigra and the subthalamic nucleus) while the non-cholinergic neurons of the pedunculopontine are in receipt of corticostriatal output. Assessment of the location, composition and connections of the pedunculopontine tegmental nucleus is made to support the hypothesis that it has structural similarities with substantia nigra. Assessment of the motor, sensory and cognitive functions of the pedunculopontine is also made, suggesting functional similarities exist also. Having a clear model of pedunculopontine structure and function is a matter of some importance. It is clearly involved in Parkinson's disease and could potentially be a target for therapeutic intervention. If this is to be realized it will be best to have as clear an understanding as possible of pedunculopontine structure and function in order to maximize positive benefits.
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Affiliation(s)
- Philip Winn
- School of Psychology, University of St Andrews, St Mary's Quad, South Street, St Andrews, Fife KY16 9JP, United Kingdom.
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Ainge JA, Keating GL, Latimer MP, Winn P. The pedunculopontine tegmental nucleus and responding for sucrose reward. Behav Neurosci 2006; 120:563-70. [PMID: 16768608 DOI: 10.1037/0735-7044.120.3.563] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Abstract
Pedunculopontine tegmental nucleus (PPTg) lesions in rodents lead to increased sucrose consumption, but the psychological deficit behind this remains uncertain. To understand better the relationship between consumption of, and motivation for, sucrose, the authors trained rats to traverse a runway for 20% or 4% sucrose solution; after 7 days, concentrations were reversed. Control rats consumed more 20% than 4% sucrose solution and promptly altered run times in response to concentration change. PPTg-lesioned rats consumed normal quantities of 4% but more 20% sucrose solution than controls and took longer to alter their runway time following the concentration change. These data suggest that lesions of the PPTg do not alter motivation per se and might be better understood as inducing a response selection deficit.
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Affiliation(s)
- James A Ainge
- School of PsychologyUniversity of St Andrews, St Andrews, United Kingdom.
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