1
|
Li WR, Ren LL, Zhao TT, Dai DQ, Gao XF, Liang HZ, Xiong LZ. Multidimensional Analgesia of Acupuncture by Increasing Expression of MD2 in Central Nervous System. Chin J Integr Med 2024:10.1007/s11655-024-4106-9. [PMID: 39073516 DOI: 10.1007/s11655-024-4106-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 11/15/2023] [Indexed: 07/30/2024]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE To investigate changes of myeloid differentiation factor 2 (MD2) in inflammation-induced pain and acupuncture-mediated analgesia. METHODS Mice were randomly divided into three groups by a random number table method: saline group (n=16), complete Freund's adjuvant (CFA) group (n=24) and CFA+electroacupuncture (EA) group (n=26). Inflammation-induced pain was modelled by injecting CFA to the plantar surface of the hind paw of mice and EA was applied to bilateral Zusanli (ST 36) to alleviate pain. Only mice in the CFA+EA group received EA treatment (30 min/d for 2 weeks) 24 h after modelling. Mice in the saline and CFA groups received sham EA. von-Frey test and Hargreaves test were used to assess the pain threshold. Brain and spinal tissues were collected for immunofluorescence staining or Western blotting to quantify changes of MD2 expression. RESULTS CFA successfully induced plantar pain and EA significantly alleviated pain 3 days after modelling (P<0.01). Compared with the CFA group, the number of MD2+/c-fos+ neurons was significantly increased in the dorsal horn of the spinal cord 7 and 14 days after EA, especially in laminae I - IIo (P<0.01). The proportion of double positive cells to the number of c-fos positive cells and the mean fluorescence intensity of MD2 neurons were also significantly increased in laminae I - IIo (P<0.01). Western blotting showed that the level of MD2 was significantly decreased by EA only in the hippocampus on day 7 and 14 (both P<0.01) and no significant changes were observed in the cortex, thalamus, cerebellum, or the brainstem (P<0.05). Fluorescence staining showed significant decrease in the level of MD2 in periagueductal gray (PAG) and locus coeruleus (LC) after CFA injection on day 7 (P<0.01 for PAG, P<0.05 for LC) and EA significantly reversed this decrease (P<0.01 for PAG, P<0.05 for LC). CONCLUSION The unique changes of MD2 suggest that EA may exert the analgesic effect through modulating neuronal activities of the superficial laminae of the spinal cord and certain regions of the brain.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Wan-Rong Li
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Anesthesiology and Brain Functional Modulation, Shanghai Fourth People's Hospital, School of Medicine, Tongji University, Shanghai, 200434, China
- Clinical Research Center for Anesthesiology and Perioperative Medicine, Shanghai Fourth People's Hospital, School of Medicine, Tongji University, Shanghai, 200434, China
- Translational Research Institute of Brain and Brain-Like Intelligence, Shanghai Fourth People's Hospital, School of Medicine, Tongji University, Shanghai, 200434, China
- Department of Anesthesiology and Perioperative Medicine, Shanghai Fourth People's Hospital, School of Medicine, Tongji University, Shanghai, 200434, China
| | - Lu-Lu Ren
- School of Rehabilitation, Southwest Jiaotong University, Chengdu, Sichuan Province, 618099, China
| | - Tian-Tian Zhao
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Anesthesiology and Brain Functional Modulation, Shanghai Fourth People's Hospital, School of Medicine, Tongji University, Shanghai, 200434, China
- Clinical Research Center for Anesthesiology and Perioperative Medicine, Shanghai Fourth People's Hospital, School of Medicine, Tongji University, Shanghai, 200434, China
- Translational Research Institute of Brain and Brain-Like Intelligence, Shanghai Fourth People's Hospital, School of Medicine, Tongji University, Shanghai, 200434, China
- Department of Anesthesiology and Perioperative Medicine, Shanghai Fourth People's Hospital, School of Medicine, Tongji University, Shanghai, 200434, China
| | - Dan-Qing Dai
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Anesthesiology and Brain Functional Modulation, Shanghai Fourth People's Hospital, School of Medicine, Tongji University, Shanghai, 200434, China
- Clinical Research Center for Anesthesiology and Perioperative Medicine, Shanghai Fourth People's Hospital, School of Medicine, Tongji University, Shanghai, 200434, China
- Translational Research Institute of Brain and Brain-Like Intelligence, Shanghai Fourth People's Hospital, School of Medicine, Tongji University, Shanghai, 200434, China
- Department of Anesthesiology and Perioperative Medicine, Shanghai Fourth People's Hospital, School of Medicine, Tongji University, Shanghai, 200434, China
| | - Xiao-Fei Gao
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Anesthesiology and Brain Functional Modulation, Shanghai Fourth People's Hospital, School of Medicine, Tongji University, Shanghai, 200434, China
- Clinical Research Center for Anesthesiology and Perioperative Medicine, Shanghai Fourth People's Hospital, School of Medicine, Tongji University, Shanghai, 200434, China
- Translational Research Institute of Brain and Brain-Like Intelligence, Shanghai Fourth People's Hospital, School of Medicine, Tongji University, Shanghai, 200434, China
- Department of Anesthesiology and Perioperative Medicine, Shanghai Fourth People's Hospital, School of Medicine, Tongji University, Shanghai, 200434, China
| | - Hua-Zheng Liang
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Anesthesiology and Brain Functional Modulation, Shanghai Fourth People's Hospital, School of Medicine, Tongji University, Shanghai, 200434, China
- Clinical Research Center for Anesthesiology and Perioperative Medicine, Shanghai Fourth People's Hospital, School of Medicine, Tongji University, Shanghai, 200434, China
- Translational Research Institute of Brain and Brain-Like Intelligence, Shanghai Fourth People's Hospital, School of Medicine, Tongji University, Shanghai, 200434, China
- Department of Anesthesiology and Perioperative Medicine, Shanghai Fourth People's Hospital, School of Medicine, Tongji University, Shanghai, 200434, China
- Monash Suzhou Research Institute, Suzhou, Jiangsu Province, 215125, China
| | - Li-Ze Xiong
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Anesthesiology and Brain Functional Modulation, Shanghai Fourth People's Hospital, School of Medicine, Tongji University, Shanghai, 200434, China.
- Clinical Research Center for Anesthesiology and Perioperative Medicine, Shanghai Fourth People's Hospital, School of Medicine, Tongji University, Shanghai, 200434, China.
- Translational Research Institute of Brain and Brain-Like Intelligence, Shanghai Fourth People's Hospital, School of Medicine, Tongji University, Shanghai, 200434, China.
- Department of Anesthesiology and Perioperative Medicine, Shanghai Fourth People's Hospital, School of Medicine, Tongji University, Shanghai, 200434, China.
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Li J, Zhou T, Wang P, Yin R, Zhang S, Cao Y, Zong L, Xiao M, Zhang Y, Liu W, Deng L, Huang F, Sun J, Wang H. Magnetic Stimulation of Gigantocellular Reticular Nucleus with Iron Oxide Nanoparticles Combined Treadmill Training Enhanced Locomotor Recovery by Reorganizing Cortico-Reticulo-Spinal Circuit. Int J Nanomedicine 2024; 19:7473-7492. [PMID: 39071504 PMCID: PMC11283264 DOI: 10.2147/ijn.s464498] [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: 04/02/2024] [Accepted: 07/06/2024] [Indexed: 07/30/2024] Open
Abstract
Background Gigantocellular reticular nucleus (GRNs) executes a vital role in locomotor recovery after spinal cord injury. However, due to its unique anatomical location deep within the brainstem, intervening in GRNs for spinal cord injury research is challenging. To address this problem, this study adopted an extracorporeal magnetic stimulation system to observe the effects of selective magnetic stimulation of GRNs with iron oxide nanoparticles combined treadmill training on locomotor recovery after spinal cord injury, and explored the possible mechanisms. Methods Superparamagnetic iron oxide (SPIO) nanoparticles were stereotactically injected into bilateral GRNs of mice with moderate T10 spinal cord contusion. Eight-week selective magnetic stimulation produced by extracorporeal magnetic stimulation system (MSS) combined with treadmill training was adopted for the animals from one week after surgery. Locomotor function of mice was evaluated by the Basso Mouse Scale, Grid-walking test and Treadscan analysis. Brain MRI, anterograde virus tracer and immunofluorescence staining were applied to observe the tissue compatibility of SPIO in GRNs, trace GRNs' projections and evaluate neurotransmitters' expression in spinal cord respectively. Motor-evoked potentials and H reflex were collected for assessing the integrity of cortical spinal tract and the excitation of motor neurons in anterior horn. Results (1) SPIO persisted in GRNs for a minimum of 24 weeks without inducing apoptosis of GRN cells, and degraded slowly over time. (2) MSS-enabled treadmill training dramatically improved locomotor performances of injured mice, and promoted cortico-reticulo-spinal circuit reorganization. (3) MSS-enabled treadmill training took superimposed roles through both activating GRNs to drive more projections of GRNs across lesion site and rebalancing neurotransmitters' expression in anterior horn of lumbar spinal cord. Conclusion These results indicate that selective MSS intervention of GRNs potentially serves as an innovative strategy to promote more spared fibers of GRNs across lesion site and rebalance neurotransmitters' expression after spinal cord injury, paving the way for the structural remodeling of neural systems collaborating with exercise training, thus ultimately contributing to the reconstruction of cortico-reticulo-spinal circuit.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Juan Li
- Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Zhongda Hospital Southeast University, Nanjing, 210024, People’s Republic of China
| | - Ting Zhou
- Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Zhongda Hospital Southeast University, Nanjing, 210024, People’s Republic of China
| | - Pei Wang
- Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Zhongda Hospital Southeast University, Nanjing, 210024, People’s Republic of China
| | - Ruian Yin
- Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Zhongda Hospital Southeast University, Nanjing, 210024, People’s Republic of China
| | - Shengqi Zhang
- Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Zhongda Hospital Southeast University, Nanjing, 210024, People’s Republic of China
| | - Yile Cao
- Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Zhongda Hospital Southeast University, Nanjing, 210024, People’s Republic of China
| | - Lijuan Zong
- Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Zhongda Hospital Southeast University, Nanjing, 210024, People’s Republic of China
| | - Ming Xiao
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Neurodegeneration, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, 211166, People’s Republic of China
| | - Yongjie Zhang
- Department of Human Anatomy, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, 211166, People’s Republic of China
| | - Wentao Liu
- Department of Pharmacology, Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Neurodegeneration, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, 211166, People’s Republic of China
| | - Lingxiao Deng
- Department of Neurological Surgery, Spinal Cord and Brain Injury Research Group, Stark Neurosciences Research Institute, Indianapolis, IN, 46202-2266, USA
| | - Fei Huang
- Institute of Neurobiology, Binzhou Medical University, Yantai, 264003, People’s Republic of China
| | - Jianfei Sun
- State Key Laboratory of Bioelectronics, Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Biomaterials and Devices, School of Biological Science and Medical Engineering, Southeast University, Nanjing, 210009, People’s Republic of China
| | - Hongxing Wang
- Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Zhongda Hospital Southeast University, Nanjing, 210024, People’s Republic of China
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Scheuber MI, Guidolin C, Martins S, Sartori AM, Hofer AS, Schwab ME. Electrical stimulation of the cuneiform nucleus enhances the effects of rehabilitative training on locomotor recovery after incomplete spinal cord injury. Front Neurosci 2024; 18:1352742. [PMID: 38595973 PMCID: PMC11002271 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2024.1352742] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/08/2023] [Accepted: 03/13/2024] [Indexed: 04/11/2024] Open
Abstract
Most human spinal cord injuries are anatomically incomplete, leaving some fibers still connecting the brain with the sublesional spinal cord. Spared descending fibers of the brainstem motor control system can be activated by deep brain stimulation (DBS) of the cuneiform nucleus (CnF), a subnucleus of the mesencephalic locomotor region (MLR). The MLR is an evolutionarily highly conserved structure which initiates and controls locomotion in all vertebrates. Acute electrical stimulation experiments in female adult rats with incomplete spinal cord injury conducted in our lab showed that CnF-DBS was able to re-establish a high degree of locomotion five weeks after injury, even in animals with initially very severe functional deficits and white matter lesions up to 80-95%. Here, we analyzed whether CnF-DBS can be used to support medium-intensity locomotor training and long-term recovery in rats with large but incomplete spinal cord injuries. Rats underwent rehabilitative training sessions three times per week in an enriched environment, either with or without CnF-DBS supported hindlimb stepping. After 4 weeks, animals that trained under CnF-DBS showed a higher level of locomotor performance than rats that trained comparable distances under non-stimulated conditions. The MLR does not project to the spinal cord directly; one of its main output targets is the gigantocellular reticular nucleus in the medulla oblongata. Long-term electrical stimulation of spared reticulospinal fibers after incomplete spinal cord injury via the CnF could enhance reticulospinal anatomical rearrangement and in this way lead to persistent improvement of motor function. By analyzing the spared, BDA-labeled giganto-spinal fibers we found that their gray matter arborization density after discontinuation of CnF-DBS enhanced training was lower in the lumbar L2 and L5 spinal cord in stimulated as compared to unstimulated animals, suggesting improved pruning with stimulation-enhanced training. An on-going clinical study in chronic paraplegic patients investigates the effects of CnF-DBS on locomotor capacity.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Myriam I. Scheuber
- Institute for Regenerative Medicine, University of Zurich, Schlieren, Switzerland
- ETH Phenomics Center, ETH Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Carolina Guidolin
- Institute for Regenerative Medicine, University of Zurich, Schlieren, Switzerland
- ETH Phenomics Center, ETH Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Suzi Martins
- Institute for Regenerative Medicine, University of Zurich, Schlieren, Switzerland
- ETH Phenomics Center, ETH Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Andrea M. Sartori
- Institute for Regenerative Medicine, University of Zurich, Schlieren, Switzerland
- ETH Phenomics Center, ETH Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Anna-Sophie Hofer
- Institute for Regenerative Medicine, University of Zurich, Schlieren, Switzerland
- ETH Phenomics Center, ETH Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
- Department of Neurosurgery, University Hospital Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Martin E. Schwab
- Institute for Regenerative Medicine, University of Zurich, Schlieren, Switzerland
- ETH Phenomics Center, ETH Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
Xu H, Wang Z, Wang Z, Zhou H, Guo J, Li W, Zhou Y. Cerebral Mechanism of Tuina on the Descending Pain Inhibitory System in Knee Osteoarthritis: Protocol for a Randomized Controlled Trial. JMIR Res Protoc 2024; 13:e52820. [PMID: 38238645 PMCID: PMC10897796 DOI: 10.2196/52820] [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: 09/16/2023] [Revised: 12/17/2023] [Accepted: 01/17/2024] [Indexed: 02/13/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Knee osteoarthritis (KOA) is reputedly the most common musculoskeletal disease of the lower limbs and the main cause of pain and disability among older individuals. Pain is the most significant and widespread symptom of KOA. The descending pain inhibitory system has a cardinal role in normal pain consciousness, and its malfunction may be one of the pathophysiological mechanisms in KOA. Crucially, the rostral ventromedial medulla (RVM) and periaqueductal gray (PAG), as important components of the descending pain inhibitory system, directly modulate the activity of the spinal neurons involved in pain transmission. Tuina, a manual therapy, is effective and safe for reducing clinical symptoms of KOA; however, the mechanism that influences pain through the descending pain inhibitory system in KOA is unclear. OBJECTIVE This study aims to investigate the modulatory implications of Tuina on the RVM and PAG, which have critical roles in the descending pain inhibitory system in patients with KOA. METHODS This randomized controlled parallel trial will be conducted at the Tuina Clinic of the Third Affiliated Hospital of Henan University of Chinese Medicine (Zhengzhou, China). Patients with KOA will be randomly assigned (1:1) to 6 weeks of health education or Tuina. All patients in both groups will accept a resting-state functional magnetic resonance scan at the beginning and end of the experiment, and the resting-state functional connectivity and the voxel-based morphometry analysis will be performed to detect the RVM and PAG function and structure changes. The clinical outcome assessments will be (1) the pressure pain thresholds, (2) the Numerical Rating Scale, (3) the Hamilton Depression Scale (HAMD), and (4) the Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis Index (WOMAC). Considering that this trial is a study of resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging technology, resting-state functional connectivity and voxel-based morphometry are the primary outcomes, and clinical outcome assessments are secondary outcomes. Adverse events will be documented and assessed throughout. All main analyses will be carried out on the basis of the intention-to-treat principle. The outcome evaluators and data statisticians will be masked to the treatment group assignment to reduce the risk of bias. RESULTS This trial was approved by the ethics committee of the Third Affiliated Hospital of Henan University of Chinese Medicine. Enrollment began in December 2023, and the results of this trial are expected to be submitted for publication in May 2025. CONCLUSIONS This trial will identify a possible relationship between function and structure changes of RVM and PAG and the improvement of clinical variables, elucidating the effect of Tuina on the descending pain inhibitory system of patients with KOA. This trial will provide much-needed knowledge for Tuina for patients with KOA. TRIAL REGISTRATION Chinese Clinical Trial Registry ChiCTR2300070289; https://www.chictr.org.cn/showproj.html?proj=182570. INTERNATIONAL REGISTERED REPORT IDENTIFIER (IRRID) PRR1-10.2196/52820.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Hui Xu
- School of Acupuncture-moxibustion and Tuina, Henan University of Chinese Medicine, Zhengzhou, China
- Tuina Department, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Henan University of Chinese Medicine, Zhengzhou, China
| | - Zheng Wang
- School of Acupuncture-moxibustion and Tuina, Henan University of Chinese Medicine, Zhengzhou, China
- Tuina Department, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Henan University of Chinese Medicine, Zhengzhou, China
| | - Zhen Wang
- School of Acupuncture-moxibustion and Tuina, Henan University of Chinese Medicine, Zhengzhou, China
- Tuina Department, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Henan University of Chinese Medicine, Zhengzhou, China
| | - Hang Zhou
- School of Acupuncture-moxibustion and Tuina, Henan University of Chinese Medicine, Zhengzhou, China
- Tuina Department, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Henan University of Chinese Medicine, Zhengzhou, China
| | - Juan Guo
- School of Acupuncture-moxibustion and Tuina, Henan University of Chinese Medicine, Zhengzhou, China
- Tuina Department, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Henan University of Chinese Medicine, Zhengzhou, China
| | - Wanyu Li
- School of Acupuncture-moxibustion and Tuina, Henan University of Chinese Medicine, Zhengzhou, China
- Tuina Department, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Henan University of Chinese Medicine, Zhengzhou, China
| | - Yunfeng Zhou
- School of Acupuncture-moxibustion and Tuina, Henan University of Chinese Medicine, Zhengzhou, China
- Tuina Department, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Henan University of Chinese Medicine, Zhengzhou, China
| |
Collapse
|
5
|
Braine A, Georges F. Emotion in action: When emotions meet motor circuits. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2023; 155:105475. [PMID: 37996047 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2023.105475] [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: 07/28/2023] [Revised: 11/15/2023] [Accepted: 11/17/2023] [Indexed: 11/25/2023]
Abstract
The brain is a remarkably complex organ responsible for a wide range of functions, including the modulation of emotional states and movement. Neuronal circuits are believed to play a crucial role in integrating sensory, cognitive, and emotional information to ultimately guide motor behavior. Over the years, numerous studies employing diverse techniques such as electrophysiology, imaging, and optogenetics have revealed a complex network of neural circuits involved in the regulation of emotional or motor processes. Emotions can exert a substantial influence on motor performance, encompassing both everyday activities and pathological conditions. The aim of this review is to explore how emotional states can shape movements by connecting the neural circuits for emotional processing to motor neural circuits. We first provide a comprehensive overview of the impact of different emotional states on motor control in humans and rodents. In line with behavioral studies, we set out to identify emotion-related structures capable of modulating motor output, behaviorally and anatomically. Neuronal circuits involved in emotional processing are extensively connected to the motor system. These circuits can drive emotional behavior, essential for survival, but can also continuously shape ongoing movement. In summary, the investigation of the intricate relationship between emotion and movement offers valuable insights into human behavior, including opportunities to enhance performance, and holds promise for improving mental and physical health. This review integrates findings from multiple scientific approaches, including anatomical tracing, circuit-based dissection, and behavioral studies, conducted in both animal and human subjects. By incorporating these different methodologies, we aim to present a comprehensive overview of the current understanding of the emotional modulation of movement in both physiological and pathological conditions.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Anaelle Braine
- Univ. Bordeaux, CNRS, IMN, UMR 5293, F-33000 Bordeaux, France
| | | |
Collapse
|
6
|
Xie J, Feng R, Chen Y, Gao L. Morphological analysis of descending tracts in mouse spinal cord using tissue clearing, tissue expansion and tiling light sheet microscopy techniques. Sci Rep 2023; 13:16445. [PMID: 37777565 PMCID: PMC10542777 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-43610-z] [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: 06/21/2023] [Accepted: 09/26/2023] [Indexed: 10/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Descending tracts carry motor signals from the brain to spinal cord. However, few previous studies show the full view of the long tracts from a 3D perspective. In this study, we have followed five less well-known tracts that project from midbrain, hindbrain, and cerebellum to the mouse spinal cord, using the tissue clearing method in combination with tiling light sheet microscopy. By tracing axons in spinal cord, we found several notable features: among the five tracts the collateral "sister" branches occurred only in the axons originating from the cerebellospinal tracts; the axons from the spinal trigeminal nucleus crossed the midline of spinal cord to the contralateral side; those arising in the medullary reticular formation ventral part gave many branches in both cervical and lumbar segments; the axons from superior colliculus terminated only at upper cervical but with abundant branches in the hindbrain. Furthermore, we investigated the monosynaptic connections between the tracts and motor neurons in the spinal cord through hydrogel-based tissue expansion, and found several monosynaptic connections between the medullary reticular formation ventral part axons and spinal motor neurons. We believe that this is the first study to show the full 3D scope of the projection patterns and axonal morphologies of these five descending tracts to the mouse spinal cord. In addition, we have developed a new method for future study of descending tracts by three-dimensional imaging.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Jiongfang Xie
- Fudan University, Shanghai, 200433, China.
- Key Laboratory of Structural Biology of Zhejiang Province, School of Life Sciences, Westlake University, Hangzhou, 310024, Zhejiang, China.
- Westlake Laboratory of Life Sciences and Biomedicine, Hangzhou, 310024, China.
| | - Ruili Feng
- Fudan University, Shanghai, 200433, China
- Key Laboratory of Structural Biology of Zhejiang Province, School of Life Sciences, Westlake University, Hangzhou, 310024, Zhejiang, China
- Westlake Laboratory of Life Sciences and Biomedicine, Hangzhou, 310024, China
| | - Yanlu Chen
- Key Laboratory of Structural Biology of Zhejiang Province, School of Life Sciences, Westlake University, Hangzhou, 310024, Zhejiang, China
- Westlake Laboratory of Life Sciences and Biomedicine, Hangzhou, 310024, China
| | - Liang Gao
- Key Laboratory of Structural Biology of Zhejiang Province, School of Life Sciences, Westlake University, Hangzhou, 310024, Zhejiang, China.
- Westlake Laboratory of Life Sciences and Biomedicine, Hangzhou, 310024, China.
| |
Collapse
|
7
|
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.
Collapse
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.
| |
Collapse
|
8
|
Nguyen E, Smith KM, Cramer N, Holland RA, Bleimeister IH, Flores-Felix K, Silberberg H, Keller A, Le Pichon CE, Ross SE. Medullary kappa-opioid receptor neurons inhibit pain and itch through a descending circuit. Brain 2022; 145:2586-2601. [PMID: 35598161 PMCID: PMC9612802 DOI: 10.1093/brain/awac189] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/08/2022] [Revised: 04/01/2022] [Accepted: 04/27/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
In perilous and stressful situations, the ability to suppress pain can be critical for survival. The rostral ventromedial medulla contains neurons that robustly inhibit nocioception at the level of the spinal cord through a top-down modulatory pathway. Although much is known about the role of the rostral ventromedial medulla in the inhibition of pain, the precise ability to directly manipulate pain-inhibitory neurons in the rostral ventromedial medulla has never been achieved. We now expose a cellular circuit that inhibits nocioception and itch in mice. Through a combination of molecular, tracing and behavioural approaches, we found that rostral ventromedial medulla neurons containing the kappa-opioid receptor inhibit itch and nocioception. With chemogenetic inhibition, we uncovered that these neurons are required for stress-induced analgesia. Using intersectional chemogenetic and pharmacological approaches, we determined that rostral ventromedial medulla kappa-opioid receptor neurons inhibit nocioception and itch through a descending circuit. Lastly, we identified a dynorphinergic pathway arising from the periaqueductal grey that modulates nociception within the rostral ventromedial medulla. These discoveries highlight a distinct population of rostral ventromedial medulla neurons capable of broadly and robustly inhibiting itch and nocioception.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Eileen Nguyen
- Department of Neurobiology, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA 15213, USA
| | - Kelly M Smith
- Department of Neurobiology, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA 15213, USA
| | - Nathan Cramer
- Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, Program in Neuroscience, University of Maryland, School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21201, USA
| | - Ruby A Holland
- Department of Neurobiology, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA 15213, USA
| | - Isabel H Bleimeister
- Department of Neurobiology, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA 15213, USA
| | - Krystal Flores-Felix
- Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, Program in Neuroscience, University of Maryland, School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21201, USA
| | - Hanna Silberberg
- Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Asaf Keller
- Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, Program in Neuroscience, University of Maryland, School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21201, USA
| | - Claire E Le Pichon
- Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Sarah E Ross
- Department of Neurobiology, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA 15213, USA
| |
Collapse
|
9
|
Wang Z, Romanski A, Mehra V, Wang Y, Brannigan M, Campbell BC, Petsko GA, Tsoulfas P, Blackmore MG. Brain-wide analysis of the supraspinal connectome reveals anatomical correlates to functional recovery after spinal injury. eLife 2022; 11:76254. [PMID: 35838234 PMCID: PMC9345604 DOI: 10.7554/elife.76254] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/09/2021] [Accepted: 07/12/2022] [Indexed: 11/15/2022] Open
Abstract
The supraspinal connectome is essential for normal behavior and homeostasis and consists of numerous sensory, motor, and autonomic projections from brain to spinal cord. Study of supraspinal control and its restoration after damage has focused mostly on a handful of major populations that carry motor commands, with only limited consideration of dozens more that provide autonomic or crucial motor modulation. Here, we assemble an experimental workflow to rapidly profile the entire supraspinal mesoconnectome in adult mice and disseminate the output in a web-based resource. Optimized viral labeling, 3D imaging, and registration to a mouse digital neuroanatomical atlas assigned tens of thousands of supraspinal neurons to 69 identified regions. We demonstrate the ability of this approach to clarify essential points of topographic mapping between spinal levels, measure population-specific sensitivity to spinal injury, and test the relationships between region-specific neuronal sparing and variability in functional recovery. This work will spur progress by broadening understanding of essential but understudied supraspinal populations.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Zimei Wang
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Marquette University, Milwaukee, United States
| | - Adam Romanski
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Marquette University, Milwaukee, United States
| | - Vatsal Mehra
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Marquette University, Milwaukee, United States
| | - Yunfang Wang
- Department of Neurological Surgery, University of Miami, Miami, United States
| | - Matthew Brannigan
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Marquette University, Milwaukee, United States
| | - Benjamin C Campbell
- Helen and Robert Appel Alzheimer's Disease Research Institute, Cornell University, New York, United States
| | - Gregory A Petsko
- Helen and Robert Appel Alzheimer's Disease Research Institute, Cornell University, New York, United States
| | - Pantelis Tsoulfas
- Department of Neurological Surgery, University of Miami, Miami, United States
| | - Murray G Blackmore
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Marquette University, Milwaukee, United States
| |
Collapse
|
10
|
Jiao Y, Li F, Chen M, He Z, Huang Z, Yu W, Xie K. Pre-treatment with morphine prevents lipopolysaccharide-induced acute respiratory distress syndrome in rats via activation of opioid receptors. Exp Cell Res 2022; 418:113224. [DOI: 10.1016/j.yexcr.2022.113224] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/07/2022] [Revised: 05/20/2022] [Accepted: 05/22/2022] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
|
11
|
Sato T, Nakamura Y, Takeda A, Ueno M. Lesion Area in the Cerebral Cortex Determines the Patterns of Axon Rewiring of Motor and Sensory Corticospinal Tracts After Stroke. Front Neurosci 2021; 15:737034. [PMID: 34707476 PMCID: PMC8542932 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2021.737034] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/06/2021] [Accepted: 09/21/2021] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
The corticospinal tract (CST) is an essential neural pathway for reorganization that recovers motor functions after brain injuries such as stroke. CST comprises multiple pathways derived from different sensorimotor areas of the cerebral cortex; however, the patterns of reorganization in such complex pathways postinjury are largely unknown. Here we comprehensively examined the rewiring patterns of the CST pathways of multiple cerebral origins in a mouse stroke model that varied in size and location in the sensorimotor cortex. We found that spared contralesional motor and sensory CST axons crossed the midline and sprouted into the denervated side of the cervical spinal cord after stroke in a large cortical area. In contrast, the contralesional CST fibers did not sprout in a small stroke, whereas the ipsilesional axons from the spared motor area grew on the denervated side. We further showed that motor and sensory CST axons did not innervate the projecting areas mutually when either one was injured. The present results reveal the basic principles that generate the patterns of CST rewiring, which depend on stroke location and CST subtype. Our data indicate the importance of targeting different neural substrates to restore function among the types of injury.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Masaki Ueno
- Department of System Pathology for Neurological Disorders, Brain Research Institute, Niigata University, Niigata, Japan
| |
Collapse
|
12
|
Sathyamurthy A, Barik A, Dobrott CI, Matson KJE, Stoica S, Pursley R, Chesler AT, Levine AJ. Cerebellospinal Neurons Regulate Motor Performance and Motor Learning. Cell Rep 2021; 31:107595. [PMID: 32402292 PMCID: PMC7263484 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2020.107595] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/03/2019] [Revised: 03/25/2020] [Accepted: 04/09/2020] [Indexed: 02/02/2023] Open
Abstract
To understand the neural basis of behavior, it is important to reveal how movements are planned, executed, and refined by networks of neurons distributed throughout the nervous system. Here, we report the neuroanatomical organization and behavioral roles of cerebellospinal (CeS) neurons. Using intersectional genetic techniques, we find that CeS neurons constitute a small minority of excitatory neurons in the fastigial and interpositus deep cerebellar nuclei, target pre-motor circuits in the ventral spinal cord and the brain, and control distinct aspects of movement. CeS neurons that project to the ipsilateral cervical cord are required for skilled forelimb performance, while CeS neurons that project to the contralateral cervical cord are involved in skilled locomotor learning. Together, this work establishes CeS neurons as a critical component of the neural circuitry for skilled movements and provides insights into the organizational logic of motor networks. Sathyamurthy et al. define the organization, function, and targets of cerebellospinal neurons, revealing a direct link between the deep cerebellar nuclei and motor execution circuits in the spinal cord and demonstrating a role for these neurons in motor control.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Anupama Sathyamurthy
- Spinal Circuits and Plasticity Unit, National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Arnab Barik
- Sensory Cells and Circuits Section, National Center for Complimentary and Integrative Health, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Courtney I Dobrott
- Spinal Circuits and Plasticity Unit, National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Kaya J E Matson
- Spinal Circuits and Plasticity Unit, National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Stefan Stoica
- Spinal Circuits and Plasticity Unit, National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Randall Pursley
- Signal Processing and Instrumentation Section, Center for Information Technology, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Alexander T Chesler
- Sensory Cells and Circuits Section, National Center for Complimentary and Integrative Health, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Ariel J Levine
- Spinal Circuits and Plasticity Unit, National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
13
|
Ferreira N, Richner M, van der Laan A, Bergholdt Jul Christiansen I, Vægter CB, Nyengaard JR, Halliday GM, Weiss J, Giasson BI, Mackenzie IR, Jensen PH, Jan A. Prodromal neuroinvasion of pathological α-synuclein in brainstem reticular nuclei and white matter lesions in a model of α-synucleinopathy. Brain Commun 2021; 3:fcab104. [PMID: 34136810 PMCID: PMC8202146 DOI: 10.1093/braincomms/fcab104] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/04/2021] [Revised: 04/01/2021] [Accepted: 04/06/2021] [Indexed: 02/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Neuropathological observations in neurodegenerative synucleinopathies, including Parkinson disease, implicate a pathological role of α-synuclein accumulation in extranigral sites during the prodromal phase of the disease. In a transgenic mouse model of peripheral-to-central neuroinvasion and propagation of α-synuclein pathology (via hindlimb intramuscular inoculation with exogenous fibrillar α-synuclein: the M83 line, expressing the mutant human Ala53Thr α-synuclein), we studied the development and early-stage progression of α-synuclein pathology in the CNS of non-symptomatic (i.e. freely mobile) mice. By immunohistochemical analyses of phosphroylated α-synuclein on serine residue 129 (p-S129), our data indicate that the incipient stage of pathological α-synuclein propagation could be categorized in distinct phases: (i) initiation phase, whereby α-synuclein fibrillar inoculum induced pathological lesions in pools of premotor and motor neurons of the lumbar spinal cord, as early as 14 days post-inoculation; (ii) early central phase, whereby incipient α-synuclein pathology was predominantly detected in the reticular nuclei of the brainstem; and (iii) late central phase, characterized by additional sites of lesions in the brain including vestibular nuclei, deep cerebellar nuclei and primary motor cortex, with coincidental emergence of a sensorimotor deficit (mild degree of hindlimb clasping). Intriguingly, we also detected progressive α-synuclein pathology in premotor and motor neurons in the thoracic spinal cord, which does not directly innervate the hindlimb, as well as in the oligodendroglia within the white matter tracts of the CNS during this prodromal phase. Collectively, our data provide crucial insights into the spatiotemporal propagation of α-synuclein pathology in the nervous system of this rodent model of α-synucleinopathy following origin in periphery, and present a neuropathological context for the progression from pre-symptomatic stage to an early deficit in sensorimotor coordination. These findings also hint towards a therapeutic window for targeting the early stages of α-synuclein pathology progression in this model, and potentially facilitate the discovery of mechanisms relevant to α-synuclein proteinopathies. In a rodent model of synucleinopathy, Ferreira et al., delineate the spatiotemporal progression of incipient α-synuclein pathology (of peripheral origin) in the CNS. The authors show early affection of brainstem reticular nuclei in non-paralyzed mice, and pathological white matter lesions in relation to the neuronal pathology.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Nelson Ferreira
- Department of Biomedicine, Danish Research Institute of Translational Neuroscience (DANDRITE), Aarhus University, DK-8000 Aarhus C, Denmark
| | - Mette Richner
- DANDRITE, Nordic-EMBL Partnership for Molecular Medicine, Aarhus University, DK-8000 Aarhus C, Denmark
| | - Amelia van der Laan
- Department of Biomedicine, Danish Research Institute of Translational Neuroscience (DANDRITE), Aarhus University, DK-8000 Aarhus C, Denmark
| | - Ida Bergholdt Jul Christiansen
- Department of Biomedicine, Danish Research Institute of Translational Neuroscience (DANDRITE), Aarhus University, DK-8000 Aarhus C, Denmark
| | - Christian B Vægter
- DANDRITE, Nordic-EMBL Partnership for Molecular Medicine, Aarhus University, DK-8000 Aarhus C, Denmark
| | - Jens R Nyengaard
- Core Center for Molecular Morphology, Section for Stereology and Microscopy, Department of Clinical Medicine, Aarhus University, DK-8200 Aarhus N, Denmark
| | - Glenda M Halliday
- Brain and Mind Centre and Faculty of Medicine and Health, School of Medical Sciences, University of Sydney and Neuroscience Research Australia, Sydney 2006, Australia
| | - Joachim Weiss
- Institute of Neuropathology, RWTH Aachen University Hospital, Aachen 52074, Germany
| | - Benoit I Giasson
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 3261, USA
| | - Ian R Mackenzie
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC V6T2B5, Canada
| | - Poul H Jensen
- Department of Biomedicine, Danish Research Institute of Translational Neuroscience (DANDRITE), Aarhus University, DK-8000 Aarhus C, Denmark
| | - Asad Jan
- Department of Biomedicine, Danish Research Institute of Translational Neuroscience (DANDRITE), Aarhus University, DK-8000 Aarhus C, Denmark
| |
Collapse
|
14
|
Spinal Inhibitory Ptf1a-Derived Neurons Prevent Self-Generated Itch. Cell Rep 2020; 33:108422. [PMID: 33238109 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2020.108422] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/21/2020] [Revised: 04/27/2020] [Accepted: 11/02/2020] [Indexed: 01/13/2023] Open
Abstract
Chronic itch represents an incapacitating burden on patients suffering from a spectrum of diseases. Despite recent advances in our understanding of the cells and circuits implicated in the processing of itch information, chronic itch often presents itself without an apparent cause. Here, we identify a spinal subpopulation of inhibitory neurons defined by the expression of Ptf1a, involved in gating mechanosensory information self-generated during movement. These neurons receive tactile and motor input and establish presynaptic inhibitory contacts on mechanosensory afferents. Loss of Ptf1a neurons leads to increased hairy skin sensitivity and chronic itch, partially mediated by the classic itch pathway involving gastrin-releasing peptide receptor (GRPR) spinal neurons. Conversely, chemogenetic activation of GRPR neurons elicits itch, which is suppressed by concomitant activation of Ptf1a neurons. These findings shed light on the circuit mechanisms implicated in chronic itch and open novel targets for therapy developments.
Collapse
|
15
|
Krupa P, Siddiqui AM, Grahn PJ, Islam R, Chen BK, Madigan NN, Windebank AJ, Lavrov IA. The Translesional Spinal Network and Its Reorganization after Spinal Cord Injury. Neuroscientist 2020; 28:163-179. [PMID: 33089762 DOI: 10.1177/1073858420966276] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/08/2023]
Abstract
Evidence from preclinical and clinical research suggest that neuromodulation technologies can facilitate the sublesional spinal networks, isolated from supraspinal commands after spinal cord injury (SCI), by reestablishing the levels of excitability and enabling descending motor signals via residual connections. Herein, we evaluate available evidence that sublesional and supralesional spinal circuits could form a translesional spinal network after SCI. We further discuss evidence of translesional network reorganization after SCI in the presence of sensory inputs during motor training. In this review, we evaluate potential mechanisms that underlie translesional circuitry reorganization during neuromodulation and rehabilitation in order to enable motor functions after SCI. We discuss the potential of neuromodulation technologies to engage various components that comprise the translesional network, their functional recovery after SCI, and the implications of the concept of translesional network in development of future neuromodulation, rehabilitation, and neuroprosthetics technologies.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Petr Krupa
- Department of Neurosurgery, University Hospital Hradec Kralove, Charles University, Faculty of Medicine in Hradec Kralove, Czech Republic.,Institute of Experimental Medicine, Czech Academy of Sciences, Prague, Czech Republic
| | | | - Peter J Grahn
- Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, USA.,Department of Neurologic Surgery, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, USA
| | - Riazul Islam
- Department of Neurology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, USA
| | - Bingkun K Chen
- Department of Neurology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, USA
| | | | | | - Igor A Lavrov
- Department of Neurology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, USA.,Department of Physiology and Biomedical Engineering, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, USA.,Kazan Federal University, Kazan, Russia
| |
Collapse
|
16
|
Engmann AK, Bizzozzero F, Schneider MP, Pfyffer D, Imobersteg S, Schneider R, Hofer AS, Wieckhorst M, Schwab ME. The Gigantocellular Reticular Nucleus Plays a Significant Role in Locomotor Recovery after Incomplete Spinal Cord Injury. J Neurosci 2020; 40:8292-8305. [PMID: 32978289 PMCID: PMC7577599 DOI: 10.1523/jneurosci.0474-20.2020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/26/2020] [Revised: 09/14/2020] [Accepted: 09/18/2020] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Traditionally, the brainstem has been seen as hardwired and poorly capable of plastic adaptations following spinal cord injury (SCI). Data acquired over the past decades, however, suggest differently: following SCI in various animal models (lamprey, chick, rodents, nonhuman primates), different forms of spontaneous anatomic plasticity of reticulospinal projections, many of them originating from the gigantocellular reticular nucleus (NRG), have been observed. In line with these anatomic observations, animals and humans with incomplete SCI often show various degrees of spontaneous motor recovery of hindlimb/leg function. Here, we investigated the functional relevance of two different modes of reticulospinal fiber growth after cervical hemisection, local rewiring of axotomized projections at the lesion site versus compensatory outgrowth of spared axons, using projection-specific, adeno-associated virus-mediated chemogenetic neuronal silencing. Detailed assessment of joint movements and limb kinetics during overground locomotion in female adult rats showed that locally rewired as well as compensatory NRG fibers were responsible for different aspects of recovered forelimb and hindlimb functions (i.e., stability, strength, coordination, speed, or timing). During walking and swimming, both locally rewired as well as compensatory NRG plasticity were crucial for recovered function, while the contribution of locally rewired NRG plasticity to wading performance was limited. Our data demonstrate comprehensively that locally rewired as well as compensatory plasticity of reticulospinal axons functionally contribute to the observed spontaneous improvement of stepping performance after incomplete SCI and are at least partially causative to the observed recovery of function, which can also be observed in human patients with spinal hemisection lesions.SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT Following unilateral hemisection of the spinal cord, reticulospinal projections are destroyed on the injured side, resulting in impaired locomotion. Over time, a high degree of recovery can be observed in lesioned animals, like in human hemicord patients. In the rat, recovery is accompanied by pronounced spontaneous plasticity of axotomized and spared reticulospinal axons. We demonstrate the causative relevance of locally rewired as well as compensatory reticulospinal plasticity for the recovery of locomotor functions following spinal hemisection, using chemogenetic tools to selectively silence newly formed connections in behaviorally recovered animals. Moving from a correlative to a causative understanding of the role of neuroanatomical plasticity for functional recovery is fundamental for successful translation of treatment approaches from experimental studies to the clinics.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Anne K Engmann
- Department of Health Sciences and Technology, ETH Zurich, Brain Research Institute, University of Zurich, 8057 Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Flavio Bizzozzero
- Department of Health Sciences and Technology, ETH Zurich, Brain Research Institute, University of Zurich, 8057 Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Marc P Schneider
- Department of Health Sciences and Technology, ETH Zurich, Brain Research Institute, University of Zurich, 8057 Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Dario Pfyffer
- Department of Health Sciences and Technology, ETH Zurich, Brain Research Institute, University of Zurich, 8057 Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Stefan Imobersteg
- Department of Health Sciences and Technology, ETH Zurich, Brain Research Institute, University of Zurich, 8057 Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Regula Schneider
- Department of Health Sciences and Technology, ETH Zurich, Brain Research Institute, University of Zurich, 8057 Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Anna-Sophie Hofer
- Department of Health Sciences and Technology, ETH Zurich, Brain Research Institute, University of Zurich, 8057 Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Martin Wieckhorst
- Department of Health Sciences and Technology, ETH Zurich, Brain Research Institute, University of Zurich, 8057 Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Martin E Schwab
- Department of Health Sciences and Technology, ETH Zurich, Brain Research Institute, University of Zurich, 8057 Zurich, Switzerland
| |
Collapse
|
17
|
Usseglio G, Gatier E, Heuzé A, Hérent C, Bouvier J. Control of Orienting Movements and Locomotion by Projection-Defined Subsets of Brainstem V2a Neurons. Curr Biol 2020; 30:4665-4681.e6. [PMID: 33007251 DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2020.09.014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/01/2020] [Revised: 08/03/2020] [Accepted: 09/04/2020] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
Spatial orientation requires the execution of lateralized movements and a change in the animal's heading in response to multiple sensory modalities. While much research has focused on the circuits for sensory integration, chiefly to the midbrain superior colliculus (SC), the downstream cells and circuits that engage adequate motor actions have remained elusive. Furthermore, the mechanisms supporting trajectory changes are still speculative. Here, using transneuronal viral tracings in mice, we show that brainstem V2a neurons, a genetically defined subtype of glutamatergic neurons of the reticular formation, receive putative synaptic inputs from the contralateral SC. This makes them a candidate relay of lateralized orienting commands. We next show that unilateral optogenetic activations of brainstem V2a neurons in vivo evoked ipsilateral orienting-like responses of the head and the nose tip on stationary mice. When animals are walking, similar stimulations impose a transient locomotor arrest followed by a change of trajectory. Third, we reveal that these distinct motor actions are controlled by dedicated V2a subsets each projecting to a specific spinal cord segment, with at least (1) a lumbar-projecting subset whose unilateral activation specifically controls locomotor speed but neither impacts trajectory nor evokes orienting movements, and (2) a cervical-projecting subset dedicated to head orientation, but not to locomotor speed. Activating the latter subset suffices to steer the animals' directional heading, placing the head orientation as the prime driver of locomotor trajectory. V2a neurons and their modular organization may therefore underlie the orchestration of multiple motor actions during multi-faceted orienting behaviors.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Giovanni Usseglio
- Université Paris-Saclay, CNRS, Institut des Neurosciences Paris-Saclay, 91190 Gif-Sur-Yvette, France
| | - Edwin Gatier
- Université Paris-Saclay, CNRS, Institut des Neurosciences Paris-Saclay, 91190 Gif-Sur-Yvette, France
| | - Aurélie Heuzé
- Université Paris-Saclay, CNRS, Institut des Neurosciences Paris-Saclay, 91190 Gif-Sur-Yvette, France
| | - Coralie Hérent
- Université Paris-Saclay, CNRS, Institut des Neurosciences Paris-Saclay, 91190 Gif-Sur-Yvette, France
| | - Julien Bouvier
- Université Paris-Saclay, CNRS, Institut des Neurosciences Paris-Saclay, 91190 Gif-Sur-Yvette, France.
| |
Collapse
|
18
|
Liang H, Paxinos G. Afferents of the mouse linear nucleus. Mol Brain 2020; 13:67. [PMID: 32370769 PMCID: PMC7201812 DOI: 10.1186/s13041-020-00602-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/18/2020] [Accepted: 04/08/2020] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
The linear nucleus (Li) was identified in 1978 from its projections to the cerebellum. However, there is no systematic study of its connections with other areas of the central nervous system possibly due to the challenge of injecting retrograde tracers into this nucleus. The present study examines its afferents from some nuclei involved in motor and cardiovascular control with anterograde tracer injections. BDA injections into the central amygdaloid nucleus result in labeled fibers to the ipsilateral Li. Bilateral projections with an ipsilateral dominance were observed after injections in a) jointly the paralemniscal nucleus, the noradrenergic group 7/ Köllike -Fuse nucleus/subcoeruleus nucleus, b) the gigantocellular reticular nucleus, c) and the solitary nucleus/the parvicellular/intermediate reticular nucleus. Retrogradely labeled neurons were observed in Li after BDA injections into all these nuclei except the central amygdaloid and the paralemniscal nuclei. Our results suggest that Li is involved in a variety of physiological functions apart from motor and balance control it may exert via its cerebellar projections.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Huazheng Liang
- Department of Neurology, Translational Research Institute of Brain and Brain-like Intelligence, Shanghai Fourth People's Hospital Affiliated to Tongji University School of Medicine, 1878 North Sichuan Road, Hongkou District, Shanghai, 200081, China. .,Neuroscience Research Australia, Sydney, NSW, 2031, Australia.
| | - George Paxinos
- Neuroscience Research Australia, Sydney, NSW, 2031, Australia
| |
Collapse
|
19
|
Identification of Spinal Neurons Contributing to the Dorsal Column Projection Mediating Fine Touch and Corrective Motor Movements. Neuron 2019; 104:749-764.e6. [PMID: 31586516 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuron.2019.08.029] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/18/2018] [Revised: 07/22/2019] [Accepted: 08/16/2019] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
Tactile stimuli are integrated and processed by neuronal circuits in the deep dorsal horn of the spinal cord. Several spinal interneuron populations have been implicated in tactile information processing. However, dorsal horn projection neurons that contribute to the postsynaptic dorsal column (PSDC) pathway transmitting tactile information to the brain are poorly characterized. Here, we show that spinal neurons marked by the expression of Zic2creER mediate light touch sensitivity and textural discrimination. A subset of Zic2creER neurons are PSDC neurons that project to brainstem dorsal column nuclei, and chemogenetic activation of Zic2 PSDC neurons increases sensitivity to light touch stimuli. Zic2 neurons receive direct input from the cortex and brainstem motor nuclei and are required for corrective motor movements. These results suggest that Zic2 neurons integrate sensory input from cutaneous afferents with descending signals from the brain to promote corrective movements and transmit processed touch information back to the brain. VIDEO ABSTRACT.
Collapse
|
20
|
Mahrous AA, Mousa MH, Elbasiouny SM. The Mechanistic Basis for Successful Spinal Cord Stimulation to Generate Steady Motor Outputs. Front Cell Neurosci 2019; 13:359. [PMID: 31456665 PMCID: PMC6698793 DOI: 10.3389/fncel.2019.00359] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/16/2019] [Accepted: 07/23/2019] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Electrical stimulation of the spinal cord is a promising rehabilitation intervention to restore/augment motor function after spinal cord injury (SCI). Combining sensory feedback with stimulation of remaining motor circuits has been shown to be a prerequisite for the functional improvement of SCI patients. However, little is known about the cellular mechanisms potentially underlying this functional benefit in the injured spinal cord. Here, we combine computer simulations with an isolated whole-tissue adult mouse spinal cord preparation to examine synaptic, cellular, and system potentials measured from single motoneurons and ventral roots. The stimulation protocol included separate and combined activation of the sensory inputs (evoked by dorsal root stimulation) and motor inputs (evoked by stimulation of spinal cord tissue) at different frequencies, intensities, and neuromodulatory states. Our data show that, while sensory inputs exhibit short-term depression in response to a train of stimulation, motor inputs exhibit short-term facilitation. However, the concurrent activation of both inputs elicits a stronger and steadier motor output. This effect is enhanced by the application of pharmacological neuromodulators. Furthermore, sensorimotor excitatory postsynaptic potentials (EPSPs) summate sublinearly (i.e., their combination produces an excitatory potential smaller than the sum of the excitatory potentials they would individually produce). However, ventral root compound action potentials (CoAPs) summate supralinearly generating much higher outputs. Computer simulations revealed that the contrasting summation and disproportionality in plasticity between the excitatory postsynaptic potentials (EPSPs) and CoAPs result from the motoneuronal firing threshold acting as an amplitude-selective filter. Together, these results provide the mechanistic basis for the cellular processes contributing to the generation of steady motor outputs using spinal stimulation. This data has great potential to guide the design of more effective stimulation protocols in SCI patients.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Amr A Mahrous
- Department of Neuroscience, Cell Biology, and Physiology, Boonshoft School of Medicine and College of Science and Mathematics, Wright State University, Dayton, OH, United States.,Department of Physiology, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL, United States
| | - Mohamed H Mousa
- Department of Biomedical, Industrial, and Human Factors Engineering, College of Engineering and Computer Science, Wright State University, Dayton, OH, United States
| | - Sherif M Elbasiouny
- Department of Neuroscience, Cell Biology, and Physiology, Boonshoft School of Medicine and College of Science and Mathematics, Wright State University, Dayton, OH, United States.,Department of Biomedical, Industrial, and Human Factors Engineering, College of Engineering and Computer Science, Wright State University, Dayton, OH, United States
| |
Collapse
|
21
|
Ausborn J, Shevtsova NA, Caggiano V, Danner SM, Rybak IA. Computational modeling of brainstem circuits controlling locomotor frequency and gait. eLife 2019; 8:43587. [PMID: 30663578 PMCID: PMC6355193 DOI: 10.7554/elife.43587] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/15/2018] [Accepted: 01/19/2019] [Indexed: 01/05/2023] Open
Abstract
A series of recent studies identified key structures in the mesencephalic locomotor region and the caudal brainstem of mice involved in the initiation and control of slow (exploratory) and fast (escape-type) locomotion and gait. However, the interactions of these brainstem centers with each other and with the spinal locomotor circuits are poorly understood. Previously we suggested that commissural and long propriospinal interneurons are the main targets for brainstem inputs adjusting gait (Danner et al., 2017). Here, by extending our previous model, we propose a connectome of the brainstem-spinal circuitry and suggest a mechanistic explanation of the operation of brainstem structures and their roles in controlling speed and gait. We suggest that brainstem control of locomotion is mediated by two pathways, one controlling locomotor speed via connections to rhythm generating circuits in the spinal cord and the other providing gait control by targeting commissural and long propriospinal interneurons.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Jessica Ausborn
- Department of Neurobiology and Anatomy, College of Medicine, Drexel University, Philadelphia, United States
| | - Natalia A Shevtsova
- Department of Neurobiology and Anatomy, College of Medicine, Drexel University, Philadelphia, United States
| | | | - Simon M Danner
- Department of Neurobiology and Anatomy, College of Medicine, Drexel University, Philadelphia, United States
| | - Ilya A Rybak
- Department of Neurobiology and Anatomy, College of Medicine, Drexel University, Philadelphia, United States
| |
Collapse
|
22
|
Loy K, Bareyre FM. Rehabilitation following spinal cord injury: how animal models can help our understanding of exercise-induced neuroplasticity. Neural Regen Res 2019; 14:405-412. [PMID: 30539806 PMCID: PMC6334617 DOI: 10.4103/1673-5374.245951] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Spinal cord injury is a devastating condition that is followed by long and often unsuccessful recovery after trauma. The state of the art approach to manage paralysis and concomitant impairments is rehabilitation, which is the only strategy that has proven to be effective and beneficial for the patients over the last decades. How rehabilitation influences the remodeling of spinal axonal connections in patients is important to understand, in order to better target these changes and define the optimal timing and onset of training. While clinically the answers to these questions remain difficult to obtain, rodent models of rehabilitation like bicycling, treadmill training, swimming, enriched environments or wheel running that mimic clinical rehabilitation can be helpful to reveal the axonal changes underlying motor recovery. This review will focus on the different animal models of spinal cord injury rehabilitation and the underlying changes in neuronal networks that are improved by exercise and rehabilitation.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Kristina Loy
- Institute of Clinical Neuroimmunology, Ludwig-Maximilians Universität München, Munich, Germany
| | - Florence M Bareyre
- Institute of Clinical Neuroimmunology, Ludwig-Maximilians Universität München; Munich Cluster of Systems Neurology (SyNergy), Munich, Germany
| |
Collapse
|
23
|
Okubo T, Nagoshi N, Kohyama J, Tsuji O, Shinozaki M, Shibata S, Kase Y, Matsumoto M, Nakamura M, Okano H. Treatment with a Gamma-Secretase Inhibitor Promotes Functional Recovery in Human iPSC- Derived Transplants for Chronic Spinal Cord Injury. Stem Cell Reports 2018; 11:1416-1432. [PMID: 30503258 PMCID: PMC6294244 DOI: 10.1016/j.stemcr.2018.10.022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 59] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/19/2018] [Revised: 10/29/2018] [Accepted: 10/29/2018] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Treatment involving regenerative medicine for chronic spinal cord injury (SCI) is difficult due to phase-dependent changes in the intraspinal environment. We previously reported that treatment with a gamma-secretase inhibitor (GSI), which inhibits Notch signaling, promotes the differentiation into mature neurons in human induced pluripotent stem cell-derived neural stem/progenitor cell (hiPSC-NS/PC) transplantation for subacute SCI. Here, we evaluated the efficacy of GSI-treated hiPSC-NS/PC transplantation in treating chronic SCI, which resulted in significantly enhanced axonal regrowth, remyelination, inhibitory synapse formation with the host neural circuitry, and reticulo spinal tract fiber formation. Interestingly, inhibiting Notch signaling with GSI caused phosphorylation of p38 MAPK, which is a key molecule required to promote axonal regeneration. These favorable outcomes contributed to motor function improvement. Therefore, treating cells with GSI provides a beneficial effect after transplantation, even in the chronic phase following SCI. GSI-treated hiPSC-NS/PCs induce regenerative axons and extension of RtST fibers GSI-treated hiPSC-NS/PCs induce remyelination by host-derived glial cells GSI causes phosphorylation of p38 MAPK and promotes axonal regeneration Grafts of GSI-treated hiPSC-NS/PCs provide a beneficial effect in the chronic SCI
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Toshiki Okubo
- Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Keio University School of Medicine, 35 Shinanomachi, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo 160-8582, Japan; Department of Physiology, Keio University School of Medicine, 35 Shinanomachi, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo 160-8582, Japan
| | - Narihito Nagoshi
- Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Keio University School of Medicine, 35 Shinanomachi, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo 160-8582, Japan
| | - Jun Kohyama
- Department of Physiology, Keio University School of Medicine, 35 Shinanomachi, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo 160-8582, Japan
| | - Osahiko Tsuji
- Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Keio University School of Medicine, 35 Shinanomachi, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo 160-8582, Japan
| | - Munehisa Shinozaki
- Department of Physiology, Keio University School of Medicine, 35 Shinanomachi, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo 160-8582, Japan
| | - Shinsuke Shibata
- Department of Physiology, Keio University School of Medicine, 35 Shinanomachi, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo 160-8582, Japan; Electron Microscope Laboratory, Keio University School of Medicine, 35 Shinanomachi, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo 160-8582, Japan
| | - Yoshitaka Kase
- Department of Physiology, Keio University School of Medicine, 35 Shinanomachi, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo 160-8582, Japan; Department of Geriatric Medicine, Graduate School of Medicine, University of Tokyo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-8655, Japan
| | - Morio Matsumoto
- Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Keio University School of Medicine, 35 Shinanomachi, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo 160-8582, Japan
| | - Masaya Nakamura
- Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Keio University School of Medicine, 35 Shinanomachi, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo 160-8582, Japan.
| | - Hideyuki Okano
- Department of Physiology, Keio University School of Medicine, 35 Shinanomachi, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo 160-8582, Japan; Electron Microscope Laboratory, Keio University School of Medicine, 35 Shinanomachi, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo 160-8582, Japan.
| |
Collapse
|
24
|
Bezdudnaya T, Marchenko V, Zholudeva LV, Spruance VM, Lane MA. Supraspinal respiratory plasticity following acute cervical spinal cord injury. Exp Neurol 2017; 293:181-189. [PMID: 28433644 PMCID: PMC5510885 DOI: 10.1016/j.expneurol.2017.04.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/13/2017] [Revised: 04/06/2017] [Accepted: 04/10/2017] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
Impaired breathing is a devastating result of high cervical spinal cord injuries (SCI) due to partial or full denervation of phrenic motoneurons, which innervate the diaphragm - a primary muscle of respiration. Consequently, people with cervical level injuries often become dependent on assisted ventilation and are susceptible to secondary complications. However, there is mounting evidence for limited spontaneous recovery of respiratory function following injury, demonstrating the neuroplastic potential of respiratory networks. Although many studies have shown such plasticity at the level of the spinal cord, much less is known about the changes occurring at supraspinal levels post-SCI. The goal of this study was to determine functional reorganization of respiratory neurons in the medulla acutely (>4h) following high cervical SCI. Experiments were conducted in decerebrate, unanesthetized, vagus intact and artificially ventilated rats. In this preparation, spontaneous recovery of ipsilateral phrenic nerve activity was observed within 4 to 6h following an incomplete, C2 hemisection (C2Hx). Electrophysiological mapping of the ventrolateral medulla showed a reorganization of inspiratory and expiratory sites ipsilateral to injury. These changes included i) decreased respiratory activity within the caudal ventral respiratory group (cVRG; location of bulbospinal expiratory neurons); ii) increased proportion of expiratory phase activity within the rostral ventral respiratory group (rVRG; location of inspiratory bulbo-spinal neurons); iii) increased respiratory activity within ventral reticular nuclei, including lateral reticular (LRN) and paragigantocellular (LPGi) nuclei. We conclude that disruption of descending and ascending connections between the medulla and spinal cord leads to immediate functional reorganization within the supraspinal respiratory network, including neurons within the ventral respiratory column and adjacent reticular nuclei.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Tatiana Bezdudnaya
- Department of Neurobiology and Anatomy, College of Medicine, Drexel University, 2900 W Queen Lane, Philadelphia, PA 19129, USA
| | - Vitaliy Marchenko
- Department of Neurobiology and Anatomy, College of Medicine, Drexel University, 2900 W Queen Lane, Philadelphia, PA 19129, USA
| | - Lyandysha V Zholudeva
- Department of Neurobiology and Anatomy, College of Medicine, Drexel University, 2900 W Queen Lane, Philadelphia, PA 19129, USA
| | - Victoria M Spruance
- Department of Neurobiology and Anatomy, College of Medicine, Drexel University, 2900 W Queen Lane, Philadelphia, PA 19129, USA
| | - Michael A Lane
- Department of Neurobiology and Anatomy, College of Medicine, Drexel University, 2900 W Queen Lane, Philadelphia, PA 19129, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
25
|
Fregosi M, Contestabile A, Hamadjida A, Rouiller EM. Corticobulbar projections from distinct motor cortical areas to the reticular formation in macaque monkeys. Eur J Neurosci 2017; 45:1379-1395. [PMID: 28394483 DOI: 10.1111/ejn.13576] [Citation(s) in RCA: 43] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/19/2016] [Revised: 03/31/2017] [Accepted: 04/03/2017] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
Corticospinal and corticobulbar descending pathways act in parallel with brainstem systems, such as the reticulospinal tract, to ensure the control of voluntary movements via direct or indirect influences onto spinal motoneurons. The aim of this study was to investigate the corticobulbar projections from distinct motor cortical areas onto different nuclei of the reticular formation. Seven adult macaque monkeys were analysed for the location of corticobulbar axonal boutons, and one monkey for reticulospinal neurons' location. The anterograde tracer BDA was injected in the premotor cortex (PM), in the primary motor cortex (M1) or in the supplementary motor area (SMA), in 3, 3 and 1 monkeys respectively. BDA anterograde labelling of corticobulbar axons were analysed on brainstem histological sections and overlapped with adjacent Nissl-stained sections for cytoarchitecture. One adult monkey was analysed for retrograde CB tracer injected in C5-C8 hemispinal cord to visualise reticulospinal neurons. The corticobulbar axons formed bilateral terminal fields with boutons terminaux and en passant, which were quantified in various nuclei belonging to the Ponto-Medullary Reticular Formation (PMRF). The corticobulbar projections from both PM and SMA tended to end mainly ipsilaterally in PMRF, but contralaterally when originating from M1. Furthermore, the corticobulbar projection was less dense when originating from M1 than from non-primary motor areas (PM, SMA). The main nuclei of bouton terminals corresponded to the regions where reticulospinal neurons were located with CB retrograde tracing. In conclusion, the corticobulbar projection differs according to the motor cortical area of origin in density and laterality.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Michela Fregosi
- Department of Medecine, University of Fribourg, Chemin du Musée 5, 1700, Fribourg, Switzerland
| | - Alessandro Contestabile
- Department of Medecine, University of Fribourg, Chemin du Musée 5, 1700, Fribourg, Switzerland
| | - Adjia Hamadjida
- Department of Medecine, University of Fribourg, Chemin du Musée 5, 1700, Fribourg, Switzerland
| | - Eric M Rouiller
- Department of Medecine, University of Fribourg, Chemin du Musée 5, 1700, Fribourg, Switzerland
| |
Collapse
|
26
|
Frigon A. The neural control of interlimb coordination during mammalian locomotion. J Neurophysiol 2017; 117:2224-2241. [PMID: 28298308 DOI: 10.1152/jn.00978.2016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 101] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/30/2016] [Revised: 03/02/2017] [Accepted: 03/15/2017] [Indexed: 01/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Neuronal networks within the spinal cord directly control rhythmic movements of the arms/forelimbs and legs/hindlimbs during locomotion in mammals. For an effective locomotion, these networks must be flexibly coordinated to allow for various gait patterns and independent use of the arms/forelimbs. This coordination can be accomplished by mechanisms intrinsic to the spinal cord, somatosensory feedback from the limbs, and various supraspinal pathways. Incomplete spinal cord injury disrupts some of the pathways and structures involved in interlimb coordination, often leading to a disruption in the coordination between the arms/forelimbs and legs/hindlimbs in animal models and in humans. However, experimental spinal lesions in animal models to uncover the mechanisms coordinating the limbs have limitations due to compensatory mechanisms and strategies, redundant systems of control, and plasticity within remaining circuits. The purpose of this review is to provide a general overview and critical discussion of experimental studies that have investigated the neural mechanisms involved in coordinating the arms/forelimbs and legs/hindlimbs during mammalian locomotion.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Alain Frigon
- Department of Pharmacology-Physiology, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Université de Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, Quebec, Canada
| |
Collapse
|
27
|
Characterization of novel dystonia musculorum mutant mice: Implications for central nervous system abnormality. Neurobiol Dis 2016; 96:271-283. [DOI: 10.1016/j.nbd.2016.09.016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/02/2016] [Revised: 09/20/2016] [Accepted: 09/24/2016] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
|
28
|
Lenschow C, Cazalets JR, Bertrand SS. Distinct and developmentally regulated activity-dependent plasticity at descending glutamatergic synapses on flexor and extensor motoneurons. Sci Rep 2016; 6:28522. [PMID: 27329279 PMCID: PMC4916427 DOI: 10.1038/srep28522] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/06/2016] [Accepted: 06/02/2016] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
Activity-dependent synaptic plasticity (ADSP) is paramount to synaptic processing and maturation. However, identifying the ADSP capabilities of the numerous synapses converging onto spinal motoneurons (MNs) remain elusive. Using spinal cord slices from mice at two developmental stages, 1–4 and 8–12 postnatal days (P1–P4; P8–P12), we found that high-frequency stimulation of presumed reticulospinal neuron axons in the ventrolateral funiculus (VLF) induced either an NMDA receptor-dependent-long-term depression (LTD), a short-term depression (STD) or no synaptic modulation in limb MNs. Our study shows that P1–P4 cervical MNs expressed the same plasticity profiles as P8–P12 lumbar MNs rather than P1–P4 lumbar MNs indicating that ADSP expression at VLF-MN synapses is linked to the rostrocaudal development of spinal motor circuitry. Interestingly, we observed that the ADSP expressed at VLF-MN was related to the functional flexor or extensor MN subtype. Moreover, heterosynaptic plasticity was triggered in MNs by VLF axon tetanisation at neighbouring synapses not directly involved in the plasticity induction. ADSP at VLF-MN synapses specify differential integrative synaptic processing by flexor and extensor MNs and could contribute to the maturation of spinal motor circuits and developmental acquisition of weight-bearing locomotion.
Collapse
|
29
|
Fink KL, Cafferty WBJ. Reorganization of Intact Descending Motor Circuits to Replace Lost Connections After Injury. Neurotherapeutics 2016; 13:370-81. [PMID: 26846379 PMCID: PMC4824020 DOI: 10.1007/s13311-016-0422-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 46] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Neurons have a limited capacity to regenerate in the adult central nervous system (CNS). The inability of damaged axons to re-establish original circuits results in permanent functional impairment after spinal cord injury (SCI). Despite abortive regeneration of axotomized CNS neurons, limited spontaneous recovery of motor function emerges after partial SCI in humans and experimental rodent models of SCI. It is hypothesized that this spontaneous functional recovery is the result of the reorganization of descending motor pathways spared by the injury, suggesting that plasticity of intact circuits is a potent alternative conduit to enhance functional recovery after SCI. In support of this hypothesis, several studies have shown that after unilateral corticospinal tract (CST) lesion (unilateral pyramidotomy), the intact CST functionally sprouts into the denervated side of the spinal cord. Furthermore, pharmacologic and genetic methods that enhance the intrinsic growth capacity of adult neurons or block extracellular growth inhibitors are effective at significantly enhancing intact CST reorganization and recovery of motor function. Owing to its importance in controlling fine motor behavior in primates, the CST is the most widely studied descending motor pathway; however, additional studies in rodents have shown that plasticity within other spared descending motor pathways, including the rubrospinal tract, raphespinal tract, and reticulospinal tract, can also result in restoration of function after incomplete SCI. Identifying the molecular mechanisms that drive plasticity within intact circuits is crucial in developing novel, potent, and specific therapeutics to restore function after SCI. In this review we discuss the evidence supporting a focus on exploring the capacity of intact motor circuits to functionally repair the damaged CNS after SCI.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Kathren L Fink
- Department of Neurology, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, 06520, USA
| | - William B J Cafferty
- Department of Neurology, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, 06520, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
30
|
Merkulyeva N, Veshchitskii A, Makarov F, Gerasimenko Y, Musienko P. Distribution of 28 kDa Calbindin-Immunopositive Neurons in the Cat Spinal Cord. Front Neuroanat 2016; 9:166. [PMID: 26858610 PMCID: PMC4729936 DOI: 10.3389/fnana.2015.00166] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/07/2015] [Accepted: 12/21/2015] [Indexed: 01/05/2023] Open
Abstract
The distribution of vitamin D-dependent calcium-binding protein (28 kDa calbindin) was investigated in cat lumbar and sacral spinal cord segments (L1-S3). We observed specific multi-dimensional distributions over the spinal segments for small immunopositive cells in Rexed laminae II-III and medium-to-large cells of varying morphology in lamina I and laminae V-VIII. The small neurons in laminae II-III were clustered into the columns along the dorsal horn curvature. The medium-to-large cells were grouped into four assemblages that were located in (1) the most lateral region of lamina VII at the L1-L4 level; (2) the laminae IV-V boundary at the L5-L7 level; (3) the lamina VII dorsal border at the L5-L7 level; and (4) the lamina VIII at the L5-S3 level. The data obtained suggest that the morphological and physiological heterogeneity of calbindin immunolabeling cells formed morpho-functional clusters over the gray matter. A significant portion of the lumbosacral enlargement had immunopositive neurons within all Rexed laminae, suggesting an important functional role within and among the spinal networks that control hindlimb movements.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Natalia Merkulyeva
- Laboratory of Neuromorphology, Pavlov Institute of Physiology RASSaint Petersburg, Russia
- Laboratory of Neuroprosthetics, Institute of Translational Biomedicine, Saint Petersburg State UniversitySaint Petersburg, Russia
| | - Aleksandr Veshchitskii
- Laboratory of Neuromorphology, Pavlov Institute of Physiology RASSaint Petersburg, Russia
| | - Felix Makarov
- Laboratory of Neuromorphology, Pavlov Institute of Physiology RASSaint Petersburg, Russia
| | - Yury Gerasimenko
- Laboratory of Motor Physiology, Pavlov Institute of Physiology RASSaint Petersburg, Russia
| | - Pavel Musienko
- Laboratory of Neuroprosthetics, Institute of Translational Biomedicine, Saint Petersburg State UniversitySaint Petersburg, Russia
- Laboratory of Motor Physiology, Pavlov Institute of Physiology RASSaint Petersburg, Russia
- Laboratory of Neurophysiology and Experimental Neurorehabilitation, Children’s Surgery and Orthopedic Clinic, Department of Non-pulmonary Tuberculosis, Research Institute of PhthysiopulmonologySaint Petersburg, Russia
| |
Collapse
|
31
|
Liu X, Xie B, Qi Y, Du X, Wang S, Zhang Y, Paxinos G, Yang H, Liang H. The expression of SEIPIN in the mouse central nervous system. Brain Struct Funct 2015; 221:4111-4127. [PMID: 26621102 DOI: 10.1007/s00429-015-1151-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/31/2015] [Accepted: 11/19/2015] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
Immunohistochemical staining was used to investigate the expression pattern of SEIPIN in the mouse central nervous system. SEIPIN was found to be present in a large number of areas, including the motor and somatosensory cortex, the thalamic nuclei, the hypothalamic nuclei, the mesencephalic nuclei, some cranial motor nuclei, the reticular formation of the brainstem, and the vestibular complex. Double labeling with NeuN antibody confirmed that SEIPIN-positive cells in some nuclei were neurons. Retrograde tracer injections into the spinal cord revealed that SEIPIN-positive neurons in the motor and somatosensory cortex and other movement related nuclei project to the mouse spinal cord. The present study found more nuclei positive for SEIPIN than shown using in situ hybridization and confirmed the presence of SEIPIN in neurons projecting to the spinal cord. The results of this study help to explain the clinical manifestations of patients with Berardinelli-Seip congenital lipodystrophy (Bscl2) gene mutations.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Xiaoyun Liu
- School of Biotechnology and Biomolecular Sciences, The University of New South Wales, NSW, Australia
| | - Beibei Xie
- Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Linyi Hospital, Linyi, Shangdong Province, China
| | - Yanfei Qi
- School of Biotechnology and Biomolecular Sciences, The University of New South Wales, NSW, Australia
| | - Ximing Du
- School of Biotechnology and Biomolecular Sciences, The University of New South Wales, NSW, Australia
| | - Shaoshi Wang
- Department of Neurology, Shanghai No. 1 People's Hospital, Shanghai, China
| | - Yumei Zhang
- Department of Neurology, Beijing Tiantan Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China
| | - George Paxinos
- Neuroscience Research Australia, 139 Barker Street, Randwick, NSW, 2031, Australia.,School of Medical Sciences, The University of New South Wales, Kensington, NSW, Australia
| | - Hongyuan Yang
- School of Biotechnology and Biomolecular Sciences, The University of New South Wales, NSW, Australia.
| | - Huazheng Liang
- Neuroscience Research Australia, 139 Barker Street, Randwick, NSW, 2031, Australia. .,School of Medical Sciences, The University of New South Wales, Kensington, NSW, Australia.
| |
Collapse
|
32
|
Bouvier J, Caggiano V, Leiras R, Caldeira V, Bellardita C, Balueva K, Fuchs A, Kiehn O. Descending Command Neurons in the Brainstem that Halt Locomotion. Cell 2015; 163:1191-1203. [PMID: 26590422 PMCID: PMC4899047 DOI: 10.1016/j.cell.2015.10.074] [Citation(s) in RCA: 145] [Impact Index Per Article: 16.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/22/2015] [Revised: 09/21/2015] [Accepted: 10/28/2015] [Indexed: 01/21/2023]
Abstract
The episodic nature of locomotion is thought to be controlled by descending inputs from the brainstem. Most studies have largely attributed this control to initiating excitatory signals, but little is known about putative commands that may specifically determine locomotor offset. To link identifiable brainstem populations to a potential locomotor stop signal, we used developmental genetics and considered a discrete neuronal population in the reticular formation: the V2a neurons. We find that those neurons constitute a major excitatory pathway to locomotor areas of the ventral spinal cord. Selective activation of V2a neurons of the rostral medulla stops ongoing locomotor activity, owing to an inhibition of premotor locomotor networks in the spinal cord. Moreover, inactivation of such neurons decreases spontaneous stopping in vivo. Therefore, the V2a "stop neurons" represent a glutamatergic descending pathway that favors immobility and may thus help control the episodic nature of locomotion.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Julien Bouvier
- Mammalian Locomotor Laboratory, Department of Neuroscience, Karolinska Institutet, 17177 Stockholm, Sweden; Paris-Saclay Institute of Neuroscience, UMR 9197 - CNRS and Université-Paris 11, 91190 Gif-sur-Yvette, France.
| | - Vittorio Caggiano
- Mammalian Locomotor Laboratory, Department of Neuroscience, Karolinska Institutet, 17177 Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Roberto Leiras
- Mammalian Locomotor Laboratory, Department of Neuroscience, Karolinska Institutet, 17177 Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Vanessa Caldeira
- Mammalian Locomotor Laboratory, Department of Neuroscience, Karolinska Institutet, 17177 Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Carmelo Bellardita
- Mammalian Locomotor Laboratory, Department of Neuroscience, Karolinska Institutet, 17177 Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Kira Balueva
- Institute of Physiology, Christian Albrechts University of Kiel, 24098 Kiel, Germany
| | - Andrea Fuchs
- Mammalian Locomotor Laboratory, Department of Neuroscience, Karolinska Institutet, 17177 Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Ole Kiehn
- Mammalian Locomotor Laboratory, Department of Neuroscience, Karolinska Institutet, 17177 Stockholm, Sweden.
| |
Collapse
|
33
|
Jiang MC, Elbasiouny SM, Collins WF, Heckman CJ. The transformation of synaptic to system plasticity in motor output from the sacral cord of the adult mouse. J Neurophysiol 2015. [PMID: 26203107 DOI: 10.1152/jn.00337.2015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Synaptic plasticity is fundamental in shaping the output of neural networks. The transformation of synaptic plasticity at the cellular level into plasticity at the system level involves multiple factors, including behavior of local networks of interneurons. Here we investigate the synaptic to system transformation for plasticity in motor output in an in vitro preparation of the adult mouse spinal cord. System plasticity was assessed from compound action potentials (APs) in spinal ventral roots, which were generated simultaneously by the axons of many motoneurons (MNs). Synaptic plasticity was assessed from intracellular recordings of MNs. A computer model of the MN pool was used to identify the middle steps in the transformation from synaptic to system behavior. Two input systems that converge on the same MN pool were studied: one sensory and one descending. The two synaptic input systems generated very different motor outputs, with sensory stimulation consistently evoking short-term depression (STD) whereas descending stimulation had bimodal plasticity: STD at low frequencies but short-term facilitation (STF) at high frequencies. Intracellular and pharmacological studies revealed contributions from monosynaptic excitation and stimulus time-locked inhibition but also considerable asynchronous excitation sustained from local network activity. The computer simulations showed that STD in the monosynaptic excitatory input was the primary driver of the system STD in the sensory input whereas network excitation underlies the bimodal plasticity in the descending system. These results provide insight on the roles of plasticity in the monosynaptic and polysynaptic inputs converging on the same MN pool to overall motor plasticity.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Mingchen C Jiang
- Department of Physiology, Northwestern University, Chicago, Illinois;
| | - Sherif M Elbasiouny
- Departments of Neuroscience, Cell Biology, and Physiology and Biomedical, Industrial and Human Factors Engineering, Wright State University, Dayton, Ohio
| | - William F Collins
- Department of Neurobiology and Behavior, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, New York; and
| | - C J Heckman
- Department of Physiology, Northwestern University, Chicago, Illinois; Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Department of Physical Therapy and Human Movement Sciences, Northwestern University, Chicago, Illinois
| |
Collapse
|
34
|
Liang H, Wang S, Francis R, Whan R, Watson C, Paxinos G. Distribution of raphespinal fibers in the mouse spinal cord. Mol Pain 2015; 11:42. [PMID: 26173454 PMCID: PMC4502924 DOI: 10.1186/s12990-015-0046-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/18/2015] [Accepted: 07/03/2015] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Serotonergic raphespinal neurons and their fibers have been mapped in large mammals, but the non-serotonergic ones have not been studied, especially in the mouse. The present study aimed to investigate the termination pattern of fibers arising from the hindbrain raphe and reticular nuclei which also have serotonergic neurons by injecting the anterograde tracer BDA into them. Results We found that raphespinal fibers terminate in both the dorsal and ventral horns in addition to lamina 10. There is a shift of the fibers in the ventral horn towards the dorsal and lateral part of the gray matter. Considerable variation in the termination pattern also exists between raphe nuclei with raphe magnus having more fibers terminating in the dorsal horn. Fibers from the adjacent gigantocellular reticular nucleus show similar termination pattern as those from the raphe nuclei with slight difference. Immunofluorescence staining showed that raphespinal fibers were heterogeneous and serotoninergic fibers were present in all laminae but mainly in laminae 1, 2, medial lamina 8, laminae 9 and 10. Surprisingly, immunofluorescence staining on clarified spinal cord tissue revealed that serotoninergic fibers formed bundles regularly in a short distance along the rostrocaudal axis in the medial part of the ventral horn and they extended towards the lateral motor neuron column area. Conclusion Serotonergic and non-serotonergic fibers arising from the hindbrain raphe and reticular nuclei had similar termination pattern in the mouse spinal cord with subtle difference. The present study provides anatomical foundation for the multiple roles raphe and adjacent reticular nuclei play. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s12990-015-0046-x) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Huazheng Liang
- Neuroscience Research Australia, 139 Barker Street, Randwick, NSW, 2031, Australia. .,School of Medical Sciences, The University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW, 2052, Australia.
| | - Shaoshi Wang
- Department of Neurology, Branch of Shanghai First People's Hospital, Shanghai, 200081, China.
| | - Richard Francis
- Biomedical Imaging Facility, The University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW, 2052, Australia.
| | - Renee Whan
- Biomedical Imaging Facility, The University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW, 2052, Australia.
| | - Charles Watson
- Health Sciences Dean Research, Faculty of Health Sciences, Curtin University, Shenton Park Campus, Perth, WA, 6102, Australia.
| | - George Paxinos
- Neuroscience Research Australia, 139 Barker Street, Randwick, NSW, 2031, Australia. .,School of Medical Sciences, The University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW, 2052, Australia.
| |
Collapse
|