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Kitagawa K, Takemoto T, Seiriki K, Kasai A, Hashimoto H, Nakazawa T. Socially activated neurons in the anterior cingulate cortex are essential for social behavior in mice. Biochem Biophys Res Commun 2024; 726:150251. [PMID: 38936249 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbrc.2024.150251] [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: 06/02/2024] [Accepted: 06/10/2024] [Indexed: 06/29/2024]
Abstract
Social behavior, defined as any mode of communication between conspecifics is regulated by a widespread network comprising multiple brain structures. The anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) serves as a hub region interconnected with several brain regions involved in social behavior. Because the ACC coordinates various behaviors, it is important to focus on a subpopulation of neurons that are potentially involved in social behavior to clarify the precise role of the ACC in social behavior. In this study, we aimed to analyze the roles of a social stimulus-responsive subpopulation of neurons in the ACC in social behavior in mice. We demonstrated that a subpopulation of neurons in the ACC was activated by social stimuli and that silencing the social stimulus-responsive subpopulation of neurons in the ACC significantly impaired social interaction without affecting locomotor activity or anxiety-like behavior. Our current findings highlight the importance of the social stimulus-responsive subpopulation of neurons in the ACC for social behavior and the association between ACC dysfunction and impaired social behavior, which sheds light on therapeutic interventions for psychiatric conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kohei Kitagawa
- Laboratory of Molecular Neuropharmacology, Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Osaka University, Suita, Osaka, 565-0871, Japan
| | - Tomoya Takemoto
- Laboratory of Molecular Neuropharmacology, Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Osaka University, Suita, Osaka, 565-0871, Japan
| | - Kaoru Seiriki
- Laboratory of Molecular Neuropharmacology, Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Osaka University, Suita, Osaka, 565-0871, Japan
| | - Atsushi Kasai
- Laboratory of Molecular Neuropharmacology, Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Osaka University, Suita, Osaka, 565-0871, Japan; Department of Systems Neuropharmacology, Research Institute of Environmental Medicine, Nagoya University, Nagoya, Aichi, 464-8601, Japan
| | - Hitoshi Hashimoto
- Laboratory of Molecular Neuropharmacology, Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Osaka University, Suita, Osaka, 565-0871, Japan; Molecular Research Center for Children's Mental Development, United Graduate School of Child Development, Osaka University, Kanazawa University, Hamamatsu University School of Medicine, Chiba University and University of Fukui, Suita, Osaka, 565-0871, Japan; Division of Bioscience, Institute for Datability Science, Osaka University, Suita, Osaka, 565-0871, Japan; Transdimensional Life Imaging Division, Institute for Open and Transdisciplinary Research Initiatives, Osaka University, Suita, Osaka, 565-0871, Japan; Department of Molecular Pharmaceutical Science, Graduate School of Medicine, Osaka University, Suita, Osaka, 565-0871, Japan.
| | - Takanobu Nakazawa
- Laboratory of Molecular Neuropharmacology, Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Osaka University, Suita, Osaka, 565-0871, Japan; Department of Bioscience, Graduate School of Life Sciences, Tokyo University of Agriculture, Setagaya-ku, Tokyo, 156-8502, Japan.
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2
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Smith ACW, Ghoshal S, Centanni SW, Heyer MP, Corona A, Wills L, Andraka E, Lei Y, O'Connor RM, Caligiuri SPB, Khan S, Beaumont K, Sebra RP, Kieffer BL, Winder DG, Ishikawa M, Kenny PJ. A master regulator of opioid reward in the ventral prefrontal cortex. Science 2024; 384:eadn0886. [PMID: 38843332 DOI: 10.1126/science.adn0886] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/21/2023] [Accepted: 04/17/2024] [Indexed: 06/16/2024]
Abstract
In addition to their intrinsic rewarding properties, opioids can also evoke aversive reactions that protect against misuse. Cellular mechanisms that govern the interplay between opioid reward and aversion are poorly understood. We used whole-brain activity mapping in mice to show that neurons in the dorsal peduncular nucleus (DPn) are highly responsive to the opioid oxycodone. Connectomic profiling revealed that DPn neurons innervate the parabrachial nucleus (PBn). Spatial and single-nuclei transcriptomics resolved a population of PBn-projecting pyramidal neurons in the DPn that express μ-opioid receptors (μORs). Disrupting μOR signaling in the DPn switched oxycodone from rewarding to aversive and exacerbated the severity of opioid withdrawal. These findings identify the DPn as a key substrate for the abuse liability of opioids.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexander C W Smith
- Nash Family Department of Neuroscience, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY 10029, USA
| | - Soham Ghoshal
- Nash Family Department of Neuroscience, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY 10029, USA
| | - Samuel W Centanni
- Department of Molecular Physiology and Biophysics, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Nashville, TN 37232, USA
| | - Mary P Heyer
- Nash Family Department of Neuroscience, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY 10029, USA
| | - Alberto Corona
- Nash Family Department of Neuroscience, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY 10029, USA
| | - Lauren Wills
- Nash Family Department of Neuroscience, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY 10029, USA
| | - Emma Andraka
- Nash Family Department of Neuroscience, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY 10029, USA
| | - Ye Lei
- Nash Family Department of Neuroscience, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY 10029, USA
| | - Richard M O'Connor
- Nash Family Department of Neuroscience, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY 10029, USA
| | - Stephanie P B Caligiuri
- Nash Family Department of Neuroscience, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY 10029, USA
| | - Sohail Khan
- Nash Family Department of Neuroscience, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY 10029, USA
| | - Kristin Beaumont
- Department of Genetics and Genomic Sciences, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY 10029, USA
| | - Robert P Sebra
- Department of Genetics and Genomic Sciences, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY 10029, USA
| | - Brigitte L Kieffer
- Douglas Research Center, Department of Psychiatry, McGill University, Montréal, Quebec, Canada
- INSERM U1114, Department of Psychiatry, University of Strasbourg, 67081 Strasbourg, France
| | - Danny G Winder
- Department of Molecular Physiology and Biophysics, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Nashville, TN 37232, USA
| | - Masago Ishikawa
- Nash Family Department of Neuroscience, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY 10029, USA
| | - Paul J Kenny
- Nash Family Department of Neuroscience, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY 10029, USA
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3
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Hu YB, Deng X, Liu L, Cao CC, Su YW, Gao ZJ, Cheng X, Kong D, Li Q, Shi YW, Wang XG, Ye X, Zhao H. Distinct roles of excitatory and inhibitory neurons in the medial prefrontal cortex in the expression and reconsolidation of methamphetamine-associated memory in male mice. Neuropsychopharmacology 2024:10.1038/s41386-024-01879-2. [PMID: 38730034 DOI: 10.1038/s41386-024-01879-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/06/2023] [Revised: 04/26/2024] [Accepted: 04/29/2024] [Indexed: 05/12/2024]
Abstract
Methamphetamine, a commonly abused drug, is known for its high relapse rate. The persistence of addictive memories associated with methamphetamine poses a significant challenge in preventing relapse. Memory retrieval and subsequent reconsolidation provide an opportunity to disrupt addictive memories. However, the key node in the brain network involved in methamphetamine-associated memory retrieval has not been clearly defined. In this study, using the conditioned place preference in male mice, whole brain c-FOS mapping and functional connectivity analysis, together with chemogenetic manipulations of neural circuits, we identified the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) as a critical hub that integrates inputs from the retrosplenial cortex and the ventral tegmental area to support both the expression and reconsolidation of methamphetamine-associated memory during its retrieval. Surprisingly, with further cell-type specific analysis and manipulation, we also observed that methamphetamine-associated memory retrieval activated inhibitory neurons in the mPFC to facilitate memory reconsolidation, while suppressing excitatory neurons to aid memory expression. These findings provide novel insights into the neural circuits and cellular mechanisms involved in the retrieval process of addictive memories. They suggest that targeting the balance between excitation and inhibition in the mPFC during memory retrieval could be a promising treatment strategy to prevent relapse in methamphetamine addiction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yu-Bo Hu
- Faculty of Forensic Medicine, Zhongshan School of Medicine, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, 510080, China
- Guangdong Province Translational Forensic Medicine Engineering Technology Research Center, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, 510080, China
- Guangdong Province Key Laboratory of Brain Function and Disease, Zhongshan School of Medicine, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, 510080, China
| | - Xi Deng
- Faculty of Forensic Medicine, Zhongshan School of Medicine, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, 510080, China
| | - Lu Liu
- Faculty of Forensic Medicine, Zhongshan School of Medicine, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, 510080, China
| | - Can-Can Cao
- Faculty of Forensic Medicine, Zhongshan School of Medicine, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, 510080, China
| | - Ya-Wen Su
- Faculty of Forensic Medicine, Zhongshan School of Medicine, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, 510080, China
| | - Zhen-Jie Gao
- Faculty of Forensic Medicine, Zhongshan School of Medicine, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, 510080, China
| | - Xin Cheng
- Faculty of Forensic Medicine, Zhongshan School of Medicine, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, 510080, China
| | - Deshan Kong
- Faculty of Forensic Medicine, Zhongshan School of Medicine, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, 510080, China
| | - Qi Li
- Faculty of Forensic Medicine, Zhongshan School of Medicine, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, 510080, China
| | - Yan-Wei Shi
- Faculty of Forensic Medicine, Zhongshan School of Medicine, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, 510080, China
- Guangdong Province Translational Forensic Medicine Engineering Technology Research Center, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, 510080, China
- Guangdong Province Key Laboratory of Brain Function and Disease, Zhongshan School of Medicine, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, 510080, China
| | - Xiao-Guang Wang
- Faculty of Forensic Medicine, Zhongshan School of Medicine, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, 510080, China
- Guangdong Province Translational Forensic Medicine Engineering Technology Research Center, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, 510080, China
- Guangdong Province Key Laboratory of Brain Function and Disease, Zhongshan School of Medicine, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, 510080, China
| | - Xiaojing Ye
- Faculty of Forensic Medicine, Zhongshan School of Medicine, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, 510080, China.
- Guangdong Province Translational Forensic Medicine Engineering Technology Research Center, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, 510080, China.
- Guangdong Province Key Laboratory of Brain Function and Disease, Zhongshan School of Medicine, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, 510080, China.
| | - Hu Zhao
- Faculty of Forensic Medicine, Zhongshan School of Medicine, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, 510080, China.
- Guangdong Province Translational Forensic Medicine Engineering Technology Research Center, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, 510080, China.
- Guangdong Province Key Laboratory of Brain Function and Disease, Zhongshan School of Medicine, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, 510080, China.
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4
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James JG, McCall NM, Hsu AI, Oswell CS, Salimando GJ, Mahmood M, Wooldridge LM, Wachira M, Jo A, Sandoval Ortega RA, Wojick JA, Beattie K, Farinas SA, Chehimi SN, Rodrigues A, Ejoh LSL, Kimmey BA, Lo E, Azouz G, Vasquez JJ, Banghart MR, Creasy KT, Beier KT, Ramakrishnan C, Crist RC, Reiner BC, Deisseroth K, Yttri EA, Corder G. Mimicking opioid analgesia in cortical pain circuits. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.04.26.591113. [PMID: 38746090 PMCID: PMC11092437 DOI: 10.1101/2024.04.26.591113] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/16/2024]
Abstract
The anterior cingulate cortex plays a pivotal role in the cognitive and affective aspects of pain perception. Both endogenous and exogenous opioid signaling within the cingulate mitigate cortical nociception, reducing pain unpleasantness. However, the specific functional and molecular identities of cells mediating opioid analgesia in the cingulate remain elusive. Given the complexity of pain as a sensory and emotional experience, and the richness of ethological pain-related behaviors, we developed a standardized, deep-learning platform for deconstructing the behavior dynamics associated with the affective component of pain in mice-LUPE (Light aUtomated Pain Evaluator). LUPE removes human bias in behavior quantification and accelerated analysis from weeks to hours, which we leveraged to discover that morphine altered attentional and motivational pain behaviors akin to affective analgesia in humans. Through activity-dependent genetics and single-nuclei RNA sequencing, we identified specific ensembles of nociceptive cingulate neuron-types expressing mu-opioid receptors. Tuning receptor expression in these cells bidirectionally modulated morphine analgesia. Moreover, we employed a synthetic opioid receptor promoter-driven approach for cell-type specific optical and chemical genetic viral therapies to mimic morphine's pain-relieving effects in the cingulate, without reinforcement. This approach offers a novel strategy for precision pain management by targeting a key nociceptive cortical circuit with on-demand, non-addictive, and effective analgesia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Justin G. James
- Dept. of Psychiatry, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Nora M. McCall
- Dept. of Psychiatry, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Alex I. Hsu
- Dept. of Biobehavioral Health Sciences, School of Nursing, and Translational Medicine and Human Genetics, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
- Dept. of Biological Sciences, Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Corinna S. Oswell
- Dept. of Psychiatry, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Gregory J. Salimando
- Dept. of Psychiatry, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Malaika Mahmood
- Dept. of Psychiatry, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Lisa M. Wooldridge
- Dept. of Psychiatry, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Meghan Wachira
- Dept. of Psychiatry, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Adrienne Jo
- Dept. of Psychiatry, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | | | - Jessica A. Wojick
- Dept. of Psychiatry, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Katherine Beattie
- Dept. of Anesthesiology and Critical Care, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Sofia A. Farinas
- Dept. of Psychiatry, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Samar N. Chehimi
- Dept. of Psychiatry, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Amrith Rodrigues
- Dept. of Anesthesiology and Critical Care, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Lind-say L. Ejoh
- Dept. of Psychiatry, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Blake A. Kimmey
- Dept. of Psychiatry, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Emily Lo
- Dept. of Psychiatry, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Ghalia Azouz
- Dept. of Physiology and Biophysics, University of California Irvine, CA, USA
| | - Jose J. Vasquez
- Dept. of Physiology and Biophysics, University of California Irvine, CA, USA
| | - Matthew R. Banghart
- Dept. of Neurobiology, School of Biological Sciences, University of California San Diego, CA, USA
| | - Kate Townsend Creasy
- Dept. of Biobehavioral Health Sciences, School of Nursing, and Translational Medicine and Human Genetics, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Kevin T. Beier
- Dept. of Physiology and Biophysics, University of California Irvine, CA, USA
| | | | - Richard C. Crist
- Dept. of Psychiatry, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Benjamin C. Reiner
- Dept. of Psychiatry, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Karl Deisseroth
- CNC Program, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
- Dept. of Bioengineering, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
- Dept. of Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Eric A. Yttri
- Dept. of Biological Sciences, Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
- Neuroscience Institute, Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Gregory Corder
- Dept. of Psychiatry, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
- Dept. of Neuroscience, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
- Dept. of Anesthesiology and Critical Care, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
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5
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Campos-Cardoso R, Desa ZR, Fitzgerald BL, Moore AG, Duhon JL, Landar VA, Clem RL, Cummings KA. The mouse dorsal peduncular cortex encodes fear memory. Cell Rep 2024; 43:114097. [PMID: 38613783 PMCID: PMC11135038 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2024.114097] [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: 08/02/2023] [Revised: 01/26/2024] [Accepted: 03/27/2024] [Indexed: 04/15/2024] Open
Abstract
The rodent medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) is functionally organized across the dorsoventral axis, where dorsal and ventral subregions promote and suppress fear, respectively. As the ventral-most subregion, the dorsal peduncular cortex (DP) is hypothesized to function in fear suppression. However, this role has not been explicitly tested. Here, we demonstrate that the DP paradoxically functions as a fear-encoding brain region and plays a minimal role in fear suppression. By using multimodal analyses, we demonstrate that DP neurons exhibit fear-learning-related plasticity and acquire cue-associated activity across learning and memory retrieval and that DP neurons activated by fear memory acquisition are preferentially reactivated upon fear memory retrieval. Further, optogenetic activation and silencing of DP fear-related neural ensembles drive the promotion and suppression of freezing, respectively. Overall, our results suggest that the DP plays a role in fear memory encoding. Moreover, our findings redefine our understanding of the functional organization of the rodent mPFC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rodrigo Campos-Cardoso
- Department of Neurobiology, Heersink School of Medicine, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL 35233, USA
| | - Zephyr R Desa
- Department of Neurobiology, Heersink School of Medicine, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL 35233, USA; Graduate Biomedical Sciences Program, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL 35233, USA
| | - Brianna L Fitzgerald
- Department of Neurobiology, Heersink School of Medicine, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL 35233, USA; Graduate Biomedical Sciences Program, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL 35233, USA
| | - Alana G Moore
- Department of Neurobiology, Heersink School of Medicine, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL 35233, USA
| | - Jace L Duhon
- Department of Neurobiology, Heersink School of Medicine, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL 35233, USA
| | - Victoria A Landar
- Department of Neurobiology, Heersink School of Medicine, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL 35233, USA
| | - Roger L Clem
- Department of Neuroscience, Friedman Brain Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY 10029, USA
| | - Kirstie A Cummings
- Department of Neurobiology, Heersink School of Medicine, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL 35233, USA.
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6
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Lopez MR, Wasberg SMH, Gagliardi CM, Normandin ME, Muzzio IA. Mystery of the memory engram: History, current knowledge, and unanswered questions. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2024; 159:105574. [PMID: 38331127 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2024.105574] [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: 09/18/2023] [Revised: 12/22/2023] [Accepted: 02/03/2024] [Indexed: 02/10/2024]
Abstract
The quest to understand the memory engram has intrigued humans for centuries. Recent technological advances, including genetic labelling, imaging, optogenetic and chemogenetic techniques, have propelled the field of memory research forward. These tools have enabled researchers to create and erase memory components. While these innovative techniques have yielded invaluable insights, they often focus on specific elements of the memory trace. Genetic labelling may rely on a particular immediate early gene as a marker of activity, optogenetics may activate or inhibit one specific type of neuron, and imaging may capture activity snapshots in a given brain region at specific times. Yet, memories are multifaceted, involving diverse arrays of neuronal subpopulations, circuits, and regions that work in concert to create, store, and retrieve information. Consideration of contributions of both excitatory and inhibitory neurons, micro and macro circuits across brain regions, the dynamic nature of active ensembles, and representational drift is crucial for a comprehensive understanding of the complex nature of memory.
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Affiliation(s)
- M R Lopez
- Department of Molecular Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics, Mayo Clinic College of Medicine and Science, Rochester, MN, United States
| | - S M H Wasberg
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA 52242, USA
| | - C M Gagliardi
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA 52242, USA
| | - M E Normandin
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA 52242, USA
| | - I A Muzzio
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA 52242, USA.
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7
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Kanigowski D, Urban-Ciecko J. Conditioning and pseudoconditioning differently change intrinsic excitability of inhibitory interneurons in the neocortex. Cereb Cortex 2024; 34:bhae109. [PMID: 38572735 PMCID: PMC10993172 DOI: 10.1093/cercor/bhae109] [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: 09/27/2023] [Revised: 02/26/2024] [Accepted: 02/27/2024] [Indexed: 04/05/2024] Open
Abstract
Many studies indicate a broad role of various classes of GABAergic interneurons in the processes related to learning. However, little is known about how the learning process affects intrinsic excitability of specific classes of interneurons in the neocortex. To determine this, we employed a simple model of conditional learning in mice where vibrissae stimulation was used as a conditioned stimulus and a tail shock as an unconditioned one. In vitro whole-cell patch-clamp recordings showed an increase in intrinsic excitability of low-threshold spiking somatostatin-expressing interneurons (SST-INs) in layer 4 (L4) of the somatosensory (barrel) cortex after the conditioning paradigm. In contrast, pseudoconditioning reduced intrinsic excitability of SST-LTS, parvalbumin-expressing interneurons (PV-INs), and vasoactive intestinal polypeptide-expressing interneurons (VIP-INs) with accommodating pattern in L4 of the barrel cortex. In general, increased intrinsic excitability was accompanied by narrowing of action potentials (APs), whereas decreased intrinsic excitability coincided with AP broadening. Altogether, these results show that both conditioning and pseudoconditioning lead to plastic changes in intrinsic excitability of GABAergic interneurons in a cell-specific manner. In this way, changes in intrinsic excitability can be perceived as a common mechanism of learning-induced plasticity in the GABAergic system.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dominik Kanigowski
- Laboratory of Electrophysiology, Nencki Institute of Experimental Biology PAS, 3 Pasteur Street, 02-093 Warsaw, Poland
| | - Joanna Urban-Ciecko
- Laboratory of Electrophysiology, Nencki Institute of Experimental Biology PAS, 3 Pasteur Street, 02-093 Warsaw, Poland
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8
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Halász P, Simor P, Szűcs A. Fearful arousals in sleep terrors and sleep-related hypermotor epileptic seizures may involve the salience network and the acute stress response of Cannon and Selye. Epilepsy Behav Rep 2024; 25:100650. [PMID: 38328672 PMCID: PMC10847862 DOI: 10.1016/j.ebr.2024.100650] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/23/2023] [Revised: 01/28/2024] [Accepted: 01/29/2024] [Indexed: 02/09/2024] Open
Abstract
We consider the disorders of arousal and sleep-related hypermotor epilepsy as genetic twin-conditions, one without, one with epilepsy. They share an augmented arousal-activity during NREM sleep with sleep-wake dissociations, culminating in sleep terrors and sleep-related hypermotor seizures with similar symptoms. The known mutations underlying the two spectra are different, but there are multifold population-genetic-, family- and even individual (the two conditions occurring in the same person) overlaps supporting common genetic roots. In the episodes of disorders of arousal, the anterior cingulate, anterior insular and pre-frontal cortices (shown to be involved in fear- and emotion processing) are activated within a sleeping brain. These regions overlap with the seizure-onset zones of successfully operated sleep-related hypermotor seizures, and notably, belong to the salience network being consistent with its hubs. The arousal-relatedness and the similar fearful confusion occurring in sleep terrors and hypermotor seizures, make them alike acute stress-responses emerging from sleep; triggered by false alarms. The activation of the anterior cingulate, prefrontal and insular regions in the episodes of both conditions, can easily mobilize the hypothalamo-pituitary-adrenal axis (preparing fight-flight responses in wakefulness); through its direct pathways to and from the salience network. This hypothesis has never been studied.
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Affiliation(s)
- Péter Halász
- Szentágothai János Doctoral School, Semmelweis University, Budapest, Hungary
| | - Péter Simor
- Institute of Psychology, ELTE Faculty of Education and Psychology, Budapest, Hungary
| | - Anna Szűcs
- Institute of Behavioural Sciences Semmelweis University, Budapest, Hungary
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9
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Cardoso RC, Desa ZR, Fitzgerald BL, Moore A, Duhon J, Landar VA, Clem RL, Cummings KA. The mouse dorsal peduncular cortex encodes fear memory. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2023.07.24.550408. [PMID: 37546717 PMCID: PMC10402043 DOI: 10.1101/2023.07.24.550408] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 08/08/2023]
Abstract
The rodent medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) is a locus for both the promotion and suppression (e.g. extinction) of fear and is composed of four anatomically distinct subregions, including anterior cingulate 1 (Cg1), prelimbic (PL), infralimbic (IL), and the dorsal peduncular (DP) cortex. A vast majority of studies have focused on Cg1, PL, and IL. The Cg1 and PL have been implicated in the promotion of fear, while the IL has been linked to a role in the suppression, or extinction, of fear. Due to its anatomical location ventral to IL, the DP has been hypothesized to function as a fear-suppressing brain region however, no studies have explicitly tested its role in this function or in the regulation of memory generally. Moreover, some studies have pointed towards a dichotomous role for ventral mPFC in the dual suppression and promotion of fear, but the mechanisms underlying these opposing observations remains unclear. Here, we provide evidence that the DP paradoxically functions as a cued fear-encoding brain region and plays little to no role in fear memory extinction. By using a combination of cFos immunohistochemistry, whole-cell brain slice electrophysiology, fiber photometry, and activity-dependent neural tagging, we demonstrate that DP neurons exhibit learning-related plasticity, acquire cue-associated activity across learning and memory retrieval, and that DP neurons activated by learning are preferentially reactivated upon fear memory retrieval. Further, optogenetic activation and silencing of fear learning-related DP neural ensembles drives the promotion and suppression of freezing, respectively. Overall, these data suggest that the DP plays an unexpected role in fear memory encoding. More broadly, our results reveal new principles of organization across the dorsoventral axis of the mPFC.
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Kim T, Choi DI, Choi JE, Lee H, Jung H, Kim J, Sung Y, Park H, Kim MJ, Han DH, Lee SH, Kaang BK. Activated somatostatin interneurons orchestrate memory microcircuits. Neuron 2024; 112:201-208.e4. [PMID: 37944516 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuron.2023.10.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/02/2023] [Revised: 09/01/2023] [Accepted: 10/10/2023] [Indexed: 11/12/2023]
Abstract
Despite recent advancements in identifying engram cells, our understanding of their regulatory and functional mechanisms remains in its infancy. To provide mechanistic insight into engram cell functioning, we introduced a novel local microcircuit labeling technique that enables the labeling of intraregional synaptic connections. Utilizing this approach, we discovered a unique population of somatostatin (SOM) interneurons in the mouse basolateral amygdala (BLA). These neurons are activated during fear memory formation and exhibit a preference for forming synapses with excitatory engram neurons. Post-activation, these SOM neurons displayed varying excitability based on fear memory retrieval. Furthermore, when we modulated these SOM neurons chemogenetically, we observed changes in the expression of fear-related behaviors, both in a fear-associated context and in a novel setting. Our findings suggest that these activated SOM interneurons play a pivotal role in modulating engram cell activity. They influence the expression of fear-related behaviors through a mechanism that is dependent on memory cues.
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Affiliation(s)
- TaeHyun Kim
- Department of Biological Sciences, College of Natural Sciences, Seoul National University, Seoul 08826, South Korea
| | - Dong Il Choi
- Department of Biological Sciences, College of Natural Sciences, Seoul National University, Seoul 08826, South Korea
| | - Ja Eun Choi
- Department of Biological Sciences, College of Natural Sciences, Seoul National University, Seoul 08826, South Korea
| | - Hoonwon Lee
- Department of Biological Sciences, College of Natural Sciences, Seoul National University, Seoul 08826, South Korea; Center for Cognition and Sociality, Life Science Institute, Institute for Basic Science (IBS), Daejeon 34141, South Korea
| | - Hyunsu Jung
- Department of Biological Sciences, College of Natural Sciences, Seoul National University, Seoul 08826, South Korea; Center for Cognition and Sociality, Life Science Institute, Institute for Basic Science (IBS), Daejeon 34141, South Korea
| | - Jooyoung Kim
- Department of Biological Sciences, College of Natural Sciences, Seoul National University, Seoul 08826, South Korea; Center for Cognition and Sociality, Life Science Institute, Institute for Basic Science (IBS), Daejeon 34141, South Korea
| | - Yongmin Sung
- Department of Biological Sciences, College of Natural Sciences, Seoul National University, Seoul 08826, South Korea; Center for Cognition and Sociality, Life Science Institute, Institute for Basic Science (IBS), Daejeon 34141, South Korea
| | - HyoJin Park
- Department of Biological Sciences, College of Natural Sciences, Seoul National University, Seoul 08826, South Korea; Center for Cognition and Sociality, Life Science Institute, Institute for Basic Science (IBS), Daejeon 34141, South Korea
| | - Min Jung Kim
- Department of Biological Sciences, College of Natural Sciences, Seoul National University, Seoul 08826, South Korea
| | - Dae Hee Han
- Department of Biological Sciences, College of Natural Sciences, Seoul National University, Seoul 08826, South Korea; Center for Cognition and Sociality, Life Science Institute, Institute for Basic Science (IBS), Daejeon 34141, South Korea
| | - Seung-Hee Lee
- Center for Synaptic Brain Dysfunctions, Institute for Basic Science (IBS), Daejeon 34141, South Korea
| | - Bong-Kiun Kaang
- Department of Biological Sciences, College of Natural Sciences, Seoul National University, Seoul 08826, South Korea; Center for Cognition and Sociality, Life Science Institute, Institute for Basic Science (IBS), Daejeon 34141, South Korea.
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11
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Cobb-Lewis D, George A, Hu S, Packard K, Song M, Nguyen-Lopez O, Tesone E, Rowden J, Wang J, Opendak M. The lateral habenula integrates age and experience to promote social transitions in developing rats. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.01.12.575446. [PMID: 38260652 PMCID: PMC10802604 DOI: 10.1101/2024.01.12.575446] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/24/2024]
Abstract
Social behavior deficits are an early-emerging marker of psychopathology and are linked with early caregiving quality. However, the infant neural substrates linking early care to social development are poorly understood. Here, we focused on the infant lateral habenula (LHb), a highly-conserved brain region at the nexus between forebrain and monoaminergic circuits. Despite its consistent links to adult psychopathology, this brain region has been understudied in development when the brain is most vulnerable to environmental impacts. In a task combining social and threat cues, suppressing LHb principal neurons had opposing effects in infants versus juveniles, suggesting the LHb promotes a developmental switch in social approach behavior under threat. We observed that early caregiving adversity (ECA) disrupts typical growth curves of LHb baseline structure and function, including volume, firing patterns, neuromodulatory receptor expression, and functional connectivity with cortical regions. Further, we observed that suppressing cortical projections to the LHb rescued social approach deficits following ECA, identifying this microcircuit as a substrate for disrupted social behavior. Together, these results identify immediate biomarkers of ECA in the LHb and highlight this region as a site of early social processing and behavior control.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dana Cobb-Lewis
- Kennedy Krieger Institute, Baltimore MD USA 21205
- Solomon H. Snyder Department of Neuroscience, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore MD USA 21205
| | - Anne George
- Kennedy Krieger Institute, Baltimore MD USA 21205
| | - Shannon Hu
- Kennedy Krieger Institute, Baltimore MD USA 21205
| | | | - Mingyuan Song
- Kennedy Krieger Institute, Baltimore MD USA 21205
- Solomon H. Snyder Department of Neuroscience, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore MD USA 21205
| | - Oliver Nguyen-Lopez
- Kennedy Krieger Institute, Baltimore MD USA 21205
- Solomon H. Snyder Department of Neuroscience, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore MD USA 21205
| | - Emily Tesone
- Kennedy Krieger Institute, Baltimore MD USA 21205
- Solomon H. Snyder Department of Neuroscience, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore MD USA 21205
| | - Jhanay Rowden
- Kennedy Krieger Institute, Baltimore MD USA 21205
- Solomon H. Snyder Department of Neuroscience, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore MD USA 21205
| | - Julie Wang
- Kennedy Krieger Institute, Baltimore MD USA 21205
| | - Maya Opendak
- Kennedy Krieger Institute, Baltimore MD USA 21205
- Solomon H. Snyder Department of Neuroscience, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore MD USA 21205
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12
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Sohn J. Synaptic configuration and reconfiguration in the neocortex are spatiotemporally selective. Anat Sci Int 2024; 99:17-33. [PMID: 37837522 PMCID: PMC10771605 DOI: 10.1007/s12565-023-00743-5] [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: 05/24/2023] [Accepted: 09/14/2023] [Indexed: 10/16/2023]
Abstract
Brain computation relies on the neural networks. Neurons extend the neurites such as dendrites and axons, and the contacts of these neurites that form chemical synapses are the biological basis of signal transmissions in the central nervous system. Individual neuronal outputs can influence the other neurons within the range of the axonal spread, while the activities of single neurons can be affected by the afferents in their somatodendritic fields. The morphological profile, therefore, binds the functional role each neuron can play. In addition, synaptic connectivity among neurons displays preference based on the characteristics of presynaptic and postsynaptic neurons. Here, the author reviews the "spatial" and "temporal" connection selectivity in the neocortex. The histological description of the neocortical circuitry depends primarily on the classification of cell types, and the development of gene engineering techniques allows the cell type-specific visualization of dendrites and axons as well as somata. Using genetic labeling of particular cell populations combined with immunohistochemistry and imaging at a subcellular spatial resolution, we revealed the "spatial selectivity" of cortical wirings in which synapses are non-uniformly distributed on the subcellular somatodendritic domains in a presynaptic cell type-specific manner. In addition, cortical synaptic dynamics in learning exhibit presynaptic cell type-dependent "temporal selectivity": corticocortical synapses appear only transiently during the learning phase, while learning-induced new thalamocortical synapses persist, indicating that distinct circuits may supervise learning-specific ephemeral synapse and memory-specific immortal synapse formation. The selectivity of spatial configuration and temporal reconfiguration in the neural circuitry may govern diverse functions in the neocortex.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jaerin Sohn
- Department of Systematic Anatomy and Neurobiology, Graduate School of Dentistry, Osaka University, Suita, Osaka, 565-0871, Japan.
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13
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Lacagnina AF, Dong TN, Iyer RR, Khan S, Mohamed MK, Clem RL. Ventral hippocampal interneurons govern extinction and relapse of contextual associations. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.11.28.568835. [PMID: 38077077 PMCID: PMC10705382 DOI: 10.1101/2023.11.28.568835] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/05/2024]
Abstract
Contextual associations are critical for survival but must be extinguished when new conditions render them nonproductive. By most accounts, extinction forms a new memory that competes with the original association for control over behavior, but the mechanisms underlying this competition remain largely enigmatic. Here we find the retrieval of contextual fear conditioning and extinction yield contrasting patterns of activity in prefrontal cortex and ventral hippocampus. Within ventral CA1, activation of somatostatin-expressing interneurons (SST-INs) occurs preferentially during extinction retrieval and correlates with differences in input synaptic transmission. Optogenetic manipulation of these cells but not parvalbumin interneurons (PV-INs) elicits bidirectional changes in fear expression following extinction, and the ability of SST-INs to gate fear is specific to the context in which extinction was acquired. A similar pattern of results was obtained following reward-based extinction. These data show that ventral hippocampal SST-INs are critical for extinguishing prior associations and thereby gate relapse of both aversive and appetitive responses.
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Smith HC, Yu Z, Iyer L, Marvar PJ. Sex-dependent effects of angiotensin type 2 receptor expressing medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) interneurons in fear extinction learning. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.11.21.568156. [PMID: 38045293 PMCID: PMC10690250 DOI: 10.1101/2023.11.21.568156] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/05/2023]
Abstract
Background The renin-angiotensin system (RAS) has been identified as a potential therapeutic target for PTSD, though its mechanisms are not well understood. Brain angiotensin type 2 receptors (AT2Rs) are a subtype of angiotensin II receptors located in stress and anxiety-related regions, including the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC), but their function and mechanism in the mPFC remain unexplored. We therefore used a combination of imaging, cre/lox, and behavioral methods to investigate mPFC-AT2R-expressing neuron involvement in fear learning. Methods To characterize mPFC-AT2R-expressing neurons in the mPFC, AT2R-Cre/td-Tomato male and female mice were used for immunohistochemistry (IHC). mPFC brain sections were stained with glutamatergic or interneuron markers, and density of AT2R+ cells and colocalization with each marker was quantified. To assess fear-related behaviors in AT2R-flox mice, we selectively deleted AT2R from mPFC neurons using an AAV-Cre virus. Mice then underwent Pavlovian auditory fear conditioning, approach/avoidance, and locomotion testing. Results IHC results revealed that AT2R is densely expressed in the mPFC. Furthermore, AT2R is primarily expressed in somatostatin interneurons in females but not males. Following fear conditioning, mPFC-AT2R deletion impaired extinction in female but not male mice. Locomotion was unaltered by mPFC-AT2R deletion in males or females, while AT2R-deleted females had increased exploratory behavior. Conclusion These results lend support for mPFC-AT2R+ neurons as a novel subgroup of somatostatin interneurons that influence fear extinction in a sex-dependent manner. This furthers underscores the role of mPFC in top-down regulation and a unique role for peptidergic (ie., angiotensin) mPFC regulation of fear and sex differences.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hannah C. Smith
- Department of Neuroscience, George Washington University, Washington, DC
| | - Zhe Yu
- Department of Pharmacology & Physiology, George Washington University, Washington, DC
| | - Laxmi Iyer
- Department of Pharmacology & Physiology, George Washington University, Washington, DC
| | - Paul J. Marvar
- Department of Neuroscience, George Washington University, Washington, DC
- Department of Pharmacology & Physiology, George Washington University, Washington, DC
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, George Washington University, Washington DC
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15
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Nagy-Pál P, Veres JM, Fekete Z, Karlócai MR, Weisz F, Barabás B, Reéb Z, Hájos N. Structural Organization of Perisomatic Inhibition in the Mouse Medial Prefrontal Cortex. J Neurosci 2023; 43:6972-6987. [PMID: 37640552 PMCID: PMC10586541 DOI: 10.1523/jneurosci.0432-23.2023] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/09/2023] [Revised: 08/11/2023] [Accepted: 08/18/2023] [Indexed: 08/31/2023] Open
Abstract
Perisomatic inhibition profoundly controls neural function. However, the structural organization of inhibitory circuits giving rise to the perisomatic inhibition in the higher-order cortices is not completely known. Here, we performed a comprehensive analysis of those GABAergic cells in the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) that provide inputs onto the somata and proximal dendrites of pyramidal neurons. Our results show that most GABAergic axonal varicosities contacting the perisomatic region of superficial (layer 2/3) and deep (layer 5) pyramidal cells express parvalbumin (PV) or cannabinoid receptor type 1 (CB1). Further, we found that the ratio of PV/CB1 GABAergic inputs is larger on the somatic membrane surface of pyramidal tract neurons in comparison with those projecting to the contralateral hemisphere. Our morphologic analysis of in vitro labeled PV+ basket cells (PVBC) and CCK/CB1+ basket cells (CCKBC) revealed differences in many features. PVBC dendrites and axons arborized preferentially within the layer where their soma was located. In contrast, the axons of CCKBCs expanded throughout layers, although their dendrites were found preferentially either in superficial or deep layers. Finally, using anterograde trans-synaptic tracing we observed that PVBCs are preferentially innervated by thalamic and basal amygdala afferents in layers 5a and 5b, respectively. Thus, our results suggest that PVBCs can control the local circuit operation in a layer-specific manner via their characteristic arborization, whereas CCKBCs rather provide cross-layer inhibition in the mPFC.SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT Inhibitory cells in cortical circuits are crucial for the precise control of local network activity. Nevertheless, in higher-order cortical areas that are involved in cognitive functions like decision-making, working memory, and cognitive flexibility, the structural organization of inhibitory cell circuits is not completely understood. In this study we show that perisomatic inhibitory control of excitatory cells in the medial prefrontal cortex is performed by two types of basket cells endowed with different morphologic properties that provide inhibitory inputs with distinct layer specificity on cells projecting to disparate areas. Revealing this difference in innervation strategy of the two basket cell types is a key step toward understanding how they fulfill their distinct roles in cortical network operations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Petra Nagy-Pál
- Eötvös Loránd Research Network Institute of Experimental Medicine, 1083 Budapest, Hungary
- János Szentágothai School of Neurosciences, Semmelweis University, 1085 Budapest, Hungary
| | - Judit M Veres
- Eötvös Loránd Research Network Institute of Experimental Medicine, 1083 Budapest, Hungary
| | - Zsuzsanna Fekete
- Eötvös Loránd Research Network Institute of Experimental Medicine, 1083 Budapest, Hungary
- János Szentágothai School of Neurosciences, Semmelweis University, 1085 Budapest, Hungary
| | - Mária R Karlócai
- Eötvös Loránd Research Network Institute of Experimental Medicine, 1083 Budapest, Hungary
| | - Filippo Weisz
- Eötvös Loránd Research Network Institute of Experimental Medicine, 1083 Budapest, Hungary
| | - Bence Barabás
- Eötvös Loránd Research Network Institute of Experimental Medicine, 1083 Budapest, Hungary
- János Szentágothai School of Neurosciences, Semmelweis University, 1085 Budapest, Hungary
| | - Zsófia Reéb
- Eötvös Loránd Research Network Institute of Experimental Medicine, 1083 Budapest, Hungary
- Doctoral School of Biology, Institute of Biology, Eötvös Loránd University, 1117 Budapest, Hungary
| | - Norbert Hájos
- Eötvös Loránd Research Network Institute of Experimental Medicine, 1083 Budapest, Hungary
- Linda and Jack Gill Center for Molecular Bioscience, Indiana University Bloomington, Bloomington, Indiana 47405
- Program in Neuroscience, Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Indiana University Bloomington, Bloomington, Indiana 47405
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16
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Bai Y, Grier B, Geron E. Anti-Hebbian plasticity in the motor cortex promotes defensive freezing. Curr Biol 2023; 33:3465-3477.e5. [PMID: 37543035 PMCID: PMC10538413 DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2023.07.021] [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: 11/07/2022] [Revised: 05/05/2023] [Accepted: 07/12/2023] [Indexed: 08/07/2023]
Abstract
Regional brain activity often decreases from baseline levels in response to external events, but how neurons develop such negative responses is unclear. To study this, we leveraged the negative response that develops in the primary motor cortex (M1) after classical fear learning. We trained mice with a fear conditioning paradigm while imaging their brains with standard two-photon microscopy. This enabled monitoring changes in neuronal responses to the tone with synaptic resolution through learning. We found that M1 layer 5 pyramidal neurons (L5 PNs) developed negative tone responses within an hour after conditioning, which depended on the weakening of their dendritic spines that were active during training. Blocking this form of anti-Hebbian plasticity using an optogenetic manipulation of CaMKII activity disrupted negative tone responses and freezing. Therefore, reducing the strength of spines active at the time of memory encoding leads to negative responses of L5 PNs. In turn, these negative responses curb M1's capacity for promoting movement, thereby aiding freezing. Collectively, this work provides a mechanistic understanding of how area-specific negative responses to behaviorally relevant cues can be achieved.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yang Bai
- Neuroscience Institute, New York University, New York, NY 10016, USA
| | - Bryce Grier
- Neuroscience Institute, New York University, New York, NY 10016, USA
| | - Erez Geron
- Neuroscience Institute, New York University, New York, NY 10016, USA.
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17
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Ielpo D, Guzzo SM, Porcheddu GF, Viscomi MT, Catale C, Reverte I, Cabib S, Cifani C, Antonucci G, Ventura R, Lo Iacono L, Marchetti C, Andolina D. GABAergic miR-34a regulates Dorsal Raphè inhibitory transmission in response to aversive, but not rewarding, stimuli. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2023; 120:e2301730120. [PMID: 37523544 PMCID: PMC10410731 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2301730120] [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: 01/31/2023] [Accepted: 06/26/2023] [Indexed: 08/02/2023] Open
Abstract
The brain employs distinct circuitries to encode positive and negative valence stimuli, and dysfunctions of these neuronal circuits have a key role in the etiopathogenesis of many psychiatric disorders. The Dorsal Raphè Nucleus (DRN) is involved in various behaviors and drives the emotional response to rewarding and aversive experiences. Whether specific subpopulations of neurons within the DRN encode these behaviors with different valence is still unknown. Notably, microRNA expression in the mammalian brain is characterized by tissue and neuronal specificity, suggesting that it might play a role in cell and circuit functionality. However, this specificity has not been fully exploited. Here, we demonstrate that microRNA-34a (miR-34a) is selectively expressed in a subpopulation of GABAergic neurons of the ventrolateral DRN. Moreover, we report that acute exposure to both aversive (restraint stress) and rewarding (chocolate) stimuli reduces GABA release in the DRN, an effect prevented by the inactivation of DRN miR-34a or its genetic deletion in GABAergic neurons in aversive but not rewarding conditions. Finally, miR-34a inhibition selectively reduced passive coping with severe stressors. These data support a role of miR-34a in regulating GABAergic neurotransmitter activity and behavior in a context-dependent manner and suggest that microRNAs could represent a functional signature of specific neuronal subpopulations with valence-specific activity in the brain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Donald Ielpo
- Department of Psychology, Sapienza University, Rome00184, Italy
- Fondazione Santa Lucia Istituto di Ricovero e Cura a Carattere Scientifico, Roma00143, Italy
| | - Serafina M. Guzzo
- School of Pharmacy, Pharmacology Unit, University of Camerino, Camerino62032, Italy
| | - Giovanni F. Porcheddu
- Fondazione Santa Lucia Istituto di Ricovero e Cura a Carattere Scientifico, Roma00143, Italy
- European Brain Research Institute-Fondazione Rita Levi-Montalcini, Rome00161, Italy
| | - Maria Teresa Viscomi
- Department of Life Science and Public Health Section of Histology and Embryology, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Rome00168, Italy
- Fondazione Policlinico Universitario “A. Gemelli”, Istituto di Ricovero e Cura a Carattere Scientifico, Rome00168, Italy
| | - Clarissa Catale
- Fondazione Santa Lucia Istituto di Ricovero e Cura a Carattere Scientifico, Roma00143, Italy
| | - Ingrid Reverte
- Fondazione Santa Lucia Istituto di Ricovero e Cura a Carattere Scientifico, Roma00143, Italy
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome00185, Italy
| | - Simona Cabib
- Department of Psychology, Sapienza University, Rome00184, Italy
- Fondazione Santa Lucia Istituto di Ricovero e Cura a Carattere Scientifico, Roma00143, Italy
| | - Carlo Cifani
- School of Pharmacy, Pharmacology Unit, University of Camerino, Camerino62032, Italy
| | - Gabriella Antonucci
- Department of Psychology, Sapienza University, Rome00184, Italy
- Fondazione Santa Lucia Istituto di Ricovero e Cura a Carattere Scientifico, Roma00143, Italy
| | - Rossella Ventura
- Department of Psychology, Sapienza University, Rome00184, Italy
- Fondazione Santa Lucia Istituto di Ricovero e Cura a Carattere Scientifico, Roma00143, Italy
- San Raffaele Istituto di Ricovero e Cura a Carattere Scientifico, Rome00166, Italy
| | - Luisa Lo Iacono
- Fondazione Santa Lucia Istituto di Ricovero e Cura a Carattere Scientifico, Roma00143, Italy
| | - Cristina Marchetti
- European Brain Research Institute-Fondazione Rita Levi-Montalcini, Rome00161, Italy
- Institute of Molecular Biology and Pathology, National Research Council, Rome00185, Italy
| | - Diego Andolina
- Department of Psychology, Sapienza University, Rome00184, Italy
- Fondazione Santa Lucia Istituto di Ricovero e Cura a Carattere Scientifico, Roma00143, Italy
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Guskjolen A, Cembrowski MS. Engram neurons: Encoding, consolidation, retrieval, and forgetting of memory. Mol Psychiatry 2023; 28:3207-3219. [PMID: 37369721 PMCID: PMC10618102 DOI: 10.1038/s41380-023-02137-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/15/2021] [Revised: 06/02/2023] [Accepted: 06/13/2023] [Indexed: 06/29/2023]
Abstract
Tremendous strides have been made in our understanding of the neurobiological substrates of memory - the so-called memory "engram". Here, we integrate recent progress in the engram field to illustrate how engram neurons transform across the "lifespan" of a memory - from initial memory encoding, to consolidation and retrieval, and ultimately to forgetting. To do so, we first describe how cell-intrinsic properties shape the initial emergence of the engram at memory encoding. Second, we highlight how these encoding neurons preferentially participate in synaptic- and systems-level consolidation of memory. Third, we describe how these changes during encoding and consolidation guide neural reactivation during retrieval, and facilitate memory recall. Fourth, we describe neurobiological mechanisms of forgetting, and how these mechanisms can counteract engram properties established during memory encoding, consolidation, and retrieval. Motivated by recent experimental results across these four sections, we conclude by proposing some conceptual extensions to the traditional view of the engram, including broadening the view of cell-type participation within engrams and across memory stages. In collection, our review synthesizes general principles of the engram across memory stages, and describes future avenues to further understand the dynamic engram.
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Affiliation(s)
- Axel Guskjolen
- Department of Cellular and Physiological Sciences, Life Sciences Institute, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada.
| | - Mark S Cembrowski
- Department of Cellular and Physiological Sciences, Life Sciences Institute, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada.
- Djavad Mowafaghian Centre for Brain Health, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada.
- School of Biomedical Engineering, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada.
- Department of Mathematics, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada.
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19
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Pastor V, Dalto JF, Medina JH. α7 nicotinic acetylcholine receptors in the medial prefrontal cortex control rewarding but not aversive memory expression in a dopamine-sensitive manner. Pharmacol Biochem Behav 2023; 227-228:173594. [PMID: 37385456 DOI: 10.1016/j.pbb.2023.173594] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/27/2023] [Revised: 06/23/2023] [Accepted: 06/26/2023] [Indexed: 07/01/2023]
Abstract
Emotional learning involves the association between sensory cues and rewarding or aversive stimuli, and this stored information can be recalled during memory retrieval. In this process, the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) plays an essential role. We have previously shown that the antagonism of α7 nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (nAChRs) by methyllycaconitine (MLA) in the mPFC blocked cue-induced cocaine memory retrieval. However, little is known about the involvement of prefrontal α7 nAChRs in the retrieval of aversive memories. Here, by using pharmacology and different behavioral tasks, we found that MLA did not affect aversive memory retrieval, indicating a differential effect of cholinergic prefrontal control of appetitive and aversive memories. Despite being shown that acetylcholine modulates dopamine release in the mPFC, it remains unknown if those modulatory systems act together to control reward-based behavior. We examined that question and found that dopamine type 1 receptor (D1R) activation prevented MLA-induced blockade of cocaine CPP retrieval. Our results suggest that α7 nAChRs and D1R signaling interact in the mPFC to modulate cocaine-associated memory retrieval.
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Affiliation(s)
- Verónica Pastor
- CONICET-Universidad de Buenos Aires, Instituto de Biología Celular y Neurociencia "Prof. Eduardo De Robertis" (IBCN), Buenos Aires, Argentina; Universidad de Buenos Aires, Facultad de Medicina, Departamento de Ciencias Fisiológicas, Buenos Aires, Argentina.
| | - Juliana F Dalto
- CONICET-Universidad de Buenos Aires, Instituto de Biología Celular y Neurociencia "Prof. Eduardo De Robertis" (IBCN), Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Jorge H Medina
- CONICET-Universidad de Buenos Aires, Instituto de Biología Celular y Neurociencia "Prof. Eduardo De Robertis" (IBCN), Buenos Aires, Argentina; Instituto Tecnológico de Buenos Aires (ITBA), Buenos Aires, Argentina
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20
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Hwang KD, Baek J, Ryu HH, Lee J, Shim HG, Kim SY, Kim SJ, Lee YS. Cerebellar nuclei neurons projecting to the lateral parabrachial nucleus modulate classical fear conditioning. Cell Rep 2023; 42:112291. [PMID: 36952344 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2023.112291] [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: 07/21/2022] [Revised: 02/04/2023] [Accepted: 03/06/2023] [Indexed: 03/24/2023] Open
Abstract
Multiple brain regions are engaged in classical fear conditioning. Despite evidence for cerebellar involvement in fear conditioning, the mechanisms by which cerebellar outputs modulate fear learning and memory remain unclear. We identify a population of deep cerebellar nucleus (DCN) neurons with monosynaptic glutamatergic projections to the lateral parabrachial nucleus (lPBN) (DCN→lPBN neurons) in mice. While optogenetic suppression of DCN→lPBN neurons impairs auditory fear memory, activation of DCN→lPBN neurons elicits freezing behavior only after auditory fear conditioning. Moreover, auditory fear conditioning potentiates DCN-lPBN synapses, and subsequently, auditory cue activates lPBN neurons after fear conditioning. Furthermore, DCN→lPBN neuron activation can replace the auditory cue but not footshock in fear conditioning. These findings demonstrate that cerebellar nuclei modulate auditory fear conditioning via transmitting conditioned stimuli signals to the lPBN. Collectively, our findings suggest that the DCN-lPBN circuit is a part of neuronal substrates within interconnected brain regions underscoring auditory fear memory.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kyoung-Doo Hwang
- Department of Physiology, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul 03080, Republic of Korea; Department of Biomedical Science, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul 03080, Republic of Korea
| | - Jinhee Baek
- Department of Physiology, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul 03080, Republic of Korea; Department of Biomedical Science, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul 03080, Republic of Korea
| | - Hyun-Hee Ryu
- Department of Physiology, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul 03080, Republic of Korea; Neuroscience Research Institute, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul 03080, Republic of Korea
| | - Jaegeon Lee
- Department of Physiology, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul 03080, Republic of Korea; Department of Biomedical Science, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul 03080, Republic of Korea
| | - Hyun Geun Shim
- Department of Physiology, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul 03080, Republic of Korea; Department of Biomedical Science, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul 03080, Republic of Korea
| | - Sun Yong Kim
- Department of Physiology, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul 03080, Republic of Korea; Department of Biomedical Science, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul 03080, Republic of Korea
| | - Sang Jeong Kim
- Department of Physiology, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul 03080, Republic of Korea; Department of Biomedical Science, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul 03080, Republic of Korea; Neuroscience Research Institute, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul 03080, Republic of Korea; Wide River Institute of Immunology, Seoul National University, Hongcheon, Republic of Korea.
| | - Yong-Seok Lee
- Department of Physiology, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul 03080, Republic of Korea; Department of Biomedical Science, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul 03080, Republic of Korea; Neuroscience Research Institute, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul 03080, Republic of Korea; Wide River Institute of Immunology, Seoul National University, Hongcheon, Republic of Korea.
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21
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Lee JH, Kim WB, Park EH, Cho JH. Neocortical synaptic engrams for remote contextual memories. Nat Neurosci 2023; 26:259-273. [PMID: 36564546 PMCID: PMC9905017 DOI: 10.1038/s41593-022-01223-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 20.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/24/2021] [Accepted: 10/28/2022] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
While initial encoding of contextual memories involves the strengthening of hippocampal circuits, these memories progressively mature to stabilized forms in neocortex and become less hippocampus dependent. Although it has been proposed that long-term storage of contextual memories may involve enduring synaptic changes in neocortical circuits, synaptic substrates of remote contextual memories have been elusive. Here we demonstrate that the consolidation of remote contextual fear memories in mice correlated with progressive strengthening of excitatory connections between prefrontal cortical (PFC) engram neurons active during learning and reactivated during remote memory recall, whereas the extinction of remote memories weakened those synapses. This synapse-specific plasticity was CREB-dependent and required sustained hippocampal signals, which the retrosplenial cortex could convey to PFC. Moreover, PFC engram neurons were strongly connected to other PFC neurons recruited during remote memory recall. Our study suggests that progressive and synapse-specific strengthening of PFC circuits can contribute to long-term storage of contextual memories.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ji-Hye Lee
- Department of Molecular, Cell and Systems Biology, University of California, Riverside, CA, USA
| | - Woong Bin Kim
- Department of Molecular, Cell and Systems Biology, University of California, Riverside, CA, USA
| | - Eui Ho Park
- Department of Molecular, Cell and Systems Biology, University of California, Riverside, CA, USA
| | - Jun-Hyeong Cho
- Department of Molecular, Cell and Systems Biology, University of California, Riverside, CA, USA.
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22
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Kupferschmidt DA, Cummings KA, Joffe ME, MacAskill A, Malik R, Sánchez-Bellot C, Tejeda HA, Yarur Castillo H. Prefrontal Interneurons: Populations, Pathways, and Plasticity Supporting Typical and Disordered Cognition in Rodent Models. J Neurosci 2022; 42:8468-8476. [PMID: 36351822 PMCID: PMC9665918 DOI: 10.1523/jneurosci.1136-22.2022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/10/2022] [Revised: 08/31/2022] [Accepted: 09/01/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Prefrontal cortex (PFC) inhibitory microcircuits regulate the gain and timing of pyramidal neuron firing, coordinate neural ensemble interactions, and gate local and long-range neural communication to support adaptive cognition and contextually tuned behavior. Accordingly, perturbations of PFC inhibitory microcircuits are thought to underlie dysregulated cognition and behavior in numerous psychiatric diseases and relevant animal models. This review, based on a Mini-Symposium presented at the 2022 Society for Neuroscience Meeting, highlights recent studies providing novel insights into: (1) discrete medial PFC (mPFC) interneuron populations in the mouse brain; (2) mPFC interneuron connections with, and regulation of, long-range mPFC afferents; and (3) circuit-specific plasticity of mPFC interneurons. The contributions of such populations, pathways, and plasticity to rodent cognition are discussed in the context of stress, reward, motivational conflict, and genetic mutations relevant to psychiatric disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- David A Kupferschmidt
- Integrative Neuroscience Section, National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, Bethesda, Maryland, 20892
| | - Kirstie A Cummings
- Department of Neurobiology, University of Alabama at Birmingham School of Medicine, Birmingham, Alabama, 35233
| | - Max E Joffe
- Translational Neuroscience Program, Department of Psychiatry, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, 15213
| | - Andrew MacAskill
- Department of Neuroscience, Physiology and Pharmacology, University College London, London, United Kingdom, WC1E 6BT
| | - Ruchi Malik
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, UCSF Weill Institute for Neurosciences, Kavli Institute for Fundamental Neuroscience, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, California, 94158
| | - Candela Sánchez-Bellot
- Department of Neuroscience, Physiology and Pharmacology, University College London, London, United Kingdom, WC1E 6BT
- Laboratorio de Circuitos Neuronales, Instituto Cajal, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas, Madrid, Spain, 28002
| | - Hugo A Tejeda
- Unit on Neuromodulation and Synaptic Integration, National Institute of Mental Health, Bethesda, Maryland, 20892
| | - Hector Yarur Castillo
- Unit on Neuromodulation and Synaptic Integration, National Institute of Mental Health, Bethesda, Maryland, 20892
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