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Yao Y, Jin C, Liao Y, Huang X, Wei Z, Zhang Y, Li D, Su H, Han W, Qin D. Schizophrenia-Like Behaviors Arising from Dysregulated Proline Metabolism Are Associated with Altered Neuronal Morphology and Function in Mice with Hippocampal PRODH Deficiency. Aging Dis 2024; 15:1952-1968. [PMID: 37815900 PMCID: PMC11272211 DOI: 10.14336/ad.2023.0902] [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: 06/01/2023] [Accepted: 09/02/2023] [Indexed: 10/12/2023] Open
Abstract
Despite decades of research being conducted to understand what physiological deficits in the brain are an underlying basis of psychiatric diseases like schizophrenia, it has remained difficult to establish a direct causal relationship between neuronal dysfunction and specific behavioral phenotypes. Moreover, it remains unclear how metabolic processes, including amino acid metabolism, affect neuronal function and consequently modulate animal behaviors. PRODH, which catalyzes the first step of proline degradation, has been reported as a susceptibility gene for schizophrenia. It has consistently been shown that PRODH knockout mice exhibit schizophrenia-like behaviors. However, whether the loss of PRODH directly impacts neuronal function or whether such neuronal deficits are linked to schizophrenia-like behaviors has not yet been examined. Herein, we first ascertained that dysregulated proline metabolism in humans is associated with schizophrenia. We then found that PRODH was highly expressed in the oreins layer of the mouse dorsal hippocampus. By using AAV-mediated shRNA, we depleted PRODH expression in the mouse dorsal hippocampus and subsequently observed hyperactivity and impairments in the social behaviors, learning, and memory of these mice. Furthermore, the loss of PRODH led to altered neuronal morphology and function both in vivo and in vitro. Our study demonstrates that schizophrenia-like behaviors may arise from dysregulated proline metabolism due to the loss of PRODH and are associated with altered neuronal morphology and function in mice.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuxiao Yao
- Key Laboratory of Biological Targeting Diagnosis, Therapy and Rehabilitation of Guangdong Higher Education Institutes, The Fifth Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou 510799, China.
| | - Chenchen Jin
- Bioland Laboratory, Guangzhou Regenerative Medicine and Health Guangdong Laboratory, Guangzhou, China.
| | - Yilie Liao
- Bioland Laboratory, Guangzhou Regenerative Medicine and Health Guangdong Laboratory, Guangzhou, China.
- Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology, Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR), Singapore.
| | - Xiang Huang
- Bioland Laboratory, Guangzhou Regenerative Medicine and Health Guangdong Laboratory, Guangzhou, China.
| | - Ziying Wei
- Key Laboratory of Biological Targeting Diagnosis, Therapy and Rehabilitation of Guangdong Higher Education Institutes, The Fifth Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou 510799, China.
| | - Yahong Zhang
- Guangzhou Laboratory, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China.
| | - Dongwei Li
- Key Laboratory of Biological Targeting Diagnosis, Therapy and Rehabilitation of Guangdong Higher Education Institutes, The Fifth Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou 510799, China.
| | - Huanxing Su
- Institute of Chinese Medical Sciences, University of Macau, Macau, China.
| | - Weiping Han
- Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology, Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR), Singapore.
| | - Dajiang Qin
- Key Laboratory of Biological Targeting Diagnosis, Therapy and Rehabilitation of Guangdong Higher Education Institutes, The Fifth Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou 510799, China.
- Bioland Laboratory, Guangzhou Regenerative Medicine and Health Guangdong Laboratory, Guangzhou, China.
- Centre for Regenerative Medicine and Health, Hong Kong Institute of Science & Innovation, Chinese Academy of Sciences; Hong Kong SAR, China.
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Verpoort B, de Wit J. Cell Adhesion Molecule Signaling at the Synapse: Beyond the Scaffold. Cold Spring Harb Perspect Biol 2024; 16:a041501. [PMID: 38316556 PMCID: PMC11065171 DOI: 10.1101/cshperspect.a041501] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/07/2024]
Abstract
Synapses are specialized intercellular junctions connecting pre- and postsynaptic neurons into functional neural circuits. Synaptic cell adhesion molecules (CAMs) constitute key players in synapse development that engage in homo- or heterophilic interactions across the synaptic cleft. Decades of research have identified numerous synaptic CAMs, mapped their trans-synaptic interactions, and determined their role in orchestrating synaptic connectivity. However, surprisingly little is known about the molecular mechanisms that translate trans-synaptic adhesion into the assembly of pre- and postsynaptic compartments. Here, we provide an overview of the intracellular signaling pathways that are engaged by synaptic CAMs and highlight outstanding issues to be addressed in future work.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ben Verpoort
- VIB-KU Leuven Center for Brain and Disease Research, 3000 Leuven, Belgium
- KU Leuven, Department of Neurosciences, Leuven Brain Institute, 3000 Leuven, Belgium
| | - Joris de Wit
- VIB-KU Leuven Center for Brain and Disease Research, 3000 Leuven, Belgium
- KU Leuven, Department of Neurosciences, Leuven Brain Institute, 3000 Leuven, Belgium
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Connor SA, Siddiqui TJ. Synapse organizers as molecular codes for synaptic plasticity. Trends Neurosci 2023; 46:971-985. [PMID: 37652840 DOI: 10.1016/j.tins.2023.08.001] [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: 05/21/2023] [Revised: 07/13/2023] [Accepted: 08/03/2023] [Indexed: 09/02/2023]
Abstract
Synapse organizing proteins are multifaceted molecules that coordinate the complex processes of brain development and plasticity at the level of individual synapses. Their importance is demonstrated by the major brain disorders that emerge when their function is compromised. The mechanisms whereby the various families of organizers govern synapses are diverse, but converge on the structure, function, and plasticity of synapses. Therefore, synapse organizers regulate how synapses adapt to ongoing activity, a process central for determining the developmental trajectory of the brain and critical to all forms of cognition. Here, we explore how synapse organizers set the conditions for synaptic plasticity and the associated molecular events, which eventually link to behavioral features of neurodevelopmental and neuropsychiatric disorders. We also propose central questions on how synapse organizers influence network function through integrating nanoscale and circuit-level organization of the brain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Steven A Connor
- Department of Biology, York University, Toronto, ON M3J 1P3, Canada.
| | - Tabrez J Siddiqui
- PrairieNeuro Research Centre, Kleysen Institute for Advanced Medicine, Health Sciences Centre, Winnipeg, MB R3E 0Z3, Canada; Department of Physiology and Pathophysiology, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, MB R3E 0J9, Canada; The Children's Hospital Research Institute of Manitoba, Winnipeg, MB R3E 3P4, Canada; Program in Biomedical Engineering, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, MB, Canada.
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4
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de Arce KP, Ribic A, Chowdhury D, Watters K, Thompson GJ, Sanganahalli BG, Lippard ETC, Rohlmann A, Strittmatter SM, Missler M, Hyder F, Biederer T. Concerted roles of LRRTM1 and SynCAM 1 in organizing prefrontal cortex synapses and cognitive functions. Nat Commun 2023; 14:459. [PMID: 36709330 PMCID: PMC9884278 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-36042-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/29/2020] [Accepted: 01/13/2023] [Indexed: 01/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Multiple trans-synaptic complexes organize synapse development, yet their roles in the mature brain and cooperation remain unclear. We analyzed the postsynaptic adhesion protein LRRTM1 in the prefrontal cortex (PFC), a region relevant to cognition and disorders. LRRTM1 knockout (KO) mice had fewer synapses, and we asked whether other synapse organizers counteract further loss. This determined that the immunoglobulin family member SynCAM 1 controls synapse number in PFC and was upregulated upon LRRTM1 loss. Combined LRRTM1 and SynCAM 1 deletion substantially lowered dendritic spine number in PFC, but not hippocampus, more than the sum of single KO impairments. Their cooperation extended presynaptically, and puncta of Neurexins, LRRTM1 partners, were less abundant in double KO (DKO) PFC. Electrophysiology and fMRI demonstrated aberrant neuronal activity in DKO mice. Further, DKO mice were impaired in social interactions and cognitive tasks. Our results reveal concerted roles of LRRTM1 and SynCAM 1 across synaptic, network, and behavioral domains.
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Affiliation(s)
- Karen Perez de Arce
- Department of Neuroscience, Tufts University School of Medicine, Boston, MA, USA
- Neuroscience Department, Novartis Institutes for Biomedical Research, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Adema Ribic
- Department of Neuroscience, Tufts University School of Medicine, Boston, MA, USA
- Department of Psychology, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA, USA
| | | | - Katherine Watters
- Department of Neuroscience, Tufts University School of Medicine, Boston, MA, USA
- Department of Neurology, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - Garth J Thompson
- Department of Radiology and Biomedical Imaging, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA
- iHuman Institute, ShanghaiTech University, Shanghai, China
| | | | - Elizabeth T C Lippard
- Department of Radiology and Biomedical Imaging, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Texas, Austin, TX, USA
| | - Astrid Rohlmann
- Institute of Anatomy and Molecular Neurobiology, Westfälische Wilhelms-University, Münster, Germany
| | - Stephen M Strittmatter
- Department of Neurology, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA
- Department of Neuroscience, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - Markus Missler
- Institute of Anatomy and Molecular Neurobiology, Westfälische Wilhelms-University, Münster, Germany
| | - Fahmeed Hyder
- Department of Radiology and Biomedical Imaging, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - Thomas Biederer
- Department of Neuroscience, Tufts University School of Medicine, Boston, MA, USA.
- Department of Neurology, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA.
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The role of thalamic group II mGlu receptors in health and disease. Neuronal Signal 2022; 6:NS20210058. [PMID: 36561092 PMCID: PMC9760452 DOI: 10.1042/ns20210058] [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: 08/12/2022] [Revised: 10/20/2022] [Accepted: 10/24/2022] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
The thalamus plays a pivotal role in the integration and processing of sensory, motor, and cognitive information. It is therefore important to understand how the thalamus operates in states of both health and disease. In the present review, we discuss the function of the Group II metabotropic glutamate (mGlu) receptors within thalamic circuitry, and how they may represent therapeutic targets in treating disease states associated with thalamic dysfunction.
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Wang Y, Shao Y, Zhang H, Wang J, Zhang P, Zhang W, Chen H. Comprehensive analysis of key genes and pathways for biological and clinical implications in thyroid-associated ophthalmopathy. BMC Genomics 2022; 23:630. [PMID: 36056316 PMCID: PMC9440526 DOI: 10.1186/s12864-022-08854-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/06/2022] [Accepted: 08/24/2022] [Indexed: 12/02/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Thyroid-associated ophthalmopathy (TAO) is a common and organ-specific autoimmune disease. Early diagnosis and novel treatments are essential to improve the prognosis of TAO patients. Therefore, the current work was performed to identify the key genes and pathways for the biological and clinical implications of TAO through comprehensive bioinformatics analysis and a series of clinical validations. Methods GSE105149 and GSE185952 were obtained from the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) database for analysis. The data were normalized to identify the common differentially expressed genes (DEGs) between the two datasets, and the Gene Ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) enrichment analyses were conducted to assess key pathways in TAO. Protein–protein interaction (PPI) networks and hub genes among the common DEGs were identified. Furthermore, we collected the general information and blood samples from 50 TAO patients and 20 healthy controls (HCs), and the expression levels of the proteins encoded by hub genes in serum were detected by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Then we further assessed the relationship between the ELISA data and the TAO development. Results Several common pathways, including neuroactive ligand-receptor interaction, the IL-17 signaling pathway, and the TNF signaling pathway, were identified in both datasets. In parallel, 52 common DEGs were identified. The KEGG analysis showed that these common DEGs are mainly enriched in long-term depression, the VEGF signaling pathway, the IL-17 signaling pathway, the TNF signaling pathway, and cytokine-cytokine receptor interactions. The key hub genes PRKCG, OSM, DPP4, LRRTM1, CXCL6, and CSF3R were screened out through the PPI network. As confirmation, the ELISA results indicated that protein expression levels of PRKCG, OSM, CSF3R, and DPP4 were significantly upregulated in TAO patients compared with HCs. In addition, PRKCG and DPP4 were verified to show value in diagnosing TAO, and CSF3R was found to be a valuable diagnostic marker in distinguishing active TAO from inactive TAO. Conclusions Inflammation- and neuromodulation-related pathways might be closely associated with TAO. Based on the clinical verification, OSM, CSF3R, CXCL6, DPP4, and PRKCG may serve as inflammation- or neuromodulation-related biomarkers for TAO, providing novel insights for the diagnosis and treatment of TAO. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12864-022-08854-5.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yueyue Wang
- Department of Endocrinology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China
| | - Yanfei Shao
- Department of General Surgery, Ruijin Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China.,Shanghai Minimally Invasive Surgery Center, Ruijin Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Haitao Zhang
- Department of Endocrinology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China
| | - Jun Wang
- Department of Toxicology, The Key Laboratory of Modern Toxicology of Ministry of Education, School of Public Health, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China
| | - Peng Zhang
- Department of Ophthalmology, The Friendship Hospital of Ili Kazakh Autonomous Prefecture Ili & Jiangsu Joint Institute of Health, Ili, China
| | - Weizhong Zhang
- Department of Ophthalmology, The Friendship Hospital of Ili Kazakh Autonomous Prefecture Ili & Jiangsu Joint Institute of Health, Ili, China. .,Department of Ophthalmology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China.
| | - Huanhuan Chen
- Department of Endocrinology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China.
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7
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Dhume SH, Connor SA, Mills F, Tari PK, Au-Yeung SHM, Karimi B, Oku S, Roppongi RT, Kawabe H, Bamji SX, Wang YT, Brose N, Jackson MF, Craig AM, Siddiqui TJ. Distinct but overlapping roles of LRRTM1 and LRRTM2 in developing and mature hippocampal circuits. eLife 2022; 11:64742. [PMID: 35662394 PMCID: PMC9170246 DOI: 10.7554/elife.64742] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/09/2020] [Accepted: 05/20/2022] [Indexed: 01/21/2023] Open
Abstract
LRRTMs are postsynaptic cell adhesion proteins that have region-restricted expression in the brain. To determine their role in the molecular organization of synapses in vivo, we studied synapse development and plasticity in hippocampal neuronal circuits in mice lacking both Lrrtm1 and Lrrtm2. We found that LRRTM1 and LRRTM2 regulate the density and morphological integrity of excitatory synapses on CA1 pyramidal neurons in the developing brain but are not essential for these roles in the mature circuit. Further, they are required for long-term-potentiation in the CA3-CA1 pathway and the dentate gyrus, and for enduring fear memory in both the developing and mature brain. Our data show that LRRTM1 and LRRTM2 regulate synapse development and function in a cell-type and developmental-stage-specific manner, and thereby contribute to the fine-tuning of hippocampal circuit connectivity and plasticity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shreya H Dhume
- Neuroscience Research Program, Kleysen Institute for Advanced Medicine, Health Sciences Centre, Winnipeg, Canada.,Department of Physiology and Pathophysiology, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Canada
| | - Steven A Connor
- Department of Psychiatry and Djavad Mowafaghian Centre for Brain Health, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada.,Department of Biology, York University, Toronto, Canada
| | - Fergil Mills
- Department of Cellular and Physiological Sciences, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada
| | - Parisa Karimi Tari
- Department of Psychiatry and Djavad Mowafaghian Centre for Brain Health, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada.,Department of Biology, York University, Toronto, Canada
| | - Sarah H M Au-Yeung
- Department of Psychiatry and Djavad Mowafaghian Centre for Brain Health, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada
| | - Benjamin Karimi
- Neuroscience Research Program, Kleysen Institute for Advanced Medicine, Health Sciences Centre, Winnipeg, Canada.,Department of Physiology and Pathophysiology, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Canada
| | - Shinichiro Oku
- Neuroscience Research Program, Kleysen Institute for Advanced Medicine, Health Sciences Centre, Winnipeg, Canada.,Department of Physiology and Pathophysiology, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Canada.,Department of Psychiatry and Djavad Mowafaghian Centre for Brain Health, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada
| | - Reiko T Roppongi
- Neuroscience Research Program, Kleysen Institute for Advanced Medicine, Health Sciences Centre, Winnipeg, Canada.,Department of Physiology and Pathophysiology, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Canada
| | - Hiroshi Kawabe
- Department of Molecular Neurobiology, Max Planck Institute for Multidisciplinary Sciences, Göttingen, Germany.,Division of Pathogenetic Signaling, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Kobe University Graduate School of Medicine, Kobe, Japan.,Department of Gerontology, Laboratory of Molecular Life Science, Institute of Biomedical Research and Innovation, Foundation for Biomedical Research and Innovation at Kobe, Kobe, Japan.,Department of Pharmacology, Gunma University Graduate School of Medicine, Gunma, Japan
| | - Shernaz X Bamji
- Department of Cellular and Physiological Sciences, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada
| | - Yu Tian Wang
- Division of Neurology, Department of Medicine and Djavad Mowafaghian Centre for Brain Health, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada
| | - Nils Brose
- Department of Molecular Neurobiology, Max Planck Institute for Multidisciplinary Sciences, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Michael F Jackson
- Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Canada
| | - Ann Marie Craig
- Department of Psychiatry and Djavad Mowafaghian Centre for Brain Health, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada
| | - Tabrez J Siddiqui
- Neuroscience Research Program, Kleysen Institute for Advanced Medicine, Health Sciences Centre, Winnipeg, Canada.,Department of Physiology and Pathophysiology, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Canada.,The Children's Hospital Research Institute of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Canada.,Program in Biomedical Engineering, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Canada
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Subcortical control of the default mode network: Role of the basal forebrain and implications for neuropsychiatric disorders. Brain Res Bull 2022; 185:129-139. [PMID: 35562013 PMCID: PMC9290753 DOI: 10.1016/j.brainresbull.2022.05.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/28/2022] [Revised: 04/29/2022] [Accepted: 05/04/2022] [Indexed: 01/03/2023]
Abstract
The precise interplay between large-scale functional neural systems throughout the brain is essential for performance of cognitive processes. In this review we focus on the default mode network (DMN), one such functional network that is active during periods of quiet wakefulness and believed to be involved in introspection and planning. Abnormalities in DMN functional connectivity and activation appear across many neuropsychiatric disorders, including schizophrenia. Recent evidence suggests subcortical regions including the basal forebrain are functionally and structurally important for regulation of DMN activity. Within the basal forebrain, subregions like the ventral pallidum may influence DMN activity and the nucleus basalis of Meynert can inhibit switching between brain networks. Interactions between DMN and other functional networks including the medial frontoparietal network (default), lateral frontoparietal network (control), midcingulo-insular network (salience), and dorsal frontoparietal network (attention) are also discussed in the context of neuropsychiatric disorders. Several subtypes of basal forebrain neurons have been identified including basal forebrain parvalbumin-containing or somatostatin-containing neurons which can regulate cortical gamma band oscillations and DMN-like behaviors, and basal forebrain cholinergic neurons which might gate access to sensory information during reinforcement learning. In this review, we explore this evidence, discuss the clinical implications on neuropsychiatric disorders, and compare neuroanatomy in the human vs rodent DMN. Finally, we address technological advancements which could help provide a more complete understanding of modulation of DMN function and describe newly identified BF therapeutic targets that could potentially help restore DMN-associated functional deficits in patients with a variety of neuropsychiatric disorders.
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Thalamic connectivity system across psychiatric disorders: Current status and clinical implications. BIOLOGICAL PSYCHIATRY GLOBAL OPEN SCIENCE 2021; 2:332-340. [PMID: 36324665 PMCID: PMC9616255 DOI: 10.1016/j.bpsgos.2021.09.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/28/2021] [Revised: 09/23/2021] [Accepted: 09/25/2021] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
The thalamic connectivity system, with the thalamus as the central node, enables transmission of the brain’s neural computations via extensive connections to cortical, subcortical, and cerebellar regions. Emerging reports suggest deficits in this system across multiple psychiatric disorders, making it a unique network of high translational and transdiagnostic utility in mapping neural alterations that potentially contribute to symptoms and disturbances in psychiatric patients. However, despite considerable research effort, it is still debated how this system contributes to psychiatric disorders. This review characterizes current knowledge regarding thalamic connectivity system deficits in psychiatric disorders, including schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, major depressive disorder, and autism spectrum disorder, across multiple levels of the system. We identify the presence of common and distinct patterns of deficits in the thalamic connectivity system in major psychiatric disorders and assess their nature and characteristics. Specifically, this review assembles evidence for the hypotheses of 1) thalamic microstructure, particularly in the mediodorsal nucleus, as a state marker of psychosis; 2) thalamo-prefrontal connectivity as a trait marker of psychosis; and 3) thalamo-somatosensory/parietal connectivity as a possible marker of general psychiatric illness. Furthermore, possible mechanisms contributing to thalamocortical dysconnectivity are explored. We discuss current views on the contributions of cerebellar-thalamic connectivity to the thalamic connectivity system and propose future studies to examine its effects at multiple levels, from the molecular (e.g., glutamatergic) to the behavioral (e.g., cognition), to gain a deeper understanding of the mechanisms that underlie the disturbances observed in psychiatric disorders.
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