1
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Ma J, Qi R, Wang J, Berto S, Wang GZ. Human-unique brain cell clusters are associated with learning disorders and human episodic memory activity. Mol Psychiatry 2025; 30:353-359. [PMID: 39227435 DOI: 10.1038/s41380-024-02722-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/30/2024] [Revised: 08/16/2024] [Accepted: 08/22/2024] [Indexed: 09/05/2024]
Abstract
The advanced evolution of the human cerebral cortex forms the basis for our high-level cognitive functions. Through a comparative analysis of single-nucleus transcriptome data from the human neocortex and that of chimpanzees, macaques, and marmosets, we discovered 20 subgroups of cell types unique to the human brain, which include 11 types of excitatory neurons. Many of these human-unique cell clusters exhibit significant overexpression of genes regulated by human-specific enhancers. Notably, these specific cell clusters also express genes associated with disease risk, particularly those related to brain dysfunctions like learning disorders. Furthermore, genes linked to cortical thickness and human episodic memory encoding activities show heightened expression within these cell subgroups. These findings underscore the critical role of human brain-unique cell clusters in the evolution of human brain functions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Junjie Ma
- CAS Key Laboratory of Computational Biology, Shanghai Institute of Nutrition and Health, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, 200031, China
| | - Ruicheng Qi
- CAS Key Laboratory of Computational Biology, Shanghai Institute of Nutrition and Health, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, 200031, China
| | - Jing Wang
- CAS Key Laboratory of Computational Biology, Shanghai Institute of Nutrition and Health, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, 200031, China
| | - Stefano Berto
- Department of Neuroscience, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC, 29425, USA
| | - Guang-Zhong Wang
- CAS Key Laboratory of Computational Biology, Shanghai Institute of Nutrition and Health, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, 200031, China.
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2
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Chatterjee S, Vanrobaeys Y, Gleason AI, Park BJ, Heiney SA, Rhone AE, Nourski KV, Langmack L, Basu B, Mukherjee U, Kovach CK, Kocsis Z, Kikuchi Y, Ayala YA, Petkov CI, Hefti MM, Bahl E, Michaelson JJ, Kawasaki H, Oya H, Howard MA, Nickl-Jockschat T, Lin LC, Abel T. The gene expression signature of electrical stimulation in the human brain. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2023.09.21.558812. [PMID: 37790527 PMCID: PMC10542502 DOI: 10.1101/2023.09.21.558812] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/05/2023]
Abstract
Direct electrical stimulation has been used for decades as a gold standard clinical tool to map cognitive function in neurosurgery patients1-8. However, the molecular impact of electrical stimulation in the human brain is unknown. Here, using state-of-the-art transcriptomic and epigenomic sequencing techniques, we define the molecular changes in bulk tissue and at the single-cell level in the human cerebral cortex following direct electrical stimulation of the anterior temporal lobe in patients undergoing neurosurgery. Direct electrical stimulation surprisingly had a robust and consistent impact on the expression of genes related to microglia-specific cytokine activity, an effect that was replicated in mice. Using a newly developed deep learning computational tool, we further demonstrate cell type-specific molecular activation, which underscores the effects of electrical stimulation on gene expression in microglia. Taken together, this work challenges the notion that the immediate impact of electrical stimulation commonly used in the clinic has a primary effect on neuronal gene expression and reveals that microglia robustly respond to electrical stimulation, thus enabling these non-neuronal cells to sculpt and shape the activity of neuronal circuits in the human brain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Snehajyoti Chatterjee
- Department of Neuroscience and Pharmacology, Iowa Neuroscience Institute, Carver College of Medicine, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA, USA
- Iowa Neuroscience Institute, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA, USA
| | - Yann Vanrobaeys
- Department of Neuroscience and Pharmacology, Iowa Neuroscience Institute, Carver College of Medicine, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA, USA
| | - Annie I Gleason
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics, Iowa City, IA, USA
| | - Brian J. Park
- Department of Neurosurgery, University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics, Iowa City, IA, USA
| | - Shane A Heiney
- Department of Neuroscience and Pharmacology, Iowa Neuroscience Institute, Carver College of Medicine, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA, USA
- Iowa Neuroscience Institute, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA, USA
- Neural Circuits and Behavior Core, Iowa Neuroscience Institute Carver College of Medicine, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA, USA
| | - Ariane E. Rhone
- Department of Neurosurgery, University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics, Iowa City, IA, USA
| | - Kirill V. Nourski
- Department of Neurosurgery, University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics, Iowa City, IA, USA
| | - Lucy Langmack
- Department of Neuroscience and Pharmacology, Iowa Neuroscience Institute, Carver College of Medicine, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA, USA
- Iowa Neuroscience Institute, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA, USA
| | - Budhaditya Basu
- Department of Neuroscience and Pharmacology, Iowa Neuroscience Institute, Carver College of Medicine, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA, USA
- Iowa Neuroscience Institute, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA, USA
| | - Utsav Mukherjee
- Department of Neuroscience and Pharmacology, Iowa Neuroscience Institute, Carver College of Medicine, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA, USA
- Iowa Neuroscience Institute, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA, USA
| | - Christopher K. Kovach
- Department of Neurosurgery, University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics, Iowa City, IA, USA
- Department of Neurosurgery, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE, USA
| | - Zsuzsanna Kocsis
- Department of Neurosurgery, University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics, Iowa City, IA, USA
- Biosciences Institute, Newcastle University Medical School, Newcastle upon Tyne, UK
| | - Yukiko Kikuchi
- Biosciences Institute, Newcastle University Medical School, Newcastle upon Tyne, UK
| | - Yaneri A. Ayala
- Department of Neurosurgery, University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics, Iowa City, IA, USA
| | - Christopher I. Petkov
- Department of Neurosurgery, University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics, Iowa City, IA, USA
- Biosciences Institute, Newcastle University Medical School, Newcastle upon Tyne, UK
| | - Marco M. Hefti
- Department of Pathology, University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics, Iowa City, IA, USA
| | - Ethan Bahl
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics, Iowa City, IA, USA
| | - Jacob J Michaelson
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics, Iowa City, IA, USA
| | - Hiroto Kawasaki
- Department of Neurosurgery, University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics, Iowa City, IA, USA
| | - Hiroyuki Oya
- Department of Neurosurgery, University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics, Iowa City, IA, USA
| | - Matthew A. Howard
- Department of Neurosurgery, University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics, Iowa City, IA, USA
| | - Thomas Nickl-Jockschat
- Department of Neuroscience and Pharmacology, Iowa Neuroscience Institute, Carver College of Medicine, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA, USA
- Iowa Neuroscience Institute, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA, USA
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics, Iowa City, IA, USA
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Otto-von-Guericke University, Magdeburg, Germany
- German Center for Mental Health (DZPG), partner site Halle-Jena-Magdeburg, Germany
- Center for Intervention and Research on adaptive and maladaptive brain Circuits underlying mental health (C-I-R-C), Halle-Jena-Magdeburg, Germany
| | - Li-Chun Lin
- Department of Neuroscience and Pharmacology, Iowa Neuroscience Institute, Carver College of Medicine, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA, USA
- Iowa Neuroscience Institute, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA, USA
- Iowa NeuroBank Core, Iowa Neuroscience Institute, Carver College of Medicine, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA, USA
| | - Ted Abel
- Department of Neuroscience and Pharmacology, Iowa Neuroscience Institute, Carver College of Medicine, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA, USA
- Iowa Neuroscience Institute, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA, USA
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics, Iowa City, IA, USA
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3
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Bickel B, Giraud AL, Zuberbühler K, van Schaik CP. Language follows a distinct mode of extra-genomic evolution. Phys Life Rev 2024; 50:211-225. [PMID: 39153248 DOI: 10.1016/j.plrev.2024.08.003] [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: 08/01/2024] [Accepted: 08/02/2024] [Indexed: 08/19/2024]
Abstract
As one of the most specific, yet most diverse of human behaviors, language is shaped by both genomic and extra-genomic evolution. Sharing methods and models between these modes of evolution has significantly advanced our understanding of language and inspired generalized theories of its evolution. Progress is hampered, however, by the fact that the extra-genomic evolution of languages, i.e. linguistic evolution, maps only partially to other forms of evolution. Contrasting it with the biological evolution of eukaryotes and the cultural evolution of technology as the best understood models, we show that linguistic evolution is special by yielding a stationary dynamic rather than stable solutions, and that this dynamic allows the use of language change for social differentiation while maintaining its global adaptiveness. Linguistic evolution furthermore differs from technological evolution by requiring vertical transmission, allowing the reconstruction of phylogenies; and it differs from eukaryotic biological evolution by foregoing a genotype vs phenotype distinction, allowing deliberate and biased change. Recognising these differences will improve our empirical tools and open new avenues for analyzing how linguistic, cultural, and biological evolution interacted with each other when language emerged in the hominin lineage. Importantly, our framework will help to cope with unprecedented scientific and ethical challenges that presently arise from how rapid cultural evolution impacts language, most urgently from interventional clinical tools for language disorders, potential epigenetic effects of technology on language, artificial intelligence and linguistic communicators, and global losses of linguistic diversity and identity. Beyond language, the distinctions made here allow identifying variation in other forms of biological and cultural evolution, developing new perspectives for empirical research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Balthasar Bickel
- Department of Comparative Language Science, University of Zurich, Switzerland; Center for the Interdisciplinary Study of Language Evolution (ISLE), University of Zurich, Switzerland.
| | - Anne-Lise Giraud
- Department of Basic Neurosciences, University of Geneva, Switzerland; Institut de l'Audition, Institut Pasteur, INSERM, Université Paris Cité, France
| | - Klaus Zuberbühler
- Center for the Interdisciplinary Study of Language Evolution (ISLE), University of Zurich, Switzerland; Institute of Biology, University of Neuchâtel, Switzerland; School of Psychology and Neuroscience, University of St Andrews, United Kingdom
| | - Carel P van Schaik
- Center for the Interdisciplinary Study of Language Evolution (ISLE), University of Zurich, Switzerland; Department of Evolutionary Biology and Environmental Science, University of Zurich, Switzerland; Max Planck Institute for Animal Behavior, Konstanz, Germany
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4
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Chen R, Nie P, Wang J, Wang GZ. Deciphering brain cellular and behavioral mechanisms: Insights from single-cell and spatial RNA sequencing. WILEY INTERDISCIPLINARY REVIEWS. RNA 2024; 15:e1865. [PMID: 38972934 DOI: 10.1002/wrna.1865] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/31/2024] [Revised: 05/05/2024] [Accepted: 05/14/2024] [Indexed: 07/09/2024]
Abstract
The brain is a complex computing system composed of a multitude of interacting neurons. The computational outputs of this system determine the behavior and perception of every individual. Each brain cell expresses thousands of genes that dictate the cell's function and physiological properties. Therefore, deciphering the molecular expression of each cell is of great significance for understanding its characteristics and role in brain function. Additionally, the positional information of each cell can provide crucial insights into their involvement in local brain circuits. In this review, we briefly overview the principles of single-cell RNA sequencing and spatial transcriptomics, the potential issues and challenges in their data processing, and their applications in brain research. We further outline several promising directions in neuroscience that could be integrated with single-cell RNA sequencing, including neurodevelopment, the identification of novel brain microstructures, cognition and behavior, neuronal cell positioning, molecules and cells related to advanced brain functions, sleep-wake cycles/circadian rhythms, and computational modeling of brain function. We believe that the deep integration of these directions with single-cell and spatial RNA sequencing can contribute significantly to understanding the roles of individual cells or cell types in these specific functions, thereby making important contributions to addressing critical questions in those fields. This article is categorized under: RNA Evolution and Genomics > Computational Analyses of RNA RNA in Disease and Development > RNA in Development RNA in Disease and Development > RNA in Disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Renrui Chen
- CAS Key Laboratory of Computational Biology, Shanghai Institute of Nutrition and Health, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China
| | - Pengxing Nie
- CAS Key Laboratory of Computational Biology, Shanghai Institute of Nutrition and Health, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China
| | - Jing Wang
- CAS Key Laboratory of Computational Biology, Shanghai Institute of Nutrition and Health, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China
| | - Guang-Zhong Wang
- CAS Key Laboratory of Computational Biology, Shanghai Institute of Nutrition and Health, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China
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5
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Lee AT, Chang EF, Paredes MF, Nowakowski TJ. Large-scale neurophysiology and single-cell profiling in human neuroscience. Nature 2024; 630:587-595. [PMID: 38898291 DOI: 10.1038/s41586-024-07405-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/06/2023] [Accepted: 04/09/2024] [Indexed: 06/21/2024]
Abstract
Advances in large-scale single-unit human neurophysiology, single-cell RNA sequencing, spatial transcriptomics and long-term ex vivo tissue culture of surgically resected human brain tissue have provided an unprecedented opportunity to study human neuroscience. In this Perspective, we describe the development of these paradigms, including Neuropixels and recent brain-cell atlas efforts, and discuss how their convergence will further investigations into the cellular underpinnings of network-level activity in the human brain. Specifically, we introduce a workflow in which functionally mapped samples of human brain tissue resected during awake brain surgery can be cultured ex vivo for multi-modal cellular and functional profiling. We then explore how advances in human neuroscience will affect clinical practice, and conclude by discussing societal and ethical implications to consider. Potential findings from the field of human neuroscience will be vast, ranging from insights into human neurodiversity and evolution to providing cell-type-specific access to study and manipulate diseased circuits in pathology. This Perspective aims to provide a unifying framework for the field of human neuroscience as we welcome an exciting era for understanding the functional cytoarchitecture of the human brain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anthony T Lee
- Department of Neurological Surgery, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
- Weill Institute for Neurosciences, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Edward F Chang
- Department of Neurological Surgery, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
- Weill Institute for Neurosciences, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Mercedes F Paredes
- Department of Neurology, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Tomasz J Nowakowski
- Department of Neurological Surgery, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA.
- Weill Institute for Neurosciences, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA.
- Department of Anatomy, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA.
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA.
- Eli and Edythe Broad Center for Regeneration Medicine and Stem Cell Research, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA.
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6
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Kopell BH, Kaji DA, Liharska LE, Vornholt E, Valentine A, Lund A, Hashemi A, Thompson RC, Lohrenz T, Johnson JS, Bussola N, Cheng E, Park YJ, Shah P, Ma W, Searfoss R, Qasim S, Miller GM, Chand NM, Aristel A, Humphrey J, Wilkins L, Ziafat K, Silk H, Linares LM, Sullivan B, Feng C, Batten SR, Bang D, Barbosa LS, Twomey T, White JP, Vannucci M, Hadj-Amar B, Cohen V, Kota P, Moya E, Rieder MK, Figee M, Nadkarni GN, Breen MS, Kishida KT, Scarpa J, Ruderfer DM, Narain NR, Wang P, Kiebish MA, Schadt EE, Saez I, Montague PR, Beckmann ND, Charney AW. Multiomic foundations of human prefrontal cortex tissue function. MEDRXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR HEALTH SCIENCES 2024:2024.05.17.24307537. [PMID: 38798344 PMCID: PMC11118644 DOI: 10.1101/2024.05.17.24307537] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/29/2024]
Abstract
The prefrontal cortex (PFC) is a region of the brain that in humans is involved in the production of higher-order functions such as cognition, emotion, perception, and behavior. Neurotransmission in the PFC produces higher-order functions by integrating information from other areas of the brain. At the foundation of neurotransmission, and by extension at the foundation of higher-order brain functions, are an untold number of coordinated molecular processes involving the DNA sequence variants in the genome, RNA transcripts in the transcriptome, and proteins in the proteome. These "multiomic" foundations are poorly understood in humans, perhaps in part because most modern studies that characterize the molecular state of the human PFC use tissue obtained when neurotransmission and higher-order brain functions have ceased (i.e., the postmortem state). Here, analyses are presented on data generated for the Living Brain Project (LBP) to investigate whether PFC tissue from individuals with intact higher-order brain function has characteristic multiomic foundations. Two complementary strategies were employed towards this end. The first strategy was to identify in PFC samples obtained from living study participants a signature of RNA transcript expression associated with neurotransmission measured intracranially at the time of PFC sampling, in some cases while participants performed a task engaging higher-order brain functions. The second strategy was to perform multiomic comparisons between PFC samples obtained from individuals with intact higher-order brain function at the time of sampling (i.e., living study participants) and PFC samples obtained in the postmortem state. RNA transcript expression within multiple PFC cell types was associated with fluctuations of dopaminergic, serotonergic, and/or noradrenergic neurotransmission in the substantia nigra measured while participants played a computer game that engaged higher-order brain functions. A subset of these associations - termed the "transcriptional program associated with neurotransmission" (TPAWN) - were reproduced in analyses of brain RNA transcript expression and intracranial neurotransmission data obtained from a second LBP cohort and from a cohort in an independent study. RNA transcripts involved in TPAWN were found to be (1) enriched for RNA transcripts associated with measures of neurotransmission in rodent and cell models, (2) enriched for RNA transcripts encoded by evolutionarily constrained genes, (3) depleted of RNA transcripts regulated by common DNA sequence variants, and (4) enriched for RNA transcripts implicated in higher-order brain functions by human population genetic studies. In PFC excitatory neurons of living study participants, higher expression of the genes in TPAWN tracked with higher expression of RNA transcripts that in rodent PFC samples are markers of a class of excitatory neurons that connect the PFC to deep brain structures. TPAWN was further reproduced by RNA transcript expression patterns differentiating living PFC samples from postmortem PFC samples, and significant differences between living and postmortem PFC samples were additionally observed with respect to (1) the expression of most primary RNA transcripts, mature RNA transcripts, and proteins, (2) the splicing of most primary RNA transcripts into mature RNA transcripts, (3) the patterns of co-expression between RNA transcripts and proteins, and (4) the effects of some DNA sequence variants on RNA transcript and protein expression. Taken together, this report highlights that studies of brain tissue obtained in a safe and ethical manner from large cohorts of living individuals can help advance understanding of the multiomic foundations of brain function.
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Negrón-Oyarzo I, Dib T, Chacana-Véliz L, López-Quilodrán N, Urrutia-Piñones J. Large-scale coupling of prefrontal activity patterns as a mechanism for cognitive control in health and disease: evidence from rodent models. Front Neural Circuits 2024; 18:1286111. [PMID: 38638163 PMCID: PMC11024307 DOI: 10.3389/fncir.2024.1286111] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/30/2023] [Accepted: 03/11/2024] [Indexed: 04/20/2024] Open
Abstract
Cognitive control of behavior is crucial for well-being, as allows subject to adapt to changing environments in a goal-directed way. Changes in cognitive control of behavior is observed during cognitive decline in elderly and in pathological mental conditions. Therefore, the recovery of cognitive control may provide a reliable preventive and therapeutic strategy. However, its neural basis is not completely understood. Cognitive control is supported by the prefrontal cortex, structure that integrates relevant information for the appropriate organization of behavior. At neurophysiological level, it is suggested that cognitive control is supported by local and large-scale synchronization of oscillatory activity patterns and neural spiking activity between the prefrontal cortex and distributed neural networks. In this review, we focus mainly on rodent models approaching the neuronal origin of these prefrontal patterns, and the cognitive and behavioral relevance of its coordination with distributed brain systems. We also examine the relationship between cognitive control and neural activity patterns in the prefrontal cortex, and its role in normal cognitive decline and pathological mental conditions. Finally, based on these body of evidence, we propose a common mechanism that may underlie the impaired cognitive control of behavior.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ignacio Negrón-Oyarzo
- Instituto de Fisiología, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de Valparaíso, Valparaíso, Chile
| | - Tatiana Dib
- Instituto de Fisiología, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de Valparaíso, Valparaíso, Chile
| | - Lorena Chacana-Véliz
- Instituto de Fisiología, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de Valparaíso, Valparaíso, Chile
- Programa de Doctorado en Ciencias Mención en Neurociencia, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de Valparaíso, Valparaíso, Chile
| | - Nélida López-Quilodrán
- Instituto de Fisiología, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de Valparaíso, Valparaíso, Chile
- Programa de Doctorado en Ciencias Mención en Neurociencia, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de Valparaíso, Valparaíso, Chile
| | - Jocelyn Urrutia-Piñones
- Instituto de Fisiología, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de Valparaíso, Valparaíso, Chile
- Programa de Doctorado en Ciencias Mención en Neurociencia, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de Valparaíso, Valparaíso, Chile
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8
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Konopka G, Bhaduri A. Functional genomics and systems biology in human neuroscience. Nature 2023; 623:274-282. [PMID: 37938705 PMCID: PMC11465930 DOI: 10.1038/s41586-023-06686-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/23/2023] [Accepted: 09/27/2023] [Indexed: 11/09/2023]
Abstract
Neuroscience research has entered a phase of key discoveries in the realm of neurogenomics owing to strong financial and intellectual support for resource building and tool development. The previous challenge of tissue heterogeneity has been met with the application of techniques that can profile individual cells at scale. Moreover, the ability to perturb genes, gene regulatory elements and neuronal activity in a cell-type-specific manner has been integrated with gene expression studies to uncover the functional underpinnings of the genome at a systems level. Although these insights have necessarily been grounded in model systems, we now have the opportunity to apply these approaches in humans and in human tissue, thanks to advances in human genetics, brain imaging and tissue collection. We acknowledge that there will probably always be limits to the extent to which we can apply the genomic tools developed in model systems to human neuroscience; however, as we describe in this Perspective, the neuroscience field is now primed with an optimal foundation for tackling this ambitious challenge. The application of systems-level network analyses to these datasets will facilitate a deeper appreciation of human neurogenomics that cannot otherwise be achieved from directly observable phenomena.
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Affiliation(s)
- Genevieve Konopka
- Department of Neuroscience, UT Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA.
- Peter O'Donnell Jr Brain Institute, UT Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA.
| | - Aparna Bhaduri
- Department of Biological Chemistry, University of California, Los Angeles, CA, USA.
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9
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Wang X, Delgado J, Marchesotti S, Kojovic N, Sperdin HF, Rihs TA, Schaer M, Giraud AL. Speech Reception in Young Children with Autism Is Selectively Indexed by a Neural Oscillation Coupling Anomaly. J Neurosci 2023; 43:6779-6795. [PMID: 37607822 PMCID: PMC10552944 DOI: 10.1523/jneurosci.0112-22.2023] [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: 01/17/2022] [Revised: 07/02/2023] [Accepted: 07/07/2023] [Indexed: 08/24/2023] Open
Abstract
Communication difficulties are one of the core criteria in diagnosing autism spectrum disorder (ASD), and are often characterized by speech reception difficulties, whose biological underpinnings are not yet identified. This deficit could denote atypical neuronal ensemble activity, as reflected by neural oscillations. Atypical cross-frequency oscillation coupling, in particular, could disrupt the joint tracking and prediction of dynamic acoustic stimuli, a dual process that is essential for speech comprehension. Whether such oscillatory anomalies already exist in very young children with ASD, and with what specificity they relate to individual language reception capacity is unknown. We collected neural activity data using electroencephalography (EEG) in 64 very young children with and without ASD (mean age 3; 17 females, 47 males) while they were exposed to naturalistic-continuous speech. EEG power of frequency bands typically associated with phrase-level chunking (δ, 1-3 Hz), phonemic encoding (low-γ, 25-35 Hz), and top-down control (β, 12-20 Hz) were markedly reduced in ASD relative to typically developing (TD) children. Speech neural tracking by δ and θ (4-8 Hz) oscillations was also weaker in ASD compared with TD children. After controlling gaze-pattern differences, we found that the classical θ/γ coupling was replaced by an atypical β/γ coupling in children with ASD. This anomaly was the single most specific predictor of individual speech reception difficulties in ASD children. These findings suggest that early interventions (e.g., neurostimulation) targeting the disruption of β/γ coupling and the upregulation of θ/γ coupling could improve speech processing coordination in young children with ASD and help them engage in oral interactions.SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT Very young children already present marked alterations of neural oscillatory activity in response to natural speech at the time of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) diagnosis. Hierarchical processing of phonemic-range and syllabic-range information (θ/γ coupling) is disrupted in ASD children. Abnormal bottom-up (low-γ) and top-down (low-β) coordination specifically predicts speech reception deficits in very young ASD children, and no other cognitive deficit.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaoyue Wang
- Auditory Language Group, Department of Basic Neuroscience, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland, 1202
- Institut Pasteur, Université Paris Cité, Hearing Institute, Paris, France, 75012
| | - Jaime Delgado
- Auditory Language Group, Department of Basic Neuroscience, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland, 1202
| | - Silvia Marchesotti
- Auditory Language Group, Department of Basic Neuroscience, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland, 1202
| | - Nada Kojovic
- Autism Brain & Behavior Lab, Department of Psychiatry, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland, 1202
| | - Holger Franz Sperdin
- Autism Brain & Behavior Lab, Department of Psychiatry, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland, 1202
| | - Tonia A Rihs
- Functional Brain Mapping Laboratory, Department of Basic Neuroscience, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland, 1202
| | - Marie Schaer
- Autism Brain & Behavior Lab, Department of Psychiatry, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland, 1202
| | - Anne-Lise Giraud
- Auditory Language Group, Department of Basic Neuroscience, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland, 1202
- Institut Pasteur, Université Paris Cité, Hearing Institute, Paris, France, 75012
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10
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Caglayan E, Ayhan F, Liu Y, Vollmer RM, Oh E, Sherwood CC, Preuss TM, Yi SV, Konopka G. Molecular features driving cellular complexity of human brain evolution. Nature 2023; 620:145-153. [PMID: 37468639 PMCID: PMC11161302 DOI: 10.1038/s41586-023-06338-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/24/2022] [Accepted: 06/16/2023] [Indexed: 07/21/2023]
Abstract
Human-specific genomic changes contribute to the unique functionalities of the human brain1-5. The cellular heterogeneity of the human brain6,7 and the complex regulation of gene expression highlight the need to characterize human-specific molecular features at cellular resolution. Here we analysed single-nucleus RNA-sequencing and single-nucleus assay for transposase-accessible chromatin with sequencing datasets for human, chimpanzee and rhesus macaque brain tissue from posterior cingulate cortex. We show a human-specific increase of oligodendrocyte progenitor cells and a decrease of mature oligodendrocytes across cortical tissues. Human-specific regulatory changes were accelerated in oligodendrocyte progenitor cells, and we highlight key biological pathways that may be associated with the proportional changes. We also identify human-specific regulatory changes in neuronal subtypes, which reveal human-specific upregulation of FOXP2 in only two of the neuronal subtypes. We additionally identify hundreds of new human accelerated genomic regions associated with human-specific chromatin accessibility changes. Our data also reveal that FOS::JUN and FOX motifs are enriched in the human-specifically accessible chromatin regions of excitatory neuronal subtypes. Together, our results reveal several new mechanisms underlying the evolutionary innovation of human brain at cell-type resolution.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emre Caglayan
- Department of Neuroscience, UT Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA
- Peter O'Donnell Jr. Brain Institute, UT Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA
| | - Fatma Ayhan
- Department of Neuroscience, UT Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA
- Peter O'Donnell Jr. Brain Institute, UT Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA
| | - Yuxiang Liu
- Department of Neuroscience, UT Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA
- Peter O'Donnell Jr. Brain Institute, UT Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA
| | - Rachael M Vollmer
- Department of Neuroscience, UT Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA
- Peter O'Donnell Jr. Brain Institute, UT Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA
| | - Emily Oh
- Department of Neuroscience, UT Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA
- Peter O'Donnell Jr. Brain Institute, UT Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA
| | - Chet C Sherwood
- Center for the Advanced Study of Human Paleobiology, Department of Anthropology, The George Washington University, Washington, DC, USA
| | - Todd M Preuss
- Division of Neuropharmacology and Neurologic Diseases, Yerkes National Primate Research Center, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA
- Department of Pathology, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Soojin V Yi
- Department of Ecology, Evolution, and Marine Biology, University of California, Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara, CA, USA.
- Department of Molecular, Cellular and Developmental Biology, University of California, Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara, CA, USA.
- Neuroscience Research Institute, University of California, Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara, CA, USA.
| | - Genevieve Konopka
- Department of Neuroscience, UT Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA.
- Peter O'Donnell Jr. Brain Institute, UT Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA.
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11
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Park SHE, Kulkarni A, Konopka G. FOXP1 orchestrates neurogenesis in human cortical basal radial glial cells. PLoS Biol 2023; 21:e3001852. [PMID: 37540706 PMCID: PMC10431666 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pbio.3001852] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/19/2022] [Revised: 08/16/2023] [Accepted: 06/21/2023] [Indexed: 08/06/2023] Open
Abstract
During cortical development, human basal radial glial cells (bRGCs) are highly capable of sustained self-renewal and neurogenesis. Selective pressures on this cell type may have contributed to the evolution of the human neocortex, leading to an increase in cortical size. bRGCs have enriched expression for Forkhead Box P1 (FOXP1), a transcription factor implicated in neurodevelopmental disorders (NDDs) such as autism spectrum disorder. However, the cell type-specific roles of FOXP1 in bRGCs during cortical development remain unexplored. Here, we examine the requirement for FOXP1 gene expression regulation underlying the production of bRGCs using human brain organoids. We examine a developmental time point when FOXP1 expression is highest in the cortical progenitors, and the bRGCs, in particular, begin to actively produce neurons. With the loss of FOXP1, we show a reduction in the number of bRGCs, as well as reduced proliferation and differentiation of the remaining bRGCs, all of which lead to reduced numbers of excitatory cortical neurons over time. Using single-nuclei RNA sequencing and cell trajectory analysis, we uncover a role for FOXP1 in directing cortical progenitor proliferation and differentiation by regulating key signaling pathways related to neurogenesis and NDDs. Together, these results demonstrate that FOXP1 regulates human-specific features in early cortical development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Seon Hye E. Park
- Department of Neuroscience, UT Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, Texas, United States of America
- Peter O’Donnell Jr. Brain Institute, UT Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, Texas, United States of America
| | - Ashwinikumar Kulkarni
- Department of Neuroscience, UT Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, Texas, United States of America
- Peter O’Donnell Jr. Brain Institute, UT Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, Texas, United States of America
| | - Genevieve Konopka
- Department of Neuroscience, UT Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, Texas, United States of America
- Peter O’Donnell Jr. Brain Institute, UT Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, Texas, United States of America
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12
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Moore H, Lega BC, Konopka G. Riding brain "waves" to identify human memory genes. Curr Opin Cell Biol 2022; 78:102118. [PMID: 35947942 DOI: 10.1016/j.ceb.2022.102118] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/15/2022] [Revised: 06/24/2022] [Accepted: 06/28/2022] [Indexed: 01/31/2023]
Abstract
While there is extensive research on memory-related oscillations and brain gene expression, the relationship between oscillations and gene expression has rarely been studied. Recently, progress has been made to identify specific genes associated with oscillations that are correlated with episodic memory. Neocortical regions, in particular the temporal pole, have been examined in this line of research due to their accessibility during neurosurgical procedures. By harnessing this accessibility, a unique and powerful study design has allowed gene expression and intracranial oscillatory data to be sourced from the same human patients. These studies have identified a plethora of understudied gene targets that should be further characterized with respect to human brain function. Future work should extend to other brain regions to increase our understanding of the genetic signatures of oscillations and, ultimately, human cognition.
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Affiliation(s)
- Haley Moore
- Department of Neuroscience, UT Southwestern Medical Center, USA; Peter O'Donnell Jr. Brain Institute, UT Southwestern Medical Center, USA; Department of Neurosurgery, UT Southwestern Medical Center, USA
| | - Bradley C Lega
- Peter O'Donnell Jr. Brain Institute, UT Southwestern Medical Center, USA; Department of Neurosurgery, UT Southwestern Medical Center, USA.
| | - Genevieve Konopka
- Department of Neuroscience, UT Southwestern Medical Center, USA; Peter O'Donnell Jr. Brain Institute, UT Southwestern Medical Center, USA.
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13
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Sardoo AM, Zhang S, Ferraro TN, Keck TM, Chen Y. Decoding brain memory formation by single-cell RNA sequencing. Brief Bioinform 2022; 23:6713514. [PMID: 36156112 PMCID: PMC9677489 DOI: 10.1093/bib/bbac412] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/18/2022] [Revised: 07/10/2022] [Accepted: 08/25/2022] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
To understand how distinct memories are formed and stored in the brain is an important and fundamental question in neuroscience and computational biology. A population of neurons, termed engram cells, represents the physiological manifestation of a specific memory trace and is characterized by dynamic changes in gene expression, which in turn alters the synaptic connectivity and excitability of these cells. Recent applications of single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) and single-nucleus RNA sequencing (snRNA-seq) are promising approaches for delineating the dynamic expression profiles in these subsets of neurons, and thus understanding memory-specific genes, their combinatorial patterns and regulatory networks. The aim of this article is to review and discuss the experimental and computational procedures of sc/snRNA-seq, new studies of molecular mechanisms of memory aided by sc/snRNA-seq in human brain diseases and related mouse models, and computational challenges in understanding the regulatory mechanisms underlying long-term memory formation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Atlas M Sardoo
- Department of Biological & Biomedical Sciences, Rowan University, Glassboro, NJ 08028, USA
| | - Shaoqiang Zhang
- College of Computer and Information Engineering, Tianjin Normal University, Tianjin 300387, China
| | - Thomas N Ferraro
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Cooper Medical School of Rowan University, Camden, NJ 08103, USA
| | - Thomas M Keck
- Department of Biological & Biomedical Sciences, Rowan University, Glassboro, NJ 08028, USA,Department of Chemistry & Biochemistry, Rowan University, Glassboro, NJ 08028, USA
| | - Yong Chen
- Corresponding author. Yong Chen, Department of Biological and Biomedical Sciences, Rowan University, Glassboro, NJ 08028, USA. Tel.: +1 856 256 4500; E-mail:
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14
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Xu P, Berto S, Kulkarni A, Jeong B, Joseph C, Cox KH, Greenberg ME, Kim TK, Konopka G, Takahashi JS. NPAS4 regulates the transcriptional response of the suprachiasmatic nucleus to light and circadian behavior. Neuron 2021; 109:3268-3282.e6. [PMID: 34416169 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuron.2021.07.026] [Citation(s) in RCA: 43] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/05/2021] [Revised: 06/12/2021] [Accepted: 07/26/2021] [Indexed: 10/20/2022]
Abstract
The suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN) is the master circadian pacemaker in mammals and is entrained by environmental light. However, the molecular basis of the response of the SCN to light is not fully understood. We used RNA/chromatin immunoprecipitation/single-nucleus sequencing with circadian behavioral assays to identify mouse SCN cell types and explore their responses to light. We identified three peptidergic cell types that responded to light in the SCN: arginine vasopressin (AVP), vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP), and cholecystokinin (CCK). In each cell type, light-responsive subgroups were enriched for expression of neuronal Per-Arnt-Sim (PAS) domain protein 4 (NPAS4) target genes. Further, mice lacking Npas4 had a longer circadian period under constant conditions, a damped phase response curve to light, and reduced light-induced gene expression in the SCN. Our data indicate that NPAS4 is necessary for normal transcriptional responses to light in the SCN and critical for photic phase-shifting of circadian behavior.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pin Xu
- Department of Neuroscience, Peter O'Donnell Jr. Brain Institute, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA
| | - Stefano Berto
- Department of Neuroscience, Peter O'Donnell Jr. Brain Institute, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA
| | - Ashwinikumar Kulkarni
- Department of Neuroscience, Peter O'Donnell Jr. Brain Institute, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA
| | - Byeongha Jeong
- Department of Neuroscience, Peter O'Donnell Jr. Brain Institute, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA
| | - Chryshanthi Joseph
- Department of Neuroscience, Peter O'Donnell Jr. Brain Institute, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA
| | - Kimberly H Cox
- Department of Neuroscience, Peter O'Donnell Jr. Brain Institute, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA
| | | | - Tae-Kyung Kim
- Department of Neuroscience, Peter O'Donnell Jr. Brain Institute, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA
| | - Genevieve Konopka
- Department of Neuroscience, Peter O'Donnell Jr. Brain Institute, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA
| | - Joseph S Takahashi
- Department of Neuroscience, Peter O'Donnell Jr. Brain Institute, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA; Howard Hughes Medical Institute, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA.
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15
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Genes that give our brains their rhythms. Nat Neurosci 2021; 24:455-456. [PMID: 33686296 DOI: 10.1038/s41593-021-00805-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
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