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Wilkinson CL, Yankowitz LD, Chao JY, Gutiérrez R, Rhoades JL, Shinnar S, Purdon PL, Nelson CA. Developmental trajectories of EEG aperiodic and periodic components in children 2-44 months of age. Nat Commun 2024; 15:5788. [PMID: 38987558 PMCID: PMC11237135 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-50204-4] [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: 08/11/2023] [Accepted: 07/02/2024] [Indexed: 07/12/2024] Open
Abstract
The development of neural circuits has long-lasting effects on brain function, yet our understanding of early circuit development in humans remains limited. Here, periodic EEG power features and aperiodic components were examined from longitudinal EEGs collected from 592 healthy 2-44 month-old infants, revealing age-dependent nonlinear changes suggestive of distinct milestones in early brain maturation. Developmental changes in periodic peaks include (1) the presence and then absence of a 9-10 Hz alpha peak between 2-6 months, (2) nonlinear changes in high beta peaks (20-30 Hz) between 4-18 months, and (3) the emergence of a low beta peak (12-20 Hz) in some infants after six months of age. We hypothesized that the emergence of the low beta peak may reflect maturation of thalamocortical network development. Infant anesthesia studies observe that GABA-modulating anesthetics do not induce thalamocortical mediated frontal alpha coherence until 10-12 months of age. Using a small cohort of infants (n = 23) with EEG before and during GABA-modulating anesthesia, we provide preliminary evidence that infants with a low beta peak have higher anesthesia-induced alpha coherence compared to those without a low beta peak.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carol L Wilkinson
- Division of Developmental Medicine, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA, USA.
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA.
| | - Lisa D Yankowitz
- Division of Developmental Medicine, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Jerry Y Chao
- Department of Anesthesiology, Montefiore Medical Center, Children's Hospital at Montefiore, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY, USA
| | - Rodrigo Gutiérrez
- Departamento de Anestesia y Medicina Perioperatoria, Hospital Clínico de la Universidad de Chile, Santiago, Chile
- Department of Anesthesia, Critical Care and Pain Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Jeff L Rhoades
- Department of Neurobiology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
- Program in Neuroscience, Division of Medical Sciences, Graduate School of Arts and Sciences, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Shlomo Shinnar
- The Saul R. Korey Department of Neurology, Montefiore Medical Center, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY, USA
- Department of Epidemiology and Population Health, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY, USA
| | - Patrick L Purdon
- Department of Anesthesia, Critical Care and Pain Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Charles A Nelson
- Division of Developmental Medicine, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
- Harvard Graduate School of Education, Cambridge, MA, USA
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2
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de Groot ER, Dudink J, Austin T. Sleep as a driver of pre- and postnatal brain development. Pediatr Res 2024:10.1038/s41390-024-03371-5. [PMID: 38956219 DOI: 10.1038/s41390-024-03371-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/10/2024] [Revised: 06/11/2024] [Accepted: 06/17/2024] [Indexed: 07/04/2024]
Abstract
In 1966, Howard Roffwarg proposed the ontogenic sleep hypothesis, relating neural plasticity and development to rapid eye movement (REM) sleep, a hypothesis that current fetal and neonatal sleep research is still exploring. Recently, technological advances have enabled researchers to automatically quantify neonatal sleep architecture, which has caused a resurgence of research in this field as attempts are made to further elucidate the important role of sleep in pre- and postnatal brain development. This article will review our current understanding of the role of sleep as a driver of brain development and identify possible areas for future research. IMPACT: The evidence to date suggests that Roffwarg's ontogenesis hypothesis of sleep and brain development is correct. A better understanding of the relationship between sleep and the development of functional connectivity is needed. Reliable, non-invasive tools to assess sleep in the NICU and at home need to be tested in a real-world environment and the best way to promote healthy sleep needs to be understood before clinical trials promoting and optimizing sleep quality in neonates could be undertaken.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eline R de Groot
- Department of Neonatology, Wilhelmina Children's Hospital, University Medical Centre Utrecht, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Jeroen Dudink
- Department of Neonatology, Wilhelmina Children's Hospital, University Medical Centre Utrecht, Utrecht, The Netherlands
- Brain Centre Rudolf Magnus, University Medical Centre Utrecht, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Topun Austin
- NeoLab, Evelyn Perinatal Imaging Centre, The Rosie Hospital, Cambridge University Hospitals, Cambridge, UK.
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3
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Marret S, Chadie A, Muller JB, Chollat C. [Neurodevelopment and neuroprotection in young children]. GYNECOLOGIE, OBSTETRIQUE, FERTILITE & SENOLOGIE 2024; 52:481-489. [PMID: 38492741 DOI: 10.1016/j.gofs.2024.03.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/29/2024] [Accepted: 03/08/2024] [Indexed: 03/18/2024]
Abstract
In France, the most pessimistic estimates put the prevalence of neurodevelopmental disorders (NDD) at 15 % of births. The two largest populations of newborns at highest risk of NDD are premature babies and babies born into siblings with one or more infants who already have an autism spectrum disorder or another NDD. The high prevalence of these disorders justifies a health promotion policy, centred on the child and his or her family. Prevention is based on the early identification of high-risk factors, by informing families and training pregnancy and early childhood professionals, and implementing perinatal prevention protocols for high-risk newborns (antenatal corticosteroid therapy and magnesium sulfate for women at risk of preterm delivery before 32 weeks, developmental care, therapeutic hypothermia for full-term infants with early neonatal encephalopathy presumed to be anoxic). Preventing the severity of NDD depends on their early identification, as early as possible in the highest plastic "1000 days" developmental window, a smooth flow of diagnosis and care for mothers and children, and the establishment of an ecosystem that includes multi-modal early intervention, at the best in multi-disciplinary teams such as the early medical and social action centres, support for families through guidance programs and inclusion in the community, first in day-care centers and then in nursery schools.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stéphane Marret
- Service de pédiatrie néonatale et réanimation - neuropédiatrie, hôpital Charles-Nicolle, CHU de Rouen et Unité Inserm 1245, UFR santé de Rouen, université de Normandie, Rouen, France.
| | - Alexandra Chadie
- Service de pédiatrie néonatale et réanimation - neuropédiatrie, hôpital Charles-Nicolle, CHU de Rouen et Unité Inserm 1245, UFR santé de Rouen, université de Normandie, Rouen, France
| | - Jean-Baptiste Muller
- Service de pédiatrie néonatale et réanimation - neuropédiatrie, hôpital Charles-Nicolle, CHU de Rouen et Unité Inserm 1245, UFR santé de Rouen, université de Normandie, Rouen, France
| | - Clément Chollat
- Service de néonatologie, hôpital Armand Trousseau, AP-HP, université Paris Cité, Inserm, NeuroDiderot, Paris, France
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4
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Wang DC, Santos-Valencia F, Song JH, Franks KM, Luo L. Embryonically active piriform cortex neurons promote intracortical recurrent connectivity during development. Neuron 2024:S0896-6273(24)00414-8. [PMID: 38964330 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuron.2024.06.007] [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: 07/24/2023] [Revised: 04/28/2024] [Accepted: 06/11/2024] [Indexed: 07/06/2024]
Abstract
Neuronal activity plays a critical role in the maturation of circuits that propagate sensory information into the brain. How widely does early activity regulate circuit maturation across the developing brain? Here, we used targeted recombination in active populations (TRAP) to perform a brain-wide survey for prenatally active neurons in mice and identified the piriform cortex as an abundantly TRAPed region. Whole-cell recordings in neonatal slices revealed preferential interconnectivity within embryonically TRAPed piriform neurons and their enhanced synaptic connectivity with other piriform neurons. In vivo Neuropixels recordings in neonates demonstrated that embryonically TRAPed piriform neurons exhibit broad functional connectivity within piriform and lead spontaneous synchronized population activity during a transient neonatal period, when recurrent connectivity is strengthening. Selectively activating or silencing these neurons in neonates enhanced or suppressed recurrent synaptic strength, respectively. Thus, embryonically TRAPed piriform neurons represent an interconnected hub-like population whose activity promotes recurrent connectivity in early development.
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Affiliation(s)
- David C Wang
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute and Department of Biology, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA; Stanford MSTP, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
| | | | - Jun H Song
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute and Department of Biology, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
| | - Kevin M Franks
- Department of Neurobiology, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, NC 27710, USA.
| | - Liqun Luo
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute and Department of Biology, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA.
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5
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Dwivedi D, Dumontier D, Sherer M, Lin S, Mirow AMC, Qiu Y, Xu Q, Liebman SA, Joseph D, Datta SR, Fishell G, Pouchelon G. Metabotropic signaling within somatostatin interneurons controls transient thalamocortical inputs during development. Nat Commun 2024; 15:5421. [PMID: 38926335 PMCID: PMC11208423 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-49732-w] [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: 12/18/2023] [Accepted: 05/24/2024] [Indexed: 06/28/2024] Open
Abstract
During brain development, neural circuits undergo major activity-dependent restructuring. Circuit wiring mainly occurs through synaptic strengthening following the Hebbian "fire together, wire together" precept. However, select connections, essential for circuit development, are transient. They are effectively connected early in development, but strongly diminish during maturation. The mechanisms by which transient connectivity recedes are unknown. To investigate this process, we characterize transient thalamocortical inputs, which depress onto somatostatin inhibitory interneurons during development, by employing optogenetics, chemogenetics, transcriptomics and CRISPR-based strategies in mice. We demonstrate that in contrast to typical activity-dependent mechanisms, transient thalamocortical connectivity onto somatostatin interneurons is non-canonical and involves metabotropic signaling. Specifically, metabotropic-mediated transcription, of guidance molecules in particular, supports the elimination of this connectivity. Remarkably, we found that this process impacts the development of normal exploratory behaviors of adult mice.
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Affiliation(s)
- Deepanjali Dwivedi
- Harvard Medical School, Department of Neurobiology, Boston, MA, USA
- Broad Institute, Stanley Center for Psychiatric Research, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | | | - Mia Sherer
- Harvard Medical School, Department of Neurobiology, Boston, MA, USA
- Broad Institute, Stanley Center for Psychiatric Research, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Sherry Lin
- Harvard Medical School, Department of Neurobiology, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Andrea M C Mirow
- Harvard Medical School, Department of Neurobiology, Boston, MA, USA
- Broad Institute, Stanley Center for Psychiatric Research, Cambridge, MA, USA
- Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, Cold Spring Harbor, Harbor, NY, USA
| | - Yanjie Qiu
- Harvard Medical School, Department of Neurobiology, Boston, MA, USA
- Broad Institute, Stanley Center for Psychiatric Research, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Qing Xu
- Harvard Medical School, Department of Neurobiology, Boston, MA, USA
- Broad Institute, Stanley Center for Psychiatric Research, Cambridge, MA, USA
- Center for Genomics & Systems Biology, New York University Abu Dhabi, Abu Dhabi, UAE
| | - Samuel A Liebman
- Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, Cold Spring Harbor, Harbor, NY, USA
| | - Djeckby Joseph
- Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, Cold Spring Harbor, Harbor, NY, USA
| | - Sandeep R Datta
- Harvard Medical School, Department of Neurobiology, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Gord Fishell
- Harvard Medical School, Department of Neurobiology, Boston, MA, USA.
- Broad Institute, Stanley Center for Psychiatric Research, Cambridge, MA, USA.
| | - Gabrielle Pouchelon
- Harvard Medical School, Department of Neurobiology, Boston, MA, USA.
- Broad Institute, Stanley Center for Psychiatric Research, Cambridge, MA, USA.
- Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, Cold Spring Harbor, Harbor, NY, USA.
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6
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Yrjölä P, Vanhatalo S, Tokariev A. Neuronal Coupling Modes Show Differential Development in the Early Cortical Activity Networks of Human Newborns. J Neurosci 2024; 44:e1012232024. [PMID: 38769006 PMCID: PMC11211727 DOI: 10.1523/jneurosci.1012-23.2024] [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: 05/31/2023] [Revised: 03/27/2024] [Accepted: 04/18/2024] [Indexed: 05/22/2024] Open
Abstract
The third trimester is a critical period for the development of functional networks that support the lifelong neurocognitive performance, yet the emergence of neuronal coupling in these networks is poorly understood. Here, we used longitudinal high-density electroencephalographic recordings from preterm infants during the period from 33 to 45 weeks of conceptional age (CA) to characterize early spatiotemporal patterns in the development of local cortical function and the intrinsic coupling modes [ICMs; phase-phase (PPCs), amplitude-amplitude (AACs), and phase-amplitude correlations (PACs)]. Absolute local power showed a robust increase with CA across the full frequency spectrum, while local PACs showed sleep state-specific, biphasic development that peaked a few weeks before normal birth. AACs and distant PACs decreased globally at nearly all frequencies. In contrast, the PPCs showed frequency- and region-selective development, with an increase of coupling strength with CA between frontal, central, and occipital regions at low-delta and alpha frequencies together with a wider-spread decrease at other frequencies. Our findings together present the spectrally and spatially differential development of the distinct ICMs during the neonatal period and provide their developmental templates for future basic and clinical research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pauliina Yrjölä
- BABA Center, Pediatric Research Center, Department of Clinical Neurophysiology, New Children's Hospital and HUS Diagnostic Center, Helsinki University Hospital, Helsinki 00290, Finland
- Department of Physiology, University of Helsinki, Helsinki 00014, Finland
| | - Sampsa Vanhatalo
- BABA Center, Pediatric Research Center, Department of Clinical Neurophysiology, New Children's Hospital and HUS Diagnostic Center, Helsinki University Hospital, Helsinki 00290, Finland
- Department of Physiology, University of Helsinki, Helsinki 00014, Finland
| | - Anton Tokariev
- BABA Center, Pediatric Research Center, Department of Clinical Neurophysiology, New Children's Hospital and HUS Diagnostic Center, Helsinki University Hospital, Helsinki 00290, Finland
- Department of Physiology, University of Helsinki, Helsinki 00014, Finland
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7
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Barzó P, Szöts I, Tóth M, Csajbók ÉA, Molnár G, Tamás G. Electrophysiology and Morphology of Human Cortical Supragranular Pyramidal Cells in a Wide Age Range. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.06.13.598792. [PMID: 38915496 PMCID: PMC11195274 DOI: 10.1101/2024.06.13.598792] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/26/2024]
Abstract
The basic excitatory neurons of the cerebral cortex, the pyramidal cells, are the most important signal integrators for the local circuit. They have quite characteristic morphological and electrophysiological properties that are known to be largely constant with age in the young and adult cortex. However, the brain undergoes several dynamic changes throughout life, such as in the phases of early development and cognitive decline in the aging brain. We set out to search for intrinsic cellular changes in supragranular pyramidal cells across a broad age range: from birth to 85 years of age and we found differences in several biophysical properties between defined age groups. During the first year of life, subthreshold and suprathreshold electrophysiological properties changed in a way that shows that pyramidal cells become less excitable with maturation, but also become temporarily more precise. According to our findings, the morphological features of the three-dimensional reconstructions from different life stages showed consistent morphological properties and systematic dendritic spine analysis of an infantile and an old pyramidal cell showed clear significant differences in the distribution of spine shapes. Overall, the changes that occur during development and aging may have lasting effects on the properties of pyramidal cells in the cerebral cortex. Understanding these changes is important to unravel the complex mechanisms underlying brain development, cognition and age-related neurodegenerative diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pál Barzó
- Department of Neurosurgery, University of Szeged, Szeged, Hungary
| | - Ildikó Szöts
- ELKH-SZTE Research Group for Cortical Microcircuits, Department of Physiology, Anatomy and Neuroscience, University of Szeged, Szeged, Hungary
| | - Martin Tóth
- ELKH-SZTE Research Group for Cortical Microcircuits, Department of Physiology, Anatomy and Neuroscience, University of Szeged, Szeged, Hungary
| | - Éva Adrienn Csajbók
- ELKH-SZTE Research Group for Cortical Microcircuits, Department of Physiology, Anatomy and Neuroscience, University of Szeged, Szeged, Hungary
| | - Gábor Molnár
- ELKH-SZTE Research Group for Cortical Microcircuits, Department of Physiology, Anatomy and Neuroscience, University of Szeged, Szeged, Hungary
| | - Gábor Tamás
- ELKH-SZTE Research Group for Cortical Microcircuits, Department of Physiology, Anatomy and Neuroscience, University of Szeged, Szeged, Hungary
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8
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Zavalin K, Hassan A, Zhang Y, Khera Z, Lagrange AH. Region and layer-specific expression of GABA A receptor isoforms and KCC2 in developing cortex. Front Cell Neurosci 2024; 18:1390742. [PMID: 38894703 PMCID: PMC11184147 DOI: 10.3389/fncel.2024.1390742] [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: 02/23/2024] [Accepted: 05/13/2024] [Indexed: 06/21/2024] Open
Abstract
Introduction γ-Aminobutyric acid (GABA) type A receptors (GABAARs) are ligand-gated Cl-channels that mediate the bulk of inhibitory neurotransmission in the mature CNS and are targets of many drugs. During cortical development, GABAAR-mediated signals are significantly modulated by changing subunit composition and expression of Cl-transporters as part of developmental processes and early network activity. To date, this developmental evolution has remained understudied, particularly at the level of cortical layer-specific changes. In this study, we characterized the expression of nine major GABAAR subunits and K-Cl transporter 2 (KCC2) in mouse somatosensory cortex from embryonic development to postweaning maturity. Methods We evaluated expression of α1-5, β2-3, γ2, and δ GABAAR subunits using immunohistochemistry and Western blot techniques, and expression of KCC2 using immunohistochemistry in cortices from E13.5 to P25 mice. Results We found that embryonic cortex expresses mainly α3, α5, β3, and γ2, while expression of α1, α2, α4, β2, δ, and KCC2 begins at later points in development; however, many patterns of nuanced expression can be found in specific lamina, cortical regions, and cells and structures. Discussion While the general pattern of expression of each subunit and KCC2 is similar to previous studies, we found a number of unique temporal, regional, and laminar patterns that were previously unknown. These findings provide much needed knowledge of the intricate developmental evolution in GABAAR composition and KCC2 expression to accommodate developmental signals that transition to mature neurotransmission.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kirill Zavalin
- Department of Neurology, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Nashville, TN, United States
| | - Anjana Hassan
- Department of Neurology, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Nashville, TN, United States
| | - Yueli Zhang
- Department of Neurology, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Nashville, TN, United States
| | - Zain Khera
- Department of Neurology, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Nashville, TN, United States
| | - Andre H. Lagrange
- Department of Neurology, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Nashville, TN, United States
- Department of Neurology, TVH VA Medical Center, Nashville, TN, United States
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9
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Arichi T. Characterizing Large-Scale Human Circuit Development with In Vivo Neuroimaging. Cold Spring Harb Perspect Biol 2024; 16:a041496. [PMID: 38438187 PMCID: PMC11146311 DOI: 10.1101/cshperspect.a041496] [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] [Indexed: 03/06/2024]
Abstract
Large-scale coordinated patterns of neural activity are crucial for the integration of information in the human brain and to enable complex and flexible human behavior across the life span. Through recent advances in noninvasive functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) methods, it is now possible to study this activity and how it emerges in the living fetal brain across the second half of human gestation. This work has demonstrated that functional activity in the fetal brain has several features in keeping with highly organized networks of activity, which are undergoing a highly programmed and rapid sequence of development before birth, in which long-range connections emerge and core features of the mature functional connectome (such as hub regions and a gradient organization) are established. In this review, the findings of these studies are summarized, their relationship to the known changes in developmental neurobiology is considered, and considerations for future work in the context of limitations to the fMRI approach are presented.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tomoki Arichi
- Centre for the Developing Brain, School of Biomedical Engineering and Imaging Sciences, King's College London, St Thomas' Hospital, London SE1 7EH, United Kingdom
- MRC Centre for Neurodevelopmental Disorders, King's College London, New Hunt's House, Guy's Campus, London SE1 1UL, United Kingdom
- Children's Neurosciences, Evelina London Children's Hospital, Guy's and St Thomas' NHS Foundation Trust, London SE1 7EH, United Kingdom
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10
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Prince GS, Reynolds M, Martina V, Sun H. Gene-environmental regulation of the postnatal post-mitotic neuronal maturation. Trends Genet 2024; 40:480-494. [PMID: 38658255 PMCID: PMC11153025 DOI: 10.1016/j.tig.2024.03.006] [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: 01/30/2024] [Revised: 03/20/2024] [Accepted: 03/21/2024] [Indexed: 04/26/2024]
Abstract
Embryonic neurodevelopment, particularly neural progenitor differentiation into post-mitotic neurons, has been extensively studied. While the number and composition of post-mitotic neurons remain relatively constant from birth to adulthood, the brain undergoes significant postnatal maturation marked by major property changes frequently disrupted in neural diseases. This review first summarizes recent characterizations of the functional and molecular maturation of the postnatal nervous system. We then review regulatory mechanisms controlling the precise gene expression changes crucial for the intricate sequence of maturation events, highlighting experience-dependent versus cell-intrinsic genetic timer mechanisms. Despite significant advances in understanding of the gene-environmental regulation of postnatal neuronal maturation, many aspects remain unknown. The review concludes with our perspective on exciting future research directions in the next decade.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gabrielle S Prince
- Department of Cell, Developmental, and Integrative Biology, The University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, USA
| | - Molly Reynolds
- Department of Cell, Developmental, and Integrative Biology, The University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, USA
| | - Verdion Martina
- Department of Cell, Developmental, and Integrative Biology, The University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, USA
| | - HaoSheng Sun
- Department of Cell, Developmental, and Integrative Biology, The University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, USA; Freeman Hrabowski Scholar, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Chevy Chase, MD, USA.
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11
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Wu MW, Kourdougli N, Portera-Cailliau C. Network state transitions during cortical development. Nat Rev Neurosci 2024:10.1038/s41583-024-00824-y. [PMID: 38783147 DOI: 10.1038/s41583-024-00824-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 05/01/2024] [Indexed: 05/25/2024]
Abstract
Mammalian cortical networks are active before synaptogenesis begins in earnest, before neuronal migration is complete, and well before an animal opens its eyes and begins to actively explore its surroundings. This early activity undergoes several transformations during development. The most important of these is a transition from episodic synchronous network events, which are necessary for patterning the neocortex into functionally related modules, to desynchronized activity that is computationally more powerful and efficient. Network desynchronization is perhaps the most dramatic and abrupt developmental event in an otherwise slow and gradual process of brain maturation. In this Review, we summarize what is known about the phenomenology of developmental synchronous activity in the rodent neocortex and speculate on the mechanisms that drive its eventual desynchronization. We argue that desynchronization of network activity is a fundamental step through which the cortex transitions from passive, bottom-up detection of sensory stimuli to active sensory processing with top-down modulation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michelle W Wu
- Department of Neurology, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
- Neuroscience Interdepartmental Graduate Program, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
- UCLA-Caltech Medical Scientist Training Program, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Nazim Kourdougli
- Department of Neurology, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Carlos Portera-Cailliau
- Department of Neurology, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA.
- Department of Neurobiology, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA.
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12
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Wang DC, Santos-Valencia F, Song JH, Franks KM, Luo L. Embryonically Active Piriform Cortex Neurons Promote Intracortical Recurrent Connectivity during Development. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.05.08.593265. [PMID: 38766173 PMCID: PMC11100831 DOI: 10.1101/2024.05.08.593265] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/22/2024]
Abstract
Neuronal activity plays a critical role in the maturation of circuits that propagate sensory information into the brain. How widely does early activity regulate circuit maturation across the developing brain? Here, we used Targeted Recombination in Active Populations (TRAP) to perform a brain-wide survey for prenatally active neurons in mice and identified the piriform cortex as an abundantly TRAPed region. Whole-cell recordings in neonatal slices revealed preferential interconnectivity within embryonically TRAPed piriform neurons and their enhanced synaptic connectivity with other piriform neurons. In vivo Neuropixels recordings in neonates demonstrated that embryonically TRAPed piriform neurons exhibit broad functional connectivity within piriform and lead spontaneous synchronized population activity during a transient neonatal period, when recurrent connectivity is strengthening. Selectively activating or silencing of these neurons in neonates enhanced or suppressed recurrent synaptic strength, respectively. Thus, embryonically TRAPed piriform neurons represent an interconnected hub-like population whose activity promotes recurrent connectivity in early development.
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13
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Miglioli C, Canini M, Vignotto E, Pecco N, Pozzoni M, Victoria-Feser MP, Guerrier S, Candiani M, Falini A, Baldoli C, Cavoretto PI, Della Rosa PA. The maternal-fetal neurodevelopmental groundings of preterm birth risk. Heliyon 2024; 10:e28825. [PMID: 38596101 PMCID: PMC11002256 DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2024.e28825] [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: 10/09/2023] [Revised: 03/25/2024] [Accepted: 03/26/2024] [Indexed: 04/11/2024] Open
Abstract
Background Altered neurodevelopment is a major clinical sequela of Preterm Birth (PTB) being currently unexplored in-utero. Aims To study the link between fetal brain functional (FbF) connectivity and preterm birth, using resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (rs-fMRI). Study design Prospective single-centre cohort study. Subjects A sample of 31 singleton pregnancies at 28-34 weeks assigned to a low PTB risk (LR) (n = 19) or high PTB risk (HR) (n = 12) group based on a) the Maternal Frailty Inventory (MaFra) for PTB risk; b) a case-specific PTB risk gradient. Methods Fetal brain rs-fMRI was performed on 1.5T MRI scanner. First, directed causal relations representing fetal brain functional connectivity measurements were estimated using the Greedy Equivalence Search (GES) algorithm. HR vs. LR group differences were then tested with a novel ad-hoc developed Monte Carlo permutation test. Second, a MaFra-only random forest (RF) was compared against a MaFra-Neuro RF, trained by including also the most important fetal brain functional connections. Third, correlation and regression analyses were performed between MaFra-Neuro class probabilities and i) the GA at birth; ii) PTB risk gradient, iii) perinatal clinical conditions and iv) PTB below 37 weeks. Results First, fewer fetal brain functional connections were evident in the HR group. Second, the MaFra-Neuro RF improved PTB risk prediction. Third, MaFra-Neuro class probabilities showed a significant association with: i) GA at birth; ii) PTB risk gradient, iii) perinatal clinical conditions and iv) PTB below 37 weeks. Conclusion Fetal brain functional connectivity is a novel promising predictor of PTB, linked to maternal risk profiles, ahead of birth, and clinical markers of neurodevelopmental risk, at birth, thus potentially "connecting" different PTB phenotypes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cesare Miglioli
- Research Center for Statistics, University of Geneva, Boulevard Du Pont-d’Arve 40, 1205 Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Matteo Canini
- Department of Neuroradiology, IRCCS San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Via Olgettina 60, Milan, 20132, Italy
| | - Edoardo Vignotto
- Research Center for Statistics, University of Geneva, Boulevard Du Pont-d’Arve 40, 1205 Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Nicolò Pecco
- Department of Neuroradiology, IRCCS San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Via Olgettina 60, Milan, 20132, Italy
| | - Mirko Pozzoni
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, IRCCS San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Via Olgettina 60 Milan, 20132, Italy
| | - Maria-Pia Victoria-Feser
- Research Center for Statistics, University of Geneva, Boulevard Du Pont-d’Arve 40, 1205 Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Stéphane Guerrier
- Research Center for Statistics, University of Geneva, Boulevard Du Pont-d’Arve 40, 1205 Geneva, Switzerland
- Faculty of Science, University of Geneva, Quai Ernest-Ansermet 30, 1211 Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Massimo Candiani
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, IRCCS San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Via Olgettina 60 Milan, 20132, Italy
| | - Andrea Falini
- Department of Neuroradiology, IRCCS San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Via Olgettina 60, Milan, 20132, Italy
| | - Cristina Baldoli
- Department of Neuroradiology, IRCCS San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Via Olgettina 60, Milan, 20132, Italy
| | - Paolo I. Cavoretto
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, IRCCS San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Via Olgettina 60 Milan, 20132, Italy
| | - Pasquale A. Della Rosa
- Department of Neuroradiology, IRCCS San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Via Olgettina 60, Milan, 20132, Italy
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14
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Stepien BK, Wielockx B. From Vessels to Neurons-The Role of Hypoxia Pathway Proteins in Embryonic Neurogenesis. Cells 2024; 13:621. [PMID: 38607059 PMCID: PMC11012138 DOI: 10.3390/cells13070621] [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: 02/28/2024] [Revised: 03/20/2024] [Accepted: 03/26/2024] [Indexed: 04/13/2024] Open
Abstract
Embryonic neurogenesis can be defined as a period of prenatal development during which divisions of neural stem and progenitor cells give rise to neurons. In the central nervous system of most mammals, including humans, the majority of neocortical neurogenesis occurs before birth. It is a highly spatiotemporally organized process whose perturbations lead to cortical malformations and dysfunctions underlying neurological and psychiatric pathologies, and in which oxygen availability plays a critical role. In case of deprived oxygen conditions, known as hypoxia, the hypoxia-inducible factor (HIF) signaling pathway is activated, resulting in the selective expression of a group of genes that regulate homeostatic adaptations, including cell differentiation and survival, metabolism and angiogenesis. While a physiological degree of hypoxia is essential for proper brain development, imbalanced oxygen levels can adversely affect this process, as observed in common obstetrical pathologies such as prematurity. This review comprehensively explores and discusses the current body of knowledge regarding the role of hypoxia and the HIF pathway in embryonic neurogenesis of the mammalian cortex. Additionally, it highlights existing gaps in our understanding, presents unanswered questions, and provides avenues for future research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Barbara K. Stepien
- Institute of Clinical Chemistry and Laboratory Medicine, Technische Universität Dresden, 01307 Dresden, Germany
| | - Ben Wielockx
- Institute of Clinical Chemistry and Laboratory Medicine, Technische Universität Dresden, 01307 Dresden, Germany
- Experimental Centre, Faculty of Medicine, Technische Universität Dresden, 01307 Dresden, Germany
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15
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Wilkinson CL, Yankowitz L, Chao JY, Gutiérrez R, Rhoades JL, Shinnar S, Purdon PL, Nelson CA. Developmental trajectories of EEG aperiodic and periodic components: Implications for understanding thalamocortical development during infancy. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2023.07.21.550114. [PMID: 37546863 PMCID: PMC10401947 DOI: 10.1101/2023.07.21.550114] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 08/08/2023]
Abstract
The development of neural circuits has long-lasting effects on brain function, yet our understanding of early circuit development in humans remains limited. Here, periodic EEG power features and aperiodic components were examined from longitudinal EEGs collected from 592 healthy 2-44 month-old infants, revealing age-dependent nonlinear changes suggestive of distinct milestones in early brain maturation. Consistent with the transient developmental progression of thalamocortical circuitry, we observe the presence and then absence of periodic alpha and high beta peaks across the three-year period, as well as the emergence of a low beta peak (12-20Hz) after six months of age. We present preliminary evidence that the emergence of the low beta peak is associated with higher thalamocortical-dependent, anesthesia-induced alpha coherence. Together, these findings suggest that early age-dependent changes in alpha and beta periodic peaks may reflect the state of thalamocortical network development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carol L Wilkinson
- Division of Developmental Medicine, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA, United States
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Lisa Yankowitz
- Division of Developmental Medicine, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Jerry Y Chao
- Department of Anesthesiology, Montefiore Medical Center, Children's Hospital at Montefiore, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY, USA
| | - Rodrigo Gutiérrez
- Departamento de Anestesia y Medicina Perioperatoria, Hospital Clínico de la Universidad de Chile, Santiago, Chile
- Department of Anesthesia, Critical Care and Pain Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Jeff L Rhoades
- Department of Neurobiology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
- Program in Neuroscience, Division of Medical Sciences, Graduate School of Arts and Sciences, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Shlomo Shinnar
- The Saul R. Korey Department of Neurology, Montefiore Medical Center, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY, USA
- Department of Epidemiology and Population Health, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY, USA
| | - Patrick L Purdon
- Department of Anesthesia, Critical Care and Pain Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Charles A Nelson
- Division of Developmental Medicine, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA, United States
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
- Harvard Graduate School of Education, Cambridge, MA, United States
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16
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Fitzgerald M. The Bayliss-Starling Prize Lecture: The developmental physiology of spinal cord and cortical nociceptive circuits. J Physiol 2024; 602:1003-1016. [PMID: 38426221 DOI: 10.1113/jp283994] [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: 08/13/2023] [Accepted: 02/05/2024] [Indexed: 03/02/2024] Open
Abstract
When do we first experience pain? To address this question, we need to know how the developing nervous system processes potential or real tissue-damaging stimuli in early life. In the newborn, nociception preserves life through reflex avoidance of tissue damage and engagement of parental help. Importantly, nociception also forms the starting point for experiencing and learning about pain and for setting the level of adult pain sensitivity. This review, which arose from the Bayliss-Starling Prize Lecture, focuses on the basic developmental neurophysiology of early nociceptive circuits in the spinal cord, brainstem and cortex that form the building blocks of our first pain experience.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria Fitzgerald
- Department of Neuroscience, Physiology & Pharmacology, University College London, London, UK
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17
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Clowry GJ. Is there a consensus on the location and composition of the human subplate? J Comp Neurol 2024; 532:e25605. [PMID: 38454555 DOI: 10.1002/cne.25605] [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: 09/25/2023] [Revised: 11/16/2023] [Accepted: 02/27/2024] [Indexed: 03/09/2024]
Abstract
Cortical wall of human fetal cerebral cortex (early second trimester immunostained for a synaptic marker [red]) revealing the extent of the subplate, which is considerably wider than the cortical plate at this developmental stage.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gavin J Clowry
- Biosciences Institute and Centre for Transformative Neuroscience, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne, UK
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18
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Shaker T, Dagpa GJ, Cattaud V, Marriott BA, Sultan M, Almokdad M, Jackson J. A simple and reliable method for claustrum localization across age in mice. Mol Brain 2024; 17:10. [PMID: 38368400 PMCID: PMC10874566 DOI: 10.1186/s13041-024-01082-w] [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: 11/09/2023] [Accepted: 02/11/2024] [Indexed: 02/19/2024] Open
Abstract
The anatomical organization of the rodent claustrum remains obscure due to lack of clear borders that distinguish it from neighboring forebrain structures. Defining what constitutes the claustrum is imperative for elucidating its functions. Methods based on gene/protein expression or transgenic mice have been used to spatially outline the claustrum but often report incomplete labeling and/or lack of specificity during certain neurodevelopmental timepoints. To reliably identify claustrum projection cells in mice, we propose a simple immunolabelling method that juxtaposes the expression pattern of claustrum-enriched and cortical-enriched markers. We determined that claustrum cells immunoreactive for the claustrum-enriched markers Nurr1 and Nr2f2 are devoid of the cortical marker Tle4, which allowed us to differentiate the claustrum from adjoining cortical cells. Using retrograde tracing, we verified that nearly all claustrum projection neurons lack Tle4 but expressed Nurr1/Nr2f2 markers to different degrees. At neonatal stages between 7 and 21 days, claustrum projection neurons were identified by their Nurr1-postive/Tle4-negative expression profile, a time-period when other immunolabelling techniques used to localize the claustrum in adult mice are ineffective. Finally, exposure to environmental novelty enhanced the expression of the neuronal activation marker c-Fos in the claustrum region. Notably, c-Fos labeling was mainly restricted to Nurr1-positive cells and nearly absent from Tle4-positive cells, thus corroborating previous work reporting novelty-induced claustrum activation. Taken together, this method will aid in studying the claustrum during postnatal development and may improve histological and functional studies where other approaches are not amenable.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tarek Shaker
- Department of Physiology, University of Alberta, 7-22 Medical Sciences Building, Edmonton, AB, T6G 2H7, Canada
| | - Gwyneth J Dagpa
- Department of Physiology, University of Alberta, 7-22 Medical Sciences Building, Edmonton, AB, T6G 2H7, Canada
| | - Vanessa Cattaud
- Department of Physiology, University of Alberta, 7-22 Medical Sciences Building, Edmonton, AB, T6G 2H7, Canada
| | - Brian A Marriott
- Neuroscience and Mental Health Institute, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada
| | - Mariam Sultan
- Department of Physiology, University of Alberta, 7-22 Medical Sciences Building, Edmonton, AB, T6G 2H7, Canada
| | - Mohammed Almokdad
- Neuroscience and Mental Health Institute, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada
| | - Jesse Jackson
- Department of Physiology, University of Alberta, 7-22 Medical Sciences Building, Edmonton, AB, T6G 2H7, Canada.
- Neuroscience and Mental Health Institute, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada.
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19
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Chang M, Nehs S, Xu Z, Kanold PO. Distinct distribution of subplate neuron subtypes between the sensory cortices during the early postnatal period. J Comp Neurol 2024; 532:e25594. [PMID: 38407509 PMCID: PMC11186582 DOI: 10.1002/cne.25594] [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: 07/31/2023] [Revised: 01/09/2024] [Accepted: 02/09/2024] [Indexed: 02/27/2024]
Abstract
Subplate neurons (SpNs) are a heterogeneous neuronal population actively involved in early cortical circuit formation. In rodents, many SpNs survive and form layer 6b. The molecular heterogeneity of SpNs raises the question of whether different subpopulations of SpNs survive through the early postnatal period similarly and whether such diverse SpN populations in the auditory cortex (ACtx) share a common distribution pattern with other sensory systems. To address that, we investigated the expression pattern of multiple specific SpN markers in the ACtx, as well as in the visual (VCtx) and somatosensory (SCtx) cortices as controls, using complexin 3 (Cplx3) antibodies and different SpN-specific Cre-driver mice, such as connective tissue growth factor (CTGF), dopamine receptor D1 (Drd1a), and neurexophilin 4 (Nxph4). We focused on two early time windows in auditory development: (1) during the second postnatal week (PNW) before ear-canal opening and (2) during the third PNW after ear-canal opening. We compared the expression pattern of different SpN markers in ACtx with VCtx and SCtx. At both examined timepoints, Cplx3 and Nxph4 expressing SpNs form the largest and smallest population in the ACtx, respectively. Similar distribution patterns are observable in the VCtx and SCtx during the second PNW but not during the third PNW, for a higher proportion of Drd1a expressing SpNs is detected in the VCtx and CTGF expressing SpNs in the SCtx. This study suggests that different populations of SpNs might contribute differently to the development of individual sensory circuits.
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Affiliation(s)
- Minzi Chang
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Sophia Nehs
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Zheng Xu
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Patrick O Kanold
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
- Kavli Neuroscience Discovery Institute, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
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20
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Wang X, de Groot ER, Tataranno ML, van Baar A, Lammertink F, Alderliesten T, Long X, Benders MJNL, Dudink J. Machine Learning-Derived Active Sleep as an Early Predictor of White Matter Development in Preterm Infants. J Neurosci 2024; 44:e1024232023. [PMID: 38124010 PMCID: PMC10860564 DOI: 10.1523/jneurosci.1024-23.2023] [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: 06/09/2023] [Revised: 09/15/2023] [Accepted: 09/19/2023] [Indexed: 12/23/2023] Open
Abstract
White matter dysmaturation is commonly seen in preterm infants admitted to the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU). Animal research has shown that active sleep is essential for early brain plasticity. This study aimed to determine the potential of active sleep as an early predictor for subsequent white matter development in preterm infants. Using heart and respiratory rates routinely monitored in the NICU, we developed a machine learning-based automated sleep stage classifier in a cohort of 25 preterm infants (12 females). The automated classifier was subsequently applied to a study cohort of 58 preterm infants (31 females) to extract active sleep percentage over 5-7 consecutive days during 29-32 weeks of postmenstrual age. Each of the 58 infants underwent high-quality T2-weighted magnetic resonance brain imaging at term-equivalent age, which was used to measure the total white matter volume. The association between active sleep percentage and white matter volume was examined using a multiple linear regression model adjusted for potential confounders. Using the automated classifier with a superior sleep classification performance [mean area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUROC) = 0.87, 95% CI 0.83-0.92], we found that a higher active sleep percentage during the preterm period was significantly associated with an increased white matter volume at term-equivalent age [β = 0.31, 95% CI 0.09-0.53, false discovery rate (FDR)-adjusted p-value = 0.021]. Our results extend the positive association between active sleep and early brain development found in animal research to human preterm infants and emphasize the potential benefit of sleep preservation in the NICU setting.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaowan Wang
- Department of Neonatology, Wilhelmina Children's Hospital, University Medical Centre Utrecht, Utrecht 3584 EA, The Netherlands
| | - Eline R de Groot
- Department of Neonatology, Wilhelmina Children's Hospital, University Medical Centre Utrecht, Utrecht 3584 EA, The Netherlands
| | - Maria Luisa Tataranno
- Department of Neonatology, Wilhelmina Children's Hospital, University Medical Centre Utrecht, Utrecht 3584 EA, The Netherlands
- Brain Centre Rudolf Magnus, University Medical Centre Utrecht, Utrecht 3584 CX, The Netherlands
| | - Anneloes van Baar
- Child and Adolescent Studies, Utrecht University, Utrecht 3584 CS, The Netherlands
| | - Femke Lammertink
- Department of Neonatology, Wilhelmina Children's Hospital, University Medical Centre Utrecht, Utrecht 3584 EA, The Netherlands
| | - Thomas Alderliesten
- Department of Neonatology, Wilhelmina Children's Hospital, University Medical Centre Utrecht, Utrecht 3584 EA, The Netherlands
- Brain Centre Rudolf Magnus, University Medical Centre Utrecht, Utrecht 3584 CX, The Netherlands
| | - Xi Long
- Department of Electrical Engineering, Eindhoven University of Technology, Eindhoven 5612 AZ, The Netherlands
| | - Manon J N L Benders
- Department of Neonatology, Wilhelmina Children's Hospital, University Medical Centre Utrecht, Utrecht 3584 EA, The Netherlands
- Brain Centre Rudolf Magnus, University Medical Centre Utrecht, Utrecht 3584 CX, The Netherlands
| | - Jeroen Dudink
- Department of Neonatology, Wilhelmina Children's Hospital, University Medical Centre Utrecht, Utrecht 3584 EA, The Netherlands
- Brain Centre Rudolf Magnus, University Medical Centre Utrecht, Utrecht 3584 CX, The Netherlands
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21
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Park Y, Hernandez S, Hernandez CO, Schweiger HE, Li H, Voitiuk K, Dechiraju H, Hawthorne N, Muzzy EM, Selberg JA, Sullivan FN, Urcuyo R, Salama SR, Aslankoohi E, Knight HJ, Teodorescu M, Mostajo-Radji MA, Rolandi M. Modulation of neuronal activity in cortical organoids with bioelectronic delivery of ions and neurotransmitters. CELL REPORTS METHODS 2024; 4:100686. [PMID: 38218190 PMCID: PMC10831944 DOI: 10.1016/j.crmeth.2023.100686] [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: 07/11/2023] [Revised: 11/01/2023] [Accepted: 12/14/2023] [Indexed: 01/15/2024]
Abstract
Precise modulation of brain activity is fundamental for the proper establishment and maturation of the cerebral cortex. To this end, cortical organoids are promising tools to study circuit formation and the underpinnings of neurodevelopmental disease. However, the ability to manipulate neuronal activity with high temporal resolution in brain organoids remains limited. To overcome this challenge, we introduce a bioelectronic approach to control cortical organoid activity with the selective delivery of ions and neurotransmitters. Using this approach, we sequentially increased and decreased neuronal activity in brain organoids with the bioelectronic delivery of potassium ions (K+) and γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA), respectively, while simultaneously monitoring network activity. This works highlights bioelectronic ion pumps as tools for high-resolution temporal control of brain organoid activity toward precise pharmacological studies that can improve our understanding of neuronal function.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yunjeong Park
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of California, Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz, CA 95064, USA
| | - Sebastian Hernandez
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of California, Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz, CA 95064, USA; Genomics Institute, University of California, Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz, CA 95060, USA; Live Cell Biotechnology Discovery Lab, University of California, Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz, CA 95060, USA; Centro de Electroquímica y Energía Química (CELEQ), Universidad de Costa Rica, San José 11501 2060, Costa Rica
| | - Cristian O Hernandez
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of California, Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz, CA 95064, USA
| | - Hunter E Schweiger
- Genomics Institute, University of California, Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz, CA 95060, USA; Live Cell Biotechnology Discovery Lab, University of California, Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz, CA 95060, USA; Department of Molecular, Cellular and Developmental Biology, University of California, Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz, CA 95060, USA
| | - Houpu Li
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of California, Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz, CA 95064, USA
| | - Kateryna Voitiuk
- Genomics Institute, University of California, Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz, CA 95060, USA; Department of Biomolecular Engineering, University of California, Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz, CA 95060, USA
| | - Harika Dechiraju
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of California, Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz, CA 95064, USA
| | - Nico Hawthorne
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of California, Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz, CA 95064, USA; Genomics Institute, University of California, Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz, CA 95060, USA
| | - Elana M Muzzy
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of California, Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz, CA 95064, USA
| | - John A Selberg
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of California, Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz, CA 95064, USA
| | - Frederika N Sullivan
- Genomics Institute, University of California, Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz, CA 95060, USA
| | - Roberto Urcuyo
- Centro de Electroquímica y Energía Química (CELEQ), Universidad de Costa Rica, San José 11501 2060, Costa Rica
| | - Sofie R Salama
- Genomics Institute, University of California, Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz, CA 95060, USA; Department of Molecular, Cellular and Developmental Biology, University of California, Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz, CA 95060, USA; Institute for the Biology of Stem Cells, University of California, Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz, CA 95060, USA
| | - Elham Aslankoohi
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of California, Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz, CA 95064, USA
| | - Heather J Knight
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of California, Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz, CA 95064, USA; Department of Molecular, Cellular and Developmental Biology, University of California, Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz, CA 95060, USA
| | - Mircea Teodorescu
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of California, Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz, CA 95064, USA; Genomics Institute, University of California, Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz, CA 95060, USA; Institute for the Biology of Stem Cells, University of California, Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz, CA 95060, USA.
| | - Mohammed A Mostajo-Radji
- Genomics Institute, University of California, Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz, CA 95060, USA; Live Cell Biotechnology Discovery Lab, University of California, Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz, CA 95060, USA; Institute for the Biology of Stem Cells, University of California, Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz, CA 95060, USA.
| | - Marco Rolandi
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of California, Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz, CA 95064, USA; Genomics Institute, University of California, Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz, CA 95060, USA; Institute for the Biology of Stem Cells, University of California, Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz, CA 95060, USA.
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22
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Molnár Z, Kwan KY. Development and Evolution of Thalamocortical Connectivity. Cold Spring Harb Perspect Biol 2024; 16:a041503. [PMID: 38167425 PMCID: PMC10759993 DOI: 10.1101/cshperspect.a041503] [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] [Indexed: 01/05/2024]
Abstract
Conscious perception in mammals depends on precise circuit connectivity between cerebral cortex and thalamus; the evolution and development of these structures are closely linked. During the wiring of reciprocal thalamus-cortex connections, thalamocortical axons (TCAs) first navigate forebrain regions that had undergone substantial evolutionary modifications. In particular, the organization of the pallial-subpallial boundary (PSPB) diverged significantly between mammals, reptiles, and birds. In mammals, transient cell populations in internal capsule and early corticofugal projections from subplate neurons closely interact with TCAs to guide pathfinding through ventral forebrain and PSPB crossing. Prior to thalamocortical axon arrival, cortical areas are initially patterned by intrinsic genetic factors. Thalamocortical axons then innervate cortex in a topographically organized manner to enable sensory input to refine cortical arealization. Here, we review the mechanisms underlying the guidance of thalamocortical axons across forebrain boundaries, the implications of PSPB evolution for thalamocortical axon pathfinding, and the reciprocal influence between thalamus and cortex during development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zoltán Molnár
- Department of Physiology, Anatomy and Genetics, Sherrington Building, University of Oxford, Oxford OX1 3PT, United Kingdom
| | - Kenneth Y Kwan
- Michigan Neuroscience Institute (MNI), Department of Human Genetics, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan 48109, USA
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23
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Abstract
Brain development in humans is achieved through precise spatiotemporal genetic control, the mechanisms of which remain largely elusive. Recently, integration of technological advances in human stem cell-based modelling with genome editing has emerged as a powerful platform to establish causative links between genotypes and phenotypes directly in the human system. Here, we review our current knowledge of complex genetic regulation of each key step of human brain development through the lens of evolutionary specialization and neurodevelopmental disorders and highlight the use of human stem cell-derived 2D cultures and 3D brain organoids to investigate human-enriched features and disease mechanisms. We also discuss opportunities and challenges of integrating new technologies to reveal the genetic architecture of human brain development and disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yi Zhou
- Department of Neuroscience and Mahoney Institute for Neurosciences, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Hongjun Song
- Department of Neuroscience and Mahoney Institute for Neurosciences, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
- Institute for Regenerative Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
- The Epigenetics Institute, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Guo-Li Ming
- Department of Neuroscience and Mahoney Institute for Neurosciences, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA.
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA.
- Institute for Regenerative Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA.
- Department of Psychiatry, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA.
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24
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Wallace JL, Pollen AA. Human neuronal maturation comes of age: cellular mechanisms and species differences. Nat Rev Neurosci 2024; 25:7-29. [PMID: 37996703 DOI: 10.1038/s41583-023-00760-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 10/12/2023] [Indexed: 11/25/2023]
Abstract
The delayed and prolonged postmitotic maturation of human neurons, compared with neurons from other species, may contribute to human-specific cognitive abilities and neurological disorders. Here we review the mechanisms of neuronal maturation, applying lessons from model systems to understand the specific features of protracted human cortical maturation and species differences. We cover cell-intrinsic features of neuronal maturation, including transcriptional, epigenetic and metabolic mechanisms, as well as cell-extrinsic features, including the roles of activity and synapses, the actions of glial cells and the contribution of the extracellular matrix. We discuss evidence for species differences in biochemical reaction rates, the proposed existence of an epigenetic maturation clock and the contributions of both general and modular mechanisms to species-specific maturation timing. Finally, we suggest approaches to measure, improve and accelerate the maturation of human neurons in culture, examine crosstalk and interactions among these different aspects of maturation and propose conceptual models to guide future studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jenelle L Wallace
- Eli and Edythe Broad Center of Regeneration Medicine and Stem Cell Research, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA.
- Department of Neurology, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA.
| | - Alex A Pollen
- Eli and Edythe Broad Center of Regeneration Medicine and Stem Cell Research, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA.
- Department of Neurology, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA.
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25
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Panzani M, Mahmoudzadeh M, Wallois F, Dehaene-Lambertz G. Detection of regularities in auditory sequences before and at term-age in human neonates. Neuroimage 2023; 284:120428. [PMID: 37890563 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2023.120428] [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: 03/24/2023] [Revised: 10/02/2023] [Accepted: 10/25/2023] [Indexed: 10/29/2023] Open
Abstract
During the last trimester of gestation, fetuses and preterm neonates begin to respond to sensory stimulation and to discover the structure of their environment. Yet, neuronal migration is still ongoing. This late migration notably concerns the supra-granular layers neurons, which are believed to play a critical role in encoding predictions and detecting regularities. In order to gain a deeper understanding of how the brain processes and perceives regularities during this stage of development, we conducted a study in which we recorded event-related potentials (ERP) in 31-wGA preterm and full-term neonates exposed to alternating auditory sequences (e.g. "ba ga ba ga ba"), when the regularity of these sequences was violated by a repetition (e.g., ``ba ga ba ga ga''). We compared the ERPs in this case to those obtained when violating a simple repetition pattern ("ga ga ga ga ga" vs. "ga ga ga ga ba"). Our results indicated that both preterm and full-term neonates were able to detect violations of regularity in both types of sequences, indicating that as early as 31 weeks gestational age, human neonates are sensitive to the conditional statistics between successive auditory elements. Full-term neonates showed an early and similar mismatch response (MMR) in the repetition and alternating sequences. In contrast, 31-wGA neonates exhibited a two-component MMR. The first component which was only observed for simple sequences with repetition, corresponded to sensory adaptation. It was followed much later by a deviance-detection component that was observed for both alternation and repetition sequences. This pattern confirms that MMRs detected at the scalp may correspond to a dual cortical process and shows that deviance detection computed by higher-level regions accelerates dramatically with brain maturation during the last weeks of gestation to become indistinguishable from bottom-up sensory adaptation at term.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marine Panzani
- GRAMFc, Inserm U 1105, Centre Universitaire de Recherches en Santé, CHU sud, Avenue Laennec, 80036 Amiens Cedex, France
| | - Mahdi Mahmoudzadeh
- GRAMFc, Inserm U 1105, Centre Universitaire de Recherches en Santé, CHU sud, Avenue Laennec, 80036 Amiens Cedex, France
| | - Fabrice Wallois
- GRAMFc, Inserm U 1105, Centre Universitaire de Recherches en Santé, CHU sud, Avenue Laennec, 80036 Amiens Cedex, France.
| | - Ghislaine Dehaene-Lambertz
- Cognitive Neuroimaging Unit U992, CNRS, INSERM,CEA,DRF/Institut Joliot, Université Paris-Saclay, NeuroSpin Center, 91191, Gif/Yvette, France
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26
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Timonidis N, Bakker R, Rubio-Teves M, Alonso-Martínez C, Garcia-Amado M, Clascá F, Tiesinga PHE. Translating single-neuron axonal reconstructions into meso-scale connectivity statistics in the mouse somatosensory thalamus. Front Neuroinform 2023; 17:1272243. [PMID: 38107469 PMCID: PMC10722239 DOI: 10.3389/fninf.2023.1272243] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/03/2023] [Accepted: 11/13/2023] [Indexed: 12/19/2023] Open
Abstract
Characterizing the connectomic and morphological diversity of thalamic neurons is key for better understanding how the thalamus relays sensory inputs to the cortex. The recent public release of complete single-neuron morphological reconstructions enables the analysis of previously inaccessible connectivity patterns from individual neurons. Here we focus on the Ventral Posteromedial (VPM) nucleus and characterize the full diversity of 257 VPM neurons, obtained by combining data from the MouseLight and Braintell projects. Neurons were clustered according to their most dominantly targeted cortical area and further subdivided by their jointly targeted areas. We obtained a 2D embedding of morphological diversity using the dissimilarity between all pairs of axonal trees. The curved shape of the embedding allowed us to characterize neurons by a 1-dimensional coordinate. The coordinate values were aligned both with the progression of soma position along the dorsal-ventral and lateral-medial axes and with that of axonal terminals along the posterior-anterior and medial-lateral axes, as well as with an increase in the number of branching points, distance from soma and branching width. Taken together, we have developed a novel workflow for linking three challenging aspects of connectomics, namely the topography, higher order connectivity patterns and morphological diversity, with VPM as a test-case. The workflow is linked to a unified access portal that contains the morphologies and integrated with 2D cortical flatmap and subcortical visualization tools. The workflow and resulting processed data have been made available in Python, and can thus be used for modeling and experimentally validating new hypotheses on thalamocortical connectivity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nestor Timonidis
- Neuroinformatics Department, Donders Centre for Neuroscience, Radboud University Nijmegen, Nijmegen, Netherlands
| | - Rembrandt Bakker
- Neuroinformatics Department, Donders Centre for Neuroscience, Radboud University Nijmegen, Nijmegen, Netherlands
- Institute of Neuroscience and Medicine (INM-6) and Institute for Advanced Simulation (IAS-6) and JARA BRAIN Institute I, Jülich Research Centre, Jülich, Germany
| | - Mario Rubio-Teves
- Department of Anatomy and Neuroscience, School of Medicine, Autónoma de Madrid University, Madrid, Spain
| | - Carmen Alonso-Martínez
- Department of Anatomy and Neuroscience, School of Medicine, Autónoma de Madrid University, Madrid, Spain
| | - Maria Garcia-Amado
- Department of Anatomy and Neuroscience, School of Medicine, Autónoma de Madrid University, Madrid, Spain
| | - Francisco Clascá
- Institute of Neuroscience and Medicine (INM-6) and Institute for Advanced Simulation (IAS-6) and JARA BRAIN Institute I, Jülich Research Centre, Jülich, Germany
| | - Paul H. E. Tiesinga
- Neuroinformatics Department, Donders Centre for Neuroscience, Radboud University Nijmegen, Nijmegen, Netherlands
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27
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Zhi Y, Zhu Y, Wang J, Zhao J, Zhao Y. Cortical Organoid-on-a-Chip with Physiological Hypoxia for Investigating Tanshinone IIA-Induced Neural Differentiation. RESEARCH (WASHINGTON, D.C.) 2023; 6:0273. [PMID: 38434243 PMCID: PMC10907018 DOI: 10.34133/research.0273] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/26/2023] [Accepted: 11/04/2023] [Indexed: 03/05/2024]
Abstract
Cortical organoids represent cutting-edge models for mimic human brain development during the early and even middle stage of pregnancy, while they often fail to recreate the complex microenvironmental factors, such as physiological hypoxia. Herein, to recapitulate fetal brain development, we propose a novel cortical organoid-on-a-chip with physiological hypoxia and further explore the effects of tanshinone IIA (Tan IIA) in neural differentiation. The microfluidic chip was designed with a micropillar array for the controlled and efficient generation of cortical organoids. With low oxygen, the generated cortical organoids could recapitulate key aspects of early-gestational human brain development. Compared to organoids in normoxic culturing condition, the promoted neurogenesis, synaptogenesis and neuronal maturation were observed in the present microsystem, suggesting the significance of physiological hypoxia in cortical development. Based on this model, we have found that Chinese herbal drug Tan IIA could promote neural differentiation and maturation, indicating its potential therapeutic effects on neurodevelopmental disorders as well as congenital neuropsychiatric diseases. These results indicate that the proposed biomimetic cortical organoid-on-a-chip model with physiological hypoxia can offer a promising platform to simulate prenatal environment, explore brain development, and screen natural neuroactive components.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yue Zhi
- Department of Rheumatology and Immunology,
Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital, Clinical Medical College of Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, 210023, China
| | - Yujuan Zhu
- State Key Laboratory of Bioelectronics, School of Biological Science and Medical Engineering,
Southeast University, Nanjing, 210096, China
| | - Jinglin Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Bioelectronics, School of Biological Science and Medical Engineering,
Southeast University, Nanjing, 210096, China
| | - Junqi Zhao
- State Key Laboratory of Bioelectronics, School of Biological Science and Medical Engineering,
Southeast University, Nanjing, 210096, China
| | - Yuanjin Zhao
- Department of Rheumatology and Immunology,
Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital, Clinical Medical College of Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, 210023, China
- State Key Laboratory of Bioelectronics, School of Biological Science and Medical Engineering,
Southeast University, Nanjing, 210096, China
- Shenzhen Research Institute,
Southeast University, Shenzhen, 518038, China
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28
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Sheroziya M, Khazipov R. Synaptic Origin of Early Sensory-evoked Oscillations in the Immature Thalamus. Neuroscience 2023; 532:50-64. [PMID: 37769898 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroscience.2023.09.005] [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: 06/10/2023] [Revised: 08/22/2023] [Accepted: 09/08/2023] [Indexed: 10/03/2023]
Abstract
During the critical period of postnatal development, brain maturation is extremely sensitive to external stimuli. Newborn rodents already have functional somatosensory pathways and the thalamus, but the cortex is still forming. Immature thalamic synapses may produce large postsynaptic potentials in immature neurons, while non-synaptic membrane currents remain relatively weak and slow. The thalamocortical system generates spontaneous and evoked early gamma and spindle-burst oscillations in newborn rodents. How relatively strong synapses and weak intrinsic currents interact with each other and how they contribute to early thalamic activities remains largely unknown. Here, we performed local field potential (LFP), juxtacellular, and patch-clamp recordings in the somatosensory thalamus of urethane-anesthetized rat pups at postnatal days 6-7 with one whisker stimulation. We removed the overlying cortex and hippocampus to reach the thalamus with electrodes. Deflection of only one (the principal) whisker induced spikes in a particular thalamic cell. Whisker deflection evoked a group of large-amplitude excitatory events, likely originating from lemniscal synapses and multiple inhibitory postsynaptic events in thalamocortical cells. Large-amplitude excitatory events produced a group of spike bursts and could evoke a depolarization block. Juxtacellular recordings confirmed the partial inactivation of spikes. Inhibitory events prevented inactivation of action potentials and gamma-modulated neuronal firing. We conclude that the interplay of strong excitatory and inhibitory synapses and relatively weak intrinsic currents produces sensory-evoked early gamma oscillations in thalamocortical cells. We also propose that sensory-evoked large-amplitude excitatory events contribute to evoked spindle-bursts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maxim Sheroziya
- Laboratory of Neurobiology, Kazan Federal University, Kazan, Russia.
| | - Roustem Khazipov
- Laboratory of Neurobiology, Kazan Federal University, Kazan, Russia; Aix Marseille University, INSERM, INMED, Marseille, France
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29
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Zhang R, Quan H, Wang Y, Luo F. Neurogenesis in primates versus rodents and the value of non-human primate models. Natl Sci Rev 2023; 10:nwad248. [PMID: 38025664 PMCID: PMC10659238 DOI: 10.1093/nsr/nwad248] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/30/2023] [Revised: 08/21/2023] [Accepted: 09/10/2023] [Indexed: 12/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Neurogenesis, the process of generating neurons from neural stem cells, occurs during both embryonic and adult stages, with each stage possessing distinct characteristics. Dysfunction in either stage can disrupt normal neural development, impair cognitive functions, and lead to various neurological disorders. Recent technological advancements in single-cell multiomics and gene-editing have facilitated investigations into primate neurogenesis. Here, we provide a comprehensive overview of neurogenesis across rodents, non-human primates, and humans, covering embryonic development to adulthood and focusing on the conservation and diversity among species. While non-human primates, especially monkeys, serve as valuable models with closer neural resemblance to humans, we highlight the potential impacts and limitations of non-human primate models on both physiological and pathological neurogenesis research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Runrui Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Primate Biomedical Research; Institute of Primate Translational Medicine, Kunming University of Science and Technology, Kunming 650500, China
- Yunnan Key Laboratory of Primate Biomedical Research, Kunming 650500, China
| | - Hongxin Quan
- State Key Laboratory of Primate Biomedical Research; Institute of Primate Translational Medicine, Kunming University of Science and Technology, Kunming 650500, China
- Yunnan Key Laboratory of Primate Biomedical Research, Kunming 650500, China
| | - Yinfeng Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Primate Biomedical Research; Institute of Primate Translational Medicine, Kunming University of Science and Technology, Kunming 650500, China
- Yunnan Key Laboratory of Primate Biomedical Research, Kunming 650500, China
| | - Fucheng Luo
- State Key Laboratory of Primate Biomedical Research; Institute of Primate Translational Medicine, Kunming University of Science and Technology, Kunming 650500, China
- Yunnan Key Laboratory of Primate Biomedical Research, Kunming 650500, China
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30
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Boboshko MY, Savenko IV, Garbaruk ES, Knyazeva VM, Vasilyeva MJ. Impact of Prematurity on Auditory Processing in Children. PATHOPHYSIOLOGY 2023; 30:505-521. [PMID: 37987307 PMCID: PMC10661290 DOI: 10.3390/pathophysiology30040038] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/21/2023] [Revised: 10/16/2023] [Accepted: 10/24/2023] [Indexed: 11/22/2023] Open
Abstract
Prematurity is one of the most crucial risk factors negatively affecting the maturation of the auditory system. Children born preterm demonstrate high rates of hearing impairments. Auditory processing difficulties in preterm children might be a result of disturbances in the central auditory system development and/or sensory deprivation due to peripheral hearing loss. To investigate auditory processing in preterm children, we utilized a set of psychoacoustic tests to assess temporal processing and speech intelligibility. A total of 241 children aged 6-11 years old (136 born preterm and 105 healthy full-term children forming the control group) were assessed. The preterm children were divided into three groups based on their peripheral hearing status: 74 normal hearing (NH group); 30 children with bilateral permanent sensorineural hearing loss (SNHL group) and 32 children with bilateral auditory neuropathy spectrum disorder (ANSD group). The results showed significantly worse performance in all tests in premature children compared with full-term children. NH and SNHL groups showed significant age-related improvement in speech recognition thresholds in noise that might signify a "bottom-up" auditory processing maturation effect. Overall, all premature children had signs of auditory processing disorders of varying degrees. Analyzing and understanding the auditory processing specificity in preterm children can positively contribute to the more effective implementation of rehabilitation programs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria Y. Boboshko
- Department of Higher Nervous Activity and Psychophysiology, St. Petersburg State University, 199034 St. Petersburg, Russia;
- Laboratory of Hearing and Speech, Pavlov First St. Petersburg State Medical University, 197022 St. Petersburg, Russia; (I.V.S.); (E.S.G.)
| | - Irina V. Savenko
- Laboratory of Hearing and Speech, Pavlov First St. Petersburg State Medical University, 197022 St. Petersburg, Russia; (I.V.S.); (E.S.G.)
| | - Ekaterina S. Garbaruk
- Laboratory of Hearing and Speech, Pavlov First St. Petersburg State Medical University, 197022 St. Petersburg, Russia; (I.V.S.); (E.S.G.)
- Scientific Research Center, St. Petersburg State Pediatric Medical University, 194100 St. Petersburg, Russia
| | - Veronika M. Knyazeva
- Department of Higher Nervous Activity and Psychophysiology, St. Petersburg State University, 199034 St. Petersburg, Russia;
| | - Marina J. Vasilyeva
- Department of Higher Nervous Activity and Psychophysiology, St. Petersburg State University, 199034 St. Petersburg, Russia;
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31
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Klavinskis-Whiting S, Bitzenhofer S, Hanganu-Opatz I, Ellender T. Generation and propagation of bursts of activity in the developing basal ganglia. Cereb Cortex 2023; 33:10595-10613. [PMID: 37615347 PMCID: PMC10560579 DOI: 10.1093/cercor/bhad307] [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: 11/02/2022] [Revised: 08/02/2023] [Accepted: 08/03/2023] [Indexed: 08/25/2023] Open
Abstract
The neonatal brain is characterized by intermittent bursts of oscillatory activity interspersed by relative silence. Although well-characterized for many cortical areas, to what extent these propagate and interact with subcortical brain areas is largely unknown. Here, early network activity was recorded from the developing basal ganglia, including motor/somatosensory cortex, dorsal striatum, and intralaminar thalamus, during the first postnatal weeks in mice. An unsupervised detection and classification method revealed two main classes of bursting activity, namely spindle bursts and nested gamma spindle bursts, characterized by oscillatory activity at ~ 10 and ~ 30 Hz frequencies, respectively. These were reliably identified across all three brain regions and exhibited region-specific differences in their structural, spectral, and developmental characteristics. Bursts of the same type often co-occurred in different brain regions and coherence and cross-correlation analyses reveal dynamic developmental changes in their interactions. The strongest interactions were seen for cortex and striatum, from the first postnatal week onwards, and cortex appeared to drive burst events in subcortical regions. Together, these results provide the first detailed description of early network activity within the developing basal ganglia and suggest that cortex is one of the main drivers of activity in downstream nuclei during this postnatal period.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Sebastian Bitzenhofer
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Institute of Developmental Neurophysiology, Center for Molecular Neurobiology Hamburg (ZMNH), University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, 20246 Hamburg, Germany
| | - Ileana Hanganu-Opatz
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Institute of Developmental Neurophysiology, Center for Molecular Neurobiology Hamburg (ZMNH), University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, 20246 Hamburg, Germany
| | - Tommas Ellender
- Department of Pharmacology, University of Oxford, Mansfield Rd, Oxford, OX13QT, United Kingdom
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Antwerp, Universiteitsplein 1, 2610 Wilrijk, Belgium
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32
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Salamon I, Park Y, Miškić T, Kopić J, Matteson P, Page NF, Roque A, McAuliffe GW, Favate J, Garcia-Forn M, Shah P, Judaš M, Millonig JH, Kostović I, De Rubeis S, Hart RP, Krsnik Ž, Rasin MR. Celf4 controls mRNA translation underlying synaptic development in the prenatal mammalian neocortex. Nat Commun 2023; 14:6025. [PMID: 37758766 PMCID: PMC10533865 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-41730-8] [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: 11/15/2022] [Accepted: 09/18/2023] [Indexed: 09/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Abnormalities in neocortical and synaptic development are linked to neurodevelopmental disorders. However, the molecular and cellular mechanisms governing initial synapse formation in the prenatal neocortex remain poorly understood. Using polysome profiling coupled with snRNAseq on human cortical samples at various fetal phases, we identify human mRNAs, including those encoding synaptic proteins, with finely controlled translation in distinct cell populations of developing frontal neocortices. Examination of murine and human neocortex reveals that the RNA binding protein and translational regulator, CELF4, is expressed in compartments enriched in initial synaptogenesis: the marginal zone and the subplate. We also find that Celf4/CELF4-target mRNAs are encoded by risk genes for adverse neurodevelopmental outcomes translating into synaptic proteins. Surprisingly, deleting Celf4 in the forebrain disrupts the balance of subplate synapses in a sex-specific fashion. This highlights the significance of RNA binding proteins and mRNA translation in evolutionarily advanced synaptic development, potentially contributing to sex differences.
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Affiliation(s)
- Iva Salamon
- Department of Neuroscience and Cell Biology, Rutgers University, Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, Piscataway, NJ, 08854, USA
- Rutgers University, School of Graduate Studies, New Brunswick, NJ, 08854, USA
| | - Yongkyu Park
- Department of Neuroscience and Cell Biology, Rutgers University, Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, Piscataway, NJ, 08854, USA
| | - Terezija Miškić
- Croatian Institute for Brain Research, Center of Research Excellence for Basic, Clinical and Translational Neuroscience, University of Zagreb, School of Medicine, Zagreb, 10000, Croatia
| | - Janja Kopić
- Croatian Institute for Brain Research, Center of Research Excellence for Basic, Clinical and Translational Neuroscience, University of Zagreb, School of Medicine, Zagreb, 10000, Croatia
| | - Paul Matteson
- Center for Advanced Biotechnology and Medicine, Department of Neuroscience and Cell Biology, Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, Piscataway, NJ, USA
| | - Nicholas F Page
- Department of Neuroscience and Cell Biology, Rutgers University, Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, Piscataway, NJ, 08854, USA
| | - Alfonso Roque
- Department of Neuroscience and Cell Biology, Rutgers University, Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, Piscataway, NJ, 08854, USA
| | - Geoffrey W McAuliffe
- Department of Neuroscience and Cell Biology, Rutgers University, Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, Piscataway, NJ, 08854, USA
| | - John Favate
- Department of Genetics, Rutgers University, Piscataway, NJ, 08854, USA
| | - Marta Garcia-Forn
- Seaver Autism Center for Research and Treatment, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, 10029, USA
- Department of Psychiatry, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, 10029, USA
- Friedman Brain Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, 10029, USA
- Mindich Child Health and Development Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, 10029, USA
- The Alper Center for Neural Development and Regeneration, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, 10029, USA
| | - Premal Shah
- Department of Genetics, Rutgers University, Piscataway, NJ, 08854, USA
| | - Miloš Judaš
- Croatian Institute for Brain Research, Center of Research Excellence for Basic, Clinical and Translational Neuroscience, University of Zagreb, School of Medicine, Zagreb, 10000, Croatia
| | - James H Millonig
- Center for Advanced Biotechnology and Medicine, Department of Neuroscience and Cell Biology, Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, Piscataway, NJ, USA
| | - Ivica Kostović
- Croatian Institute for Brain Research, Center of Research Excellence for Basic, Clinical and Translational Neuroscience, University of Zagreb, School of Medicine, Zagreb, 10000, Croatia
| | - Silvia De Rubeis
- Seaver Autism Center for Research and Treatment, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, 10029, USA
- Department of Psychiatry, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, 10029, USA
- Friedman Brain Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, 10029, USA
- Mindich Child Health and Development Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, 10029, USA
- The Alper Center for Neural Development and Regeneration, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, 10029, USA
| | - Ronald P Hart
- Department of Cell Biology and Neuroscience, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, Piscataway, NJ, 08854, USA
| | - Željka Krsnik
- Croatian Institute for Brain Research, Center of Research Excellence for Basic, Clinical and Translational Neuroscience, University of Zagreb, School of Medicine, Zagreb, 10000, Croatia.
| | - Mladen-Roko Rasin
- Department of Neuroscience and Cell Biology, Rutgers University, Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, Piscataway, NJ, 08854, USA.
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33
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Tian M, Xiao X, Hu H, Cusack R, Bedny M. Visual experience shapes functional connectivity between occipital and non-visual networks. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.02.21.528939. [PMID: 36865300 PMCID: PMC9980152 DOI: 10.1101/2023.02.21.528939] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/23/2023]
Abstract
Comparisons across adults with different sensory histories (blind vs. sighted) have uncovered effects of experience on human brain function. In people born blind visual cortices are responsive to non-visual tasks and show altered functional connectivity at rest. Since almost all research has been done with adults, little is known about the developmental origins of this plasticity. Are infant visual cortices initially functionally like those of sighted adults and blindness causes reorganization? Alternatively, do infants start like blind adults, with vision required to set up the sighted pattern? To distinguish between these possibilities, we compare resting state functional connectivity across blind (n = 30) and blindfolded sighted (n = 50) adults to a large cohort of sighted infants (Developing Human Connectome Project, n = 475). Remarkably, we find that infant secondary visual cortices functionally resemble those of blind more than sighted adults, consistent with the idea that visual experience is required to set up long-range functional connectivity. Primary visual cortices show a mixture of instructive effects of vision and reorganizing effects of blindness. Specifically, in sighted adults, visual cortices show stronger functional coupling with nonvisual sensory-motor networks (i.e., auditory, somatosensory/motor) than with higher-cognitive prefrontal cortices (PFC). In blind adults, visual cortices show stronger coupling with PFC. In infants, connectivity of secondary visual cortices is stronger with PFC, while V1 shows equal sensory-motor/PFC connectivity. In contrast, lateralization of occipital-to-frontal connectivity resembles the sighted adults at birth and is reorganized by blindness, possibly due to recruitment of occipital networks for lateralized cognitive functions, such as language.
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34
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Kourdougli N, Suresh A, Liu B, Juarez P, Lin A, Chung DT, Graven Sams A, Gandal MJ, Martínez-Cerdeño V, Buonomano DV, Hall BJ, Mombereau C, Portera-Cailliau C. Improvement of sensory deficits in fragile X mice by increasing cortical interneuron activity after the critical period. Neuron 2023; 111:2863-2880.e6. [PMID: 37451263 PMCID: PMC10529373 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuron.2023.06.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/09/2022] [Revised: 04/14/2023] [Accepted: 06/16/2023] [Indexed: 07/18/2023]
Abstract
Changes in the function of inhibitory interneurons (INs) during cortical development could contribute to the pathophysiology of neurodevelopmental disorders. Using all-optical in vivo approaches, we find that parvalbumin (PV) INs and their immature precursors are hypoactive and transiently decoupled from excitatory neurons in postnatal mouse somatosensory cortex (S1) of Fmr1 KO mice, a model of fragile X syndrome (FXS). This leads to a loss of parvalbumin INs (PV-INs) in both mice and humans with FXS. Increasing the activity of future PV-INs in neonatal Fmr1 KO mice restores PV-IN density and ameliorates transcriptional dysregulation in S1, but not circuit dysfunction. Critically, administering an allosteric modulator of Kv3.1 channels after the S1 critical period does rescue circuit dynamics and tactile defensiveness. Symptoms in FXS and related disorders could be mitigated by targeting PV-INs.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Anand Suresh
- Department of Neurology, UCLA, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Benjamin Liu
- Department of Neurology, UCLA, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Pablo Juarez
- Department of Pathology, UC Davis, Davis, CA, USA
| | - Ashley Lin
- Department of Neurology, UCLA, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | | | | | | | | | - Dean V Buonomano
- Department of Neurology, UCLA, Los Angeles, CA, USA; Department of Psychology, UCLA, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | | | | | - Carlos Portera-Cailliau
- Department of Neurology, UCLA, Los Angeles, CA, USA; Department of Neurobiology, UCLA, Los Angeles, CA, USA.
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Wilkinson CL, Yankowitz L, Chao JY, Gutiérrez R, Rhoades JL, Shinnar S, Purdon PL, Nelson CA. Developmental trajectories of EEG aperiodic and periodic power: Implications for understanding the timing of thalamocortical development during infancy. RESEARCH SQUARE 2023:rs.3.rs-3215728. [PMID: 37790544 PMCID: PMC10543027 DOI: 10.21203/rs.3.rs-3215728/v1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/05/2023]
Abstract
The development of neural circuits over the first years of life has long-lasting effects on brain function, yet our understanding of early circuit development in humans remains limited. Here, aperiodic and periodic EEG power features were examined from longitudinal EEGs collected from 592 healthy 2-44 month-old infants, revealing age-dependent nonlinear changes suggestive of distinct milestones in early brain maturation. Consistent with the transient developmental progression of thalamocortical circuitry, we observe the presence and then absence of periodic alpha and high beta peaks across the three-year period, as well as the emergence of a low beta peak (12-20Hz) after six months of age. We present preliminary evidence that the emergence of the low beta peak is associated with thalamocortical connectivity sufficient for anesthesia-induced alpha coherence. Together, these findings suggest that early age-dependent changes in alpha and beta periodic peaks may reflect the state of thalamocortical network development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carol L Wilkinson
- Division of Developmental Medicine, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA, United States
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Lisa Yankowitz
- Division of Developmental Medicine, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Jerry Y Chao
- Department of Anesthesiology, Montefiore Medical Center, Children's Hospital at Montefiore, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY, USA
| | - Rodrigo Gutiérrez
- Centro de Investigación Clínica Avanzada, Hospital Clínico de la Universidad de Chile, Santiago, Chile
- Department of Anesthesia, Critical Care and Pain Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Jeff L Rhoades
- Department of Neurobiology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
- Program in Neuroscience, Division of Medical Sciences, Graduate School of Arts and Sciences, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Shlomo Shinnar
- The Saul R. Korey Department of Neurology, Montefiore Medical Center, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY, USA
- Department of Epidemiology and Population Health, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY, USA
| | - Patrick L Purdon
- Department of Anesthesia, Critical Care and Pain Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Charles A Nelson
- Division of Developmental Medicine, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA, United States
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
- Harvard Graduate School of Education, Cambridge, MA, United States
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36
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Alhesain M, Ronan H, LeBeau FEN, Clowry GJ. Expression of the schizophrenia associated gene FEZ1 in the early developing fetal human forebrain. Front Neurosci 2023; 17:1249973. [PMID: 37746155 PMCID: PMC10514365 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2023.1249973] [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: 06/29/2023] [Accepted: 08/15/2023] [Indexed: 09/26/2023] Open
Abstract
Introduction The protein fasciculation and elongation zeta-1 (FEZ1) is involved in axon outgrowth but potentially interacts with various proteins with roles ranging from intracellular transport to transcription regulation. Gene association and other studies have identified FEZ1 as being directly, or indirectly, implicated in schizophrenia susceptibility. To explore potential roles in normal early human forebrain neurodevelopment, we mapped FEZ1 expression by region and cell type. Methods All tissues were provided with maternal consent and ethical approval by the Human Developmental Biology Resource. RNAseq data were obtained from previously published sources. Thin paraffin sections from 8 to 21 post-conceptional weeks (PCW) samples were used for RNAScope in situ hybridization and immunohistochemistry against FEZ1 mRNA and protein, and other marker proteins. Results Tissue RNAseq revealed that FEZ1 is highly expressed in the human cerebral cortex between 7.5-17 PCW and single cell RNAseq at 17-18 PCW confirmed its expression in all neuroectoderm derived cells. The highest levels were found in more mature glutamatergic neurons, the lowest in GABAergic neurons and dividing progenitors. In the thalamus, single cell RNAseq similarly confirmed expression in multiple cell types. In cerebral cortex sections at 8-10 PCW, strong expression of mRNA and protein appeared confined to post-mitotic neurons, with low expression seen in progenitor zones. Protein expression was observed in some axon tracts by 16-19 PCW. However, in sub-cortical regions, FEZ1 was highly expressed in progenitor zones at early developmental stages, showing lower expression in post-mitotic cells. Discussion FEZ1 has different expression patterns and potentially diverse functions in discrete forebrain regions during prenatal human development.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Gavin J. Clowry
- Centre for Transformative Research in Neuroscience, Newcastle University Biosciences Institute, Newcastle upon Tyne, United Kingdom
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Feldmeyer D. Structure and function of neocortical layer 6b. Front Cell Neurosci 2023; 17:1257803. [PMID: 37744882 PMCID: PMC10516558 DOI: 10.3389/fncel.2023.1257803] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/13/2023] [Accepted: 08/14/2023] [Indexed: 09/26/2023] Open
Abstract
Cortical layer 6b is considered by many to be a remnant of the subplate that forms during early stages of neocortical development, but its role in the adult is not well understood. Its neuronal complement has only recently become the subject of systematic studies, and its axonal projections and synaptic input structures have remained largely unexplored despite decades of research into neocortical function. In recent years, however, layer 6b (L6b) has attracted increasing attention and its functional role is beginning to be elucidated. In this review, I will attempt to provide an overview of what is currently known about the excitatory and inhibitory neurons in this layer, their pre- and postsynaptic connectivity, and their functional implications. Similarities and differences between different cortical areas will be highlighted. Finally, layer 6b neurons are highly responsive to several neuropeptides such as orexin/hypocretin, neurotensin and cholecystokinin, in some cases exclusively. They are also strongly controlled by neurotransmitters such as acetylcholine and norepinephrine. The interaction of these neuromodulators with L6b microcircuitry and its functional consequences will also be discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dirk Feldmeyer
- Research Centre Jülich, Institute of Neuroscience and Medicine 10 (INM-10), Jülich, Germany
- Department of Psychiatry, Psychotherapy, and Psychosomatics, RWTH Aachen University Hospital, Aachen, Germany
- Jülich-Aachen Research Alliance, Translational Brain Medicine (JARA Brain), Aachen, Germany
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Horibe K, Taga G, Fujimoto K. Geodesic theory of long association fibers arrangement in the human fetal cortex. Cereb Cortex 2023; 33:9778-9786. [PMID: 37482884 PMCID: PMC10472492 DOI: 10.1093/cercor/bhad243] [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: 01/27/2023] [Revised: 06/12/2023] [Accepted: 06/13/2023] [Indexed: 07/25/2023] Open
Abstract
Association fibers connect different areas of the cerebral cortex over long distances and integrate information to achieve higher brain functions, particularly in humans. Prototyped association fibers are developed to the respective tangential direction throughout the cerebral hemispheres along the deepest border of the subplate during the fetal period. However, how guidance to remote areas is achieved is not known. Because the subplate is located below the cortical surface, the tangential direction of the fibers may be biased by the curved surface geometry due to Sylvian fissure and cortical poles. The fiber length can be minimized if the tracts follow the shortest paths (geodesics) of the curved surface. Here, we propose and examine a theory that geodesics guide the tangential direction of long association fibers by analyzing how geodesics are spatially distributed on the fetal human brains. We found that the geodesics were dense on the saddle-shaped surface of the perisylvian region and sparse on the dome-shaped cortical poles. The geodesics corresponded with the arrangement of five typical association fibers, supporting the theory. Thus, the geodesic theory provides directional guidance information for wiring remote areas and suggests that long association fibers emerge from minimizing their tangential length in fetal brains.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kazuya Horibe
- Department of Biological Sciences, Graduate School of Science, Osaka University, 1-1 Machikaneyama-cho, Toyonaka, 560-0043 Osaka, Japan
- Department of Systems Innovation, Graduate School of Engineering Science, Osaka University, 1-3 Machikaneyama-cho, Toyonaka, 560-8531 Osaka, Japan
| | - Gentaro Taga
- Department of Physical and Health Education, Graduate School of Education, The University of Tokyo, 7-3-1 Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, 113-0033 Tokyo, Japan
| | - Koichi Fujimoto
- Department of Biological Sciences, Graduate School of Science, Osaka University, 1-1 Machikaneyama-cho, Toyonaka, 560-0043 Osaka, Japan
- Program of Mathematical and Life Sciences, Hiroshima University, 1-3-1 Kagamiyama, Higashi-Hiroshima, 739-8526 Hiroshima, Japan
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Sinclair-Wilson A, Lawrence A, Ferezou I, Cartonnet H, Mailhes C, Garel S, Lokmane L. Plasticity of thalamocortical axons is regulated by serotonin levels modulated by preterm birth. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2023; 120:e2301644120. [PMID: 37549297 PMCID: PMC10438379 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2301644120] [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: 07/09/2023] [Indexed: 08/09/2023] Open
Abstract
Sensory inputs are conveyed to distinct primary areas of the neocortex through specific thalamocortical axons (TCA). While TCA have the ability to reorient postnatally to rescue embryonic mistargeting and target proper modality-specific areas, how this remarkable adaptive process is regulated remains largely unknown. Here, using a mutant mouse model with a shifted TCA trajectory during embryogenesis, we demonstrated that TCA rewiring occurs during a short postnatal time window, preceded by a prenatal apoptosis of thalamic neurons-two processes that together lead to the formation of properly innervated albeit reduced primary sensory areas. We furthermore showed that preterm birth, through serotonin modulation, impairs early postnatal TCA plasticity, as well as the subsequent delineation of cortical area boundary. Our study defines a birth and serotonin-sensitive period that enables concerted adaptations of TCA to primary cortical areas with major implications for our understanding of brain wiring in physiological and preterm conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexander Sinclair-Wilson
- Team Brain Development and Plasticity, Institut de Biologie de l’ENS, École Normale Supérieure, CNRS, INSERM, PSL Research University, 75005Paris, France
| | - Akindé Lawrence
- Team Brain Development and Plasticity, Institut de Biologie de l’ENS, École Normale Supérieure, CNRS, INSERM, PSL Research University, 75005Paris, France
| | - Isabelle Ferezou
- Université Paris-Saclay, CNRS, Institut des Neurosciences Paris-Saclay, 91400Saclay, France
| | - Hugues Cartonnet
- Team Brain Development and Plasticity, Institut de Biologie de l’ENS, École Normale Supérieure, CNRS, INSERM, PSL Research University, 75005Paris, France
| | - Caroline Mailhes
- Acute Transgenesis Facility, Institut de Biologie de l’ENS, École Normale Supérieure, CNRS, INSERM, PSL Research University, 75005Paris, France
| | - Sonia Garel
- Team Brain Development and Plasticity, Institut de Biologie de l’ENS, École Normale Supérieure, CNRS, INSERM, PSL Research University, 75005Paris, France
- Collège de France, PSL Research University, 75005Paris, France
| | - Ludmilla Lokmane
- Team Brain Development and Plasticity, Institut de Biologie de l’ENS, École Normale Supérieure, CNRS, INSERM, PSL Research University, 75005Paris, France
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40
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Yamoah EN, Pavlinkova G, Fritzsch B. The Development of Speaking and Singing in Infants May Play a Role in Genomics and Dementia in Humans. Brain Sci 2023; 13:1190. [PMID: 37626546 PMCID: PMC10452560 DOI: 10.3390/brainsci13081190] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/24/2023] [Revised: 08/04/2023] [Accepted: 08/08/2023] [Indexed: 08/27/2023] Open
Abstract
The development of the central auditory system, including the auditory cortex and other areas involved in processing sound, is shaped by genetic and environmental factors, enabling infants to learn how to speak. Before explaining hearing in humans, a short overview of auditory dysfunction is provided. Environmental factors such as exposure to sound and language can impact the development and function of the auditory system sound processing, including discerning in speech perception, singing, and language processing. Infants can hear before birth, and sound exposure sculpts their developing auditory system structure and functions. Exposing infants to singing and speaking can support their auditory and language development. In aging humans, the hippocampus and auditory nuclear centers are affected by neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's, resulting in memory and auditory processing difficulties. As the disease progresses, overt auditory nuclear center damage occurs, leading to problems in processing auditory information. In conclusion, combined memory and auditory processing difficulties significantly impact people's ability to communicate and engage with their societal essence.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ebenezer N. Yamoah
- Department of Physiology and Cell Biology, School of Medicine, University of Nevada, Reno, NV 89557, USA;
| | | | - Bernd Fritzsch
- Department of Neurological Sciences, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE 68198, USA
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41
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Peerboom C, de Kater S, Jonker N, Rieter MPJM, Wijne T, Wierenga CJ. Delaying the GABA Shift Indirectly Affects Membrane Properties in the Developing Hippocampus. J Neurosci 2023; 43:5483-5500. [PMID: 37438107 PMCID: PMC10376938 DOI: 10.1523/jneurosci.0251-23.2023] [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: 02/10/2023] [Revised: 06/28/2023] [Accepted: 06/30/2023] [Indexed: 07/14/2023] Open
Abstract
During the first two postnatal weeks, intraneuronal chloride concentrations in rodents gradually decrease, causing a shift from depolarizing to hyperpolarizing GABA responses. The postnatal GABA shift is delayed in rodent models for neurodevelopmental disorders and in human patients, but the impact of a delayed GABA shift on the developing brain remains obscure. Here we examine the direct and indirect consequences of a delayed postnatal GABA shift on network development in organotypic hippocampal cultures made from 6- to 7-d-old mice by treating the cultures for 1 week with VU0463271, a specific inhibitor of the chloride exporter KCC2. We verified that VU treatment delayed the GABA shift and kept GABA signaling depolarizing until DIV9. We found that the structural and functional development of excitatory and inhibitory synapses at DIV9 was not affected after VU treatment. In line with previous studies, we observed that GABA signaling was already inhibitory in control and VU-treated postnatal slices. Surprisingly, 14 d after the VU treatment had ended (DIV21), we observed an increased frequency of spontaneous inhibitory postsynaptic currents in CA1 pyramidal cells, while excitatory currents were not changed. Synapse numbers and release probability were unaffected. We found that dendrite-targeting interneurons in the stratum radiatum had an elevated resting membrane potential, while pyramidal cells were less excitable compared with control slices. Our results show that depolarizing GABA signaling does not promote synapse formation after P7, and suggest that postnatal intracellular chloride levels indirectly affect membrane properties in a cell-specific manner.SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT During brain development, the action of neurotransmitter GABA shifts from depolarizing to hyperpolarizing. This shift is a thought to play a critical role in synapse formation. A delayed shift is common in rodent models for neurodevelopmental disorders and in human patients, but its consequences for synaptic development remain obscure. Here, we delayed the GABA shift by 1 week in organotypic hippocampal cultures and carefully examined the consequences for circuit development. We find that delaying the shift has no direct effects on synaptic development, but instead leads to indirect, cell type-specific changes in membrane properties. Our data call for careful assessment of alterations in cellular excitability in neurodevelopmental disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carlijn Peerboom
- Cell Biology, Neurobiology and Biophysics, Biology Department, Utrecht University, Utrecht, 3584 CH, The Netherlands
| | - Sam de Kater
- Cell Biology, Neurobiology and Biophysics, Biology Department, Utrecht University, Utrecht, 3584 CH, The Netherlands
| | - Nikki Jonker
- Cell Biology, Neurobiology and Biophysics, Biology Department, Utrecht University, Utrecht, 3584 CH, The Netherlands
| | - Marijn P J M Rieter
- Cell Biology, Neurobiology and Biophysics, Biology Department, Utrecht University, Utrecht, 3584 CH, The Netherlands
| | - Tessel Wijne
- Cell Biology, Neurobiology and Biophysics, Biology Department, Utrecht University, Utrecht, 3584 CH, The Netherlands
| | - Corette J Wierenga
- Cell Biology, Neurobiology and Biophysics, Biology Department, Utrecht University, Utrecht, 3584 CH, The Netherlands
- Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour, Radboud University, Nijmegen, 6525 AJ, The Netherlands
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42
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Na X, Glasier CM, Andres A, Bellando J, Chen H, Gao W, Livingston LW, Badger TM, Ou X. Associations between mother's depressive symptoms during pregnancy and newborn's brain functional connectivity. Cereb Cortex 2023; 33:8980-8989. [PMID: 37218652 PMCID: PMC10350841 DOI: 10.1093/cercor/bhad176] [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: 02/28/2023] [Revised: 05/02/2023] [Accepted: 05/03/2023] [Indexed: 05/24/2023] Open
Abstract
Depression during pregnancy is common and the prevalence further increased during the COVID pandemic. Recent findings have shown potential impact of antenatal depression on children's neurodevelopment and behavior, but the underlying mechanisms are unclear. Nor is it clear whether mild depressive symptoms among pregnant women would impact the developing brain. In this study, 40 healthy pregnant women had their depressive symptoms evaluated by the Beck Depression Inventory-II at ~12, ~24, and ~36 weeks of pregnancy, and their healthy full-term newborns underwent a brain MRI without sedation including resting-state fMRI for evaluation of functional connectivity development. The relationships between functional connectivities and maternal Beck Depression Inventory-II scores were evaluated by Spearman's rank partial correlation tests using appropriate multiple comparison correction with newborn's gender and gestational age at birth controlled. Significant negative correlations were identified between neonatal brain functional connectivity and mother's Beck Depression Inventory-II scores in the third trimester, but not in the first or second trimester. Higher depressive symptoms during the third trimester of pregnancy were associated with lower neonatal brain functional connectivity in the frontal lobe and between frontal/temporal lobe and occipital lobe, indicating a potential impact of maternal depressive symptoms on offspring brain development, even in the absence of clinical depression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaoxu Na
- Department of Radiology, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, AR 72205, United States
| | - Charles M Glasier
- Department of Radiology, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, AR 72205, United States
| | - Aline Andres
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, AR 72205, United States
- Arkansas Children’s Nutrition Center, Little Rock 72202, AR, United States
- Arkansas Children’s Research Institute, Little Rock 72202, AR, United States
| | - Jayne Bellando
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, AR 72205, United States
| | - Haitao Chen
- Department of Biomedical Sciences and Imaging, Cedars Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, CA 90048, United States
- Biomedical Imaging Research Institute, Cedars Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, CA 90048, United States
- Department of Bioengineering, University of California at Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095, United States
| | - Wei Gao
- Department of Biomedical Sciences and Imaging, Cedars Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, CA 90048, United States
- Biomedical Imaging Research Institute, Cedars Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, CA 90048, United States
| | - Luke W Livingston
- College of Medicine, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, AR 72205, United States
| | - Thomas M Badger
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, AR 72205, United States
- Arkansas Children’s Nutrition Center, Little Rock 72202, AR, United States
- Arkansas Children’s Research Institute, Little Rock 72202, AR, United States
| | - Xiawei Ou
- Department of Radiology, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, AR 72205, United States
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, AR 72205, United States
- Arkansas Children’s Nutrition Center, Little Rock 72202, AR, United States
- Arkansas Children’s Research Institute, Little Rock 72202, AR, United States
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43
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Mukherjee D, Xue B, Chen CT, Chang M, Kao JPY, Kanold PO. Early retinal deprivation crossmodally alters nascent subplate circuits and activity in the auditory cortex during the precritical period. Cereb Cortex 2023; 33:9038-9053. [PMID: 37259176 PMCID: PMC10350824 DOI: 10.1093/cercor/bhad180] [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: 02/24/2023] [Revised: 05/03/2023] [Accepted: 05/04/2023] [Indexed: 06/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Sensory perturbation in one modality results in the adaptive reorganization of neural pathways within the spared modalities, a phenomenon known as "crossmodal plasticity," which has been examined during or after the classic "critical period." Because peripheral perturbations can alter the auditory cortex (ACX) activity and functional connectivity of the ACX subplate neurons (SPNs) even before the critical period, called the precritical period, we investigated if retinal deprivation at birth crossmodally alters the ACX activity and SPN circuits during the precritical period. We deprived newborn mice of visual inputs after birth by performing bilateral enucleation. We performed in vivo widefield imaging in the ACX of awake pups during the first two postnatal weeks to investigate cortical activity. We found that enucleation alters spontaneous and sound-evoked activities in the ACX in an age-dependent manner. Next, we performed whole-cell patch clamp recording combined with laser scanning photostimulation in ACX slices to investigate circuit changes in SPNs. We found that enucleation alters the intracortical inhibitory circuits impinging on SPNs, shifting the excitation-inhibition balance toward excitation and this shift persists after ear opening. Together, our results indicate that crossmodal functional changes exist in the developing sensory cortices at early ages before the onset of the classic critical period.
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Affiliation(s)
- Didhiti Mukherjee
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21205, United States
| | - Binghan Xue
- Department of Biology, University of Maryland, College Park, MD 20742, United States
| | - Chih-Ting Chen
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21205, United States
| | - Minzi Chang
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21205, United States
| | - Joseph P Y Kao
- Department of Physiology, Center for Biomedical Engineering and Technology, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21201, United States
| | - Patrick O Kanold
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21205, United States
- Department of Biology, University of Maryland, College Park, MD 20742, United States
- Kavli Neuroscience Discovery Institute, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21205, United States
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Zhang C, Wang Y, Jing X, Yan JH. Brain mechanisms of mental processing: from evoked and spontaneous brain activities to enactive brain activity. PSYCHORADIOLOGY 2023; 3:kkad010. [PMID: 38666106 PMCID: PMC10917368 DOI: 10.1093/psyrad/kkad010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/04/2023] [Revised: 06/23/2023] [Accepted: 06/29/2023] [Indexed: 04/28/2024]
Abstract
Within the context of the computer metaphor, evoked brain activity acts as a primary carrier for the brain mechanisms of mental processing. However, many studies have found that evoked brain activity is not the major part of brain activity. Instead, spontaneous brain activity exhibits greater intensity and coevolves with evoked brain activity through continuous interaction. Spontaneous and evoked brain activities are similar but not identical. They are not separate parts, but always dynamically interact with each other. Therefore, the enactive cognition theory further states that the brain is characterized by unified and active patterns of activity. The brain adjusts its activity pattern by minimizing the error between expectation and stimulation, adapting to the ever-changing environment. Therefore, the dynamic regulation of brain activity in response to task situations is the core brain mechanism of mental processing. Beyond the evoked brain activity and spontaneous brain activity, the enactive brain activity provides a novel framework to completely describe brain activities during mental processing. It is necessary for upcoming researchers to introduce innovative indicators and paradigms for investigating enactive brain activity during mental processing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chi Zhang
- Institute of Brain and Psychological Sciences, Sichuan Normal University, Chengdu 610066, China
| | - Yifeng Wang
- Institute of Brain and Psychological Sciences, Sichuan Normal University, Chengdu 610066, China
| | - Xiujuan Jing
- Tianfu College of Southwestern University of Finance and Economics, Chengdu 610052, China
| | - Jin H Yan
- Sports Psychology Department, China Institute of Sport Science, Beijing 100061, China
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45
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Park Y, Hernandez S, Hernandez CO, Schweiger HE, Li H, Voitiuk K, Dechiraju H, Hawthorne N, Muzzy EM, Selberg JA, Sullivan FN, Urcuyo R, Salama SR, Aslankoohi E, Teodorescu M, Mostajo-Radji MA, Rolandi M. Modulation of neuronal activity in cortical organoids with bioelectronic delivery of ions and neurotransmitters. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.06.10.544416. [PMID: 37333351 PMCID: PMC10274913 DOI: 10.1101/2023.06.10.544416] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/20/2023]
Abstract
Precise modulation of brain activity is fundamental for the proper establishment and maturation of the cerebral cortex. To this end, cortical organoids are promising tools to study circuit formation and the underpinnings of neurodevelopmental disease. However, the ability to manipulate neuronal activity with high temporal resolution in brain organoids remains limited. To overcome this challenge, we introduce a bioelectronic approach to control cortical organoid activity with the selective delivery of ions and neurotransmitters. Using this approach, we sequentially increased and decreased neuronal activity in brain organoids with the bioelectronic delivery of potassium ions (K+) and γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA), respectively, while simultaneously monitoring network activity. This works highlights bioelectronic ion pumps as tools for high-resolution temporal control of brain organoid activity toward precise pharmacological studies that can improve our understanding of neuronal function.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yunjeong Park
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of California Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz, CA 95064, USA
| | - Sebastian Hernandez
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of California Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz, CA 95064, USA
- Genomics Institute, University of California Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz, CA 95060, USA
- Live Cell Biotechnology Discovery Lab, University of California Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz, CA 95060
- Centro de Electroquímica y Energía Química (CELEQ), Universidad de Costa Rica, San José, 11501 2060, Costa Rica
| | - Cristian O. Hernandez
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of California Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz, CA 95064, USA
| | - Hunter E. Schweiger
- Genomics Institute, University of California Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz, CA 95060, USA
- Live Cell Biotechnology Discovery Lab, University of California Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz, CA 95060
- Department of Molecular, Cellular and Developmental Biology, University of California Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz, CA 95060
| | - Houpu Li
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of California Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz, CA 95064, USA
| | - Kateryna Voitiuk
- Genomics Institute, University of California Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz, CA 95060, USA
- Department of Molecular, Cellular and Developmental Biology, University of California Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz, CA 95060
| | - Harika Dechiraju
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of California Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz, CA 95064, USA
| | - Nico Hawthorne
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of California Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz, CA 95064, USA
- Genomics Institute, University of California Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz, CA 95060, USA
| | - Elana M. Muzzy
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of California Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz, CA 95064, USA
| | - John A. Selberg
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of California Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz, CA 95064, USA
| | | | - Roberto Urcuyo
- Centro de Electroquímica y Energía Química (CELEQ), Universidad de Costa Rica, San José, 11501 2060, Costa Rica
| | - Sofie R. Salama
- Genomics Institute, University of California Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz, CA 95060, USA
- Live Cell Biotechnology Discovery Lab, University of California Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz, CA 95060
- Department of Molecular, Cellular and Developmental Biology, University of California Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz, CA 95060
| | - Elham Aslankoohi
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of California Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz, CA 95064, USA
| | - Mircea Teodorescu
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of California Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz, CA 95064, USA
- Genomics Institute, University of California Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz, CA 95060, USA
| | - Mohammed A. Mostajo-Radji
- Genomics Institute, University of California Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz, CA 95060, USA
- Live Cell Biotechnology Discovery Lab, University of California Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz, CA 95060
| | - Marco Rolandi
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of California Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz, CA 95064, USA
- Genomics Institute, University of California Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz, CA 95060, USA
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46
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Choi D, Yeung HH, Werker JF. Sensorimotor foundations of speech perception in infancy. Trends Cogn Sci 2023:S1364-6613(23)00124-9. [PMID: 37302917 DOI: 10.1016/j.tics.2023.05.007] [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: 02/24/2021] [Revised: 05/09/2023] [Accepted: 05/10/2023] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
The perceptual system for speech is highly organized from early infancy. This organization bootstraps young human learners' ability to acquire their native speech and language from speech input. Here, we review behavioral and neuroimaging evidence that perceptual systems beyond the auditory modality are also specialized for speech in infancy, and that motor and sensorimotor systems can influence speech perception even in infants too young to produce speech-like vocalizations. These investigations complement existing literature on infant vocal development and on the interplay between speech perception and production systems in adults. We conclude that a multimodal speech and language network is present before speech-like vocalizations emerge.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dawoon Choi
- Department of Psychology, Yale University, Yale, CT, USA.
| | - H Henny Yeung
- Department of Linguistics, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, BC, Canada
| | - Janet F Werker
- Department of Psychology, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada.
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47
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Schroer J, Warm D, De Rosa F, Luhmann HJ, Sinning A. Activity-dependent regulation of the BAX/BCL-2 pathway protects cortical neurons from apoptotic death during early development. Cell Mol Life Sci 2023; 80:175. [PMID: 37269320 DOI: 10.1007/s00018-023-04824-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/17/2023] [Revised: 05/23/2023] [Accepted: 05/24/2023] [Indexed: 06/05/2023]
Abstract
During early brain development, homeostatic removal of cortical neurons is crucial and requires multiple control mechanisms. We investigated in the cerebral cortex of mice whether the BAX/BCL-2 pathway, an important regulator of apoptosis, is part of this machinery and how electrical activity might serve as a set point of regulation. Activity is known to be a pro-survival factor; however, how this effect is translated into enhanced survival chances on a neuronal level is not fully understood. In this study, we show that caspase activity is highest at the neonatal stage, while developmental cell death peaks at the end of the first postnatal week. During the first postnatal week, upregulation of BAX is accompanied by downregulation of BCL-2 protein, resulting in a high BAX/BCL-2 ratio when neuronal death rates are high. In cultured neurons, pharmacological blockade of activity leads to an acute upregulation of Bax, while elevated activity results in a lasting increase of BCL-2 expression. Spontaneously active neurons not only exhibit lower Bax levels than inactive neurons but also show almost exclusively BCL-2 expression. Disinhibition of network activity prevents the death of neurons overexpressing activated CASP3. This neuroprotective effect is not the result of reduced caspase activity but is associated with a downregulation of the BAX/BCL-2 ratio. Notably, increasing neuronal activity has a similar, non-additive effect as the blockade of BAX. Conclusively, high electrical activity modulates BAX/BCL-2 expression and leads to higher tolerance to CASP3 activity, increases survival, and presumably promotes non-apoptotic CASP3 functions in developing neurons.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jonas Schroer
- Institute of Physiology, University Medical Center of the Johannes Gutenberg University, Duesbergweg 6, 55128, Mainz, Germany
| | - Davide Warm
- Institute of Physiology, University Medical Center of the Johannes Gutenberg University, Duesbergweg 6, 55128, Mainz, Germany
| | - Federico De Rosa
- Institute of Physiology, University Medical Center of the Johannes Gutenberg University, Duesbergweg 6, 55128, Mainz, Germany
| | - Heiko J Luhmann
- Institute of Physiology, University Medical Center of the Johannes Gutenberg University, Duesbergweg 6, 55128, Mainz, Germany
| | - Anne Sinning
- Institute of Physiology, University Medical Center of the Johannes Gutenberg University, Duesbergweg 6, 55128, Mainz, Germany.
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48
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Suárez R, Bluett T, McCullough MH, Avitan L, Black DA, Paolino A, Fenlon LR, Goodhill GJ, Richards LJ. Cortical activity emerges in region-specific patterns during early brain development. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2023; 120:e2208654120. [PMID: 37216522 PMCID: PMC10235933 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2208654120] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/21/2022] [Accepted: 04/17/2023] [Indexed: 05/24/2023] Open
Abstract
The development of precise neural circuits in the brain requires spontaneous patterns of neural activity prior to functional maturation. In the rodent cerebral cortex, patchwork and wave patterns of activity develop in somatosensory and visual regions, respectively, and are present at birth. However, whether such activity patterns occur in noneutherian mammals, as well as when and how they arise during development, remain open questions relevant for understanding brain formation in health and disease. Since the onset of patterned cortical activity is challenging to study prenatally in eutherians, here we offer an approach in a minimally invasive manner using marsupial dunnarts, whose cortex forms postnatally. We discovered similar patchwork and travelling waves in the dunnart somatosensory and visual cortices at stage 27 (equivalent to newborn mice) and examined earlier stages of development to determine the onset of these patterns and how they first emerge. We observed that these patterns of activity emerge in a region-specific and sequential manner, becoming evident as early as stage 24 in somatosensory and stage 25 in visual cortices (equivalent to embryonic day 16 and 17, respectively, in mice), as cortical layers establish and thalamic axons innervate the cortex. In addition to sculpting synaptic connections of existing circuits, evolutionarily conserved patterns of neural activity could therefore help regulate other early events in cortical development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rodrigo Suárez
- The University of Queensland, Queensland Brain Institute, BrisbaneQLD4072, Australia
- The University of Queensland, School of Biomedical Sciences, BrisbaneQLD4072, Australia
| | - Tobias Bluett
- The University of Queensland, Queensland Brain Institute, BrisbaneQLD4072, Australia
| | - Michael H. McCullough
- The University of Queensland, Queensland Brain Institute, BrisbaneQLD4072, Australia
| | - Lilach Avitan
- The University of Queensland, Queensland Brain Institute, BrisbaneQLD4072, Australia
| | - Dylan A. Black
- The University of Queensland, Queensland Brain Institute, BrisbaneQLD4072, Australia
- The University of Queensland, School of Biomedical Sciences, BrisbaneQLD4072, Australia
| | - Annalisa Paolino
- The University of Queensland, Queensland Brain Institute, BrisbaneQLD4072, Australia
- The University of Queensland, School of Biomedical Sciences, BrisbaneQLD4072, Australia
| | - Laura R. Fenlon
- The University of Queensland, Queensland Brain Institute, BrisbaneQLD4072, Australia
- The University of Queensland, School of Biomedical Sciences, BrisbaneQLD4072, Australia
| | - Geoffrey J. Goodhill
- The University of Queensland, Queensland Brain Institute, BrisbaneQLD4072, Australia
- The University of Queensland, School of Mathematics and Physics, BrisbaneQLD4072, Australia
| | - Linda J. Richards
- The University of Queensland, Queensland Brain Institute, BrisbaneQLD4072, Australia
- The University of Queensland, School of Biomedical Sciences, BrisbaneQLD4072, Australia
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49
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Sharon M, Gruber G, Argov CM, Volozhinsky M, Yeger-Lotem E. ProAct: quantifying the differential activity of biological processes in tissues, cells, and user-defined contexts. Nucleic Acids Res 2023:7173756. [PMID: 37207335 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gkad421] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/22/2023] [Revised: 04/25/2023] [Accepted: 05/08/2023] [Indexed: 05/21/2023] Open
Abstract
The distinct functions and phenotypes of human tissues and cells derive from the activity of biological processes that varies in a context-dependent manner. Here, we present the Process Activity (ProAct) webserver that estimates the preferential activity of biological processes in tissues, cells, and other contexts. Users can upload a differential gene expression matrix measured across contexts or cells, or use a built-in matrix of differential gene expression in 34 human tissues. Per context, ProAct associates gene ontology (GO) biological processes with estimated preferential activity scores, which are inferred from the input matrix. ProAct visualizes these scores across processes, contexts, and process-associated genes. ProAct also offers potential cell-type annotations for cell subsets, by inferring them from the preferential activity of 2001 cell-type-specific processes. Thus, ProAct output can highlight the distinct functions of tissues and cell types in various contexts, and can enhance cell-type annotation efforts. The ProAct webserver is available at https://netbio.bgu.ac.il/ProAct/.
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Affiliation(s)
- Moran Sharon
- Department of Clinical Biochemistry and Pharmacology, Faculty of Health Sciences, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, POB 653 Beer-Sheva 8410501, Israel
| | - Gil Gruber
- Department of Clinical Biochemistry and Pharmacology, Faculty of Health Sciences, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, POB 653 Beer-Sheva 8410501, Israel
| | - Chanan M Argov
- Department of Clinical Biochemistry and Pharmacology, Faculty of Health Sciences, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, POB 653 Beer-Sheva 8410501, Israel
| | - Miri Volozhinsky
- Department of Clinical Biochemistry and Pharmacology, Faculty of Health Sciences, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, POB 653 Beer-Sheva 8410501, Israel
| | - Esti Yeger-Lotem
- Department of Clinical Biochemistry and Pharmacology, Faculty of Health Sciences, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, POB 653 Beer-Sheva 8410501, Israel
- The National Institute for Biotechnology in the Negev, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, POB 653 Beer-Sheva 8410501, Israel
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50
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Nagappan-Chettiar S, Burbridge TJ, Umemori H. Activity-Dependent Synapse Refinement: From Mechanisms to Molecules. Neuroscientist 2023:10738584231170167. [PMID: 37140155 DOI: 10.1177/10738584231170167] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/05/2023]
Abstract
The refinement of immature neuronal networks into efficient mature ones is critical to nervous system development and function. This process of synapse refinement is driven by the neuronal activity-dependent competition of converging synaptic inputs, resulting in the elimination of weak inputs and the stabilization of strong ones. Neuronal activity, whether in the form of spontaneous activity or experience-evoked activity, is known to drive synapse refinement in numerous brain regions. More recent studies are now revealing the manner and mechanisms by which neuronal activity is detected and converted into molecular signals that appropriately regulate the elimination of weaker synapses and stabilization of stronger ones. Here, we highlight how spontaneous activity and evoked activity instruct neuronal activity-dependent competition during synapse refinement. We then focus on how neuronal activity is transformed into the molecular cues that determine and execute synapse refinement. A comprehensive understanding of the mechanisms underlying synapse refinement can lead to novel therapeutic strategies in neuropsychiatric diseases characterized by aberrant synaptic function.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sivapratha Nagappan-Chettiar
- Department of Neurology, F.M. Kirby Neurobiology Center, Boston Children's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Timothy J Burbridge
- Department of Neurology, F.M. Kirby Neurobiology Center, Boston Children's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Hisashi Umemori
- Department of Neurology, F.M. Kirby Neurobiology Center, Boston Children's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
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