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Chelini G, Pangrazzi L, Bozzi Y. At the Crossroad Between Resiliency and Fragility: A Neurodevelopmental Perspective on Early-Life Experiences. Front Cell Neurosci 2022; 16:863866. [PMID: 35465609 PMCID: PMC9023311 DOI: 10.3389/fncel.2022.863866] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/27/2022] [Accepted: 03/04/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Postnatal development of the brain is characterized by sensitive windows during which, local circuitry are drastically reshaped by life experiences. These critical periods (CPs) occur at different time points for different brain functions, presenting redundant physiological changes in the underlying brain regions. Although circuits malleability during CPs provides a valuable window of opportunity for adaptive fine-tuning to the living environment, this aspect of neurodevelopment also represents a phase of increased vulnerability for the development of a variety of disorders. Consistently, accumulating epidemiological studies point to adverse childhood experience as a major risk factor for many medical conditions, especially stress- and anxiety-related conditions. Thanks to creative approaches to manipulate rodents’ rearing environment, neurobiologist have uncovered a pivotal interaction between CPs and early-life experiences, offering an interesting landscape to improve our understanding of brain disorders. In this short review, we discuss how early-life experience impacts cellular and molecular players involved in CPs of development, translating into long-lasting behavioral consequences in rodents. Bringing together findings from multiple laboratories, we delineate a unifying theory in which systemic factors dynamically target the maturation of brain functions based on adaptive needs, shifting the balance between resilience and vulnerability in response to the quality of the rearing environment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gabriele Chelini
- CIMeC-Center for Mind/Brain Sciences, University of Trento, Rovereto, Italy
- *Correspondence: Gabriele Chelini,
| | - Luca Pangrazzi
- CIMeC-Center for Mind/Brain Sciences, University of Trento, Rovereto, Italy
| | - Yuri Bozzi
- CIMeC-Center for Mind/Brain Sciences, University of Trento, Rovereto, Italy
- Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche (CNR) Neuroscience Institute, Pisa, Italy
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Facchini J, Rastoldo G, Xerri C, Péricat D, El Ahmadi A, Tighilet B, Zennou-Azogui Y. Unilateral vestibular neurectomy induces a remodeling of somatosensory cortical maps. Prog Neurobiol 2021; 205:102119. [PMID: 34246703 DOI: 10.1016/j.pneurobio.2021.102119] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/22/2020] [Revised: 06/23/2021] [Accepted: 07/06/2021] [Indexed: 10/20/2022]
Abstract
Unilateral Vestibular Neurectomy (UVN) induces a postural syndrome whose compensation over time is underpinned by multimodal sensory substitution processes. However, at a chronic stage of compensation, UVN rats exhibit an enduring postural asymmetry expressed by an increase in the body weight on the ipsilesional paws. Given the anatomo-functional links between the vestibular nuclei and the primary somatosensory cortex (S1), we explored the interplay of vestibular and somatosensory cortical inputs following acute and chronic UVN. We determined whether the enduring imbalance in tactilo-plantar inputs impacts response properties of S1 cortical neurons and organizational features of somatotopic maps. We performed electrophysiological mapping of the hindpaw cutaneous representations in S1, immediately and one month after UVN. In parallel, we assessed the posturo-locomotor imbalance during the compensation process. UVN immediately induces an expansion of the cortical neuron cutaneous receptive fields (RFs) leading to a partial dedifferentiation of somatotopic maps. This effect was demonstrated for the ventral skin surface representations and was greater on the contralesional hindpaw for which the neuronal threshold to skin pressure strongly decreased. The RF enlargement was amplified for the representation of the ipsilesional hindpaw in relation to persistent postural asymmetries, but was transitory for the contralesional one. Our study shows, for the first time, that vestibular inputs exert a modulatory influence on S1 neuron's cutaneous responses. The lesion-induced cortical malleability highlights the influence of vestibular inputs on tactile processing related to postural control.
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Affiliation(s)
- Justine Facchini
- Aix Marseille Université-CNRS, Laboratoire de Neurosciences Cognitives (LNC), UMR 7291, Marseille, France
| | - Guillaume Rastoldo
- Aix Marseille Université-CNRS, Laboratoire de Neurosciences Cognitives (LNC), UMR 7291, Marseille, France
| | - Christian Xerri
- Aix Marseille Université-CNRS, Laboratoire de Neurosciences Cognitives (LNC), UMR 7291, Marseille, France
| | - David Péricat
- Aix Marseille Université-CNRS, Laboratoire de Neurosciences Cognitives (LNC), UMR 7291, Marseille, France
| | - Abdessadek El Ahmadi
- Aix Marseille Université-CNRS, Laboratoire de Neurosciences Cognitives (LNC), UMR 7291, Marseille, France
| | - Brahim Tighilet
- Aix Marseille Université-CNRS, Laboratoire de Neurosciences Cognitives (LNC), UMR 7291, Marseille, France.
| | - Yoh'i Zennou-Azogui
- Aix Marseille Université-CNRS, Laboratoire de Neurosciences Cognitives (LNC), UMR 7291, Marseille, France.
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Dione M, Facchini J. Experience-driven remodeling of S1 digit representation in awake monkeys: the challenge of comparing active and passive touch. J Neurophysiol 2021; 125:805-808. [PMID: 33502938 DOI: 10.1152/jn.00380.2020] [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: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Many studies have compared active and passive touch to understand how motor action shapes touch perception. Current views emphasize the difficulties in making such a comparison and promote investigating how motor strategies enable the filtering out of sensory inputs to reshape touch perception. Cybulska-Klosowicz et al. (Cybulska-Klosowicz A, Tremblay F, Jiang W, Bourgeon S, Meftah E-M, Chapman CE. J Neurophysiol 123: 1072-1089, 2020) suggest that primary somatosensory (S1) cortical remodeling of digit representation occurs during active touch. Here, alternative interpretations are proposed, and the relevance of studying multidigit scanning is emphasized.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mariama Dione
- Laboratoire de Neurosciences Cognitives-UMR 7291, Aix Marseille University, French National Centre for Scientific Research, Marseille, France
| | - Justine Facchini
- Laboratoire de Neurosciences Cognitives-UMR 7291, Aix Marseille University, French National Centre for Scientific Research, Marseille, France
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Hulsey DR, Mian TM, Darrow MJ, Hays SA. Quantitative assessment of cortical somatosensory digit representations after median and ulnar nerve injury in rats. Exp Brain Res 2019; 237:2297-2304. [PMID: 31273391 DOI: 10.1007/s00221-019-05593-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/21/2019] [Accepted: 06/24/2019] [Indexed: 01/11/2023]
Abstract
Incomplete recovery of sensory function is common after peripheral nerve injury (PNI). Despite reinnervation following injury, disorganized cortical representations persist and may contribute to functional deficits. There is a dearth of literature characterizing cortical responses after PNI in rodent models. Here we develop a quantitative electrophysiological method for mapping forepaw digit responses in primary somatosensory cortex (S1) of rats. We tested the hypothesis that PNI in the forelimb would generate significant, long lasting sensory deficits, and corresponding disorganization in S1. Rats underwent a transection of the proximal segment of the median and ulnar nerves in the forelimb followed by tubular repair. 4-12 months after nerve injury, we tested mechanosensory withdrawal thresholds and mapped S1 responses to mechanical stimulation of the digits. PNI produces persistent elevation of mechanical withdrawal thresholds, consistent with an impairment in sensory function. Assessment of cortical neurophysiology reveals a substantial disorganization of S1 somatotopy. Additionally, we document degraded timing and digit specificity of cortical responses. This quantitative measurement of long-term changes in S1 digit representations after forelimb nerve injury in rodents provides a framework for further studies focused on the development of therapeutic strategies to restore cortical and sensory function.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel R Hulsey
- Texas Biomedical Device Center, The University of Texas at Dallas, 800 West Campbell Road, Richardson, TX, 75080-3021, USA.
| | - Tabarak M Mian
- School of Behavioral Brain Sciences, The University of Texas at Dallas, 800 West Campbell Road, GR41, Richardson, TX, 75080-3021, USA
| | - Michael J Darrow
- Texas Biomedical Device Center, The University of Texas at Dallas, 800 West Campbell Road, Richardson, TX, 75080-3021, USA.,Erik Jonsson School of Engineering and Computer Science, The University of Texas at Dallas, 800 West Campbell Road, Richardson, TX, 75080-3021, USA
| | - Seth A Hays
- Texas Biomedical Device Center, The University of Texas at Dallas, 800 West Campbell Road, Richardson, TX, 75080-3021, USA.,Erik Jonsson School of Engineering and Computer Science, The University of Texas at Dallas, 800 West Campbell Road, Richardson, TX, 75080-3021, USA
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