1
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Karbowski J, Urban P. Information encoded in volumes and areas of dendritic spines is nearly maximal across mammalian brains. Sci Rep 2023; 13:22207. [PMID: 38097675 PMCID: PMC10721930 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-49321-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/05/2023] [Accepted: 12/06/2023] [Indexed: 12/17/2023] Open
Abstract
Many experiments suggest that long-term information associated with neuronal memory resides collectively in dendritic spines. However, spines can have a limited size due to metabolic and neuroanatomical constraints, which should effectively limit the amount of encoded information in excitatory synapses. This study investigates how much information can be stored in the population of sizes of dendritic spines, and whether it is optimal in any sense. It is shown here, using empirical data for several mammalian brains across different regions and physiological conditions, that dendritic spines nearly maximize entropy contained in their volumes and surface areas for a given mean size in cortical and hippocampal regions. Although both short- and heavy-tailed fitting distributions approach [Formula: see text] of maximal entropy in the majority of cases, the best maximization is obtained primarily for short-tailed gamma distribution. We find that most empirical ratios of standard deviation to mean for spine volumes and areas are in the range [Formula: see text], which is close to the theoretical optimal ratios coming from entropy maximization for gamma and lognormal distributions. On average, the highest entropy is contained in spine length ([Formula: see text] bits per spine), and the lowest in spine volume and area ([Formula: see text] bits), although the latter two are closer to optimality. In contrast, we find that entropy density (entropy per spine size) is always suboptimal. Our results suggest that spine sizes are almost as random as possible given the constraint on their size, and moreover the general principle of entropy maximization is applicable and potentially useful to information and memory storing in the population of cortical and hippocampal excitatory synapses, and to predicting their morphological properties.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jan Karbowski
- Institute of Applied Mathematics and Mechanics, University of Warsaw, Warsaw, Poland.
| | - Paulina Urban
- Laboratory of Functional and Structural Genomics, Centre of New Technologies, University of Warsaw, Warsaw, Poland
- College of Inter-Faculty Individual Studies in Mathematics and Natural Sciences, University of Warsaw, Warsaw, Poland
- Laboratory of Databases and Business Analytics, National Information Processing Institute, National Research Institute, Warsaw, Poland
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2
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Han X, Guo S, Ji N, Li T, Liu J, Ye X, Wang Y, Yun Z, Xiong F, Rong J, Liu D, Ma H, Wang Y, Huang Y, Zhang P, Wu W, Ding L, Hawrylycz M, Lein E, Ascoli GA, Xie W, Liu L, Zhang L, Peng H. Whole human-brain mapping of single cortical neurons for profiling morphological diversity and stereotypy. SCIENCE ADVANCES 2023; 9:eadf3771. [PMID: 37824619 PMCID: PMC10569712 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.adf3771] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/29/2022] [Accepted: 04/18/2023] [Indexed: 10/14/2023]
Abstract
Quantifying neuron morphology and distribution at the whole-brain scale is essential to understand the structure and diversity of cell types. It is exceedingly challenging to reuse recent technologies of single-cell labeling and whole-brain imaging to study human brains. We propose adaptive cell tomography (ACTomography), a low-cost, high-throughput, and high-efficacy tomography approach, based on adaptive targeting of individual cells. We established a platform to inject dyes into cortical neurons in surgical tissues of 18 patients with brain tumors or other conditions and one donated fresh postmortem brain. We collected three-dimensional images of 1746 cortical neurons, of which 852 neurons were reconstructed to quantify local dendritic morphology, and mapped to standard atlases. In our data, human neurons are more diverse across brain regions than by subject age or gender. The strong stereotypy within cohorts of brain regions allows generating a statistical tensor field of neuron morphology to characterize anatomical modularity of a human brain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaofeng Han
- Institute for Brain and Intelligence, Southeast University, Nanjing, China
| | - Shuxia Guo
- Institute for Brain and Intelligence, Southeast University, Nanjing, China
| | - Nan Ji
- Department of Neurosurgery, Beijing Tiantan Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China
- China National Clinical Research Center for Neurological Diseases, Beijing, China
- Beijing Key Laboratory of Brain Tumor, Beijing, China
| | - Tian Li
- Department of Neurosurgery, Beijing Tiantan Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China
| | - Jian Liu
- Institute for Brain and Intelligence, Southeast University, Nanjing, China
| | - Xiangqiao Ye
- Institute for Brain and Intelligence, Southeast University, Nanjing, China
| | - Yi Wang
- Department of Neurosurgery, Beijing Tiantan Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China
| | - Zhixi Yun
- Institute for Brain and Intelligence, Southeast University, Nanjing, China
| | - Feng Xiong
- Institute for Brain and Intelligence, Southeast University, Nanjing, China
| | - Jing Rong
- Institute for Brain and Intelligence, Southeast University, Nanjing, China
| | - Di Liu
- Institute for Brain and Intelligence, Southeast University, Nanjing, China
| | - Hui Ma
- Institute for Brain and Intelligence, Southeast University, Nanjing, China
| | - Yujin Wang
- Department of Neurosurgery, Beijing Tiantan Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China
| | - Yue Huang
- China National Clinical Research Center for Neurological Diseases, Beijing, China
| | - Peng Zhang
- Department of Neurosurgery, Beijing Tiantan Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China
| | - Wenhao Wu
- Department of Neurosurgery, Beijing Tiantan Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China
| | - Liya Ding
- Institute for Brain and Intelligence, Southeast University, Nanjing, China
| | | | - Ed Lein
- Allen Institute for Brain Science, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Giorgio A. Ascoli
- Center for Neural Informatics, Krasnow Institute for Advanced Studies and Bioengineering Department, College of Engineering and Computing, George Mason University, Fairfax, VA, USA
| | - Wei Xie
- Institute for Brain and Intelligence, Southeast University, Nanjing, China
- The Key Laboratory of Developmental Genes and Human Disease, Ministry of Education, School of Life Science and Technology, Southeast University, Nanjing, China
| | - Lijuan Liu
- Institute for Brain and Intelligence, Southeast University, Nanjing, China
| | - Liwei Zhang
- Department of Neurosurgery, Beijing Tiantan Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China
- China National Clinical Research Center for Neurological Diseases, Beijing, China
- Beijing Key Laboratory of Brain Tumor, Beijing, China
| | - Hanchuan Peng
- Institute for Brain and Intelligence, Southeast University, Nanjing, China
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3
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Baxter MG, Roberts MT, Roberts JA, Rapp PR. Neuropsychology of cognitive aging in rhesus monkeys. Neurobiol Aging 2023; 130:40-49. [PMID: 37453251 PMCID: PMC10530179 DOI: 10.1016/j.neurobiolaging.2023.06.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/01/2023] [Revised: 06/15/2023] [Accepted: 06/19/2023] [Indexed: 07/18/2023]
Abstract
Aged rhesus monkeys, like aged humans, show declines in cognitive function. We present cognitive test data from a large sample of male and female rhesus monkeys, 34 young (aged 3.5-13.6 years) and 71 aged (aged 19.9-32.5 years at the start of cognitive testing). Monkeys were tested on spatiotemporal working memory (delayed response), visual recognition memory (delayed nonmatching to sample), and stimulus-reward association learning (object discrimination), tasks with an extensive evidence base in nonhuman primate neuropsychology. On average, aged monkeys performed worse than young on all 3 tasks. Acquisition of delayed response and delayed nonmatching to sample was more variable in aged monkeys than in young. Performance scores on delayed nonmatching to sample and object discrimination were associated with each other, but neither was associated with performance on delayed response. Sex and chronological age were not reliable predictors of individual differences in cognitive outcome among the aged monkeys. These data establish population norms for multiple cognitive tests in young and aged rhesus monkeys in the largest sample reported to date. They also illustrate independence of cognitive aging in task domains dependent on the prefrontal cortex and medial temporal lobe.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mark G Baxter
- Section on Comparative Medicine, Department of Pathology, Wake Forest University School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC, USA.
| | - Mary T Roberts
- California National Primate Research Center, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA, USA
| | - Jeffrey A Roberts
- California National Primate Research Center, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA, USA
| | - Peter R Rapp
- Laboratory of Behavioral Neuroscience, Neurocognitive Aging Section, National Institute on Aging, Baltimore, MD, USA.
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4
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Ibañez S, Sengupta N, Luebke JI, Wimmer K, Weaver CM. Myelin dystrophy in the aging prefrontal cortex leads to impaired signal transmission and working memory decline: a multiscale computational study. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.08.30.555476. [PMID: 37693412 PMCID: PMC10491254 DOI: 10.1101/2023.08.30.555476] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 09/12/2023]
Abstract
Normal aging leads to myelin alternations in the rhesus monkey dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (dlPFC), which are often correlated with cognitive impairment. It is hypothesized that remyelination with shorter and thinner myelin sheaths partially compensates for myelin degradation, but computational modeling has not yet explored these two phenomena together systematically. Here, we used a two-pronged modeling approach to determine how age-related myelin changes affect a core cognitive function: spatial working memory. First we built a multicompartment pyramidal neuron model fit to monkey dlPFC data, with axon including myelinated segments having paranodes, juxtaparanodes, internodes, and tight junctions, to quantify conduction velocity (CV) changes and action potential (AP) failures after demyelination and subsequent remyelination in a population of neurons. Lasso regression identified distinctive parameter sets likely to modulate an axon's susceptibility to CV changes following demyelination versus remyelination. Next we incorporated the single neuron results into a spiking neural network model of working memory. While complete remyelination nearly recovered axonal transmission and network function to unperturbed levels, our models predict that biologically plausible levels of myelin dystrophy, if uncompensated by other factors, can account for substantial working memory impairment with aging. The present computational study unites empirical data from electron microscopy up to behavior on aging, and has broader implications for many demyelinating conditions, such as multiple sclerosis or schizophrenia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sara Ibañez
- Department of Anatomy & Neurobiology, Boston University Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine, Boston, MA USA 02118
- Centre de Recerca Matemàtica, Edifici C, Campus Bellaterra, 08193 Bellaterra, Spain
| | - Nilapratim Sengupta
- Department of Anatomy & Neurobiology, Boston University Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine, Boston, MA USA 02118
- Department of Mathematics, Franklin and Marshall College, Lancaster, PA, USA 17604
| | - Jennifer I Luebke
- Department of Anatomy & Neurobiology, Boston University Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine, Boston, MA USA 02118
| | - Klaus Wimmer
- Centre de Recerca Matemàtica, Edifici C, Campus Bellaterra, 08193 Bellaterra, Spain
| | - Christina M Weaver
- Department of Mathematics, Franklin and Marshall College, Lancaster, PA, USA 17604
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5
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Xu L, Liu Y, Long J, He X, Xie F, Yin Q, Chen M, Long D, Chen Y. Loss of spines in the prelimbic cortex is detrimental to working memory in mice with early-life adversity. Mol Psychiatry 2023; 28:3444-3458. [PMID: 37500828 PMCID: PMC10618093 DOI: 10.1038/s41380-023-02197-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/22/2022] [Revised: 07/19/2023] [Accepted: 07/20/2023] [Indexed: 07/29/2023]
Abstract
Adverse experiences in early life can shape neuronal structures and synaptic function in multiple brain regions, leading to deficits of distinct cognitive functions later in life. Focusing on the pyramidal cells of the prelimbic cortex (PrL), a main subregion of the medial prefrontal cortex, the impact of early-life adversity (ELA) was investigated in a well-established animal model generated by changing the rearing environment during postnatal days 2 to 9 (P2-P9), a sensitive developmental period. ELA has enduring detrimental impacts on the dendritic spines of PrL pyramidal cells, which is most apparent in a spatially circumscribed region. Specifically, ELA affects both thin and mushroom-type spines, and ELA-provoked loss of spines is observed on selective dendritic segments of PrL pyramidal cells in layers II-III and V-VI. Reduced postsynaptic puncta represented by postsynaptic density protein-95 (PSD-95), but not synaptophysin-labelled presynaptic puncta, in ELA mice supports the selective loss of spines in the PrL. Correlation analysis indicates that loss of spines and postsynaptic puncta in the PrL contributes to the poor spatial working memory of ELA mice, and thin spines may play a major role in working memory performance. To further understand whether loss of spines affects glutamatergic transmission, AMPA- and NMDA-receptor-mediated synaptic currents (EPSCs) were recorded in a group of Thy1-expressing PrL pyramidal cells. ELA mice exhibited a depressed glutamatergic transmission, which is accompanied with a decreased expression of GluR1 and NR1 subunits in the PrL. Finally, upregulating the activation of Thy1-expressing PrL pyramidal cells via excitatory DREADDs can efficiently improve the working memory performance of ELA mice in a T-maze-based task, indicating the potential of a chemogenetic approach in restoring ELA-provoked memory deficits.
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Affiliation(s)
- Liping Xu
- Key Lab of Neuroscience, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, 511436, China
| | - Yue Liu
- Key Lab of Neuroscience, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, 511436, China
| | - Jingyi Long
- Department of Human Genetics, Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour, Radboud University Medical Center, 6525GA, Nijmegen, the Netherlands
| | - Xiulan He
- Key Lab of Neuroscience, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, 511436, China
| | - Fanbing Xie
- Key Lab of Neuroscience, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, 511436, China
| | - Qiao Yin
- Key Lab of Neuroscience, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, 511436, China
| | - Michael Chen
- University of California, Los Angeles, CA, 90095, USA
| | - Dahong Long
- Key Lab of Neuroscience, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, 511436, China.
| | - Yuncai Chen
- Department of Pediatrics, University of California, Irvine, CA, 92697, USA.
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6
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Colavitta MF, Barrantes FJ. Therapeutic Strategies Aimed at Improving Neuroplasticity in Alzheimer Disease. Pharmaceutics 2023; 15:2052. [PMID: 37631266 PMCID: PMC10459958 DOI: 10.3390/pharmaceutics15082052] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/25/2023] [Revised: 07/23/2023] [Accepted: 07/28/2023] [Indexed: 08/27/2023] Open
Abstract
Alzheimer disease (AD) is the most prevalent form of dementia among elderly people. Owing to its varied and multicausal etiopathology, intervention strategies have been highly diverse. Despite ongoing advances in the field, efficient therapies to mitigate AD symptoms or delay their progression are still of limited scope. Neuroplasticity, in broad terms the ability of the brain to modify its structure in response to external stimulation or damage, has received growing attention as a possible therapeutic target, since the disruption of plastic mechanisms in the brain appear to correlate with various forms of cognitive impairment present in AD patients. Several pre-clinical and clinical studies have attempted to enhance neuroplasticity via different mechanisms, for example, regulating glucose or lipid metabolism, targeting the activity of neurotransmitter systems, or addressing neuroinflammation. In this review, we first describe several structural and functional aspects of neuroplasticity. We then focus on the current status of pharmacological approaches to AD stemming from clinical trials targeting neuroplastic mechanisms in AD patients. This is followed by an analysis of analogous pharmacological interventions in animal models, according to their mechanisms of action.
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Affiliation(s)
- María F. Colavitta
- Laboratory of Molecular Neurobiology, Biomedical Research Institute (BIOMED), Universidad Católica Argentina (UCA)—National Scientific and Technical Research Council (CONICET), Buenos Aires C1107AAZ, Argentina
- Centro de Investigaciones en Psicología y Psicopedagogía (CIPP-UCA), Facultad de Psicología, Av. Alicia Moreau de Justo, Buenos Aires C1107AAZ, Argentina;
| | - Francisco J. Barrantes
- Laboratory of Molecular Neurobiology, Biomedical Research Institute (BIOMED), Universidad Católica Argentina (UCA)—National Scientific and Technical Research Council (CONICET), Buenos Aires C1107AAZ, Argentina
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7
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Baxter MG, Roberts MT, Roberts JA, Rapp PR. Neuropsychology of cognitive aging in rhesus monkeys. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.05.30.542956. [PMID: 37398407 PMCID: PMC10312569 DOI: 10.1101/2023.05.30.542956] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/04/2023]
Abstract
Aged rhesus monkeys, like aged humans, show declines in cognitive function. We present cognitive test data from a large sample of male and female rhesus monkeys, 34 young (3.5-13.6 years) and 71 aged (19.9-32.5 years of age at the start of cognitive testing). Monkeys were tested on spatiotemporal working memory (delayed response), visual recognition memory (delayed nonmatching-to-sample), and stimulus-reward association learning (object discrimination), tasks with an extensive evidence base in nonhuman primate neuropsychology. On average, aged monkeys performed worse than young on all three tasks. Acquisition of delayed response and delayed nonmatching-to-sample was more variable in aged monkeys than in young. Performance scores on delayed nonmatching-to-sample and object discrimination were associated with each other, but neither was associated with performance on delayed response. Sex and chronological age were not reliable predictors of individual differences in cognitive outcome among the aged monkeys. These data establish population norms for cognitive tests in young and aged rhesus monkeys in the largest sample reported to date. They also illustrate independence of cognitive aging in task domains dependent on the prefrontal cortex and medial temporal lobe. (181 words).
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Affiliation(s)
- Mark G. Baxter
- Section on Comparative Medicine, Department of Pathology, Wake Forest University School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC, USA
| | - Mary T. Roberts
- California National Primate Research Center, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA 95616
| | - Jeffrey A. Roberts
- California National Primate Research Center, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA 95616
| | - Peter R. Rapp
- Laboratory of Behavioral Neuroscience, Neurocognitive Aging Section, National Institute on Aging, Baltimore, MD, USA
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8
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Lazarczyk MJ, Eyford BA, Varghese M, Arora H, Munro L, Warda T, Pfeifer CG, Sowa A, Dickstein DR, Rumbell T, Jefferies WA, Dickstein DL. The intracellular domain of major histocompatibility class-I proteins is essential for maintaining excitatory spine density and synaptic ultrastructure in the brain. Sci Rep 2023; 13:6448. [PMID: 37081001 PMCID: PMC10119172 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-30054-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/12/2022] [Accepted: 02/15/2023] [Indexed: 04/22/2023] Open
Abstract
Major histocompatibility complex class I (MHC-I) proteins are expressed in neurons, where they regulate synaptic plasticity. However, the mechanisms by which MHC-I functions in the CNS remains unknown. Here we describe the first structural analysis of a MHC-I protein, to resolve underlying mechanisms that explains its function in the brain. We demonstrate that Y321F mutation of the conserved cytoplasmic tyrosine-based endocytosis motif YXXΦ in MHC-I affects spine density and synaptic structure without affecting neuronal complexity in the hippocampus, a region of the brain intimately involved in learning and memory. Furthermore, the impact of the Y321F substitution phenocopies MHC-I knock-out (null) animals, demonstrating that reverse, outside-in signalling events sensing the external environment is the major mechanism that conveys this information to the neuron and this has a previously undescribed yet essential role in the regulation of synaptic plasticity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maciej J Lazarczyk
- Nash Family Department of Neuroscience, 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
- Department of Medical Direction and Quality, Division of Institutional Measures, University Hospitals of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Brett A Eyford
- Michael Smith Laboratories, The University of British Columbia, 2185 East Mall, Vancouver, BC, V6T 1Z4, Canada
- The Vancouver Prostate Centre, Robert H.N. Ho Research Centre, Vancouver General Hospital, 2660 Oak Street, Vancouver, BC, V6H 3Z6, Canada
- Centre for Blood Research, University of British Columbia, 2350 Health Sciences Mall, Vancouver, BC, V6T 1Z3, Canada
- Djavad Mowafaghian Centre for Brain Health, University of British Columbia, 2215 Wesbrook Mall, Vancouver, BC, Canada
| | - Merina Varghese
- Nash Family Department of Neuroscience, 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
| | - Hitesh Arora
- Michael Smith Laboratories, The University of British Columbia, 2185 East Mall, Vancouver, BC, V6T 1Z4, Canada
- The Vancouver Prostate Centre, Robert H.N. Ho Research Centre, Vancouver General Hospital, 2660 Oak Street, Vancouver, BC, V6H 3Z6, Canada
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of British Columbia, 1365 - 2350 Health Sciences Mall, Vancouver, BC, V6T 1Z3, Canada
| | - Lonna Munro
- Michael Smith Laboratories, The University of British Columbia, 2185 East Mall, Vancouver, BC, V6T 1Z4, Canada
- The Vancouver Prostate Centre, Robert H.N. Ho Research Centre, Vancouver General Hospital, 2660 Oak Street, Vancouver, BC, V6H 3Z6, Canada
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of British Columbia, 1365 - 2350 Health Sciences Mall, Vancouver, BC, V6T 1Z3, Canada
- Centre for Blood Research, University of British Columbia, 2350 Health Sciences Mall, Vancouver, BC, V6T 1Z3, Canada
- Department of Zoology, University of British Columbia, 2370 - 6270 University Blvd., Vancouver, BC, V6T 1Z4, Canada
- Department of Medical Genetics, Life Sciences Institute, 1364 - 2350 Health Sciences Mall, Vancouver, BC, V6T 1Z3, Canada
- Djavad Mowafaghian Centre for Brain Health, University of British Columbia, 2215 Wesbrook Mall, Vancouver, BC, Canada
| | - Tahia Warda
- Nash Family Department of Neuroscience, 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
| | - Cheryl G Pfeifer
- Michael Smith Laboratories, The University of British Columbia, 2185 East Mall, Vancouver, BC, V6T 1Z4, Canada
- The Vancouver Prostate Centre, Robert H.N. Ho Research Centre, Vancouver General Hospital, 2660 Oak Street, Vancouver, BC, V6H 3Z6, Canada
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of British Columbia, 1365 - 2350 Health Sciences Mall, Vancouver, BC, V6T 1Z3, Canada
- Centre for Blood Research, University of British Columbia, 2350 Health Sciences Mall, Vancouver, BC, V6T 1Z3, Canada
- Department of Zoology, University of British Columbia, 2370 - 6270 University Blvd., Vancouver, BC, V6T 1Z4, Canada
- Department of Medical Genetics, Life Sciences Institute, 1364 - 2350 Health Sciences Mall, Vancouver, BC, V6T 1Z3, Canada
- Djavad Mowafaghian Centre for Brain Health, University of British Columbia, 2215 Wesbrook Mall, Vancouver, BC, Canada
| | - Allison Sowa
- Nash Family Department of Neuroscience, 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
| | - Daniel R Dickstein
- Nash Family Department of Neuroscience, 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
| | - Timothy Rumbell
- Nash Family Department of Neuroscience, 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
| | - Wilfred A Jefferies
- Michael Smith Laboratories, The University of British Columbia, 2185 East Mall, Vancouver, BC, V6T 1Z4, Canada.
- The Vancouver Prostate Centre, Robert H.N. Ho Research Centre, Vancouver General Hospital, 2660 Oak Street, Vancouver, BC, V6H 3Z6, Canada.
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of British Columbia, 1365 - 2350 Health Sciences Mall, Vancouver, BC, V6T 1Z3, Canada.
- Centre for Blood Research, University of British Columbia, 2350 Health Sciences Mall, Vancouver, BC, V6T 1Z3, Canada.
- Department of Zoology, University of British Columbia, 2370 - 6270 University Blvd., Vancouver, BC, V6T 1Z4, Canada.
- Department of Medical Genetics, Life Sciences Institute, 1364 - 2350 Health Sciences Mall, Vancouver, BC, V6T 1Z3, Canada.
- Djavad Mowafaghian Centre for Brain Health, University of British Columbia, 2215 Wesbrook Mall, Vancouver, BC, Canada.
| | - Dara L Dickstein
- Nash Family Department of Neuroscience, 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.
- Department of Pathology, Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, 4301 Jones Bridge Rd, Bethesda, MD, 20814, USA.
- The Henry M. Jackson Foundation for the Advancement of Military Medicine Inc., Bethesda, MD, 20817, USA.
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9
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Lakshminarasimhan KJ, Avila E, Pitkow X, Angelaki DE. Dynamical latent state computation in the male macaque posterior parietal cortex. Nat Commun 2023; 14:1832. [PMID: 37005470 PMCID: PMC10067966 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-37400-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/13/2022] [Accepted: 03/15/2023] [Indexed: 04/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Success in many real-world tasks depends on our ability to dynamically track hidden states of the world. We hypothesized that neural populations estimate these states by processing sensory history through recurrent interactions which reflect the internal model of the world. To test this, we recorded brain activity in posterior parietal cortex (PPC) of monkeys navigating by optic flow to a hidden target location within a virtual environment, without explicit position cues. In addition to sequential neural dynamics and strong interneuronal interactions, we found that the hidden state - monkey's displacement from the goal - was encoded in single neurons, and could be dynamically decoded from population activity. The decoded estimates predicted navigation performance on individual trials. Task manipulations that perturbed the world model induced substantial changes in neural interactions, and modified the neural representation of the hidden state, while representations of sensory and motor variables remained stable. The findings were recapitulated by a task-optimized recurrent neural network model, suggesting that task demands shape the neural interactions in PPC, leading them to embody a world model that consolidates information and tracks task-relevant hidden states.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Eric Avila
- Center for Neural Science, New York University, New York City, NY, USA
| | - Xaq Pitkow
- Department of Neuroscience, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
- Center for Neuroscience and Artificial Intelligence, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
- Electrical & Computer Engineering, Rice University, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Dora E Angelaki
- Center for Neural Science, New York University, New York City, NY, USA
- Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, New York University, New York City, NY, USA
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10
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Freire-Cobo C, Rothwell ES, Varghese M, Edwards M, Janssen WGM, Lacreuse A, Hof PR. Neuronal vulnerability to brain aging and neurodegeneration in cognitively impaired marmoset monkeys (Callithrix jacchus). Neurobiol Aging 2023; 123:49-62. [PMID: 36638681 PMCID: PMC9892246 DOI: 10.1016/j.neurobiolaging.2022.12.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/05/2022] [Revised: 12/01/2022] [Accepted: 12/01/2022] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
The investigation of neurobiological and neuropathological changes that affect synaptic integrity and function with aging is key to understanding why the aging brain is vulnerable to Alzheimer's disease. We investigated the cellular characteristics in the cerebral cortex of behaviorally characterized marmosets, based on their trajectories of cognitive learning as they transitioned to old age. We found increased astrogliosis, increased phagocytic activity of microglial cells and differences in resting and reactive microglial cell phenotypes in cognitively impaired compared to nonimpaired marmosets. Differences in amyloid beta deposition were not related to cognitive trajectory. However, we found age-related changes in density and morphology of dendritic spines in pyramidal neurons of layer 3 in the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex and the CA1 field of the hippocampus between cohorts. Overall, our data suggest that an accelerated aging process, accompanied by neurodegeneration, that takes place in cognitively impaired aged marmosets and affects the plasticity of dendritic spines in cortical areas involved in cognition and points to mechanisms of neuronal vulnerability to aging.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carmen Freire-Cobo
- Nash Family Department of Neuroscience, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA; Friedman Brain Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA.
| | - Emily S Rothwell
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, MA, USA
| | - Merina Varghese
- Nash Family Department of Neuroscience, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA; Friedman Brain Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
| | - Mélise Edwards
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, MA, USA
| | - William G M Janssen
- Nash Family Department of Neuroscience, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA; Friedman Brain Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
| | - Agnès Lacreuse
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, MA, USA
| | - Patrick R Hof
- Nash Family Department of Neuroscience, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA; Friedman Brain Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA; Ronald M. Loeb Center for Alzheimer's Disease, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
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11
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Freire-Cobo C, Edler MK, Varghese M, Munger E, Laffey J, Raia S, In SS, Wicinski B, Medalla M, Perez SE, Mufson EJ, Erwin JM, Guevara EE, Sherwood CC, Luebke JI, Lacreuse A, Raghanti MA, Hof PR. Comparative neuropathology in aging primates: A perspective. Am J Primatol 2021; 83:e23299. [PMID: 34255875 PMCID: PMC8551009 DOI: 10.1002/ajp.23299] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/03/2021] [Revised: 05/24/2021] [Accepted: 06/06/2021] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
Abstract
While humans exhibit a significant degree of neuropathological changes associated with deficits in cognitive and memory functions during aging, non-human primates (NHP) present with more variable expressions of pathological alterations among individuals and species. As such, NHP with long life expectancy in captivity offer an opportunity to study brain senescence in the absence of the typical cellular pathology caused by age-related neurodegenerative illnesses commonly seen in humans. Age-related changes at neuronal population, single cell, and synaptic levels have been well documented in macaques and marmosets, while age-related and Alzheimer's disease-like neuropathology has been characterized in additional species including lemurs as well as great apes. We present a comparative overview of existing neuropathologic observations across the primate order, including classic age-related changes such as cell loss, amyloid deposition, amyloid angiopathy, and tau accumulation. We also review existing cellular and ultrastructural data on neuronal changes, such as dendritic attrition and spine alterations, synaptic loss and pathology, and axonal and myelin pathology, and discuss their repercussions on cellular and systems function and cognition.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carmen Freire-Cobo
- Nash Family Department of Neuroscience and Friedman Brain Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York, USA
| | - Melissa K Edler
- School of Biomedical Sciences, Kent State University, Kent, Ohio, USA
- Department of Anthropology, Kent State University, Kent, Ohio, USA
- Brain Health Research Institute, Kent State University, Kent, Ohio, USA
| | - Merina Varghese
- Nash Family Department of Neuroscience and Friedman Brain Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York, USA
| | - Emily Munger
- School of Biomedical Sciences, Kent State University, Kent, Ohio, USA
- Department of Anthropology, Kent State University, Kent, Ohio, USA
- Brain Health Research Institute, Kent State University, Kent, Ohio, USA
| | - Jessie Laffey
- Nash Family Department of Neuroscience and Friedman Brain Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York, USA
| | - Sophia Raia
- Nash Family Department of Neuroscience and Friedman Brain Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York, USA
| | - Selena S In
- Nash Family Department of Neuroscience and Friedman Brain Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York, USA
| | - Bridget Wicinski
- Nash Family Department of Neuroscience and Friedman Brain Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York, USA
| | - Maria Medalla
- Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, Center for Systems Neuroscience, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Sylvia E Perez
- Department of Neurobiology, Barrow Neurological Institute, Phoenix, Arizona, USA
| | - Elliott J Mufson
- Department of Neurobiology, Barrow Neurological Institute, Phoenix, Arizona, USA
- Department of Neurology, Barrow Neurological Institute, Phoenix, Arizona, USA
| | - Joseph M Erwin
- Department of Anthropology, Center for the Advanced Study of Human Paleobiology, The George Washington University, Washington, District of Columbia, USA
| | - Elaine E Guevara
- Department of Anthropology, Center for the Advanced Study of Human Paleobiology, The George Washington University, Washington, District of Columbia, USA
- Department of Evolutionary Anthropology, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina, USA
| | - Chet C Sherwood
- Department of Anthropology, Center for the Advanced Study of Human Paleobiology, The George Washington University, Washington, District of Columbia, USA
| | - Jennifer I Luebke
- Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, Center for Systems Neuroscience, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Agnès Lacreuse
- Psychological and Brain Sciences, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Mary A Raghanti
- School of Biomedical Sciences, Kent State University, Kent, Ohio, USA
- Department of Anthropology, Kent State University, Kent, Ohio, USA
- Brain Health Research Institute, Kent State University, Kent, Ohio, USA
| | - Patrick R Hof
- Nash Family Department of Neuroscience and Friedman Brain Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York, USA
- Ronald M. Loeb Center for Alzheimer's Disease, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York, USA
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12
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Upright NA, Baxter MG. Prefrontal cortex and cognitive aging in macaque monkeys. Am J Primatol 2021; 83:e23250. [PMID: 33687098 DOI: 10.1002/ajp.23250] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/05/2020] [Revised: 02/17/2021] [Accepted: 02/21/2021] [Indexed: 11/11/2022]
Abstract
Cognitive impairments that accompany aging, even in the absence of neurodegenerative diseases, include deficits in executive function and memory mediated by the prefrontal cortex. Because of the unique differentiation and expansion of the prefrontal cortex in primates, investigations of the neurobiological basis of cognitive aging in nonhuman primates have been particularly informative about the potential basis for age-related cognitive decline in humans. We review the cognitive functions mediated by specific subregions of prefrontal cortex, and their corresponding connections, as well as the evidence for age-related alterations in specific regions of prefrontal cortex. We also discuss evidence for similarities and differences in the effects of aging on prefrontal cortex across species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicholas A Upright
- Nash Family Department of Neuroscience, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York, USA
| | - Mark G Baxter
- Nash Family Department of Neuroscience, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York, USA
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13
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Frye BM, Craft S, Latimer CS, Keene CD, Montine TJ, Register TC, Orr ME, Kavanagh K, Macauley SL, Shively CA. Aging-related Alzheimer's disease-like neuropathology and functional decline in captive vervet monkeys (Chlorocebus aethiops sabaeus). Am J Primatol 2021; 83:e23260. [PMID: 33818801 PMCID: PMC8626867 DOI: 10.1002/ajp.23260] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/09/2020] [Revised: 03/05/2021] [Accepted: 03/21/2021] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
Age-related neurodegeneration characteristic of late-onset Alzheimer's disease (LOAD) begins in middle age, well before symptoms. Translational models to identify modifiable risk factors are needed to understand etiology and identify therapeutic targets. Here, we outline the evidence supporting the vervet monkey (Chlorocebus aethiops sabaeus) as a model of aging-related AD-like neuropathology and associated phenotypes including cognitive function, physical function, glucose handling, intestinal physiology, and CSF, blood, and neuroimaging biomarkers. This review provides the most comprehensive multisystem description of aging in vervets to date. This review synthesizes a large body of evidence that suggests that aging vervets exhibit a coordinated suite of traits consistent with early AD and provide a powerful, naturally occurring model for LOAD. Notably, relationships are identified between AD-like neuropathology and modifiable risk factors. Gaps in knowledge and key limitations are provided to shape future studies to illuminate mechanisms underlying divergent neurocognitive aging trajectories and to develop interventions that increase resilience to aging-associated chronic disease, particularly, LOAD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brett M. Frye
- Department of Pathology/Comparative Medicine, Wake Forest School of Medicine
- Department of Internal Medicine, Section on Gerontology and Geriatric Medicine, Wake Forest School of Medicine
| | - Suzanne Craft
- Department of Internal Medicine, Section on Gerontology and Geriatric Medicine, Wake Forest School of Medicine
- Wake Forest Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center
- J. Paul Sticht Center for Healthy Aging and Alzheimer’s Prevention, Wake Forest School of Medicine
| | - Caitlin S. Latimer
- Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology, University of Washington-Seattle
| | - C. Dirk Keene
- Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology, University of Washington-Seattle
| | | | - Thomas C. Register
- Department of Pathology/Comparative Medicine, Wake Forest School of Medicine
- Wake Forest Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center
- J. Paul Sticht Center for Healthy Aging and Alzheimer’s Prevention, Wake Forest School of Medicine
| | - Miranda E. Orr
- Department of Internal Medicine, Section on Gerontology and Geriatric Medicine, Wake Forest School of Medicine
| | - Kylie Kavanagh
- Department of Pathology/Comparative Medicine, Wake Forest School of Medicine
| | - Shannon L. Macauley
- Department of Internal Medicine, Section on Gerontology and Geriatric Medicine, Wake Forest School of Medicine
- Wake Forest Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center
| | - Carol A. Shively
- Department of Pathology/Comparative Medicine, Wake Forest School of Medicine
- Wake Forest Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center
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14
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Nash B, Irollo E, Brandimarti R, Meucci O. Opioid Modulation of Neuronal Iron and Potential Contributions to NeuroHIV. Methods Mol Biol 2021; 2201:139-162. [PMID: 32975796 DOI: 10.1007/978-1-0716-0884-5_13] [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] [Indexed: 03/12/2023]
Abstract
Opioid use has substantially increased over recent years and remains a major driver of new HIV infections worldwide. Clinical studies indicate that opioids may exacerbate the symptoms of HIV-associated neurocognitive disorders (HAND), but the mechanisms underlying opioid-induced cognitive decline remain obscure. We recently reported that the μ-opioid agonist morphine increased neuronal iron levels and levels of ferritin proteins that store iron, suggesting that opioids modulate neuronal iron homeostasis. Additionally, increased iron and ferritin heavy chain protein were necessary for morphine's ability to reduce the density of thin and mushroom dendritic spines in cortical neurons, which are considered critical mediators of learning and memory, respectively. As altered iron homeostasis has been reported in HAND and related neurocognitive disorders like Alzheimer's, Parkinson's, and Huntington's disease, understanding how opioids regulate neuronal iron metabolism may help identify novel drug targets in HAND with potential relevance to these other neurocognitive disorders. Here, we review the known mechanisms of opioid-mediated regulation of neuronal iron and corresponding cellular responses and discuss the implications of these findings for patients with HAND. Furthermore, we discuss a new molecular approach that can be used to understand if opioid modulation of iron affects the expression and processing of amyloid precursor protein and the contributions of this pathway to HAND.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bradley Nash
- Department of Pharmacology & Physiology, Drexel University College of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Elena Irollo
- Department of Pharmacology & Physiology, Drexel University College of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Renato Brandimarti
- Department of Pharmacology & Physiology, Drexel University College of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA, USA
- Department of Pharmacy and Biotechnology, University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy
| | - Olimpia Meucci
- Department of Pharmacology & Physiology, Drexel University College of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA, USA.
- Department of Microbiology & Immunology, Drexel University College of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA, USA.
- Center for Neuroimmunology and CNS Therapeutics, Institute for Molecular Medicine and Infectious Disease, Drexel University College of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA, USA.
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15
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Ettcheto M, Busquets O, Cano A, Sánchez-Lopez E, Manzine PR, Espinosa-Jimenez T, Verdaguer E, Sureda FX, Olloquequi J, Castro-Torres RD, Auladell C, Folch J, Casadesús G, Camins A. Pharmacological Strategies to Improve Dendritic Spines in Alzheimer's Disease. J Alzheimers Dis 2021; 82:S91-S107. [PMID: 33325386 PMCID: PMC9853464 DOI: 10.3233/jad-201106] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/24/2023]
Abstract
To deeply understand late onset Alzheimer's disease (LOAD), it may be necessary to change the concept that it is a disease exclusively driven by aging processes. The onset of LOAD could be associated with a previous peripheral stress at the level of the gut (changes in the gut microbiota), obesity (metabolic stress), and infections, among other systemic/environmental stressors. The onset of LOAD, then, may result from the generation of mild peripheral inflammatory processes involving cytokine production associated with peripheral stressors that in a second step enter the brain and spread out the process causing a neuroinflammatory brain disease. This hypothesis could explain the potential efficacy of Sodium Oligomannate (GV-971), a mixture of acidic linear oligosaccharides that have shown to remodel gut microbiota and slowdown LOAD. However, regardless of the origin of the disease, the end goal of LOAD-related preventative or disease modifying therapies is to preserve dendritic spines and synaptic plasticity that underlay and support healthy cognition. Here we discuss how systemic/environmental stressors impact pathways associated with the regulation of spine morphogenesis and synaptic maintenance, including insulin receptor and the brain derived neurotrophic factor signaling. Spine structure remodeling is a plausible mechanism to maintain synapses and provide cognitive resilience in LOAD patients. Importantly, we also propose a combination of drugs targeting such stressors that may be able to modify the course of LOAD by acting on preventing dendritic spines and synapsis loss.
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Affiliation(s)
- Miren Ettcheto
- Department of Pharmacology, Toxicology and Therapeutic Chemistry, Faculty of Pharmacy and Food Science, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
- Department of Biochemistry and Biotechnology, Faculty of Medicine and Life Science, University Rovira i Virgili, Reus, Spain
- Biomedical Research Networking Centre in Neurodegenerative Diseases (CIBERNED), Madrid, Spain
- Institute of Neuroscience, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Oriol Busquets
- Department of Pharmacology, Toxicology and Therapeutic Chemistry, Faculty of Pharmacy and Food Science, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
- Department of Biochemistry and Biotechnology, Faculty of Medicine and Life Science, University Rovira i Virgili, Reus, Spain
- Biomedical Research Networking Centre in Neurodegenerative Diseases (CIBERNED), Madrid, Spain
- Institute of Neuroscience, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Amanda Cano
- Institute of Neuroscience, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
- Institute of Nanoscience and Nanotechnology (IN2UB), University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
- Department of Pharmacy, Pharmaceutical Technology and Physical Chemistry, Faculty of Pharmacy and Food Science, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Elena Sánchez-Lopez
- Biomedical Research Networking Centre in Neurodegenerative Diseases (CIBERNED), Madrid, Spain
- Institute of Nanoscience and Nanotechnology (IN2UB), University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
- Department of Pharmacy, Pharmaceutical Technology and Physical Chemistry, Faculty of Pharmacy and Food Science, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Patricia R. Manzine
- Department of Pharmacology, Toxicology and Therapeutic Chemistry, Faculty of Pharmacy and Food Science, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
- Biomedical Research Networking Centre in Neurodegenerative Diseases (CIBERNED), Madrid, Spain
- Institute of Neuroscience, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
- Department of Gerontology, Federal University of São Carlos (UFSCar), São Carlos, Brazil
| | - Triana Espinosa-Jimenez
- Department of Pharmacology, Toxicology and Therapeutic Chemistry, Faculty of Pharmacy and Food Science, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
- Biomedical Research Networking Centre in Neurodegenerative Diseases (CIBERNED), Madrid, Spain
- Institute of Neuroscience, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Ester Verdaguer
- Biomedical Research Networking Centre in Neurodegenerative Diseases (CIBERNED), Madrid, Spain
- Institute of Neuroscience, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
- Departamento de Biología Celular y Molecular, Laboratorio de Neurobiología de laneurotransmisión, C.U.C.B.A, Universidad de Guadalajara, Jalisco, México
| | - Francesc X. Sureda
- Department of Biochemistry and Biotechnology, Faculty of Medicine and Life Science, University Rovira i Virgili, Reus, Spain
| | - Jordi Olloquequi
- Laboratory of Cellular and Molecular Pathology, Instituto de Ciencias Biomédicas, Facultad de Ciencias de la Salud, Universidad Autónoma de Chile, Talca, Chile
| | - Ruben D. Castro-Torres
- Departamento de Biología Celular y Molecular, Laboratorio de Neurobiología de laneurotransmisión, C.U.C.B.A, Universidad de Guadalajara, Jalisco, México
| | - Carme Auladell
- Biomedical Research Networking Centre in Neurodegenerative Diseases (CIBERNED), Madrid, Spain
- Institute of Neuroscience, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
- Department of Cellular Biology, Physiology and Immunology, Faculty of Biology, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Jaume Folch
- Department of Biochemistry and Biotechnology, Faculty of Medicine and Life Science, University Rovira i Virgili, Reus, Spain
- Biomedical Research Networking Centre in Neurodegenerative Diseases (CIBERNED), Madrid, Spain
| | - Gemma Casadesús
- Department of Biological Sciences, Kent State University, Kent, OH, USA
| | - Antoni Camins
- Department of Pharmacology, Toxicology and Therapeutic Chemistry, Faculty of Pharmacy and Food Science, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
- Biomedical Research Networking Centre in Neurodegenerative Diseases (CIBERNED), Madrid, Spain
- Institute of Neuroscience, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
- Laboratory of Cellular and Molecular Pathology, Instituto de Ciencias Biomédicas, Facultad de Ciencias de la Salud, Universidad Autónoma de Chile, Talca, Chile
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16
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Meeker TJ, Veldhuijzen DS, Keaser ML, Gullapalli RP, Greenspan JD. Menstrual Cycle Variations in Gray Matter Volume, White Matter Volume and Functional Connectivity: Critical Impact on Parietal Lobe. Front Neurosci 2020; 14:594588. [PMID: 33414702 PMCID: PMC7783210 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2020.594588] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/13/2020] [Accepted: 11/25/2020] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The role of gonadal hormones in neural plasticity remains unclear. This study aimed to examine the effects of naturally fluctuating hormone levels over the menstrual cycle in healthy females. Gray matter, functional connectivity (FC) and white matter changes over the cycle were assessed by using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI), resting state fMRI, and structural MRIs, respectively, and associated with serum gonadal hormone levels. Moreover, electrocutaneous sensitivity was evaluated in 14 women in four phases of their menstrual cycle (menstrual, follicular, ovulatory, and luteal). Electrocutaneous sensitivity was greater during follicular compared to menstrual phase. Additionally, pain unpleasantness was lower in follicular phase than other phases while pain intensity ratings did not change over the cycle. Significant variations in cycle phase effects on gray matter volume were found in the left inferior parietal lobule (IPL) using voxel-based morphometry. Subsequent Freesurfer analysis revealed greater thickness of left IPL during the menstrual phase when compared to other phases. Also, white matter volume fluctuated across phases in left IPL. Blood estradiol was positively correlated with white matter volume both in left parietal cortex and whole cortex. Seed-driven FC between left IPL and right secondary visual cortex was enhanced during ovulatory phase. A seed placed in right IPL revealed enhanced FC between left and right IPL during the ovulatory phase. Additionally, we found that somatosensory cortical gray matter was thinner during follicular compared to menstrual phase. We discuss these results in the context of likely evolutionary pressures selecting for enhanced perceptual sensitivity across modalities specifically during ovulation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Timothy J. Meeker
- Department of Neurosurgery, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, United States
- Department of Neural and Pain Sciences, University of Maryland School of Dentistry, Baltimore, MD, United States
- Center to Advance Chronic Pain Research, University of Maryland Baltimore, Baltimore, MD, United States
| | - Dieuwke S. Veldhuijzen
- Institute of Psychology, Health, Medical and Neuropsychology Unit, Leiden University, Leiden, Netherlands
- Leiden Institute for Brain and Cognition, Leiden, Netherlands
| | - Michael L. Keaser
- Department of Neural and Pain Sciences, University of Maryland School of Dentistry, Baltimore, MD, United States
- Center to Advance Chronic Pain Research, University of Maryland Baltimore, Baltimore, MD, United States
| | - Rao P. Gullapalli
- Department of Diagnostic Radiology and Nuclear Imaging, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, United States
| | - Joel D. Greenspan
- Department of Neural and Pain Sciences, University of Maryland School of Dentistry, Baltimore, MD, United States
- Center to Advance Chronic Pain Research, University of Maryland Baltimore, Baltimore, MD, United States
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17
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Berens SC, Joensen BH, Horner AJ. Tracking the Emergence of Location-based Spatial Representations in Human Scene-Selective Cortex. J Cogn Neurosci 2020; 33:445-462. [PMID: 33284080 PMCID: PMC8658499 DOI: 10.1162/jocn_a_01654] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/05/2023]
Abstract
Scene-selective regions of the human brain form allocentric representations of locations in our environment. These representations are independent of heading direction and allow us to know where we are regardless of our direction of travel. However, we know little about how these location-based representations are formed. Using fMRI representational similarity analysis and linear mixed models, we tracked the emergence of location-based representations in scene-selective brain regions. We estimated patterns of activity for two distinct scenes, taken before and after participants learnt they were from the same location. During a learning phase, we presented participants with two types of panoramic videos: (1) an overlap video condition displaying two distinct scenes (0° and 180°) from the same location and (2) a no-overlap video displaying two distinct scenes from different locations (which served as a control condition). In the parahippocampal cortex
(PHC) and retrosplenial cortex (RSC), representations of scenes from the same location became more similar to each other only after they had been shown in the overlap condition, suggesting the emergence of viewpoint-independent location-based representations. Whereas these representations emerged in the PHC regardless of task performance, RSC representations only emerged for locations where participants could behaviorally identify the two scenes as belonging to the same location. The results suggest that we can track the emergence of location-based representations in the PHC and RSC in a single fMRI experiment. Further, they support computational models that propose the RSC plays a key role in transforming viewpoint-independent representations into behaviorally relevant representations of specific viewpoints.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Bárður H Joensen
- University of York.,UCL Institute of Cognitive Neuroscience.,UCL Institute of Neurology
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18
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Luo T, Deng L, Li A, Zhou C, Shao S, Sun Q, Gong H, Yang X, Li X. Scalable Resin Embedding Method for Large-Volume Brain Tissues with High Fluorescence Preservation Capacity. iScience 2020; 23:101717. [PMID: 33196032 PMCID: PMC7645060 DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2020.101717] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/12/2020] [Revised: 10/06/2020] [Accepted: 10/16/2020] [Indexed: 01/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Resin embedding is widely used to dissect the fine structure of bio-tissue with electron and optical microscopy. However, it is difficult to embed large-volume tissues with resin. Here, we modified the formula of LR-White resin to prevent the sample cracking during polymerization process and applied this method to the intact brains of mouse, ferret, and macaque. Meanwhile, we increased the fluorescence preservation rate for green fluorescent protein (GFP) from 73 ± 4.0% to 126 ± 3.0% and tdTomato from 60 ± 3.3% to 117 ± 2.8%. Combined with the whole-brain imaging system, we acquired the cytoarchitectonic information and the circuit information such as individual axon and boutons which were labeled with multiple fluorescent proteins. This method shows great potential in the study of continuous fine microstructure information in large-volume tissues from different species, which can facilitate the neuroscience research and help the understanding of the structure-function relationship in complex bio-tissues. Modified LR-White resin embedding was proposed to embed large-volume tissues Retarder α-methyl-styrene was added to prevent cracking during polymerization Resin formula was modified to preserve multiple fluorescent proteins Microstructure information was acquired from the brains of different species
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Affiliation(s)
- Ting Luo
- Britton Chance Center for Biomedical Photonics, Wuhan National Laboratory for Optoelectronics-Huazhong University of Science and Technology, #1037, Luoyu Road, Wuhan, Hubei 430074, China.,MoE Key Laboratory for Biomedical Photonics, School of Engineering Sciences, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei 430074, China
| | - Lei Deng
- Britton Chance Center for Biomedical Photonics, Wuhan National Laboratory for Optoelectronics-Huazhong University of Science and Technology, #1037, Luoyu Road, Wuhan, Hubei 430074, China.,MoE Key Laboratory for Biomedical Photonics, School of Engineering Sciences, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei 430074, China
| | - Anan Li
- Britton Chance Center for Biomedical Photonics, Wuhan National Laboratory for Optoelectronics-Huazhong University of Science and Technology, #1037, Luoyu Road, Wuhan, Hubei 430074, China.,MoE Key Laboratory for Biomedical Photonics, School of Engineering Sciences, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei 430074, China.,HUST-Suzhou Institute for Brainsmatics, Suzhou 215125, China
| | - Can Zhou
- Britton Chance Center for Biomedical Photonics, Wuhan National Laboratory for Optoelectronics-Huazhong University of Science and Technology, #1037, Luoyu Road, Wuhan, Hubei 430074, China.,MoE Key Laboratory for Biomedical Photonics, School of Engineering Sciences, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei 430074, China
| | - Shuai Shao
- Britton Chance Center for Biomedical Photonics, Wuhan National Laboratory for Optoelectronics-Huazhong University of Science and Technology, #1037, Luoyu Road, Wuhan, Hubei 430074, China.,MoE Key Laboratory for Biomedical Photonics, School of Engineering Sciences, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei 430074, China
| | - Qingtao Sun
- HUST-Suzhou Institute for Brainsmatics, Suzhou 215125, China
| | - Hui Gong
- Britton Chance Center for Biomedical Photonics, Wuhan National Laboratory for Optoelectronics-Huazhong University of Science and Technology, #1037, Luoyu Road, Wuhan, Hubei 430074, China.,MoE Key Laboratory for Biomedical Photonics, School of Engineering Sciences, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei 430074, China.,HUST-Suzhou Institute for Brainsmatics, Suzhou 215125, China
| | - Xiaoquan Yang
- Britton Chance Center for Biomedical Photonics, Wuhan National Laboratory for Optoelectronics-Huazhong University of Science and Technology, #1037, Luoyu Road, Wuhan, Hubei 430074, China.,MoE Key Laboratory for Biomedical Photonics, School of Engineering Sciences, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei 430074, China.,HUST-Suzhou Institute for Brainsmatics, Suzhou 215125, China
| | - Xiangning Li
- Britton Chance Center for Biomedical Photonics, Wuhan National Laboratory for Optoelectronics-Huazhong University of Science and Technology, #1037, Luoyu Road, Wuhan, Hubei 430074, China.,MoE Key Laboratory for Biomedical Photonics, School of Engineering Sciences, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei 430074, China.,HUST-Suzhou Institute for Brainsmatics, Suzhou 215125, China
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19
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Ibañez S, Luebke JI, Chang W, Draguljić D, Weaver CM. Network Models Predict That Pyramidal Neuron Hyperexcitability and Synapse Loss in the dlPFC Lead to Age-Related Spatial Working Memory Impairment in Rhesus Monkeys. Front Comput Neurosci 2020; 13:89. [PMID: 32009920 PMCID: PMC6979278 DOI: 10.3389/fncom.2019.00089] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/30/2019] [Accepted: 12/18/2019] [Indexed: 01/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Behavioral studies have shown spatial working memory impairment with aging in several animal species, including humans. Persistent activity of layer 3 pyramidal dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (dlPFC) neurons during delay periods of working memory tasks is important for encoding memory of the stimulus. In vitro studies have shown that these neurons undergo significant age-related structural and functional changes, but the extent to which these changes affect neural mechanisms underlying spatial working memory is not understood fully. Here, we confirm previous studies showing impairment on the Delayed Recognition Span Task in the spatial condition (DRSTsp), and increased in vitro action potential firing rates (hyperexcitability), across the adult life span of the rhesus monkey. We use a bump attractor model to predict how empirically observed changes in the aging dlPFC affect performance on the Delayed Response Task (DRT), and introduce a model of memory retention in the DRSTsp. Persistent activity-and, in turn, cognitive performance-in both models was affected much more by hyperexcitability of pyramidal neurons than by a loss of synapses. Our DRT simulations predict that additional changes to the network, such as increased firing of inhibitory interneurons, are needed to account for lower firing rates during the DRT with aging reported in vivo. Synaptic facilitation was an essential feature of the DRSTsp model, but it did not compensate fully for the effects of the other age-related changes on DRT performance. Modeling pyramidal neuron hyperexcitability and synapse loss simultaneously led to a partial recovery of function in both tasks, with the simulated level of DRSTsp impairment similar to that observed in aging monkeys. This modeling work integrates empirical data across multiple scales, from synapse counts to cognitive testing, to further our understanding of aging in non-human primates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sara Ibañez
- Department of Mathematics, Franklin and Marshall College, Lancaster, PA, United States
- Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Jennifer I. Luebke
- Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Wayne Chang
- Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Danel Draguljić
- Department of Mathematics, Franklin and Marshall College, Lancaster, PA, United States
| | - Christina M. Weaver
- Department of Mathematics, Franklin and Marshall College, Lancaster, PA, United States
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20
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Nash B, Festa L, Lin C, Meucci O. Opioid and chemokine regulation of cortical synaptodendritic damage in HIV-associated neurocognitive disorders. Brain Res 2019; 1723:146409. [PMID: 31465771 DOI: 10.1016/j.brainres.2019.146409] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/11/2019] [Revised: 08/20/2019] [Accepted: 08/25/2019] [Indexed: 01/17/2023]
Abstract
Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-associated neurocognitive disorders (HAND) persist despite effective antiretroviral therapies (ART). Evidence suggests that modern HAND is driven by subtle synaptodendritic damage in select brain regions, as ART-treated patients do not display overt neuronal death in postmortem brain studies. HAND symptoms are also aggravated by drug abuse, particularly with injection opioids. Opioid use produces region-specific synaptodendritic damage in similar brain regions, suggesting a convergent mechanism that may enhance HAND progression in opioid-using patients. Importantly, studies indicate that synaptodendritic damage and cognitive impairment in HAND may be reversible. Activation of the homeostatic chemokine receptor CXCR4 by its natural ligand CXCL12 positively regulates neuronal survival and dendritic spine density in cortical neurons, reducing functional deficits. However, the molecular mechanisms that underlie CXCR4, as well as opioid-mediated regulation of dendritic spines are not completely defined. Here, we will consolidate studies that describe the region-specific synaptodendritic damage in the cerebral cortex of patients and animal models of HAND, describe the pathways by which opioids may contribute to cortical synaptodendritic damage, and discuss the prospects of using the CXCR4 signaling pathway to identify new approaches to reverse dendritic spine deficits. Additionally, we will discuss novel research questions that have emerged from recent studies of CXCR4 and µ-opioid actions in the cortex. Understanding the pathways that underlie synaptodendritic damage and rescue are necessary for developing novel, effective therapeutics for this growing patient population.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bradley Nash
- Department of Pharmacology and Physiology, Drexel University College of Medicine, 245 North 15th Street, Philadelphia, PA 19102, USA.
| | - Lindsay Festa
- Department of Pharmacology and Physiology, Drexel University College of Medicine, 245 North 15th Street, Philadelphia, PA 19102, USA.
| | - Chihyang Lin
- Department of Pharmacology and Physiology, Drexel University College of Medicine, 245 North 15th Street, Philadelphia, PA 19102, USA.
| | - Olimpia Meucci
- Department of Pharmacology and Physiology, Drexel University College of Medicine, 245 North 15th Street, Philadelphia, PA 19102, USA; Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Drexel University College of Medicine, 245 North 15th Street, Philadelphia, PA 19102, USA.
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21
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Distinct Properties of Layer 3 Pyramidal Neurons from Prefrontal and Parietal Areas of the Monkey Neocortex. J Neurosci 2019; 39:7277-7290. [PMID: 31341029 DOI: 10.1523/jneurosci.1210-19.2019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/24/2019] [Accepted: 06/25/2019] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
In primates, working memory function depends on activity in a distributed network of cortical areas that display different patterns of delay task-related activity. These differences are correlated with, and might depend on, distinctive properties of the neurons located in each area. For example, layer 3 pyramidal neurons (L3PNs) differ significantly between primary visual and dorsolateral prefrontal (DLPFC) cortices. However, to what extent L3PNs differ between DLPFC and other association cortical areas is less clear. Hence, we compared the properties of L3PNs in monkey DLPFC versus posterior parietal cortex (PPC), a key node in the cortical working memory network. Using patch-clamp recordings and biocytin cell filling in acute brain slices, we assessed the physiology and morphology of L3PNs from monkey DLPFC and PPC. The L3PN transcriptome was studied using laser microdissection combined with DNA microarray or quantitative PCR. We found that in both DLPFC and PPC, L3PNs were divided into regular spiking (RS-L3PNs) and bursting (B-L3PNs) physiological subtypes. Whereas regional differences in single-cell excitability were modest, B-L3PNs were rare in PPC (RS-L3PN:B-L3PN, 94:6), but were abundant in DLPFC (50:50), showing greater physiological diversity. Moreover, DLPFC L3PNs display larger and more complex basal dendrites with higher dendritic spine density. Additionally, we found differential expression of hundreds of genes, suggesting a transcriptional basis for the differences in L3PN phenotype between DLPFC and PPC. These data show that the previously observed differences between DLPFC and PPC neuron activity during working memory tasks are associated with diversity in the cellular/molecular properties of L3PNs.SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT In the human and nonhuman primate neocortex, layer 3 pyramidal neurons (L3PNs) differ significantly between dorsolateral prefrontal (DLPFC) and sensory areas. Hence, L3PN properties reflect, and may contribute to, a greater complexity of computations performed in DLPFC. However, across association cortical areas, L3PN properties are largely unexplored. We studied the physiology, dendrite morphology and transcriptome of L3PNs from macaque monkey DLPFC and posterior parietal cortex (PPC), two key nodes in the cortical working memory network. L3PNs from DLPFC had greater diversity of physiological properties and larger basal dendrites with higher spine density. Moreover, transcriptome analysis suggested a molecular basis for the differences in the physiological and morphological phenotypes of L3PNs from DLPFC and PPC.
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