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McCutcheon RA, Weber LAE, Nour MM, Cragg SJ, McGuire PM. Psychosis as a disorder of muscarinic signalling: psychopathology and pharmacology. Lancet Psychiatry 2024; 11:554-565. [PMID: 38795721 DOI: 10.1016/s2215-0366(24)00100-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/03/2024] [Revised: 03/15/2024] [Accepted: 03/20/2024] [Indexed: 05/28/2024]
Abstract
Dopaminergic receptor antagonism is a crucial component of all licensed treatments for psychosis, and dopamine dysfunction has been central to pathophysiological models of psychotic symptoms. Some clinical trials, however, indicate that drugs that act through muscarinic receptor agonism can also be effective in treating psychosis, potentially implicating muscarinic abnormalities in the pathophysiology of psychosis. Here, we discuss understanding of the central muscarinic system, and we examine preclinical, behavioural, post-mortem, and neuroimaging evidence for its involvement in psychosis. We then consider how altered muscarinic signalling could contribute to the genesis and maintenance of psychotic symptoms, and we review the clinical evidence for muscarinic agents as treatments. Finally, we discuss future research that could clarify the relationship between the muscarinic system and psychotic symptoms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Robert A McCutcheon
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK; Oxford Health, Oxford Health NHS Foundation Trust, Oxford, UK; Department of Psychosis Studies, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience, King's College London, London, UK.
| | - Lilian A E Weber
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK; Wellcome Centre for Integrative Neuroimaging, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Matthew M Nour
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK; Oxford Health, Oxford Health NHS Foundation Trust, Oxford, UK; Max Planck UCL Centre for Computational Psychiatry and Ageing Research, University College London, London, UK
| | - Stephanie J Cragg
- Department of Physiology, Anatomy and Genetics, Centre for Cellular and Molecular Neurobiology, University of Oxford, UK; Aligning Science Across Parkinson's Collaborative Research Network, Chevy Chase, MD, USA
| | - Philip M McGuire
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK; Oxford Health, Oxford Health NHS Foundation Trust, Oxford, UK
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2
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Taylor NL, Whyte CJ, Munn BR, Chang C, Lizier JT, Leopold DA, Turchi JN, Zaborszky L, Műller EJ, Shine JM. Causal evidence for cholinergic stabilization of attractor landscape dynamics. Cell Rep 2024; 43:114359. [PMID: 38870015 PMCID: PMC11255396 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2024.114359] [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] [Revised: 04/24/2024] [Accepted: 05/30/2024] [Indexed: 06/15/2024] Open
Abstract
There is substantial evidence that neuromodulatory systems critically influence brain state dynamics; however, most work has been purely descriptive. Here, we quantify, using data combining local inactivation of the basal forebrain with simultaneous measurement of resting-state fMRI activity in the macaque, the causal role of long-range cholinergic input to the stabilization of brain states in the cerebral cortex. Local inactivation of the nucleus basalis of Meynert (nbM) leads to a decrease in the energy barriers required for an fMRI state transition in cortical ongoing activity. Moreover, the inactivation of particular nbM sub-regions predominantly affects information transfer in cortical regions known to receive direct anatomical projections. We demonstrate these results in a simple neurodynamical model of cholinergic impact on neuronal firing rates and slow hyperpolarizing adaptation currents. We conclude that the cholinergic system plays a critical role in stabilizing macroscale brain state dynamics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Natasha L Taylor
- Brain and Mind Centre, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia; Centre for Complex Systems, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Christopher J Whyte
- Brain and Mind Centre, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia; Centre for Complex Systems, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Brandon R Munn
- Brain and Mind Centre, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia; Centre for Complex Systems, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Catie Chang
- Vanderbilt School of Engineering, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, USA
| | - Joseph T Lizier
- Centre for Complex Systems, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia; School of Computer Science, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - David A Leopold
- Neurophysiology Imaging Facility, National Institute of Mental Health, Washington DC, USA; Laboratory of Neuropsychology, National Institute of Mental Health, Bethesda MD, USA
| | - Janita N Turchi
- Laboratory of Neuropsychology, National Institute of Mental Health, Bethesda MD, USA
| | - Laszlo Zaborszky
- Centre for Molecular & Behavioral Neuroscience, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, Newark, NJ, USA
| | - Eli J Műller
- Brain and Mind Centre, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia; Centre for Complex Systems, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - James M Shine
- Brain and Mind Centre, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia; Centre for Complex Systems, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia.
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3
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Nodal FR, Leach ND, Keating P, Dahmen JC, Zhao D, King AJ, Bajo VM. Neural processing in the primary auditory cortex following cholinergic lesions of the basal forebrain in ferrets. Hear Res 2024; 447:109025. [PMID: 38733712 PMCID: PMC11265294 DOI: 10.1016/j.heares.2024.109025] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/01/2024] [Revised: 04/22/2024] [Accepted: 04/26/2024] [Indexed: 05/13/2024]
Abstract
Cortical acetylcholine (ACh) release has been linked to various cognitive functions, including perceptual learning. We have previously shown that cortical cholinergic innervation is necessary for accurate sound localization in ferrets, as well as for their ability to adapt with training to altered spatial cues. To explore whether these behavioral deficits are associated with changes in the response properties of cortical neurons, we recorded neural activity in the primary auditory cortex (A1) of anesthetized ferrets in which cholinergic inputs had been reduced by making bilateral injections of the immunotoxin ME20.4-SAP in the nucleus basalis (NB) prior to training the animals. The pattern of spontaneous activity of A1 units recorded in the ferrets with cholinergic lesions (NB ACh-) was similar to that in controls, although the proportion of burst-type units was significantly lower. Depletion of ACh also resulted in more synchronous activity in A1. No changes in thresholds, frequency tuning or in the distribution of characteristic frequencies were found in these animals. When tested with normal acoustic inputs, the spatial sensitivity of A1 neurons in the NB ACh- ferrets and the distribution of their preferred interaural level differences also closely resembled those found in control animals, indicating that these properties had not been altered by sound localization training with one ear occluded. Simulating the animals' previous experience with a virtual earplug in one ear reduced the contralateral preference of A1 units in both groups, but caused azimuth sensitivity to change in slightly different ways, which may reflect the modest adaptation observed in the NB ACh- group. These results show that while ACh is required for behavioral adaptation to altered spatial cues, it is not required for maintenance of the spectral and spatial response properties of A1 neurons.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fernando R Nodal
- Department of Physiology, Anatomy and Genetics, University of Oxford, Parks Road, Oxford OX1 3PT, United Kingdom.
| | | | - Peter Keating
- UCL Ear Institute, 332 Gray's Inn Road, London WC1X 8EE, United Kingdom
| | - Johannes C Dahmen
- Department of Physiology, Anatomy and Genetics, University of Oxford, Parks Road, Oxford OX1 3PT, United Kingdom
| | - Dylan Zhao
- Department of Physiology, Anatomy and Genetics, University of Oxford, Parks Road, Oxford OX1 3PT, United Kingdom
| | - Andrew J King
- Department of Physiology, Anatomy and Genetics, University of Oxford, Parks Road, Oxford OX1 3PT, United Kingdom
| | - Victoria M Bajo
- Department of Physiology, Anatomy and Genetics, University of Oxford, Parks Road, Oxford OX1 3PT, United Kingdom
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4
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Sarkar S, Martinez Reyes C, Jensen CM, Gavornik JP. M2 receptors are required for spatiotemporal sequence learning in mouse primary visual cortex. J Neurophysiol 2024; 131:1213-1225. [PMID: 38629848 DOI: 10.1152/jn.00016.2024] [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: 01/09/2024] [Revised: 03/08/2024] [Accepted: 04/16/2024] [Indexed: 06/09/2024] Open
Abstract
Acetylcholine is a neurotransmitter that plays a variety of roles in the central nervous system. It was previously shown that blocking muscarinic receptors with a nonselective antagonist prevents a form of experience-dependent plasticity termed "spatiotemporal sequence learning" in the mouse primary visual cortex (V1). Muscarinic signaling is a complex process involving the combined activities of five different G protein-coupled receptors, M1-M5, all of which are expressed in the murine brain but differ from each other functionally and in anatomical localization. Here we present electrophysiological evidence that M2, but not M1, receptors are required for spatiotemporal sequence learning in mouse V1. We show in male mice that M2 is highly expressed in the neuropil in V1, especially in thalamorecipient layer 4, and colocalizes with the soma in a subset of somatostatin-expressing neurons in deep layers. We also show that expression of M2 receptors is higher in the monocular region of V1 than it is in the binocular region but that the amount of experience-dependent sequence potentiation is similar in both regions and that blocking muscarinic signaling after visual stimulation does not prevent plasticity. This work establishes a new functional role for M2-type receptors in processing temporal information and demonstrates that monocular circuits are modified by experience in a manner similar to binocular circuits.NEW & NOTEWORTHY Muscarinic acetylcholine receptors are required for multiple forms of plasticity in the brain and support perceptual functions, but the precise role of the five subtypes (M1-M5) are unclear. Here we show that the M2 receptor is specifically required to encode experience-dependent representations of spatiotemporal relationships in both monocular and binocular regions of mouse V1. This work identifies a novel functional role for M2 receptors in coding temporal information into cortical circuits.
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Affiliation(s)
- Susrita Sarkar
- Center for Systems Neuroscience, Department of Biology, Boston University, Boston, Massachusetts, United States
| | - Catalina Martinez Reyes
- Center for Systems Neuroscience, Department of Biology, Boston University, Boston, Massachusetts, United States
| | - Cambria M Jensen
- Center for Systems Neuroscience, Department of Biology, Boston University, Boston, Massachusetts, United States
| | - Jeffrey P Gavornik
- Center for Systems Neuroscience, Department of Biology, Boston University, Boston, Massachusetts, United States
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5
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Magrou L, Joyce MKP, Froudist-Walsh S, Datta D, Wang XJ, Martinez-Trujillo J, Arnsten AFT. The meso-connectomes of mouse, marmoset, and macaque: network organization and the emergence of higher cognition. Cereb Cortex 2024; 34:bhae174. [PMID: 38771244 PMCID: PMC11107384 DOI: 10.1093/cercor/bhae174] [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: 01/31/2024] [Revised: 03/29/2024] [Accepted: 04/08/2024] [Indexed: 05/22/2024] Open
Abstract
The recent publications of the inter-areal connectomes for mouse, marmoset, and macaque cortex have allowed deeper comparisons across rodent vs. primate cortical organization. In general, these show that the mouse has very widespread, "all-to-all" inter-areal connectivity (i.e. a "highly dense" connectome in a graph theoretical framework), while primates have a more modular organization. In this review, we highlight the relevance of these differences to function, including the example of primary visual cortex (V1) which, in the mouse, is interconnected with all other areas, therefore including other primary sensory and frontal areas. We argue that this dense inter-areal connectivity benefits multimodal associations, at the cost of reduced functional segregation. Conversely, primates have expanded cortices with a modular connectivity structure, where V1 is almost exclusively interconnected with other visual cortices, themselves organized in relatively segregated streams, and hierarchically higher cortical areas such as prefrontal cortex provide top-down regulation for specifying precise information for working memory storage and manipulation. Increased complexity in cytoarchitecture, connectivity, dendritic spine density, and receptor expression additionally reveal a sharper hierarchical organization in primate cortex. Together, we argue that these primate specializations permit separable deconstruction and selective reconstruction of representations, which is essential to higher cognition.
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Affiliation(s)
- Loïc Magrou
- Department of Neural Science, New York University, New York, NY 10003, United States
| | - Mary Kate P Joyce
- Department of Neuroscience, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06510, United States
| | - Sean Froudist-Walsh
- School of Engineering Mathematics and Technology, University of Bristol, Bristol, BS8 1QU, United Kingdom
| | - Dibyadeep Datta
- Department of Psychiatry, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06510, United States
| | - Xiao-Jing Wang
- Department of Neural Science, New York University, New York, NY 10003, United States
| | - Julio Martinez-Trujillo
- Departments of Physiology and Pharmacology, and Psychiatry, Schulich School of Medicine and Dentistry, Western University, London, ON, N6A 3K7, Canada
| | - Amy F T Arnsten
- Department of Neuroscience, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06510, United States
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6
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Talluri BC, Kang I, Lazere A, Quinn KR, Kaliss N, Yates JL, Butts DA, Nienborg H. Activity in primate visual cortex is minimally driven by spontaneous movements. Nat Neurosci 2023; 26:1953-1959. [PMID: 37828227 PMCID: PMC10620084 DOI: 10.1038/s41593-023-01459-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/19/2022] [Accepted: 09/08/2023] [Indexed: 10/14/2023]
Abstract
Organisms process sensory information in the context of their own moving bodies, an idea referred to as embodiment. This idea is important for developmental neuroscience, robotics and systems neuroscience. The mechanisms supporting embodiment are unknown, but a manifestation could be the observation in mice of brain-wide neuromodulation, including in the primary visual cortex, driven by task-irrelevant spontaneous body movements. We tested this hypothesis in macaque monkeys (Macaca mulatta), a primate model for human vision, by simultaneously recording visual cortex activity and facial and body movements. We also sought a direct comparison using an analogous approach to those used in mouse studies. Here we found that activity in the primate visual cortex (V1, V2 and V3/V3A) was associated with the animals' own movements, but this modulation was largely explained by the impact of the movements on the retinal image, that is, by changes in visual input. These results indicate that visual cortex in primates is minimally driven by spontaneous movements and may reflect species-specific sensorimotor strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bharath Chandra Talluri
- Laboratory of Sensorimotor Research, National Eye Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Incheol Kang
- Laboratory of Sensorimotor Research, National Eye Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Adam Lazere
- Laboratory of Sensorimotor Research, National Eye Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Katrina R Quinn
- Center for Integrative Neuroscience, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Nicholas Kaliss
- Laboratory of Sensorimotor Research, National Eye Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Jacob L Yates
- Herbert Wertheim School of Optometry & Vision Science, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA, USA
- Department of Biology and Program in Neuroscience and Cognitive Science, University of Maryland, College Park, MD, USA
| | - Daniel A Butts
- Department of Biology and Program in Neuroscience and Cognitive Science, University of Maryland, College Park, MD, USA
| | - Hendrikje Nienborg
- Laboratory of Sensorimotor Research, National Eye Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA.
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7
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Orlando IF, Shine JM, Robbins TW, Rowe JB, O'Callaghan C. Noradrenergic and cholinergic systems take centre stage in neuropsychiatric diseases of ageing. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2023; 149:105167. [PMID: 37054802 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2023.105167] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/28/2022] [Revised: 02/28/2023] [Accepted: 03/28/2023] [Indexed: 04/15/2023]
Abstract
Noradrenergic and cholinergic systems are among the most vulnerable brain systems in neuropsychiatric diseases of ageing, including Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, Lewy body dementia, and progressive supranuclear palsy. As these systems fail, they contribute directly to many of the characteristic cognitive and psychiatric symptoms. However, their contribution to symptoms is not sufficiently understood, and pharmacological interventions targeting noradrenergic and cholinergic systems have met with mixed success. Part of the challenge is the complex neurobiology of these systems, operating across multiple timescales, and with non-linear changes across the adult lifespan and disease course. We address these challenges in a detailed review of the noradrenergic and cholinergic systems, outlining their roles in cognition and behaviour, and how they influence neuropsychiatric symptoms in disease. By bridging across levels of analysis, we highlight opportunities for improving drug therapies and for pursuing personalised medicine strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Isabella F Orlando
- Brain and Mind Centre and School of Medical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Health, University of Sydney, Australia
| | - James M Shine
- Brain and Mind Centre and School of Medical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Health, University of Sydney, Australia
| | - Trevor W Robbins
- Behavioural and Clinical Neuroscience Institute and Department of Psychology, University of Cambridge, CB2 3EB, United Kingdom
| | - James B Rowe
- Department of Clinical Neurosciences and Cambridge University Hospitals NHS Trust, University of Cambridge, CB2 0SZ, United Kingdom
| | - Claire O'Callaghan
- Brain and Mind Centre and School of Medical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Health, University of Sydney, Australia.
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8
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Ananth MR, Rajebhosale P, Kim R, Talmage DA, Role LW. Basal forebrain cholinergic signalling: development, connectivity and roles in cognition. Nat Rev Neurosci 2023; 24:233-251. [PMID: 36823458 PMCID: PMC10439770 DOI: 10.1038/s41583-023-00677-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 22.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/21/2022] [Accepted: 01/18/2023] [Indexed: 02/25/2023]
Abstract
Acetylcholine plays an essential role in fundamental aspects of cognition. Studies that have mapped the activity and functional connectivity of cholinergic neurons have shown that the axons of basal forebrain cholinergic neurons innervate the pallium with far more topographical and functional organization than was historically appreciated. Together with the results of studies using new probes that allow release of acetylcholine to be detected with high spatial and temporal resolution, these findings have implicated cholinergic networks in 'binding' diverse behaviours that contribute to cognition. Here, we review recent findings on the developmental origins, connectivity and function of cholinergic neurons, and explore the participation of cholinergic signalling in the encoding of cognition-related behaviours.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mala R Ananth
- Section on Circuits, Synapses, and Molecular Signalling, National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA.
| | - Prithviraj Rajebhosale
- Section on Genetics of Neuronal Signalling, National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Ronald Kim
- Section on Genetics of Neuronal Signalling, National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - David A Talmage
- Section on Genetics of Neuronal Signalling, National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Lorna W Role
- Section on Circuits, Synapses, and Molecular Signalling, National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA.
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9
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Cools R, Arnsten AFT. Neuromodulation of prefrontal cortex cognitive function in primates: the powerful roles of monoamines and acetylcholine. Neuropsychopharmacology 2022; 47:309-328. [PMID: 34312496 PMCID: PMC8617291 DOI: 10.1038/s41386-021-01100-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 62] [Impact Index Per Article: 31.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/14/2021] [Revised: 07/06/2021] [Accepted: 07/06/2021] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
The primate prefrontal cortex (PFC) subserves our highest order cognitive operations, and yet is tremendously dependent on a precise neurochemical environment for proper functioning. Depletion of noradrenaline and dopamine, or of acetylcholine from the dorsolateral PFC (dlPFC), is as devastating as removing the cortex itself, and serotonergic influences are also critical to proper functioning of the orbital and medial PFC. Most neuromodulators have a narrow inverted U dose response, which coordinates arousal state with cognitive state, and contributes to cognitive deficits with fatigue or uncontrollable stress. Studies in monkeys have revealed the molecular signaling mechanisms that govern the generation and modulation of mental representations by the dlPFC, allowing dynamic regulation of network strength, a process that requires tight regulation to prevent toxic actions, e.g., as occurs with advanced age. Brain imaging studies in humans have observed drug and genotype influences on a range of cognitive tasks and on PFC circuit functional connectivity, e.g., showing that catecholamines stabilize representations in a baseline-dependent manner. Research in monkeys has already led to new treatments for cognitive disorders in humans, encouraging future research in this important field.
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Affiliation(s)
- Roshan Cools
- Department of Psychiatry, Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen, the Netherlands
| | - Amy F T Arnsten
- Department of Neuroscience, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA.
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10
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Wolf VL, Ergul A. Progress and challenges in preclinical stroke recovery research. Brain Circ 2021; 7:230-240. [PMID: 35071838 PMCID: PMC8757504 DOI: 10.4103/bc.bc_33_21] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/12/2021] [Revised: 07/16/2021] [Accepted: 10/22/2021] [Indexed: 01/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Significant innovations in the management of acute ischemic stroke have led to an increased incidence in the long-term complications of stroke. Therefore, there is an urgent need for improvements in and refinement of rehabilitation interventions that can lead to functional and neuropsychological recovery. The goal of this review is to summarize the current progress and challenges involved with preclinical stroke recovery research. Moving forward, stroke recovery research should be placing an increased emphasis on the incorporation of comorbid diseases and biological variables in preclinical models in order to overcome translational roadblocks to establishing successful clinical rehabilitation interventions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Victoria Lea Wolf
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Medical University of South Carolina, Ralph H. Johnson Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Charleston, South Carolina, USA
| | - Adviye Ergul
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Medical University of South Carolina, Ralph H. Johnson Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Charleston, South Carolina, USA
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11
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Abstract
Visual processing is dynamically controlled by multiple neuromodulatory molecules that modify the responsiveness of neurons and the strength of the connections between them. In particular, modulatory control of processing in the lateral geniculate nucleus of the thalamus, V1, and V2 will alter the outcome of all subsequent processing of visual information, including the extent to and manner in which individual inputs contribute to perception and decision making and are stored in memory. This review addresses five small-molecule neuromodulators-acetylcholine, dopamine, serotonin, noradrenaline, and histamine-considering the structural basis for their action, and the effects of their release, in the early visual pathway of the macaque monkey. Traditionally, neuromodulators are studied in isolation and in discrete circuits; this review makes a case for considering the joint action of modulatory molecules and differences in modulatory effects across brain areas as a better means of understanding the diverse roles that these molecules serve.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anita A Disney
- Department of Neurobiology, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina 27710, USA;
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12
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Dai X, Zhou E, Yang W, Mao R, Zhang W, Rao Y. Molecular resolution of a behavioral paradox: sleep and arousal are regulated by distinct acetylcholine receptors in different neuronal types in Drosophila. Sleep 2021; 44:6119684. [PMID: 33493349 DOI: 10.1093/sleep/zsab017] [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: 08/24/2020] [Revised: 12/21/2020] [Indexed: 02/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Sleep and arousal are both important for animals. The neurotransmitter acetylcholine (ACh) has long been found to promote both sleep and arousal in mammals, an apparent paradox which has also been found to exist in flies, causing much confusion in understanding sleep and arousal. Here, we have systematically studied all 13 ACh receptors (AChRs) in Drosophila to understand mechanisms underlying ACh function in sleep and arousal. We found that exogenous stimuli-induced arousal was decreased in nAChRα3 mutants, whereas sleep was decreased in nAChRα2 and nAChRβ2 mutants. nAChRα3 functions in dopaminergic neurons to promote exogenous stimuli-induced arousal, whereas nAChRα2 and β2 function in octopaminergic neurons to promote sleep. Our studies have revealed that a single transmitter can promote endogenous sleep and exogenous stimuli-induced arousal through distinct receptors in different types of downstream neurons.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xihuimin Dai
- PKU-IDG/McGovern Institute for Brain Research, Peking-Tsinghua Center for Life Sciences, Beijing Advanced Innovation Center for Genomics, Peking University School of Life Sciences, Beijing, China.,Chinese Institute for Brain Research, Beijing, China.,Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Department of Biology, Brandeis University, Waltham, MA
| | - Enxing Zhou
- PKU-IDG/McGovern Institute for Brain Research, Peking-Tsinghua Center for Life Sciences, Beijing Advanced Innovation Center for Genomics, Peking University School of Life Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Wei Yang
- PKU-IDG/McGovern Institute for Brain Research, Peking-Tsinghua Center for Life Sciences, Beijing Advanced Innovation Center for Genomics, Peking University School of Life Sciences, Beijing, China.,Chinese Institute for Brain Research, Beijing, China
| | - Renbo Mao
- Graduate School of Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China.,National Institute of Biological Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Wenxia Zhang
- PKU-IDG/McGovern Institute for Brain Research, Peking-Tsinghua Center for Life Sciences, Beijing Advanced Innovation Center for Genomics, Peking University School of Life Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Yi Rao
- PKU-IDG/McGovern Institute for Brain Research, Peking-Tsinghua Center for Life Sciences, Beijing Advanced Innovation Center for Genomics, Peking University School of Life Sciences, Beijing, China.,Chinese Institute for Brain Research, Beijing, China
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13
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Martinez JL, Zammit MD, West NR, Christian BT, Bhattacharyya A. Basal Forebrain Cholinergic Neurons: Linking Down Syndrome and Alzheimer's Disease. Front Aging Neurosci 2021; 13:703876. [PMID: 34322015 PMCID: PMC8311593 DOI: 10.3389/fnagi.2021.703876] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/30/2021] [Accepted: 06/17/2021] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
Down syndrome (DS, trisomy 21) is characterized by intellectual impairment at birth and Alzheimer’s disease (AD) pathology in middle age. As individuals with DS age, their cognitive functions decline as they develop AD pathology. The susceptibility to degeneration of a subset of neurons, known as basal forebrain cholinergic neurons (BFCNs), in DS and AD is a critical link between cognitive impairment and neurodegeneration in both disorders. BFCNs are the primary source of cholinergic innervation to the cerebral cortex and hippocampus, as well as the amygdala. They play a critical role in the processing of information related to cognitive function and are directly engaged in regulating circuits of attention and memory throughout the lifespan. Given the importance of BFCNs in attention and memory, it is not surprising that these neurons contribute to dysfunctional neuronal circuitry in DS and are vulnerable in adults with DS and AD, where their degeneration leads to memory loss and disturbance in language. BFCNs are thus a relevant cell target for therapeutics for both DS and AD but, despite some success, efforts in this area have waned. There are gaps in our knowledge of BFCN vulnerability that preclude our ability to effectively design interventions. Here, we review the role of BFCN function and degeneration in AD and DS and identify under-studied aspects of BFCN biology. The current gaps in BFCN relevant imaging studies, therapeutics, and human models limit our insight into the mechanistic vulnerability of BFCNs in individuals with DS and AD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jose L Martinez
- Cellular and Molecular Biology Graduate Program, University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI, United States.,Waisman Center, University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI, United States
| | - Matthew D Zammit
- Waisman Center, University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI, United States.,Department of Medical Physics, School of Medicine and Public Health, University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI, United States
| | - Nicole R West
- Cellular and Molecular Biology Graduate Program, University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI, United States.,Waisman Center, University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI, United States
| | - Bradley T Christian
- Waisman Center, University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI, United States.,Department of Medical Physics, School of Medicine and Public Health, University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI, United States.,Department of Psychiatry, School of Medicine and Public Health, University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI, United States
| | - Anita Bhattacharyya
- Waisman Center, University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI, United States.,Department of Cellular and Regenerative Biology, School of Medicine and Public Health, University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI, United States
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14
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Electrical stimulation of the nucleus basalis of meynert: a systematic review of preclinical and clinical data. Sci Rep 2021; 11:11751. [PMID: 34083732 PMCID: PMC8175342 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-91391-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/02/2021] [Accepted: 05/24/2021] [Indexed: 12/09/2022] Open
Abstract
Deep brain stimulation (DBS) of the nucleus basalis of Meynert (NBM) has been clinically investigated in Alzheimer’s disease (AD) and Lewy body dementia (LBD). However, the clinical effects are highly variable, which questions the suggested basic principles underlying these clinical trials. Therefore, preclinical and clinical data on the design of NBM stimulation experiments and its effects on behavioral and neurophysiological aspects are systematically reviewed here. Animal studies have shown that electrical stimulation of the NBM enhanced cognition, increased the release of acetylcholine, enhanced cerebral blood flow, released several neuroprotective factors, and facilitates plasticity of cortical and subcortical receptive fields. However, the translation of these outcomes to current clinical practice is hampered by the fact that mainly animals with an intact NBM were used, whereas most animals were stimulated unilaterally, with different stimulation paradigms for only restricted timeframes. Future animal research has to refine the NBM stimulation methods, using partially lesioned NBM nuclei, to better resemble the clinical situation in AD, and LBD. More preclinical data on the effect of stimulation of lesioned NBM should be present, before DBS of the NBM in human is explored further.
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15
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Veith VK, Quigley C, Treue S. Cholinergic manipulations affect sensory responses but not attentional enhancement in macaque MT. BMC Biol 2021; 19:49. [PMID: 33726757 PMCID: PMC7967954 DOI: 10.1186/s12915-021-00993-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/20/2020] [Accepted: 02/24/2021] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Attentional modulation in the visual cortex of primates is characterized by multiplicative changes of sensory responses with changes in the attentional state of the animal. The cholinergic system has been linked to such gain changes in V1. Here, we aim to determine if a similar link exists in macaque area MT. While rhesus monkeys performed a top-down spatial attention task, we locally injected a cholinergic agonist or antagonist and recorded single-cell activity. RESULTS Although we confirmed cholinergic influences on sensory responses, there was no additional cholinergic effect on the attentional gain changes. Neither a muscarinic blockage nor a local increase in acetylcholine led to a significant change in the magnitude of spatial attention effects on firing rates. CONCLUSIONS This suggests that the cellular mechanisms of attentional modulation in the extrastriate cortex cannot be directly inferred from those in the primary visual cortex.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vera Katharina Veith
- Cognitive Neuroscience Laboratory, German Primate Center - Leibniz Institute for Primate Research, Goettingen, Germany
| | - Cliodhna Quigley
- Cognitive Neuroscience Laboratory, German Primate Center - Leibniz Institute for Primate Research, Goettingen, Germany.,Konrad Lorenz Institute of Ethology, Department of Interdisciplinary Life Sciences, University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Stefan Treue
- Cognitive Neuroscience Laboratory, German Primate Center - Leibniz Institute for Primate Research, Goettingen, Germany. .,Faculty for Biology and Psychology, University of Goettingen, Goettingen, Germany. .,Leibniz ScienceCampus Primate Cognition, Goettingen, Germany.
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16
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Rockland KS. A Closer Look at Corticothalamic "Loops". Front Neural Circuits 2021; 15:632668. [PMID: 33603649 PMCID: PMC7884447 DOI: 10.3389/fncir.2021.632668] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/23/2020] [Accepted: 01/13/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Kathleen S Rockland
- Department of Anatomy & Neurobiology, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, MA, United States
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17
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Venkatesan S, Jeoung HS, Chen T, Power SK, Liu Y, Lambe EK. Endogenous Acetylcholine and Its Modulation of Cortical Microcircuits to Enhance Cognition. Curr Top Behav Neurosci 2020; 45:47-69. [PMID: 32601996 DOI: 10.1007/7854_2020_138] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
Acetylcholine regulates the cerebral cortex to sharpen sensory perception and enhance attentional focus. The cellular and circuit mechanisms of this cholinergic modulation are under active investigation in sensory and prefrontal cortex, but the universality of these mechanisms across the cerebral cortex is not clear. Anatomical maps suggest that the sensory and prefrontal cortices receive distinct cholinergic projections and have subtle differences in the expression of cholinergic receptors and the metabolic enzyme acetylcholinesterase. First, we briefly review this anatomical literature and the recent progress in the field. Next, we discuss in detail the electrophysiological effects of cholinergic receptor subtypes and the cell and circuit consequences of their stimulation by endogenous acetylcholine as established by recent optogenetic work. Finally, we explore the behavioral ramifications of in vivo manipulations of endogenous acetylcholine. We find broader similarities than we expected between the cholinergic regulation of sensory and prefrontal cortex, but there are some differences and some gaps in knowledge. In visual, auditory, and somatosensory cortex, the cell and circuit mechanisms of cholinergic sharpening of sensory perception have been probed in vivo with calcium imaging and optogenetic experiments to simultaneously test mechanism and measure the consequences of manipulation. By contrast, ascertaining the links between attentional performance and cholinergic modulation of specific prefrontal microcircuits is more complicated due to the nature of the required tasks. However, ex vivo optogenetic manipulations point to differences in the cholinergic modulation of sensory and prefrontal cortex. Understanding how and where acetylcholine acts within the cerebral cortex to shape cognition is essential to pinpoint novel treatment targets for the perceptual and attention deficits found in multiple psychiatric and neurological disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Ha-Seul Jeoung
- Department of Physiology, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Tianhui Chen
- Department of Physiology, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Saige K Power
- Department of Physiology, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Yupeng Liu
- Department of Physiology, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Evelyn K Lambe
- Department of Physiology, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada.
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada.
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada.
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18
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Hawken MJ. Advances in the physiology of primary visual cortex in primates. CURRENT OPINION IN PHYSIOLOGY 2020. [DOI: 10.1016/j.cophys.2020.07.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
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19
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Latchoumane CFV, Barany DA, Karumbaiah L, Singh T. Neurostimulation and Reach-to-Grasp Function Recovery Following Acquired Brain Injury: Insight From Pre-clinical Rodent Models and Human Applications. Front Neurol 2020; 11:835. [PMID: 32849253 PMCID: PMC7396659 DOI: 10.3389/fneur.2020.00835] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/17/2020] [Accepted: 07/06/2020] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Reach-to-grasp is an evolutionarily conserved motor function that is adversely impacted following stroke and traumatic brain injury (TBI). Non-invasive brain stimulation (NIBS) methods, such as transcranial magnetic stimulation and transcranial direct current stimulation, are promising tools that could enhance functional recovery of reach-to-grasp post-brain injury. Though the rodent literature provides a causal understanding of post-injury recovery mechanisms, it has had a limited impact on NIBS protocols in human research. The high degree of homology in reach-to-grasp circuitry between humans and rodents further implies that the application of NIBS to brain injury could be better informed by findings from pre-clinical rodent models and neurorehabilitation research. Here, we provide an overview of the advantages and limitations of using rodent models to advance our current understanding of human reach-to-grasp function, cortical circuitry, and reorganization. We propose that a cross-species comparison of reach-to-grasp recovery could provide a mechanistic framework for clinically efficacious NIBS treatments that could elicit better functional outcomes for patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Charles-Francois V. Latchoumane
- Department of Animal and Dairy Science, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, United States
- Regenerative Bioscience Center, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, United States
| | - Deborah A. Barany
- Department of Kinesiology, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, United States
| | - Lohitash Karumbaiah
- Department of Animal and Dairy Science, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, United States
- Regenerative Bioscience Center, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, United States
| | - Tarkeshwar Singh
- Regenerative Bioscience Center, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, United States
- Department of Kinesiology, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, United States
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20
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Disney AA, Higley MJ. Diverse Spatiotemporal Scales of Cholinergic Signaling in the Neocortex. J Neurosci 2020; 40:720-725. [PMID: 31969490 PMCID: PMC6975298 DOI: 10.1523/jneurosci.1306-19.2019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/26/2019] [Revised: 10/16/2019] [Accepted: 10/21/2019] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
ACh is a signaling molecule in the mammalian CNS, with well-documented influence over cognition and behavior. However, the nature of cholinergic signaling in the brain remains controversial, with ongoing debates focused on the spatial and temporal resolution of ACh activity. Generally, opposing views have embraced a dichotomy between transmission as slow and volume-mediated versus fast and synaptic. Here, we provide the perspective that ACh, like most other neurotransmitters, exhibits both fast and slow modes that are strongly determined by the anatomy of cholinergic fibers, the distribution and the signaling mechanisms of receptor subtypes, and the dynamics of ACh hydrolysis. Current methodological approaches remain limited in their ability to provide detailed analyses of these underlying factors. However, we believe that the continued development of novel technologies in combination with a more nuanced view of cholinergic activity will open critical new avenues to a better understanding of ACh in the brain.Dual Perspectives Companion Paper: Forebrain Cholinergic Signaling: Wired and Phasic, Not Tonic, and Causing Behavior, by Martin Sarter and Cindy Lustig.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anita A Disney
- Department of Neurobiology, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina 27710, and
| | - Michael J Higley
- Department of Neuroscience, Kavli Institute for Neuroscience, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut 06520
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21
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Abstract
The prefrontal cortex underlies our high order cognitive abilities and is the target of projections from many neuromodulatory nuclei. The dorsolateral prefrontal cortex is particularly critical for rule representation and working memory, or the ability to hold information "in mind" in the absence of sensory input. Emerging evidence supports a prominent and permissive role for acetylcholine in these excitatory circuits, through actions at cholinergic nicotinic receptors. Here we review the involvement of acetylcholine in working memory via actions at nicotinic receptors.
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22
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Translational implications of the anatomical nonequivalence of functionally equivalent cholinergic circuit motifs. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2019; 116:26181-26186. [PMID: 31871174 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1902280116] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Biomedical research is at a critical juncture, with an aging population increasingly beset by chronic illness and prominent failures to translate research from "bench to bedside." These challenges emerge on a background of increasing "silo-ing" of experiments (and experimenters)-many investigators produce and consume research conducted in 1, perhaps 2, species-and increasing pressure to reduce or eliminate research on so-called "higher" mammals. Such decisions to restrict species diversity in biomedical research have not been data-driven and increase the risk of translational failure. To illustrate this problem, we present a case study from neuroscience: cholinergic suppression in the cortex. In all mammals studied so far, acetylcholine reduces activity in some cortical neurons. Comparative anatomical studies have shown that the mechanism behind this suppression differs between species in a manner that would render drug treatments developed in nonprimate species entirely ineffective if applied to primates (including humans). Developing clinical interventions from basic research will always require translation, either between species (e.g., using a mouse model of a human disease) or within a species (using a subset of humans as a representative sample for all humans). We argue that successful translation will require that we 1) be data-driven in our selection of species for study; 2) use (with careful attention to welfare) animals that minimize the translation gap to humans; and 3) become agile at translation, by resisting the pressures to narrow our focus to a small number of organisms, instead using species diversity as an opportunity to practice translation.
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23
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Colangelo C, Shichkova P, Keller D, Markram H, Ramaswamy S. Cellular, Synaptic and Network Effects of Acetylcholine in the Neocortex. Front Neural Circuits 2019; 13:24. [PMID: 31031601 PMCID: PMC6473068 DOI: 10.3389/fncir.2019.00024] [Citation(s) in RCA: 57] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/28/2019] [Accepted: 03/22/2019] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
The neocortex is densely innervated by basal forebrain (BF) cholinergic neurons. Long-range axons of cholinergic neurons regulate higher-order cognitive function and dysfunction in the neocortex by releasing acetylcholine (ACh). ACh release dynamically reconfigures neocortical microcircuitry through differential spatiotemporal actions on cell-types and their synaptic connections. At the cellular level, ACh release controls neuronal excitability and firing rate, by hyperpolarizing or depolarizing target neurons. At the synaptic level, ACh impacts transmission dynamics not only by altering the presynaptic probability of release, but also the magnitude of the postsynaptic response. Despite the crucial role of ACh release in physiology and pathophysiology, a comprehensive understanding of the way it regulates the activity of diverse neocortical cell-types and synaptic connections has remained elusive. This review aims to summarize the state-of-the-art anatomical and physiological data to develop a functional map of the cellular, synaptic and microcircuit effects of ACh in the neocortex of rodents and non-human primates, and to serve as a quantitative reference for those intending to build data-driven computational models on the role of ACh in governing brain states.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cristina Colangelo
- Blue Brain Project, Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), Geneva, Switzerland
| | | | | | | | - Srikanth Ramaswamy
- Blue Brain Project, Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), Geneva, Switzerland
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24
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Regulation of cholinergic basal forebrain development, connectivity, and function by neurotrophin receptors. Neuronal Signal 2019; 3:NS20180066. [PMID: 32269831 PMCID: PMC7104233 DOI: 10.1042/ns20180066] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/22/2018] [Revised: 01/15/2019] [Accepted: 01/15/2019] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Cholinergic basal forebrain (cBF) neurons are defined by their expression of the p75 neurotrophin receptor (p75NTR) and tropomyosin-related kinase (Trk) neurotrophin receptors in addition to cholinergic markers. It is known that the neurotrophins, particularly nerve growth factor (NGF), mediate cholinergic neuronal development and maintenance. However, the role of neurotrophin signalling in regulating adult cBF function is less clear, although in dementia, trophic signalling is reduced and p75NTR mediates neurodegeneration of cBF neurons. Here we review the current understanding of how cBF neurons are regulated by neurotrophins which activate p75NTR and TrkA, B or C to influence the critical role that these neurons play in normal cortical function, particularly higher order cognition. Specifically, we describe the current evidence that neurotrophins regulate the development of basal forebrain neurons and their role in maintaining and modifying mature basal forebrain synaptic and cortical microcircuit connectivity. Understanding the role neurotrophin signalling plays in regulating the precision of cholinergic connectivity will contribute to the understanding of normal cognitive processes and will likely provide additional ideas for designing improved therapies for the treatment of neurological disease in which cholinergic dysfunction has been demonstrated.
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25
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Krueger J, Disney AA. Structure and function of dual-source cholinergic modulation in early vision. J Comp Neurol 2018; 527:738-750. [PMID: 30520037 DOI: 10.1002/cne.24590] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/22/2018] [Revised: 10/29/2018] [Accepted: 11/01/2018] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
Behavioral states such as arousal and attention have profound effects on sensory processing, determining how-even whether-a stimulus is perceived. This state-dependence is believed to arise, at least in part, in response to inputs from subcortical structures that release neuromodulators such as acetylcholine, often nonsynaptically. The mechanisms that underlie the interaction between these nonsynaptic signals and the more point-to-point synaptic cortical circuitry are not well understood. This review highlights the state of the field, with a focus on cholinergic action in early visual processing. Key anatomical and physiological features of both the cholinergic and the visual systems are discussed. Furthermore, presenting evidence of cholinergic modulation in visual thalamus and primary visual cortex, we explore potential functional roles of acetylcholine and its effects on the processing of visual input over the sleep-wake cycle, sensory gain control during wakefulness, and consider evidence for cholinergic support of visual attention.
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Affiliation(s)
- Juliane Krueger
- Department of Neurobiology, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, North Carolina
| | - Anita A Disney
- Department of Neurobiology, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, North Carolina
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26
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Solari N, Hangya B. Cholinergic modulation of spatial learning, memory and navigation. Eur J Neurosci 2018; 48:2199-2230. [PMID: 30055067 PMCID: PMC6174978 DOI: 10.1111/ejn.14089] [Citation(s) in RCA: 60] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/24/2018] [Revised: 06/25/2018] [Accepted: 07/23/2018] [Indexed: 01/02/2023]
Abstract
Spatial learning, including encoding and retrieval of spatial memories as well as holding spatial information in working memory generally serving navigation under a broad range of circumstances, relies on a network of structures. While central to this network are medial temporal lobe structures with a widely appreciated crucial function of the hippocampus, neocortical areas such as the posterior parietal cortex and the retrosplenial cortex also play essential roles. Since the hippocampus receives its main subcortical input from the medial septum of the basal forebrain (BF) cholinergic system, it is not surprising that the potential role of the septo-hippocampal pathway in spatial navigation has been investigated in many studies. Much less is known of the involvement in spatial cognition of the parallel projection system linking the posterior BF with neocortical areas. Here we review the current state of the art of the division of labour within this complex 'navigation system', with special focus on how subcortical cholinergic inputs may regulate various aspects of spatial learning, memory and navigation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicola Solari
- Lendület Laboratory of Systems NeuroscienceDepartment of Cellular and Network NeurobiologyInstitute of Experimental MedicineHungarian Academy of SciencesBudapestHungary
| | - Balázs Hangya
- Lendület Laboratory of Systems NeuroscienceDepartment of Cellular and Network NeurobiologyInstitute of Experimental MedicineHungarian Academy of SciencesBudapestHungary
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27
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Coppola JJ, Disney AA. Most calbindin-immunoreactive neurons, but few calretinin-immunoreactive neurons, express the m1 acetylcholine receptor in the middle temporal visual area of the macaque monkey. Brain Behav 2018; 8:e01071. [PMID: 30094962 PMCID: PMC6160643 DOI: 10.1002/brb3.1071] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/05/2018] [Revised: 04/10/2018] [Accepted: 04/15/2018] [Indexed: 01/08/2023] Open
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Release of the neuromodulator acetylcholine into cortical circuits supports cognition, although its precise role and mechanisms of action are not well understood. Little is known about functional differences in cholinergic modulatory effects across cortical model systems, but anatomical evidence suggests that such differences likely exist because, for example, the expression of cholinergic receptors differs profoundly both within and between species. METHODS In the primary visual cortex (V1) of macaque monkeys, cholinergic receptors are strongly expressed by inhibitory interneurons. Using dual-immunofluorescence confocal microscopy, we examine m1 muscarinic acetylcholine receptor expression by two subclasses of inhibitory interneurons-identified by their expression of the calcium-binding proteins calbindin and calretinin-in the middle temporal extrastriate area (MT) of the macaque. RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONS We find that the majority of calbindin-immunoreactive neurons (55%) and only few calretinin-immunoreactive neurons (10%) express the m1 acetylcholine receptor. These results differ from the pattern observed in V1 of the same species, lending further support to the notion that cholinergic modulation in the cortex is tuned such that different cortical compartments will respond to acetylcholine release in different ways.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Anita A. Disney
- Department of PsychologyVanderbilt UniversityNashvilleTennessee
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28
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Galvin VC, Arnsten AFT, Wang M. Evolution in Neuromodulation-The Differential Roles of Acetylcholine in Higher Order Association vs. Primary Visual Cortices. Front Neural Circuits 2018; 12:67. [PMID: 30210306 PMCID: PMC6121028 DOI: 10.3389/fncir.2018.00067] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/28/2018] [Accepted: 08/06/2018] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
This review contrasts the neuromodulatory influences of acetylcholine (ACh) on the relatively conserved primary visual cortex (V1), compared to the newly evolved dorsolateral prefrontal association cortex (dlPFC). ACh is critical both for proper circuit development and organization, and for optimal functioning of mature systems in both cortical regions. ACh acts through both nicotinic and muscarinic receptors, which show very different expression profiles in V1 vs. dlPFC, and differing effects on neuronal firing. Cholinergic effects mediate attentional influences in V1, enhancing representation of incoming sensory stimuli. In dlPFC ACh plays a permissive role for network communication. ACh receptor expression and ACh actions in higher visual areas have an intermediate profile between V1 and dlPFC. This changing role of ACh modulation across association cortices may help to illuminate the particular susceptibility of PFC in cognitive disorders, and provide therapeutic targets to strengthen cognition.
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Affiliation(s)
- Veronica C Galvin
- Department of Neuroscience, Yale University, New Haven, CT, United States
| | - Amy F T Arnsten
- Department of Neuroscience, Yale University, New Haven, CT, United States
| | - Min Wang
- Department of Neuroscience, Yale University, New Haven, CT, United States
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29
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Puzerey PA, Maher K, Prasad N, Goldberg JH. Vocal learning in songbirds requires cholinergic signaling in a motor cortex-like nucleus. J Neurophysiol 2018; 120:1796-1806. [PMID: 29995601 DOI: 10.1152/jn.00078.2018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/16/2023] Open
Abstract
Cholinergic inputs to cortex modulate plasticity and sensory processing, yet little is known about their role in motor control. Here, we show that cholinergic signaling in a songbird vocal motor cortical area, the robust nucleus of the arcopallium (RA), is required for song learning. Reverse microdialysis of nicotinic and muscarinic receptor antagonists into RA in juvenile birds did not significantly affect syllable timing or acoustic structure during vocal babbling. However, chronic blockade over weeks reduced singing quantity and impaired learning, resulting in an impoverished song with excess variability, abnormal acoustic features, and reduced similarity to tutor song. The demonstration that cholinergic signaling in a motor cortical area is required for song learning motivates the songbird as a tractable model system to identify roles of the basal forebrain cholinergic system in motor control. NEW & NOTEWORTHY Cholinergic inputs to cortex are evolutionarily conserved and implicated in sensory processing and synaptic plasticity. However, functions of cholinergic signals in motor areas are understudied and poorly understood. Here, we show that cholinergic signaling in a songbird vocal motor cortical area is not required for normal vocal variability during babbling but is essential for developmental song learning. Cholinergic modulation of motor cortex is thus required for learning but not for the ability to sing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pavel A Puzerey
- Department of Neurobiology and Behavior, Cornell University , Ithaca, New York
| | - Kamal Maher
- Department of Neurobiology and Behavior, Cornell University , Ithaca, New York
| | - Nikil Prasad
- Department of Neurobiology and Behavior, Cornell University , Ithaca, New York
| | - Jesse H Goldberg
- Department of Neurobiology and Behavior, Cornell University , Ithaca, New York
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