Optimizing GABAA receptor antagonism for the induction of long-term potentiation in the mouse and rat dentate gyrus in vitro.

The reliable induction of long-term potentiation (LTP) in the dentate gyrus (DG) in vitro requires the blockade of the γ-aminobutyric acid A (GABAA) receptor. In these studies we examined the effectiveness of the specific GABAA receptor antagonist bicuculline methiodide (BMI) in facilitating LTP in the DG from hippocampal slices obtained from either C57Bl/6 mice or Sprague-Dawley rats, two species commonly used for electrophysiology. In the C57Bl/6 mice, maximal short-term potentiation and LTP in the DG were produced with a concentration of 5 µM BMI. In contrast, a concentration of 10 µM BMI was required to produce maximal short-term potentiation and LTP in the DG of Sprague-Dawley rats. These results reveal that there are species differences in the optimal amount of BMI required to produce robust and reliable LTP in the rodent DG in vitro and highlight the need to take consideration of the species being used when choosing concentrations of pharmacological agents to employ for electrophysiological use.NEW & NOTEWORTHY In this report we provide specific neurophysiological evidence for concentrations of GABAA antagonist required to study long-term potentiation in the medial perforant pathway of the dentate gyrus. Two commonly used species, Sprague-Dawley rats and C57Bl/6 mice, require different concentrations of bicuculline methiodide to induce optimal short-term and long-term potentiation.

Repeated mild traumatic brain injury causes sex-specific increases in cell proliferation and inflammation in juvenile rats.

Childhood represents a period of significant growth and maturation for the brain, and is also associated with a heightened risk for mild traumatic brain injuries (mTBI). There is also concern that repeated-mTBI (r-mTBI) may have a long-term impact on developmental trajectories. Using an awake closed head injury (ACHI) model, that uses rapid head acceleration to induce a mTBI, we investigated the acute effects of repeated-mTBI (r-mTBI) on neurological function and cellular proliferation in juvenile male and female Long-Evans rats. We found that r-mTBI did not lead to cumulative neurological deficits with the model. R-mTBI animals exhibited an increase in BrdU + (bromodeoxyuridine positive) cells in the dentate gyrus (DG), and that this increase was more robust in male animals. This increase was not sustained, and cell proliferation returning to normal by PID3. A greater increase in BrdU + cells was observed in the dorsal DG in both male and female r-mTBI animals at PID1. Using Ki-67 expression as an endogenous marker of cellular proliferation, a robust proliferative response following r-mTBI was observed in male animals at PID1 that persisted until PID3, and was not constrained to the DG alone. Triple labeling experiments (Iba1+, GFAP+, Brdu+) revealed that a high proportion of these proliferating cells were microglia/macrophages, indicating there was a heightened inflammatory response. Overall, these findings suggest that rapid head acceleration with the ACHI model produces an mTBI, but that the acute neurological deficits do not increase in severity with repeated administration. R-mTBI transiently increases cellular proliferation in the hippocampus, particularly in male animals, and the pattern of cell proliferation suggests that this represents a neuroinflammatory response that is focused around the mid-brain rather than peripheral cortical regions. These results add to growing literature indicating sex differences in proliferative and inflammatory responses between females and males. Targeting proliferation as a therapeutic avenue may help reduce the short term impact of r-mTBI, but there may be sex-specific considerations.

Effects of prenatal ethanol exposure on choline-induced long-term depression in the hippocampus.

Choline is an essential nutrient under evaluation as a cognitive enhancing treatment for fetal alcohol spectrum disorders (FASD) in clinical trials. As a result, there is increased pressure to identify therapeutic mechanism(s) of action. Choline is not only a precursor for several essential cell membrane components and signaling molecules but also has the potential to directly affect synaptic mechanisms that are believed important for cognitive processes. In the current work, we study how the direct application of choline can affect synaptic transmission in the dentate gyrus (DG) of hippocampal slices obtained from adolescent (postnatal days 21-28) Sprague-Dawley rats (Rattus norvegicus). The acute administration of choline chloride (2 mM) reliably induced a long-term depression (LTD) of field excitatory postsynaptic potentials (fEPSPs) in the DG in vitro. The depression required the involvement of M1 receptors, and the magnitude of the effect was similar in slices obtained from male and female animals. To further study the impact of choline in an animal model of FASD, we examined offspring from dams fed an ethanol-containing diet (35.5% ethanol-derived calories) throughout gestation. In slices from the adolescent animals that experienced prenatal ethanol exposure (PNEE), we found that the choline induced an LTD that uniquely involved the activation of N-methyl-d-aspartate (NMDA) and M1 receptors. This study provides a novel insight into how choline can modulate hippocampal transmission at the level of the synapse and that it can have unique effects following PNEE.NEW & NOTEWORTHY Choline supplementation is a nutraceutical therapy with significant potential for a variety of developmental disorders; however, the mechanisms involved in its therapeutic effects remain poorly understood. Our research shows that choline directly impacts synaptic communication in the brain, inducing a long-term depression of synaptic efficacy in brain slices. The depression is equivalent in male and female animals, involves M1 receptors in control animals, but uniquely involves NMDA receptors in a model of FASD.

Prenatal alcohol and cannabis exposure can have opposing and region-specific effects on parvalbumin interneuron numbers in the hippocampus.

BACKGROUND: We recently showed that alcohol and cannabis can interact prenatally, and in a recent review paper, we identified parvalbumin-positive (PV) interneurons in the hippocampus as a potential point of convergence for these teratogens. METHODS: A 2 (Ethanol [EtOH], Air) × 2 (tetrahydrocannabinol [THC], Vehicle) design was used to expose pregnant Sprague-Dawley rats to either EtOH or air, in addition to either THC or the inhalant vehicle solution, during gestational days 5-20. Immunohistochemistry was performed to detect PV interneurons in 1 male and 1 female pup from each litter at postnatal day 70. RESULTS: Significant between-group and subregion-specific effects were found in the dorsal cornu ammonis 1 (CA1) subfield and the ventral dentate gyrus (DG). In the dorsal CA1 subfield, there was an increase in the number of PV interneurons in both the EtOH and EtOH +THC groups, but a decrease with THC alone. There were fewer changes in interneuron numbers overall in the DG, though there was a sex difference, with a decrease in the number of PV interneurons in the THC-exposed group in males. There was also a greater cell layer volume in the DG in the EtOH +THC group than the control group, and in the CA1 region in the EtOH group compared to the control and THC groups. CONCLUSIONS: Prenatal exposure to alcohol and THC differentially affects parvalbumin-positive interneuron numbers in the hippocampus, indicating that both individual and combined exposure can impact the balance of excitation and inhibition in a structure critically involved in learning and memory processes.

AdipoRon Treatment Induces a Dose-Dependent Response in Adult Hippocampal Neurogenesis.

AdipoRon, an adiponectin receptor agonist, elicits similar antidiabetic, anti-atherogenic, and anti-inflammatory effects on mouse models as adiponectin does. Since AdipoRon can cross the blood-brain barrier, its chronic effects on regulating hippocampal function are yet to be examined. This study investigated whether AdipoRon treatment promotes hippocampal neurogenesis and spatial recognition memory in a dose-dependent manner. Adolescent male C57BL/6J mice received continuous treatment of either 20 mg/kg (low dose) or 50 mg/kg (high dose) AdipoRon or vehicle intraperitoneally for 14 days, followed by the open field test to examine anxiety and locomotor activity, and the Y maze test to examine hippocampal-dependent spatial recognition memory. Immunopositive cell markers of neural progenitor cells, immature neurons, and newborn cells in the hippocampal dentate gyrus were quantified. Immunosorbent assays were used to measure the serum levels of factors that can regulate hippocampal neurogenesis, including adiponectin, brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), and corticosterone. Our results showed that 20 mg/kg AdipoRon treatment significantly promoted hippocampal cell proliferation and increased serum levels of adiponectin and BDNF, though there were no effects on spatial recognition memory and locomotor activity. On the contrary, 50 mg/kg AdipoRon treatment impaired spatial recognition memory, suppressed cell proliferation, neuronal differentiation, and cell survival associated with reduced serum levels of BDNF and adiponectin. The results suggest that a low-dose AdipoRon treatment promotes hippocampal cell proliferation, while a high-dose AdipoRon treatment is detrimental to the hippocampus function.

Endocannabinoid receptors contribute significantly to multiple forms of long-term depression in the rat dentate gyrus.

Cannabinoid receptors are widely expressed throughout the hippocampal formation, but are particularly dense in the dentate gyrus (DG) subregion. We, and others, have shown in mice that cannabinoid type 1 receptors (CB1Rs) are involved in a long-term depression (LTD) that can be induced by prolonged 10 Hz stimulation of the medial perforant path (MPP)-granule cell synaptic input to the DG. Here, we extend this work to examine the involvement of CB1Rs in other common forms of LTD in the hippocampus of juvenile male and female Sprague-Dawley rats (Rattus norvegicus). We found, as in mice, that prolonged 10 Hz stimulation (6000 pulses) could reliably induce a form of LTD that was dependent upon CB1R activation. In addition, we also discovered a role for both CB1R and mGluR proteins in LTD induced with 1 Hz low-frequency stimulation (1 Hz-LTD; 900 pulses) and in LTD induced by bath application of the group I mGluR agonist (RS)-3,5-Dihydroxyphenylglycine (DHPG; DHPG-LTD). This study elucidates an essential role for endocannabinoid receptors in a number of forms of LTD in the rat DG, and identifies a novel role for CB1Rs as potential therapeutic targets for conditions that involve impaired LTD in the DG.

A Systematic Review of the Effects of Perinatal Alcohol Exposure and Perinatal Marijuana Exposure on Adult Neurogenesis in the Dentate Gyrus.

BACKGROUND: Marijuana and alcohol are both substances that, when used during pregnancy, may have profound effects on the developing fetus. There is evidence to suggest that both drugs have the capacity to affect working memory, one function of the hippocampal formation; however, there is a paucity of data on how perinatal exposure to alcohol or cannabis impacts the process of adult neurogenesis. METHODS: This systematic review examines immunohistochemical data from adult rat and mouse models that assess perinatal alcohol or perinatal marijuana exposure. A comprehensive list of search terms was designed and used to search 3 separate databases. All results were imported to Mendeley and screened by 2 authors. Consensus was reached on a set of final papers that met the inclusion criteria, and their results were summarized. RESULTS: Twelve papers were identified as relevant, 10 of which pertained to the effects of perinatal alcohol on the adult hippocampus, and 2 pertained to the effects of perinatal marijuana on the adult hippocampus. Cellular proliferation in the dentate gyrus was not affected in adult rats and mice exposed to alcohol perinatally. In general, perinatal alcohol exposure did not have a significant and reliable effect on the maturation and survival of adult born granule neurons in the dentate gyrus. In contrast, interneuron numbers appear to be reduced in the dentate gyrus of adult rats and mice exposed perinatally to alcohol. Perinatal marijuana exposure was also found to reduce inhibitory interneuron numbers in the dentate gyrus. CONCLUSIONS: Perinatal alcohol exposure and perinatal marijuana exposure both act on inhibitory interneurons in the hippocampal formation of adult rats. These findings suggest simultaneous perinatal alcohol and marijuana exposure (SAM) may have a dramatic impact on inhibitory processes in the dentate gyrus.

Fetal alcohol spectrum disorder (FASD) affects the hippocampal levels of histone variant H2A.Z-2.

Fetal alcohol spectrum disorder (FASD) is caused by prenatal exposure to ethanol and has been linked to neurodevelopmental impairments. Alcohol has the potential to alter some of the epigenetic components that play a critical role during development. Previous studies have provided evidence that prenatal exposure to ethanol results in abnormal epigenetic patterns (i.e., hypomethylation) of the genome. The aim of this study was to determine how prenatal exposure to ethanol in rats affects the hippocampal levels of expression of two important brain epigenetic transcriptional regulators involved in synaptic plasticity and memory consolidation: methyl CpG-binding protein 2 (MeCP2) and histone variant H2A.Z. Unexpectedly, under the conditions used in this work we were not able to detect any changes in MeCP2. Interestingly, however, we observed a significant decrease in H2A.Z, accompanied by its chromatin redistribution in both female and male FASD rat pups. Moreover, the data from reverse-transcription qPCR later confirmed that this decrease in H2A.Z is mainly due to down-regulation of its H2A.Z-2 isoform gene expression. Altogether, these data provide strong evidence that prenatal exposure to ethanol alters histone variant H2A.Z during neurogenesis of rat hippocampus.

Impaired Bidirectional Synaptic Plasticity in Juvenile Offspring Following Prenatal Ethanol Exposure.

BACKGROUND: The hippocampus is particularly vulnerable to the teratogenic effects of prenatal ethanol exposure (PNEE), and hippocampal structural and functional deficits are thought to contribute to the learning and memory deficits that are a hallmark feature of fetal alcohol spectrum disorders. METHODS: Sprague Dawley dams were exposed to a liquid diet that contained EtOH (35.5% EtOH-derived calories) throughout gestation, and then, PNEE juvenile (P21-28) male and female offspring were used for in vitro electrophysiological recordings. We examined long-term potentiation (LTP), long-term depression (LTD), and depotentiation in the medial perforant path input to the dentate gyrus (DG) to determine the impact of PNEE on the dynamic range of bidirectional synaptic plasticity in both sexes. RESULTS: PNEE reduced the responsiveness of the DGs of male but not in female offspring, and this effect was no longer apparent when GABAergic signaling was inhibited. There was also a sex-specific LTD impairment in males, but increasing the duration of the conditioning stimulus could overcome this deficit. The magnitude of LTP was also reduced, but in both sexes following PNEE. This appears to be an increase in the threshold for induction, not in capacity, as the level of LTP induced in PNEE animals was increased to control levels when additional conditioning stimuli were administered. CONCLUSIONS: These data are the first to describe, in a single study, the impact of PNEE on the dynamic range of bidirectional synaptic plasticity in the juvenile DG in both males and in females. The data suggest that PNEE increases the threshold for LTP in the DG in both sexes, but produces a sex-specific increase in the threshold for LTD in males These alterations reduce the dynamic range for synaptic plasticity in both sexes.

Adolescent ethanol intake alters cannabinoid type-1 receptor localization in astrocytes of the adult mouse hippocampus.

Cannabinoid type-1 (CB1 ) receptors are widely distributed in the brain and play important roles in astrocyte function and the modulation of neuronal synaptic transmission and plasticity. However, it is currently unknown how CB1 receptor expression in astrocytes is affected by long-term exposure to stressors. Here we examined CB1 receptors in astrocytes of ethanol (EtOH)-exposed adolescent mice to determine its effect on CB1 receptor localization and density in adult brain. 4-8-week-old male mice were exposed to 20 percent EtOH over a period of 4 weeks, and receptor localization was examined after 4 weeks in the hippocampal CA1 stratum radiatum by pre-embedding immunoelectron microscopy. Our results revealed a significant reduction in CB1 receptor immunoparticles in astrocytic processes of EtOH-exposed mice when compared with controls (positive astrocyte elements: 21.50 ± 2.80 percent versus 37.22 ± 3.12 percent, respectively), as well as a reduction in particle density (0.24 ± 0.02 versus 0.35 ± 0.02 particles/µm). The majority of CB1 receptor metal particles were in the range of 400-1200 nm from synaptic terminals in both control and EtOH. Altogether, the decrease in the CB1 receptor expression in hippocampal astrocytes of adult mice exposed to EtOH during adolescence reveals a long lasting effect of EtOH on astrocytic CB1 receptors. This deficiency may also have negative consequences for synaptic function.

The effects of hormones and physical exercise on hippocampal structural plasticity.

The hippocampus plays an integral role in certain aspects of cognition. Hippocampal structural plasticity and in particular adult hippocampal neurogenesis can be influenced by several intrinsic and extrinsic factors. Here we review how hormones (i.e., intrinsic modulators) and physical exercise (i.e., an extrinsic modulator) can differentially modulate hippocampal plasticity in general and adult hippocampal neurogenesis in particular. Specifically, we provide an overview of the effects of sex hormones, stress hormones, and metabolic hormones on hippocampal structural plasticity and adult hippocampal neurogenesis. In addition, we also discuss how physical exercise modulates these forms of hippocampal plasticity, giving particular emphasis on how this modulation can be affected by variables such as exercise regime, duration, and intensity. Understanding the neurobiological mechanisms underlying the modulation of hippocampal structural plasticity by intrinsic and extrinsic factors will impact the design of new therapeutic approaches aimed at restoring hippocampal plasticity following brain injury or neurodegeneration.

The Effects of Ethanol Exposure During Distinct Periods of Brain Development on Oxidative Stress in the Adult Rat Brain.

BACKGROUND: The consumption of alcohol during pregnancy can result in abnormal fetal development and impaired brain function in humans and experimental animal models. Depending on the pattern of consumption, the dose, and the period of exposure to ethanol (EtOH), a variety of structural and functional brain deficits can be observed. METHODS: This study compared the effects of EtOH exposure during distinct periods of brain development on oxidative damage and endogenous antioxidant status in various brain regions of adult female and male Sprague Dawley rats. Pregnant dams and neonatal rats were exposed to EtOH during one of the following time windows: between gestational days (GDs) 1 and 10 (first trimester equivalent); between GDs 11 and 21 (second trimester equivalent); or between postnatal days (PNDs) 4 and 10 (third trimester equivalent). RESULTS: EtOH exposure during any of the 3 trimester equivalents significantly increased lipid peroxidation in both the cornus ammonis (CA) and dentate gyrus (DG) subregions of the hippocampus, while also decreasing the levels of the endogenous antioxidant glutathione in the hippocampal CA and DG subregions as well as the prefrontal cortex of young adult animals (PND 60). CONCLUSIONS: These results indicate that EtOH exposure during restricted periods of brain development can have long-term consequences in the adult brain by dysregulating its redox status. This dysfunction may underlie, at least in part, the long-term alterations in brain function associated with fetal alcohol spectrum disorders.

Physical exercise-induced hippocampal neurogenesis and antidepressant effects are mediated by the adipocyte hormone adiponectin.

Adiponectin (ADN) is an adipocyte-secreted protein with insulin-sensitizing, antidiabetic, antiinflammatory, and antiatherogenic properties. Evidence is also accumulating that ADN has neuroprotective activities, yet the underlying mechanism remains elusive. Here we show that ADN could pass through the blood-brain barrier, and elevating its levels in the brain increased cell proliferation and decreased depression-like behaviors. ADN deficiency did not reduce the basal hippocampal neurogenesis or neuronal differentiation but diminished the effectiveness of exercise in increasing hippocampal neurogenesis. Furthermore, exercise-induced reduction in depression-like behaviors was abrogated in ADN-deficient mice, and this impairment in ADN-deficient mice was accompanied by defective running-induced phosphorylation of AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) in the hippocampal tissue. In vitro analyses indicated that ADN itself could increase cell proliferation of both hippocampal progenitor cells and Neuro2a neuroblastoma cells. The neurogenic effects of ADN were mediated by the ADN receptor 1 (ADNR1), because siRNA targeting ADNR1, but not ADNR2, inhibited the capacity of ADN to enhance cell proliferation. These data suggest that adiponectin may play a significant role in mediating the effects of exercise on hippocampal neurogenesis and depression, possibly by activation of the ADNR1/AMPK signaling pathways, and also raise the possibility that adiponectin and its agonists may represent a promising therapeutic treatment for depression.

The antidepressant-like effect of chronic guanosine treatment is associated with increased hippocampal neuronal differentiation.

Guanosine is a purine nucleoside that occurs naturally in the central nervous system, exerting trophic effects. Given its neuroprotective properties, the potential of guanosine as an antidepressant has been recently examined. Within this context, the present study sought to investigate the effects of chronic treatment with guanosine on the tail suspension test (TST), open field test and adult hippocampal neurogenesis. Swiss mice were administered guanosine for 21 days (5 mg/kg/day, p.o.) and subsequently submitted to the TST and open-field test. Following behavioural testing, animals were killed and the brains were processed for immunohistochemical analyses of hippocampal cell proliferation and neuronal differentiation. Animals treated with guanosine showed a reduction in immobility time in the TST without alterations in locomotor activity, confirming the antidepressant-like effect of this compound. Quantitative microscopic analysis did not reveal significant alterations in the numbers of Ki-67- and proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA)-positive cells in the hippocampal dentate gyrus (DG) of guanosine-treated mice. However, guanosine treatment resulted in a significant increase in the number of immature neurons, as assessed by immunohistochemistry for the neurogenic differentiation protein. Interestingly, this effect was localized to the ventral hippocampal DG, a functionally distinct region of this structure known to regulate emotional and motivational behaviours. Taken together, our results suggest that the antidepressant-like effect of chronic guanosine treatment is associated with an increase in neuronal differentiation, reinforcing the notion that this nucleoside may be an endogenous mood modulator.

GluN2A-/- Mice Lack Bidirectional Synaptic Plasticity in the Dentate Gyrus and Perform Poorly on Spatial Pattern Separation Tasks.

The different secondary subunits of the N-methyl-d-aspartate (NMDA) receptor each convey unique biophysical properties to the receptor complex, and may be key in determining the functional role played by NMDA receptors. In the hippocampus, the GluN2A and GluN2B subunits are particularly abundant; however, their exact roles in synaptic plasticity and behavior remain controversial. Here, we show that mice carrying a deletion for the GluN2A subunit (GluN2A(-/-)) demonstrate a severely compromised NMDA to AMPA receptor current ratio in granule cells from the dentate gyrus (DG), while granule cell morphology is unaltered. This deficit is accompanied by significant impairments in both LTP and LTD in the DG, whereas only minor impairments are observed in the CA1. In accordance with these hippocampal region-specific deficits, GluN2A(-/-) mice show impaired performance on the DG-associated task of spatial pattern separation. In contrast, GluN2A(-/-) mice show no deficit in temporal pattern separation, a process associated with CA1 functioning. Thus, our results establish the GluN2A subunit as a significant contributor to both bidirectional synaptic plasticity and spatial pattern separation in the DG.

Prenatal ethanol (EtOH) exposure alters the sensitivity of the adult dentate gyrus to acute EtOH exposure.

BACKGROUND: Prenatal ethanol (EtOH) exposure results in a spectrum of structural, cognitive, and behavioral abnormalities, collectively termed "fetal alcohol spectrum disorders" (FASDs). The hippocampal formation, an area of the brain strongly linked with learning and memory, is particularly vulnerable to the teratogenic effects of EtOH. Prenatal EtOH exposure can lead to long-lasting impairments in the ability to process spatial information, as well as produce long-lasting deficits in the ability of animals to exhibit long-term potentiation (LTP), a biological model of learning and memory processing. These deficits also have the ability to facilitate EtOH and/or other drug abuse later in life. This study sought to determine prenatal EtOH exposure altered the effects of acute EtOH application on synaptic plasticity. METHODS: Prenatal EtOH exposure was modeled using a liquid diet where dams were given 1 of 3 diets: (i) a liquid diet containing EtOH (35.5% EtOH-derived calories), (ii) a liquid diet, isocaloric to the EtOH diet, but with maltose-dextrin substituting for the EtOH-derived calories, and (iii) an ad libitum diet of standard rat chow. Extracellular recordings from transverse brain slices (350 µm) prepared from 50- to 70-day-old rats, following prenatal EtOH exposure (gestational day 1 to 21). LTP was examined in the dentate gyrus following acute EtOH exposure (0, 20, or 50 mM) in these slices. RESULTS: Prenatal EtOH exposure attenuated LTP in the adult dentate gyrus. In control offspring, acute application of EtOH in adulthood attenuated (20 mM) or blocked (50 mM) LTP. Conversely, the effect of acute EtOH application on LTP was not as pronounced in prenatal EtOH offspring. CONCLUSIONS: Prenatal EtOH exposure alters the sensitivity of the adult dentate gyrus to acute EtOH application producing a long-lasting tolerance to the inhibitory effects of EtOH. This decreased sensitivity may provide a mechanism promoting the formation of drug-associated memories and help explain the increased likelihood of developing an alcohol dependency often observed in individuals with FASDs.

Long-term exercise is needed to enhance synaptic plasticity in the hippocampus.

Exercise can have many benefits for the body, but it also benefits the brain by increasing neurogenesis, synaptic plasticity, and performance on learning and memory tasks. The period of exercise needed to realize the structural and functional benefits for the brain have not been well delineated, and previous studies have used periods of exercise exposure that range from as little as 3 d to up to 6 mo. In this study, we systematically evaluated the effects of differential running periods (3, 7, 14, 28, and 56 d) on both structural (cell proliferation and maturation) and functional (in vivo LTP) changes in the dentate gyrus of adult male Sprague-Dawley rats. We found that voluntary access to a running wheel for both short- and long-term periods can increase cell proliferation in the adult DG; however, increases in neurogenesis required longer term exposure to exercise. Increases in immature neurons were not observed until animals had been running for a minimum of 14 d. Similarly, short-term periods of wheel running did not facilitate LTP in the DG of adult animals, and reliable increases in LTP were only observed with 56 d of running. These results provide us with a greater understanding of the time course of wheel running access needed to enhance DG function. Furthermore, the results indicate that the new neurons produced in response to exercise in rats do not contribute significantly to synaptic plasticity until they mature.

Adiponectin rescues synaptic plasticity in the dentate gyrus of a mouse model of Fragile X Syndrome.

Fragile X syndrome (FXS) is the most common inherited cause of intellectual disability and is the leading known single-gene cause of autism spectrum disorder. Patients with FXS display varied behavioural deficits that include mild to severe cognitive impairments in addition to mood disorders. Currently, there is no cure for this condition; however, there is an emerging focus on therapies that inhibit mechanistic target of rapamycin (mTOR)-dependent protein synthesis owing to the clinical effectiveness of metformin for alleviating some behavioural symptoms in FXS. Adiponectin (APN) is a neurohormone that is released by adipocytes and provides an alternative means to inhibit mTOR activation in the brain. In these studies, we show that Fmr1 knockout mice, like patients with FXS, show reduced levels of circulating APN and that both long-term potentiation (LTP) and long-term depression (LTD) in the dentate gyrus (DG) are impaired. Brief (20 min) incubation of hippocampal slices in APN (50 nM) was able to rescue both LTP and LTD in the DG and increased both the surface expression and phosphorylation of GluA1 receptors. These results provide evidence for reduced APN levels in FXS playing a role in decreasing bidirectional synaptic plasticity and show that therapies which enhance APN levels may have therapeutic potential for this and related conditions.This article is part of a discussion meeting issue 'Long-term potentiation: 50 years on'.

GRM7 deficiency, from excitotoxicity and neuroinflammation to neurodegeneration: Systematic review of GRM7 deficient patients.

The metabotropic glutamate receptor 7 (mGluR7) is a presynaptic G-protein-coupled glutamate receptor that modulates neurotransmitter release and synaptic plasticity at presynaptic terminals. It is encoded by GRM7, and recently variants have been identified in patients with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), developmental delay (DD), intellectual disability (ID), and brain malformations. To gain updated insights into the function of GRM7 and the phenotypic spectrum of genetic variations within this gene, we conducted a systematic review of relevant literature utilizing PubMed, Web of Science, and Scopus databases. Among the 14 articles meeting the inclusion criteria, a total of 42 patients (from 28 families) harboring confirmed mutations in the GRM7 gene have been documented. Specifically, there were 17 patients with heterozygous mutations, 20 patients with homozygous mutations, and 5 patients with compound heterozygous mutations. Common clinical features included intellectual behavioral disability, seizure/epilepsy, microcephaly, developmental delay, peripheral hypertonia and hypomyelination. Genotype-phenotype correlation was not clear and each variant had unique characteristics including gene dosage, mutant protein surface expression, and degradation pathway that result with a spectrum of phenotype manifestations through ASD or ADHD to severe DD/ID with brain malformations. Neuroinflammation may play a role in the development and/or progression of GRM7-related neurodegeneration along with excitotoxicity. The clinical and functional data presented here demonstrate that both autosomal dominant and recessive inheritance of GRM7 mutation can cause disease spectrum phenotypes through ASD or ADHD to severe DD/ID and seizure with brain malformations.

Prenatal ethanol and cannabis exposure have sex- and region-specific effects on somatostatin and neuropeptide Y interneurons in the rat hippocampus.

BACKGROUND: Cannabis is increasingly being legalized and socially accepted around the world and is often used with alcohol in social settings. We recently showed that in utero exposure to both substances can alter the density of parvalbumin-expressing interneurons in the hippocampus. Here we investigate the effects of in utero alcohol and cannabis exposure, alone or in combination, on somatostatin- and neuropeptide Y-positive (NPY) interneurons. These are separate classes of interneurons important for network synchrony and inhibition in the hippocampus. METHODS: A 2 (Ethanol, Air) × 2 (tetrahydrocannabinol [THC], Vehicle) design was used to expose pregnant Sprague-Dawley rats to either ethanol or air, in addition to either THC or the inhalant vehicle solution, during gestational days 5-20. Immunohistochemistry for somatostatin- and NPY-positive interneurons was performed in 50 µm tissue sections obtained at postnatal day 70. RESULTS: Exposure to THC in utero had region-specific and sex-specific effects on the density of somatostatin-positive interneurons in the adult rat hippocampus. A female-specific decrease in NPY interneuron cell density was observed in the CA1 region following THC exposure. Combined exposure to alcohol and THC reduced NPY neurons selectively in the ventral dentate gyrus hippocampal subfield. However, overall, co-exposure to alcohol and cannabis had neither additive nor synergistic effects on interneuron populations in other areas of the hippocampus. CONCLUSIONS: These results illustrate how alcohol and cannabis exposure in utero may affect hippocampal function by altering inhibitory processes in a sex-specific manner.