Electroacupuncture modulates abnormal brain connectivity after ischemia reperfusion injury in rats: A graph theory-based approach.

BACKGROUND: Electroacupuncture (EA) has been shown to facilitate brain plasticity-related functional recovery following ischemic stroke. The functional magnetic resonance imaging technique can be used to determine the range and mode of brain activation. After stroke, EA has been shown to alter brain connectivity, whereas EA's effect on brain network topology properties remains unclear. An evaluation of EA's effects on global and nodal topological properties in rats with ischemia reperfusion was conducted in this study. METHODS AND RESULTS: There were three groups of adult male Sprague-Dawley rats: sham-operated group (sham group), middle cerebral artery occlusion/reperfusion (MCAO/R) group, and MCAO/R plus EA (MCAO/R + EA) group. The differences in global and nodal topological properties, including shortest path length, global efficiency, local efficiency, small-worldness index, betweenness centrality (BC), and degree centrality (DC) were estimated. Graphical network analyses revealed that, as compared with the sham group, the MCAO/R group demonstrated a decrease in BC value in the right ventral hippocampus and increased BC in the right substantia nigra, accompanied by increased DC in the left nucleus accumbens shell (AcbSh). The BC was increased in the right hippocampus ventral and decreased in the right substantia nigra after EA intervention, and MCAO/R + EA resulted in a decreased DC in left AcbSh compared to MCAO/R. CONCLUSION: The results of this study provide a potential basis for EA to promote cognitive and motor function recovery after ischemic stroke.

Effectiveness of Personalized Hippocampal Network-Targeted Stimulation in Alzheimer Disease: A Randomized Clinical Trial.

Importance: Repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) has emerged as a safe and promising intervention for Alzheimer disease (AD). Objective: To investigate the effect of a 4-week personalized hippocampal network-targeted rTMS on cognitive and functional performance, as well as functional connectivity in AD. Design, Setting, and Participants: This randomized clinical trial, which was sham-controlled and masked to participants and evaluators, was conducted between May 2020 and April 2022 at a single Korean memory clinic. Eligible participants were between ages 55 and 90 years and had confirmed early AD with evidence of an amyloid biomarker. Participants who met the inclusion criteria were randomly assigned to receive hippocampal network-targeted rTMS or sham stimulation. Participants received 4-week rTMS treatment, with assessment conducted at weeks 4 and 8. Data were analyzed between April 2022 and January 2024. Interventions: Each patient received 20 sessions of personalized rTMS targeting the left parietal area, functionally connected to the hippocampus, based on fMRI connectivity analysis over 4 weeks. The sham group underwent the same procedure, excluding actual magnetic stimulation. A personalized 3-dimensional printed frame to fix the TMS coil to the optimal target site was produced. Main Outcomes and Measures: The primary outcome was the change in the AD Assessment Scale-Cognitive Subscale test (ADAS-Cog) after 8 weeks from baseline. Secondary outcomes included changes in the Clinical Dementia Rating-Sum of Boxes (CDR-SOB) and Seoul-Instrumental Activity Daily Living (S-IADL) scales, as well as resting-state fMRI connectivity between the hippocampus and cortical areas. Results: Among 30 participants (18 in the rTMS group; 12 in the sham group) who completed the 8-week trial, the mean (SD) age was 69.8 (9.1) years; 18 (60%) were female. As the primary outcome, the change in ADAS-Cog at the eighth week was significantly different between the rTMS and sham groups (coefficient [SE], -5.2 [1.6]; P = .002). The change in CDR-SOB (-4.5 [1.4]; P = .007) and S-IADL (1.7 [0.7]; P = .004) were significantly different between the groups favoring rTMS groups. The fMRI connectivity analysis revealed that rTMS increased the functional connectivity between the hippocampus and precuneus, with its changes associated with improvements in ADAS-Cog (r = -0.57; P = .005). Conclusions and Relevance: This randomized clinical trial demonstrated the positive effects of rTMS on cognitive and functional performance, and the plastic changes in the hippocampal-cortical network. Our results support the consideration of rTMS as a potential treatment for AD. Trial Registration: ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT04260724.

Post-retrieval stress impairs subsequent memory depending on hippocampal memory trace reinstatement during reactivation.

Upon retrieval, memories can become susceptible to meaningful events, such as stress. Post-retrieval memory changes may be attributed to an alteration of the original memory trace during reactivation-dependent reconsolidation or, alternatively, to the modification of retrieval-related memory traces that impact future remembering. Hence, how post-retrieval memory changes emerge in the human brain is unknown. In a 3-day functional magnetic resonance imaging study, we show that post-retrieval stress impairs subsequent memory depending on the strength of neural reinstatement of the original memory trace during reactivation, driven by the hippocampus and its cross-talk with neocortical representation areas. Comparison of neural patterns during immediate and final memory testing further revealed that successful retrieval was linked to pattern-dissimilarity in controls, suggesting the use of a different trace, whereas stressed participants relied on the original memory representation. These representation changes were again dependent on neocortical reinstatement during reactivation. Our findings show disruptive stress effects on the consolidation of retrieval-related memory traces that support future remembering.

Hippocampus, amygdala, and insula activation in response to romantic relationship dissolution stimuli: A case-case-control fMRI study on emerging adult students.

BACKGROUND: Romantic relationship dissolutions (RRDs) are associated with posttraumatic stress symptoms (PTSS). Functional magnetic resonance imaging in RRD studies indicate overlapping neural activation similar to posttraumatic stress disorder. These studies combine real and hypothetical rejection, and lack contextual information and control and/or comparison groups exposed to non-RRD or DSM-5 defined traumatic events. AIM: We investigated blood oxygen level dependent (BOLD) activation in the hippocampus, amygdala, and insula of participants with RRDs compared with other traumatic or non-trauma stressors. METHODS: Emerging adults (mean age = 21.54 years; female = 74.7 %) who experienced an RRD (n = 36), DSM-5 defined trauma (physical and/or sexual assault: n = 15), or a non-RRD or DSM-5 stressor (n = 28) completed PTSS, depression, childhood trauma, lifetime trauma exposure, and attachment measures. We used a general and customised version of the International Affective Picture System to investigate responses to index-trauma-related stimuli. We used mixed linear models to assess between-group differences, and ANOVAs and Spearman's correlations to analyse factors associated with BOLD activation. RESULTS: BOLD activity increased between index-trauma stimuli as compared to neutral stimuli in the hippocampus and amygdala, with no significant difference between the DSM-5 Trauma and RRD groups. Childhood adversity, sexual orientation, and attachment style were associated with BOLD activation changes. Breakup characteristics (e.g., initiator status) were associated with increased BOLD activation in the hippocampus and amygdala, in the RRD group. CONCLUSION: RRDs should be considered as potentially traumatic events. Breakup characteristics are risk factors for experiencing RRDs as traumatic. LIMITATION: Future studies should consider more diverse representation across sex, ethnicity, and sexual orientation.

Exertional heat stroke-induced changes in gut microbiota cause cognitive impairment in mice.

BACKGROUND: The incidence of exertional heat stroke (EHS) escalates during periods of elevated temperatures, potentially leading to persistent cognitive impairment postrecovery. Currently, effective prophylactic or therapeutic measures against EHS are nonexistent. METHODS: The selection of days 14 and 23 postinduction for detailed examination was guided by TEM of neuronal cells and HE staining of intestinal villi and the hippocampal regions. Fecal specimens from the ileum and cecum at these designated times were analyzed for changes in gut microbiota and metabolic products. Bioinformatic analyses facilitated the identification of pivotal microbial species and metabolites. The influence of supplementing these identified microorganisms on behavioral outcomes and the expression of functional proteins within the hippocampus was subsequently assessed. RESULTS: TEM analyses of neurons, coupled with HE staining of intestinal villi and the hippocampal region, indicated substantial recovery in intestinal morphology and neuronal injury on Day 14, indicating this time point for subsequent microbial and metabolomic analyses. Notably, a reduction in the Lactobacillaceae family, particularly Lactobacillus murinus, was observed. Functional annotation of 16S rDNA sequences suggested diminished lipid metabolism and glycan biosynthesis and metabolism in EHS models. Mice receiving this intervention (EHS + probiotics group) exhibited markedly reduced cognitive impairment and increased expression of BDNF/TrKB pathway molecules in the hippocampus during behavioral assessment on Day 28. CONCLUSION: Probiotic supplementation, specifically with Lactobacillus spp., appears to mitigate EHS-induced cognitive impairment, potentially through the modulation of the BDNF/TrKB signaling pathway within the hippocampus, illustrating the therapeutic potential of targeting the gut-brain axis.

Method for cycle detection in sparse, irregularly sampled, long-term neuro-behavioral timeseries: Basis pursuit denoising with polynomial detrending of long-term, inter-ictal epileptiform activity.

Numerous physiological processes are cyclical, but sampling these processes densely enough to perform frequency decomposition and subsequent analyses can be challenging. Mathematical approaches for decomposition and reconstruction of sparsely and irregularly sampled signals are well established but have been under-utilized in physiological applications. We developed a basis pursuit denoising with polynomial detrending (BPWP) model that recovers oscillations and trends from sparse and irregularly sampled timeseries. We validated this model on a unique dataset of long-term inter-ictal epileptiform discharge (IED) rates from human hippocampus recorded with a novel investigational device with continuous local field potential sensing. IED rates have well established circadian and multiday cycles related to sleep, wakefulness, and seizure clusters. Given sparse and irregular samples of IED rates from multi-month intracranial EEG recordings from ambulatory humans, we used BPWP to compute narrowband spectral power and polynomial trend coefficients and identify IED rate cycles in three subjects. In select cases, we propose that random and irregular sampling may be leveraged for frequency decomposition of physiological signals. Trial Registration: NCT03946618.

Low frequency stimulation for seizure suppression: Identification of optimal targets in the entorhinal-hippocampal circuit.

BACKGROUND: Mesial temporal lobe epilepsy (MTLE) with hippocampal sclerosis (HS) is a common form of drug-resistant focal epilepsy in adults. Treatment for pharmacoresistant patients remains a challenge, with deep brain stimulation (DBS) showing promise for alleviating intractable seizures. This study explores the efficacy of low frequency stimulation (LFS) on specific neuronal targets within the entorhinal-hippocampal circuit in a mouse model of MTLE. OBJECTIVE: Our previous research demonstrated that LFS of the medial perforant path (MPP) fibers in the sclerotic hippocampus reduced seizures in epileptic mice. Here, we aimed to identify the critical neuronal population responsible for this antiepileptic effect by optogenetically stimulating presynaptic and postsynaptic compartments of the MPP-dentate granule cell (DGC) synapse at 1 Hz. We hypothesize that specific targets for LFS can differentially influence seizure activity depending on the cellular identity and location within or outside the seizure focus. METHODS: We utilized the intrahippocampal kainate (ihKA) mouse model of MTLE and targeted specific neural populations using optogenetic stimulation. We recorded intracranial neuronal activity from freely moving chronically epileptic mice with and without optogenetic LFS up to 3 h. RESULTS: We found that LFS of MPP fibers in the sclerotic hippocampus effectively suppressed epileptiform activity while stimulating principal cells in the MEC had no impact. Targeting DGCs in the sclerotic septal or non-sclerotic temporal hippocampus with LFS did not reduce seizure numbers but shortened the epileptiform bursts. CONCLUSION: Presynaptic stimulation of the MPP-DGC synapse within the sclerotic hippocampus is critical for seizure suppression via LFS.

Disinhibition of hippocampal parvalbumin interneurons on pyramidal neurons participates in LPS-induced cognitive dysfunction.

BACKGROUND: The vulnerability of hippocampal pyramidal (PY) neurons played a key role in the onset of cognitive impairment. Multiple researches revealed that neuroinflammation together with microglia activation and parvalbumin (PV) interneurons participated in the pathogenesis of cognitive dysfunction. However, the underlying mechanism was still unclear. This study aimed to determine whether microglia activation would induce PV interneurons impairment and PY neurons disinhibition, and as a result, promote cognitive dysfunction after lipopolysaccharide (LPS) challenge. METHODS: Male C57BL/6J mice were injected with LPS to establish systemic inflammation model, and animal behavioral tests were performed. For chemogenetics, the virus was injected bilaterally into the CA1 region. Clozapine N-Oxide (CNO) was used to activate the PV interneurons. Whole-cell patch clamp recording was applied to detect spontaneous inhibitory post synaptic current (sIPSC) and spontaneous excitatory post synaptic current (sEPSC) of PY neurons in the CA1 region. RESULTS: LPS induced hippocampal dependent memory impairment, which was accompanied with microglia activation. Meanwhile, PV protein level in hippocampus were decreased, and IPSCs of PY neurons in the CA1 were also suppressed. Minocycline reversed all the above changes. In addition, rescuing PV function with CNO improved memory impairment, sIPSCs of PY neurons and perisomatic PV boutons around PY neurons without affecting microglia activation. CONCLUSION: Disinhibition of hippocampal parvalbumin interneurons on pyramidal neurons participates in LPS-induced cognitive dysfunction.

A mild impairment in reversal learning in a bowl-digging substrate deterministic task but not other cognitive tests in the Dlg2+/- rat model of genetic risk for psychiatric disorder.

Variations in the Dlg2 gene have been linked to increased risk for psychiatric disorders, including schizophrenia, autism spectrum disorders, intellectual disability, bipolar disorder, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, and pubertal disorders. Recent studies have reported disrupted brain circuit function and behaviour in models of Dlg2 knockout and haploinsufficiency. Specifically, deficits in hippocampal synaptic plasticity were found in heterozygous Dlg2+/- rats suggesting impacts on hippocampal dependent learning and cognitive flexibility. Here, we tested these predicted effects with a behavioural characterisation of the heterozygous Dlg2+/- rat model. Dlg2+/- rats exhibited a specific, mild impairment in reversal learning in a substrate deterministic bowl-digging reversal learning task. The performance of Dlg2+/- rats in other bowl digging task, visual discrimination and reversal, novel object preference, novel location preference, spontaneous alternation, modified progressive ratio, and novelty-suppressed feeding test were not impaired. These findings suggest that despite altered brain circuit function, behaviour across different domains is relatively intact in Dlg2+/- rats, with the deficits being specific to only one test of cognitive flexibility. The specific behavioural phenotype seen in this Dlg2+/- model may capture features of the clinical presentation associated with variation in the Dlg2 gene.

[Formononetin improves cognitive behavior in aging rats with chronic unpredictable mild in hippocampal tissue stress by blocking the NF-κB pathway and inhibiting the release of inflammatory factors].

Objective To investigate the effects of formononetin (FMN) on cognitive behavior and inflammation in aging rats with chronic unpredictable mild stress (CUMS). Methods SD rats aged about 70 weeks were divided into healthy control group, CUMS model group, CUMS combined with 10 mg/kg FMN group, CUMS combined with 20 mg/kg FMN group and CUMS combined with 1.8 mg/kg fluoxetine hydrochloride (Flu) group. Except for healthy control group, other groups were stimulated with CUMS and administered drugs for 28 days. Sugar water preference, forced swimming experiment and open field experiment were used to observe the emotional behavior of rats in each group. HE staining was used to observe the pathological injury degree of brain equine area. The contents of 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT) and 5-hydroxyindoleacetic acid (5-HIAA) were detected by the kit. The apoptosis was tested by terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase-mediated dUTP nick-end labeling (TUNEL) in the brain tissue. The levels of tumor necrosis factor α (TNF-α), inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) and interleukin 6 (IL-6) in peripheral blood were measured by ELISA. Western blot analysis was used to detect Bcl2, Bcl2 associated X protein (BAX), cleaved caspase-9, cleaved caspase-3, Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4), myeloid differentiation factor 88 (MyD88), and phosphorylated nuclear factor κB p65 (p-NF-κB p65) in brain tissues. Results Compared with CUMS model group, sugar water consumption, open field activity time, open field travel distance and swimming activity time significantly increased in the CUMS combined with 20 mg/kg FMN group and the CUMS combined with 1.8 mg/kg Flu group. The number of new outarm entry increased significantly, while the number of initial arm entry and other arm entry decreased significantly. The pathological damage of brain equine area was alleviated, and the contents of 5-HT and 5-HIAA were significantly increased. The ratio of BAX/Bcl2 and the expression of cleaved caspase-9 and cleaved caspase-3 protein as well as the number of apoptotic cells were significantly decreased. The contents of TNF-α, iNOS and IL-6 were significantly decreased. The protein levels of TLR4, MyD88 and p-NF-κB p65 were significantly decreased. Conclusion FMN can inhibit the release of inflammatory factors by blocking NF-κB pathway and improve cognitive and behavioral ability of CUMS aged rats.

Impaired Insulin Signaling Alters Mediators of Hippocampal Synaptic Dynamics/Plasticity: A Possible Mechanism of Hyperglycemia-Induced Cognitive Impairment.

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a neurological condition that affects the elderly and is characterized by progressive and irreversible neurodegeneration in the cerebral cortex [...].

Characterization of hippocampal sclerosis of aging and its association with other neuropathologic changes and cognitive deficits in the oldest-old.

Hippocampal sclerosis of aging (HS-A) is a common age-related neuropathological lesion characterized by neuronal loss and astrogliosis in subiculum and CA1 subfield of hippocampus. HS-A is associated with cognitive decline that mimics Alzheimer's disease. Pathological diagnosis of HS-A is traditionally binary based on presence/absence of the lesion. We compared this traditional measure against our novel quantitative measure for studying the relationship between HS-A and other neuropathologies and cognitive impairment. We included 409 participants from The 90+ study with neuropathological examination and longitudinal neuropsychological assessments. In those with HS-A, we examined digitized H&E and LFB stained hippocampal slides. The length of HS-A in each subfield of hippocampus and subiculum, each further divided into three subregions, was measured using Aperio eSlide Manager. For each subregion, the proportion affected by HS-A was calculated. Using regression models, both traditional/binary and quantitative measures were used to study the relationship between HS-A and other neuropathological changes and cognitive outcomes. HS-A was present in 48 (12%) of participants and was always focal, primarily affecting CA1 (73%), followed by subiculum (9%); overlapping pathology (subiculum and CA1) affected 18% of individuals. HS-A was more common in the left (82%) than the right (25%) hemisphere and was bilateral in 7% of participants. HS-A traditional/binary assessment was associated with limbic-predominant age-related TDP-43 encephalopathy (LATE-NC; OR = 3.45, p < 0.001) and aging-related tau astrogliopathy (ARTAG; OR = 2.72, p = 0.008). In contrast, our quantitative approach showed associations between the proportion of HS-A (CA1/subiculum/combined) and LATE-NC (p = 0.001) and arteriolosclerosis (p = 0.005). While traditional binary assessment of HS-A was associated with impaired memory (OR = 2.60, p = 0.007), calculations (OR = 2.16, p = 0.027), and orientation (OR = 3.56, p < 0.001), our quantitative approach revealed additional associations with impairments in language (OR = 1.33, p = 0.018) and visuospatial domains (OR = 1.37, p = 0.006). Our novel quantitative method revealed associations between HS-A and vascular pathologies and impairment in cognitive domains that were not detected using traditional/binary measures.

[Progress in application of adult endogenous neurogenesis in brain injury repair].

Persistent neurogenesis exists in the subventricular zone (SVZ) of the ventricles and the subgranular zone (SGZ) of the dentate gyrus of the hippocampus in the adult mammalian brain. Adult endogenous neurogenesis not only plays an important role in the normal brain function, but also has important significance in the repair and treatment of brain injury or brain diseases. This article reviews the process of adult endogenous neurogenesis and its application in the repair of traumatic brain injury (TBI) or ischemic stroke, and discusses the strategies of activating adult endogenous neurogenesis to repair brain injury and its practical significance in promoting functional recovery after brain injury.

Non-competitive AMPA glutamate receptors antagonism by perampanel as a strategy to counteract hippocampal hyper-excitability and cognitive deficits in cerebral amyloidosis.

Pathological accumulation of Aß oligomers has been linked to neuronal networks hyperexcitability, potentially underpinned by glutamatergic AMPA receptors (AMPARs) dysfunction. We aimed to investigate whether the non-competitive block of AMPARs was able to counteract the alteration of hippocampal epileptic threshold, and of synaptic plasticity linked to Aß oligomers accumulation, being this glutamate receptor a valuable specific therapeutic target. In this work, we showed that the non-competitive AMPARs antagonist perampanel (PER) which, per se, did not affect physiological synaptic transmission, was able to counteract Aß-induced hyperexcitability. Moreover, AMPAR antagonism was able to counteract Aß-induced hippocampal LTP impairment and hippocampal-based cognitive deficits in Aß oligomers-injected mice, while retaining antiseizure efficacy. Beside this, AMPAR antagonism was also able to reduce the increased expression of proinflammatory cytokines in this mice model, also suggesting the presence of an anti-inflammatory activity. Thus, targeting AMPARs might be a valuable strategy to reduce both hippocampal networks hyperexcitability and synaptic plasticity deficits induced by Aß oligomers accumulation.

Progress in application of adult endogenous neurogenesis in brain injury repair / 生理学报

Persistent neurogenesis exists in the subventricular zone (SVZ) of the ventricles and the subgranular zone (SGZ) of the dentate gyrus of the hippocampus in the adult mammalian brain. Adult endogenous neurogenesis not only plays an important role in the normal brain function, but also has important significance in the repair and treatment of brain injury or brain diseases. This article reviews the process of adult endogenous neurogenesis and its application in the repair of traumatic brain injury (TBI) or ischemic stroke, and discusses the strategies of activating adult endogenous neurogenesis to repair brain injury and its practical significance in promoting functional recovery after brain injury.

Early-life stress lastingly impacts microglial transcriptome and function under basal and immune-challenged conditions.

Early-life stress (ELS) leads to increased vulnerability to psychiatric disorders including depression later in life. Neuroinflammatory processes have been implicated in ELS-induced negative health outcomes, but how ELS impacts microglia, the main tissue-resident macrophages of the central nervous system, is unknown. Here, we determined the effects of ELS-induced by limited bedding and nesting material during the first week of life (postnatal days [P]2-9) on microglial (i) morphology; (ii) hippocampal gene expression; and (iii) synaptosome phagocytic capacity in male pups (P9) and adult (P200) mice. The hippocampus of ELS-exposed adult mice displayed altered proportions of morphological subtypes of microglia, as well as microglial transcriptomic changes related to the tumor necrosis factor response and protein ubiquitination. ELS exposure leads to distinct gene expression profiles during microglial development from P9 to P200 and in response to an LPS challenge at P200. Functionally, synaptosomes from ELS-exposed mice were phagocytosed less by age-matched microglia. At P200, but not P9, ELS microglia showed reduced synaptosome phagocytic capacity when compared to control microglia. Lastly, we confirmed the ELS-induced increased expression of the phagocytosis-related gene GAS6 that we observed in mice, in the dentate gyrus of individuals with a history of child abuse using in situ hybridization. These findings reveal persistent effects of ELS on microglial function and suggest that altered microglial phagocytic capacity is a key contributor to ELS-induced phenotypes.

Disruption of hippocampal neuronal circuit function depends upon behavioral state in the APP/PS1 mouse model of Alzheimer's disease.

The Alzheimer's disease-associated peptide amyloid-beta (Aß) has been associated with neuronal hyperactivity under anesthesia, but clinical trials of anticonvulsants or neural system suppressors have, so far, failed to improve symptoms in AD. Using simultaneous hippocampal calcium imaging and electrophysiology in freely moving mice expressing human Aß, here we show that Aß aggregates perturbed neural systems in a state-dependent fashion, driving neuronal hyperactivity in exploratory behavior and slow wave sleep (SWS), yet suppressing activity in quiet wakefulness (QW) and REM sleep. In exploratory behavior and REM sleep, Aß impaired hippocampal theta-gamma phase-amplitude coupling and altered neuronal synchronization with theta. In SWS, Aß reduced cortical slow oscillation (SO) power, the coordination of hippocampal sharp wave-ripples with both the SO and thalamocortical spindles, and the coordination of calcium transients with the sharp wave-ripple. Physostigmine improved Aß-associated hyperactivity in exploratory behavior and hypoactivity in QW and expanded the range of gamma that coupled with theta phase, but exacerbated hypoactivity in exploratory behavior. Together, these findings show that the effects of Aß alone on hippocampal circuit function are profoundly state dependent and suggest a reformulation of therapeutic strategies aimed at Aß induced hyperexcitability.

Adenosine A2A receptor blockade prevents cisplatin-induced impairments in neurogenesis and cognitive function.

Chemotherapy-induced cognitive impairment (CICI) has emerged as a significant medical problem without therapeutic options. Using the platinum-based chemotherapy cisplatin to model CICI, we revealed robust elevations in the adenosine A2A receptor (A2AR) and its downstream effectors, cAMP and CREB, by cisplatin in the adult mouse hippocampus, a critical brain structure for learning and memory. Notably, A2AR inhibition by the Food and Drug Administration-approved A2AR antagonist KW-6002 prevented cisplatin-induced impairments in neural progenitor proliferation and dendrite morphogenesis of adult-born neurons, while improving memory and anxiety-like behavior, without affecting tumor growth or cisplatin's antitumor activity. Collectively, our study identifies A2AR signaling as a key pathway that can be therapeutically targeted to prevent cisplatin-induced cognitive impairments.

A missense mutation in Kcnc3 causes hippocampal learning deficits in mice.

Although a wide variety of genetic tools has been developed to study learning and memory, the molecular basis of memory encoding remains incompletely understood. Here, we undertook an unbiased approach to identify novel genes critical for memory encoding. From a large-scale, in vivo mutagenesis screen using contextual fear conditioning, we isolated in mice a mutant, named Clueless, with spatial learning deficits. A causative missense mutation (G434V) was found in the voltage-gated potassium channel, subfamily C member 3 (Kcnc3) gene in a region that encodes a transmembrane voltage sensor. Generation of a Kcnc3G434V CRISPR mutant mouse confirmed this mutation as the cause of the learning defects. While G434V had no effect on transcription, translation, or trafficking of the channel, electrophysiological analysis of the G434V mutant channel revealed a complete loss of voltage-gated conductance, a broadening of the action potential, and decreased neuronal firing. Together, our findings have revealed a role for Kcnc3 in learning and memory.

Probiotics improves abnormal behavior and hippocampal injury in pregnant-stressed offspring rats. / ç›Šç”ŸèŒæ”¹å–„å­•æœŸåº”æ¿€å­ä»£å¤§é¼ å¼‚å¸¸è¡Œä¸ºå’Œæµ·é©¬æŸä¼¤.

OBJECTIVES: During pregnancy, pregnant women are prone to stress reactions due to external stimuli, affecting their own health and fetal development. At present, there is no good treatment for the stress reactions from pregnant women during pregnancy. This study aims to explore the effect of probiotics on abnormal behavior and hippocampal injury in pregnant stressed offspring. METHODS: SD pregnant rats were divided into a control group, a stress group, and a probiotics group, with 6 rats in each group. The control group was untreated; the stress group was given restraint stress on the 15th-20th day of pregnancy; the probiotics group was given both bifidobacterium trisporus capsules and restraint stress on the 15th-20th day of pregnancy, and the offspring continued to be fed with probiotics until 60 days after birth (P60). The offspring rats completed behavioral tests such as the open field test, the elevated plus maze test, the new object recognition test, and the barnes maze test at 60-70 d postnatally. Nissl's staining was used to reflect the injury of hippocampal neurons; immunohistochemical staining was used to detect the expression of microglia marker ionized calcium binding adapter molecule 1 (IBA-1) which can reflect microglia activation; ELISA was used to detect the content of plasma TNF-α and IL-1ß; Western blotting was used to detect the expression of Bax, Bcl-2, and caspase-3. RESULTS: The retention time of offspring rats in the stress group in the central area of the open field was significantly less than that in the control group (P<0.01), and the retention time of offspring rats in the probiotic group in the central area of the open field was significantly more than that in the stress group (P<0.05). The offspring rats in the stress group stayed in the open arm for a shorter time than the control group (P<0.05) and entered the open arm less often than the control group (P<0.01); the offspring rats in the probiotic group stayed in the open arm for a longer time than the stress group and entered the open arm more often than the stress group (both P<0.05). The discrimination ratio for new to old objects in the offspring rats of the stress group was significantly lower than that of the control group (P<0.01), and the discrimination ratio for new to old objects in the offspring rats of the probiotic group was significantly higher than that of the stress group (P<0.05). The offspring rats in the stress group made significantly more mistakes than the control group (P<0.05), and the offspring rats in the probiotic group made significantly fewer mistakes than the stress group (P<0.05). Compared with the control group, the numbers of Nissl bodies in CA1, CA3, and DG area were significantly reduced in the offspring rats of the stress group (all P<0.001), the number of activated microglia in DG area of hippocampus was significantly increased (P<0.01), the contents of TNF-α and IL-1ß in peripheral blood were significantly increased (P<0.05 or P<0.01), the protein expression level of Bcl-2 was significantly down-regulated, and the protein expression levels of Bax and caspase-3 were significantly up-regulated (all P<0.001). Compared with the stress group, the numbers of Nissl bodies in CA1, CA3, and DG area were significantly increased in the probiotic group offspring rats (P<0.001, P<0.01, P<0.05), the number of activated microglia in the DG area of hippocampus was significantly reduced (P<0.05), and the TNF-α and IL-1ß levels in peripheral blood were significantly decreased (both P<0.05), the protein expression level of Bcl-2 was significantly up-regulated, and the protein expression levels of Bax and caspase-3 were significantly down-regulated (all P<0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Probiotic intervention partially ameliorated anxiety and cognitive impairment in rats offspring of pregnancy stress, and the mechanism may be related to increasing the number of neurons, inhibiting the activation of hippocampal microglia, and reducing inflammation and apoptosis.