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Vingan I, Phatarpekar S, Tung VSK, Hernández AI, Evgrafov OV, Alarcon JM. Spatially Resolved Transcriptomic Signatures of Hippocampal Subregions and Arc-Expressing Ensembles in Active Place Avoidance Memory. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2023.12.30.573225. [PMID: 38260257 PMCID: PMC10802250 DOI: 10.1101/2023.12.30.573225] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/24/2024]
Abstract
The rodent hippocampus is a spatially organized neuronal network that supports the formation of spatial and episodic memories. We conducted bulk RNA sequencing and spatial transcriptomics experiments to measure gene expression changes in the dorsal hippocampus following the recall of active place avoidance (APA) memory. Through bulk RNA sequencing, we examined the gene expression changes following memory recall across the functionally distinct subregions of the dorsal hippocampus. We found that recall induced differentially expressed genes (DEGs) in the CA1 and CA3 hippocampal subregions were enriched with genes involved in synaptic transmission and synaptic plasticity, while DEGs in the dentate gyrus (DG) were enriched with genes involved in energy balance and ribosomal function. Through spatial transcriptomics, we examined gene expression changes following memory recall across an array of spots encompassing putative memory-associated neuronal ensembles marked by the expression of the IEGs Arc, Egr1, and c-Jun. Within samples from both trained and untrained mice, the subpopulations of spatial transcriptomic spots marked by these IEGs were transcriptomically and spatially distinct from one another. DEGs detected between Arc+ and Arc- spots exclusively in the trained mouse were enriched in several memory-related gene ontology terms, including "regulation of synaptic plasticity" and "memory." Our results suggest that APA memory recall is supported by regionalized transcriptomic profiles separating the CA1 and CA3 from the DG, transcriptionally and spatially distinct IEG expressing spatial transcriptomic spots, and biological processes related to synaptic plasticity as a defining the difference between Arc+ and Arc- spatial transcriptomic spots.
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Affiliation(s)
- Isaac Vingan
- School of Graduates Studies, Program in Neural and Behavioral Sciences, State University of New York, Downstate Health Sciences University, Brooklyn, NY, USA
| | - Shwetha Phatarpekar
- Institute of Genomics in Health, State University of New York, Downstate Health Sciences University, Brooklyn, NY, USA
| | - Victoria Sook Keng Tung
- School of Graduates Studies, Program in Molecular and Cell Biology, State University of New York, Downstate Health Sciences University, Brooklyn, NY, USA
| | - A Iván Hernández
- School of Graduates Studies, Program in Neural and Behavioral Sciences, State University of New York, Downstate Health Sciences University, Brooklyn, NY, USA
- Department of Pathology, State University of New York, Downstate Health Sciences University, Brooklyn, NY, USA
- The Robert F. Furchgott Center for Neural & Behavioral Science, State University of New York, Downstate Health Sciences University, Brooklyn, NY, USA
| | - Oleg V Evgrafov
- Institute of Genomics in Health, State University of New York, Downstate Health Sciences University, Brooklyn, NY, USA
- School of Graduates Studies, Program in Molecular and Cell Biology, State University of New York, Downstate Health Sciences University, Brooklyn, NY, USA
- Department of Cell Biology, State University of New York, Downstate Health Sciences University, Brooklyn, NY, USA
- Department of Genetics, Human Genetics Institute of New Jersey, Rutgers University, Piscataway, NJ, USA
| | - Juan Marcos Alarcon
- School of Graduates Studies, Program in Neural and Behavioral Sciences, State University of New York, Downstate Health Sciences University, Brooklyn, NY, USA
- Department of Pathology, State University of New York, Downstate Health Sciences University, Brooklyn, NY, USA
- The Robert F. Furchgott Center for Neural & Behavioral Science, State University of New York, Downstate Health Sciences University, Brooklyn, NY, USA
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2
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Davidson CJ, Mascarin AT, Yahya MA, Rubio FJ, Gheidi A. Approaches and considerations of studying neuronal ensembles: a brief review. Front Cell Neurosci 2023; 17:1310724. [PMID: 38155864 PMCID: PMC10752959 DOI: 10.3389/fncel.2023.1310724] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/09/2023] [Accepted: 11/27/2023] [Indexed: 12/30/2023] Open
Abstract
First theorized by Hebb, neuronal ensembles have provided a framework for understanding how the mammalian brain operates, especially regarding learning and memory. Neuronal ensembles are discrete, sparsely distributed groups of neurons that become activated in response to a specific stimulus and are thought to provide an internal representation of the world. Beyond the study of region-wide or projection-wide activation, the study of ensembles offers increased specificity and resolution to identify and target specific memories or associations. Neuroscientists interested in the neurobiology of learning, memory, and motivated behavior have used electrophysiological-, calcium-, and protein-based proxies of neuronal activity in preclinical models to better understand the neurobiology of learned and motivated behaviors. Although these three approaches may be used to pursue the same general goal of studying neuronal ensembles, technical differences lead to inconsistencies in the output and interpretation of data. This mini-review highlights some of the methodologies used in electrophysiological-, calcium-, and protein-based studies of neuronal ensembles and discusses their strengths and weaknesses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cameron J. Davidson
- William Beaumont School of Medicine, Oakland University, Rochester, MI, United States
| | - Alixandria T. Mascarin
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neurosciences, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, MI, United States
| | - Majd A. Yahya
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neurosciences, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, MI, United States
| | - F. Javier Rubio
- Neuronal Ensembles in Addiction Section, Behavioral Neuroscience Research Branch, Intramural Research Program/National Institute on Drug Abuse/National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, United States
| | - Ali Gheidi
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Mercer University, Macon, GA, United States
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3
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Ding Y, Liu C, Zhang Y. Aging-related histone modification changes in brain function. IBRAIN 2023; 9:205-213. [PMID: 37786548 PMCID: PMC10528785 DOI: 10.1002/ibra.12106] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/07/2023] [Revised: 05/04/2023] [Accepted: 05/05/2023] [Indexed: 10/04/2023]
Abstract
Aging can be defined as a decline of physiological function that is more difficult to reverse, characterized by the loss of the physiological integrity of tissues, organs, and cells of an organism over time. Normal aging is associated with structural and functional changes in the brain, involving neuronal apoptosis, synaptic structure, neurotransmission, and metabolism alterations, leading to impairment in sleep, cognitive functions, memory, learning, and motor and sensory systems. Histone modification is a significant aging-related epigenetic change that influences synaptic and mitochondrial function and immune and stress responses in the brain. This review discusses the changes in histone modifications that occur during brain aging, specifically methylation and acetylation, and the associated changes in gene transcription and protein expression. We observed that genes related to synaptic and mitochondrial function are downregulated in the aging brain, while genes related to immune response and inflammatory functions are upregulated.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yanwen Ding
- Department of AnesthesiologyThe Second Affiliated Hospital of Zunyi Medical UniversityZunyiGuizhouChina
- Guizhou Key Laboratory of Anesthesia and Organ ProtectionZunyi Medical UniversityZunyiGuizhouChina
- School of AnesthesiologyZunyi Medical UniversityZunyiGuizhouChina
| | - Chengxi Liu
- Guizhou Key Laboratory of Anesthesia and Organ ProtectionZunyi Medical UniversityZunyiGuizhouChina
| | - Yi Zhang
- Department of AnesthesiologyThe Second Affiliated Hospital of Zunyi Medical UniversityZunyiGuizhouChina
- Guizhou Key Laboratory of Anesthesia and Organ ProtectionZunyi Medical UniversityZunyiGuizhouChina
- School of AnesthesiologyZunyi Medical UniversityZunyiGuizhouChina
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4
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Oyaga MR, Serra I, Kurup D, Koekkoek SKE, Badura A. Delay eyeblink conditioning performance and brain-wide c-Fos expression in male and female mice. Open Biol 2023; 13:220121. [PMID: 37161289 PMCID: PMC10170203 DOI: 10.1098/rsob.220121] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/11/2023] Open
Abstract
Delay eyeblink conditioning has been extensively used to study associative learning and the cerebellar circuits underlying this task have been largely identified. However, there is a little knowledge on how factors such as strain, sex and innate behaviour influence performance during this type of learning. In this study, we used male and female mice of C57BL/6J (B6) and B6CBAF1 strains to investigate the effect of sex, strain and locomotion in delay eyeblink conditioning. We performed a short and a long delay eyeblink conditioning paradigm and used a c-Fos immunostaining approach to explore the involvement of different brain areas in this task. We found that both B6 and B6CBAF1 females reach higher learning scores compared to males in the initial stages of learning. This sex-dependent difference was no longer present as the learning progressed. Moreover, we found a strong positive correlation between learning scores and voluntary locomotion irrespective of the training duration. c-Fos immunostainings after the short paradigm showed positive correlations between c-Fos expression and learning scores in the cerebellar cortex and brainstem, as well as previously unreported areas. By contrast, after the long paradigm, c-Fos expression was only significantly elevated in the brainstem. Taken together, we show that differences in voluntary locomotion and activity across brain areas correlate with performance in delay eyeblink conditioning across strains and sexes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria Roa Oyaga
- Department of Neuroscience, Erasmus MC, 3000 Rotterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Ines Serra
- Department of Neuroscience, Erasmus MC, 3000 Rotterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Devika Kurup
- Department of Neuroscience, Erasmus MC, 3000 Rotterdam, the Netherlands
| | | | - Aleksandra Badura
- Department of Neuroscience, Erasmus MC, 3000 Rotterdam, the Netherlands
- Netherlands Institute of Neuroscience, Royal Dutch Academy for Arts and Sciences, Amsterdam 1105 BA, the Netherlands
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5
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Auguste A, Fourcaud-Trocmé N, Meunier D, Gros A, Garcia S, Messaoudi B, Thevenet M, Ravel N, Veyrac A. Distinct brain networks for remote episodic memory depending on content and emotional experience. Prog Neurobiol 2023; 223:102422. [PMID: 36796748 DOI: 10.1016/j.pneurobio.2023.102422] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/18/2022] [Revised: 01/19/2023] [Accepted: 02/13/2023] [Indexed: 02/17/2023]
Abstract
Memories of life episodes are the heart of individual stories. However, modelling episodic memory is a major challenge in both humans and animals when considering all its characteristics. As a consequence, the mechanisms that underlie the storage of old nontraumatic episodic memories remain enigmatic. Here, using a new task in rodents that models human episodic memory including odour/place/context components and applying advances behavioural and computational analyses, we show that rats form and recollect integrated remote episodic memories of two occasionally encountered complex episodes occurring in their daily life. Similar to humans, the information content and accuracy of memories vary across individuals and depend on the emotional relationship with odours experienced during the very first episode. We used cellular brain imaging and functional connectivity analyses, to find out the engrams of remote episodic memories for the first time. Activated brain networks completely reflect the nature and content of episodic memories, with a larger cortico-hippocampal network when the recollection is complete and with an emotional brain network related to odours that is critical in maintaining accurate and vivid memories. The engrams of remote episodic memories remain highly dynamic since synaptic plasticity processes occur during recall related to memory updates and reinforcement.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anne Auguste
- UMR 5292 CNRS, INSERM U1028, University Lyon1, Olfaction: From coding to Memory Team, Lyon Neuroscience Research Center, F-69366 Lyon, France
| | - Nicolas Fourcaud-Trocmé
- UMR 5292 CNRS, INSERM U1028, University Lyon1, Olfaction: From coding to Memory Team, Lyon Neuroscience Research Center, F-69366 Lyon, France
| | - David Meunier
- University Aix Marseille, Insitut des Neurosciences de la Timone, Marseille, France
| | - Alexandra Gros
- UMR 5292 CNRS, INSERM U1028, University Lyon1, Olfaction: From coding to Memory Team, Lyon Neuroscience Research Center, F-69366 Lyon, France
| | - Samuel Garcia
- UMR 5292 CNRS, INSERM U1028, University Lyon1, Olfaction: From coding to Memory Team, Lyon Neuroscience Research Center, F-69366 Lyon, France
| | - Belkacem Messaoudi
- UMR 5292 CNRS, INSERM U1028, University Lyon1, Olfaction: From coding to Memory Team, Lyon Neuroscience Research Center, F-69366 Lyon, France
| | - Marc Thevenet
- UMR 5292 CNRS, INSERM U1028, University Lyon1, Olfaction: From coding to Memory Team, Lyon Neuroscience Research Center, F-69366 Lyon, France
| | - Nadine Ravel
- UMR 5292 CNRS, INSERM U1028, University Lyon1, Olfaction: From coding to Memory Team, Lyon Neuroscience Research Center, F-69366 Lyon, France
| | - Alexandra Veyrac
- UMR 5292 CNRS, INSERM U1028, University Lyon1, Olfaction: From coding to Memory Team, Lyon Neuroscience Research Center, F-69366 Lyon, France.
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6
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Velazquez-Sanchez C, Muresan L, Marti-Prats L, Belin D. The development of compulsive coping behaviour is associated with a downregulation of Arc in a Locus Coeruleus neuronal ensemble. Neuropsychopharmacology 2023; 48:653-663. [PMID: 36635597 PMCID: PMC9938202 DOI: 10.1038/s41386-022-01522-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/12/2022] [Revised: 12/14/2022] [Accepted: 12/15/2022] [Indexed: 01/14/2023]
Abstract
Some compulsive disorders have been considered to stem from the loss of control over coping strategies, such as displacement. However, the cellular mechanisms involved in the acquisition of coping behaviours and their subsequent compulsive manifestation in vulnerable individuals have not been elucidated. Considering the role of the locus coeruleus (LC) noradrenaline-dependent system in stress and related excessive behaviours, we hypothesised that neuroplastic changes in the LC may be associated with the acquisition of an adjunctive polydipsic water drinking, a prototypical displacement behaviour, and the ensuing development of compulsion in vulnerable individuals. Thus, male Sprague Dawley rats were characterised for their tendency, or not, to develop compulsive polydipsic drinking in a schedule-induced polydipsia (SIP) procedure before their fresh brains were harvested. A new quantification tool for RNAscope assays revealed that the development of compulsive adjunctive behaviour was associated with a low mRNA copy number of the plasticity marker Arc in the LC which appeared to be driven by specific adaptations in an ensemble of tyrosine hydroxylase (TH)+, zif268- neurons. This ensemble was specifically engaged by the expression of compulsive adjunctive behaviour, not by stress, because its functional recruitment was not observed in individuals that no longer had access to the water bottle before sacrifice, while it consistently correlated with the levels of polydipsic water drinking only when it had become compulsive. Together these findings suggest that downregulation of Arc mRNA levels in a population of a TH+/zif268- LC neurons represents a signature of the tendency to develop compulsive coping behaviours.
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Affiliation(s)
- Clara Velazquez-Sanchez
- CLIC (Cambridge Laboratory for research on Impulsive/Compulsive disorders), Department of Psychology, University of Cambridge, Downing Street, Cambridge, CB2 3EB, UK
| | - Leila Muresan
- Cambridge Advanced Imaging Centre, Department of Physiology Development and Neuroscience of the University of Cambridge, Downing Street, Cambridge, CB2 3DY, UK
| | - Lucia Marti-Prats
- CLIC (Cambridge Laboratory for research on Impulsive/Compulsive disorders), Department of Psychology, University of Cambridge, Downing Street, Cambridge, CB2 3EB, UK
| | - David Belin
- CLIC (Cambridge Laboratory for research on Impulsive/Compulsive disorders), Department of Psychology, University of Cambridge, Downing Street, Cambridge, CB2 3EB, UK.
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7
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Eriksen MS, Bramham CR. Molecular physiology of Arc/Arg3.1: The oligomeric state hypothesis of synaptic plasticity. Acta Physiol (Oxf) 2022; 236:e13886. [PMID: 36073248 PMCID: PMC9787330 DOI: 10.1111/apha.13886] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/28/2022] [Revised: 08/15/2022] [Accepted: 09/05/2022] [Indexed: 01/29/2023]
Abstract
The immediate early gene, Arc, is a pivotal regulator of synaptic plasticity, memory, and cognitive flexibility. But what is Arc protein? How does it work? Inside the neuron, Arc is a protein interaction hub and dynamic regulator of intra-cellular signaling in synaptic plasticity. In remarkable contrast, Arc can also self-assemble into retrovirus-like capsids that are released in extracellular vesicles and capable of intercellular transfer of RNA. Elucidation of the molecular basis of Arc hub and capsid functions, and the relationship between them, is vital for progress. Here, we discuss recent findings on Arc structure-function and regulation of oligomerization that are giving insight into the molecular physiology of Arc. The unique features of mammalian Arc are emphasized, while drawing comparisons with Drosophila Arc and retroviral Gag. The Arc N-terminal domain, found only in mammals, is proposed to play a key role in regulating Arc hub signaling, oligomerization, and formation of capsids. Bringing together several lines of evidence, we hypothesize that Arc function in synaptic plasticity-long-term potentiation (LTP) and long-term depression (LTD)-are dictated by different oligomeric forms of Arc. Specifically, monomer/dimer function in LTP, tetramer function in basic LTD, and 32-unit oligomer function in enhanced LTD. The role of mammalian Arc capsids is unclear but likely depends on the cross-section of captured neuronal activity-induced RNAs. As the functional states of Arc are revealed, it may be possible to selectively manipulate specific forms of Arc-dependent plasticity and intercellular communication involved in brain function and dysfunction.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Clive R. Bramham
- Department of BiomedicineUniversity of BergenBergenNorway,Mohn Research Center for the BrainUniversity of BergenBergenNorway
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8
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Gros A, Lim AWH, Hohendorf V, White N, Eckert M, McHugh TJ, Wang SH. Behavioral and Cellular Tagging in Young and in Early Cognitive Aging. Front Aging Neurosci 2022; 14:809879. [PMID: 35283750 PMCID: PMC8907879 DOI: 10.3389/fnagi.2022.809879] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/05/2021] [Accepted: 01/06/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
The ability to maintain relevant information on a daily basis is negatively impacted by aging. However, the neuronal mechanism manifesting memory persistence in young animals and memory decline in early aging is not fully understood. A novel event, when introduced around encoding of an everyday memory task, can facilitate memory persistence in young age but not in early aging. Here, we investigated in male rats how sub-regions of the hippocampus are involved in memory representation in behavioral tagging and how early aging affects such representation by combining behavioral training in appetitive delayed-matching-to-place tasks with the “cellular compartment analysis of temporal activity by fluorescence in situ hybridization” technique. We show that neuronal assemblies activated by memory encoding were also partially activated by novelty, particularly in the distal CA1 and proximal CA3 subregions in young male rats. In early aging, both encoding- and novelty-triggered neuronal populations were significantly reduced with a more profound effect in encoding neurons. Thus, memory persistence through novelty facilitation engages overlapping hippocampal assemblies as a key cellular signature, and cognitive aging is associated with underlying reduction in neuronal activation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexandra Gros
- Centre for Clinical Brain Sciences, The University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, United Kingdom
| | - Amos W. H. Lim
- Centre for Clinical Brain Sciences, The University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, United Kingdom
| | - Victoria Hohendorf
- Centre for Clinical Brain Sciences, The University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, United Kingdom
| | - Nicole White
- Centre for Clinical Brain Sciences, The University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, United Kingdom
| | - Michael Eckert
- Canadian Centre for Behavioural Neuroscience, University of Lethbridge, Lethbridge, AB, Canada
| | - Thomas John McHugh
- Laboratory for Circuit and Behavioral Physiology, RIKEN Center for Brain Science, Saitama, Japan
| | - Szu-Han Wang
- Centre for Clinical Brain Sciences, The University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, United Kingdom
- *Correspondence: Szu-Han Wang,
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9
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Li S, Yao S, Zhou Q, Takahata T. The Expression Patterns of Cytochrome Oxidase and Immediate-Early Genes Show Absence of Ocular Dominance Columns in the Striate Cortex of Squirrel Monkeys Following Monocular Inactivation. Front Neuroanat 2021; 15:751810. [PMID: 34720891 PMCID: PMC8548382 DOI: 10.3389/fnana.2021.751810] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/02/2021] [Accepted: 09/21/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Because at least some squirrel monkeys lack ocular dominance columns (ODCs) in the striate cortex (V1) that are detectable by cytochrome oxidase (CO) histochemistry, the functional importance of ODCs on stereoscopic 3-D vision has been questioned. However, conventional CO histochemistry or trans-synaptic tracer study has limited capacity to reveal cortical functional architecture, whereas the expression of immediate-early genes (IEGs), c-FOS and ZIF268, is more directly responsive to neuronal activity of cortical neurons to demonstrate ocular dominance (OD)-related domains in V1 following monocular inactivation. Thus, we wondered whether IEG expression would reveal ODCs in the squirrel monkey V1. In this study, we first examined CO histochemistry in V1 of five squirrel monkeys that were subjected to monocular enucleation or tetrodotoxin (TTX) treatment to address whether there is substantial cross-individual variation as reported previously. Then, we examined the IEG expression of the same V1 tissue to address whether OD-related domains are revealed. As a result, staining patterns of CO histochemistry were relatively homogeneous throughout layer 4 of V1. IEG expression was also moderate and homogeneous throughout layer 4 of V1 in all cases. On the other hand, the IEG expression was patchy in accordance with CO blobs outside layer 4, particularly in infragranular layers, although they may not directly represent OD clusters. Squirrel monkeys remain an exceptional species among anthropoid primates with regard to OD organization, and thus are potentially good subjects to study the development and function of ODCs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shuiyu Li
- Key Laboratory for Biomedical Engineering of Ministry of Education, College of Biomedical Engineering and Instrument Science, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China.,Interdisciplinary Institute of Neuroscience and Technology, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China
| | - Songping Yao
- Key Laboratory for Biomedical Engineering of Ministry of Education, College of Biomedical Engineering and Instrument Science, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China.,Interdisciplinary Institute of Neuroscience and Technology, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China
| | - Qiuying Zhou
- Interdisciplinary Institute of Neuroscience and Technology, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China.,Department of Neurology of the Second Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China
| | - Toru Takahata
- Key Laboratory for Biomedical Engineering of Ministry of Education, College of Biomedical Engineering and Instrument Science, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China.,Interdisciplinary Institute of Neuroscience and Technology, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China.,Department of Neurology of the Second Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China
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10
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Patodia S, Somani A, Thom M. Review: Neuropathology findings in autonomic brain regions in SUDEP and future research directions. Auton Neurosci 2021; 235:102862. [PMID: 34411885 PMCID: PMC8455454 DOI: 10.1016/j.autneu.2021.102862] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/02/2021] [Revised: 07/16/2021] [Accepted: 07/24/2021] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
Autonomic dysfunction is implicated from clinical, neuroimaging and experimental studies in sudden and unexpected death in epilepsy (SUDEP). Neuropathological analysis in SUDEP series enable exploration of acquired, seizure-related cellular adaptations in autonomic and brainstem autonomic centres of relevance to dysfunction in the peri-ictal period. Alterations in SUDEP compared to control groups have been identified in the ventrolateral medulla, amygdala, hippocampus and central autonomic regions. These involve neuropeptidergic, serotonergic and adenosine systems, as well as specific regional astroglial and microglial populations, as potential neuronal modulators, orchestrating autonomic dysfunction. Future research studies need to extend to clinically and genetically characterized epilepsies, to explore if common or distinct pathways of autonomic dysfunction mediate SUDEP. The ultimate objective of SUDEP research is the identification of disease biomarkers for at risk patients, to improve post-mortem recognition and disease categorisation, but ultimately, for exposing potential treatment targets of pharmacologically modifiable and reversible cellular alterations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Smriti Patodia
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Epilepsy, UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology, London WC1N 3BG, UK
| | - Alyma Somani
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Epilepsy, UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology, London WC1N 3BG, UK
| | - Maria Thom
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Epilepsy, UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology, London WC1N 3BG, UK.
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11
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Lesion of the hippocampus selectively enhances LEC's activity during recognition memory based on familiarity. Sci Rep 2021; 11:19085. [PMID: 34580354 PMCID: PMC8476609 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-98509-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/17/2021] [Accepted: 09/09/2021] [Indexed: 11/08/2022] Open
Abstract
The sense of familiarity for events is crucial for successful recognition memory. However, the neural substrate and mechanisms supporting familiarity remain unclear. A major controversy in memory research is whether the parahippocampal areas, especially the lateral entorhinal (LEC) and the perirhinal (PER) cortices, support familiarity or whether the hippocampus (HIP) does. In addition, it is unclear if LEC, PER and HIP interact within this frame. Here, we especially investigate if LEC and PER's contribution to familiarity depends on hippocampal integrity. To do so, we compare LEC and PER neural activity between rats with intact hippocampus performing on a human to rat translational task relying on both recollection and familiarity and rats with hippocampal lesions that have been shown to then rely on familiarity to perform the same task. Using high resolution Immediate Early Gene imaging, we report that hippocampal lesions enhance activity in LEC during familiarity judgments but not PER’s. These findings suggest that different mechanisms support familiarity in LEC and PER and led to the hypothesis that HIP might exert a tonic inhibition on LEC during recognition memory that is released when HIP is compromised, possibly constituting a compensatory mechanism in aging and amnesic patients.
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12
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Giorgi C, Marinelli S. Roles and Transcriptional Responses of Inhibitory Neurons in Learning and Memory. Front Mol Neurosci 2021; 14:689952. [PMID: 34211369 PMCID: PMC8239217 DOI: 10.3389/fnmol.2021.689952] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/01/2021] [Accepted: 05/18/2021] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Increasing evidence supports a model whereby memories are encoded by sparse ensembles of neurons called engrams, activated during memory encoding and reactivated upon recall. An engram consists of a network of cells that undergo long-lasting modifications of their transcriptional programs and connectivity. Ground-breaking advancements in this field have been made possible by the creative exploitation of the characteristic transcriptional responses of neurons to activity, allowing both engram labeling and manipulation. Nevertheless, numerous aspects of engram cell-type composition and function remain to be addressed. As recent transcriptomic studies have revealed, memory encoding induces persistent transcriptional and functional changes in a plethora of neuronal subtypes and non-neuronal cells, including glutamatergic excitatory neurons, GABAergic inhibitory neurons, and glia cells. Dissecting the contribution of these different cellular classes to memory engram formation and activity is quite a challenging yet essential endeavor. In this review, we focus on the role played by the GABAergic inhibitory component of the engram through two complementary lenses. On one hand, we report on available physiological evidence addressing the involvement of inhibitory neurons to different stages of memory formation, consolidation, storage and recall. On the other, we capitalize on a growing number of transcriptomic studies that profile the transcriptional response of inhibitory neurons to activity, revealing important clues on their potential involvement in learning and memory processes. The picture that emerges suggests that inhibitory neurons are an essential component of the engram, likely involved in engram allocation, in tuning engram excitation and in storing the memory trace.
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Affiliation(s)
- Corinna Giorgi
- CNR, Institute of Molecular Biology and Pathology, Rome, Italy.,European Brain Research Institute (EBRI), Fondazione Rita Levi-Montalcini, Rome, Italy
| | - Silvia Marinelli
- European Brain Research Institute (EBRI), Fondazione Rita Levi-Montalcini, Rome, Italy
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Fuentes-Ramos M, Alaiz-Noya M, Barco A. Transcriptome and epigenome analysis of engram cells: Next-generation sequencing technologies in memory research. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2021; 127:865-875. [PMID: 34097980 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2021.06.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/26/2021] [Revised: 06/02/2021] [Accepted: 06/03/2021] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
Transcription and epigenetic changes are integral components of the neuronal response to stimulation and have been postulated to be drivers or substrates for enduring changes in animal behavior, including learning and memory. Memories are thought to be deposited in neuronal assemblies called engrams, i.e., groups of cells that undergo persistent physical or chemical changes during learning and are selectively reactivated to retrieve the memory. Despite the research progress made in recent years, the identity of specific epigenetic changes, if any, that occur in these cells and subsequently contribute to the persistence of memory traces remains unknown. The analysis of these changes is challenging due to the difficulty of exploring molecular alterations that only occur in a relatively small percentage of cells embedded in a complex tissue. In this review, we discuss the recent advances in this field and the promise of next-generation sequencing (NGS) and epigenome editing methods for overcoming these challenges and address long-standing questions concerning the role of epigenetic mechanisms in memory encoding, maintenance and expression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Miguel Fuentes-Ramos
- Instituto de Neurociencias, Universidad Miguel Hernández - Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas, Av. Santiago Ramón y Cajal s/n, Sant Joan d'Alacant, 03550, Alicante, Spain
| | - Marta Alaiz-Noya
- Instituto de Neurociencias, Universidad Miguel Hernández - Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas, Av. Santiago Ramón y Cajal s/n, Sant Joan d'Alacant, 03550, Alicante, Spain
| | - Angel Barco
- Instituto de Neurociencias, Universidad Miguel Hernández - Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas, Av. Santiago Ramón y Cajal s/n, Sant Joan d'Alacant, 03550, Alicante, Spain.
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Liang Y, de la Prida LM. Optical and genetic tools for in vivo single cell tracking. J Neurosci Methods 2021; 358:109192. [PMID: 33848560 DOI: 10.1016/j.jneumeth.2021.109192] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/21/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Yajie Liang
- University of Maryland School of Medicine, 670 W. Baltimore St., Baltimore, MD, 21201, United States.
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Rosa-Salva O, Mayer U, Versace E, Hébert M, Lemaire BS, Vallortigara G. Sensitive periods for social development: Interactions between predisposed and learned mechanisms. Cognition 2021; 213:104552. [PMID: 33402251 DOI: 10.1016/j.cognition.2020.104552] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/28/2020] [Revised: 12/08/2020] [Accepted: 12/12/2020] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
We analysed research that makes use of precocial species as animal models to describe the interaction of predisposed mechanisms and environmental factors in early learning, in particular for the development of social cognition. We also highlight the role of sensitive periods in this interaction, focusing on domestic chicks as one of the main animal models for this field. In the first section of the review, we focus on the emergence of early predispositions to attend to social partners. These attentional biases appear before any learning experience about social stimuli. However, non-specific experiences occurring during sensitive periods of the early post-natal life determine the emergence of these predisposed mechanisms for the detection of social partners. Social predispositions have an important role for the development learning-based social cognitive functions, showing the interdependence of predisposed and learned mechanisms in shaping social development. In the second part of the review we concentrate on the reciprocal interactions between filial imprinting and spontaneous (not learned) social predispositions. Reciprocal influences between these two sets of mechanisms ensure that, in the natural environment, filial imprinting will target appropriate social objects. Neural and physiological mechanisms regulating the sensitive periods for the emergence of social predispositions and for filial imprinting learning are also described.
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Affiliation(s)
- Orsola Rosa-Salva
- Center for Mind/Brain Sciences, University of Trento, Piazza Manifattura 1, 38068 Rovereto, TN, Italy
| | - Uwe Mayer
- Center for Mind/Brain Sciences, University of Trento, Piazza Manifattura 1, 38068 Rovereto, TN, Italy
| | - Elisabetta Versace
- Center for Mind/Brain Sciences, University of Trento, Piazza Manifattura 1, 38068 Rovereto, TN, Italy; Department of Biological and Experimental Psychology, School of Biological and Chemical Sciences, Queen Mary University of London, 327 Mile End Road, London E1 4NS, United Kingdom
| | - Marie Hébert
- Center for Mind/Brain Sciences, University of Trento, Piazza Manifattura 1, 38068 Rovereto, TN, Italy
| | - Bastien S Lemaire
- Center for Mind/Brain Sciences, University of Trento, Piazza Manifattura 1, 38068 Rovereto, TN, Italy
| | - Giorgio Vallortigara
- Center for Mind/Brain Sciences, University of Trento, Piazza Manifattura 1, 38068 Rovereto, TN, Italy.
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Malkemper EP, Nimpf S, Nordmann GC, Keays DA. Neuronal circuits and the magnetic sense: central questions. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2020; 223:223/21/jeb232371. [PMID: 33168544 DOI: 10.1242/jeb.232371] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
Magnetoreception is the ability to sense the Earth's magnetic field, which is used for orientation and navigation. Behavioural experiments have shown that it is employed by many species across all vertebrate classes; however, our understanding of how magnetic information is processed and integrated within the central nervous system is limited. In this Commentary, we review the progress in birds and rodents, highlighting the role of the vestibular and trigeminal systems as well as that of the hippocampus. We reflect on the strengths and weaknesses of the methodologies currently at our disposal, the utility of emerging technologies and identify questions that we feel are critical for the advancement of the field. We expect that magnetic circuits are likely to share anatomical motifs with other senses, which culminates in the formation of spatial maps in telencephalic areas of the brain. Specifically, we predict the existence of spatial cells that encode defined components of the Earth's magnetic field.
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Affiliation(s)
- E Pascal Malkemper
- Max Planck Research Group Neurobiology of Magnetoreception, Center of Advanced European Studies and Research (caesar), Ludwig-Erhard-Allee 2, Bonn 53175, Germany
| | - Simon Nimpf
- Research Institute of Molecular Pathology (IMP), Vienna Biocenter (VBC), Campus Vienna Biocenter 1, Vienna 1030, Austria
| | - Gregory C Nordmann
- Research Institute of Molecular Pathology (IMP), Vienna Biocenter (VBC), Campus Vienna Biocenter 1, Vienna 1030, Austria
| | - David A Keays
- Research Institute of Molecular Pathology (IMP), Vienna Biocenter (VBC), Campus Vienna Biocenter 1, Vienna 1030, Austria .,Department of Anatomy and Neuroscience, University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC 3010, Australia.,Division of Neurobiology, Department Biology II, Ludwig-Maximilians-University Munich, Planegg-Martinsried 82152, Germany
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Patodia S, Tan I, Ellis M, Somani A, Scheffer IE, Sisodiya SM, Thom M. Medullary tyrosine hydroxylase catecholaminergic neuronal populations in sudden unexpected death in epilepsy. Brain Pathol 2020; 31:133-143. [PMID: 32852867 PMCID: PMC8018054 DOI: 10.1111/bpa.12891] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/08/2020] [Revised: 06/12/2020] [Accepted: 08/06/2020] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Sudden unexpected death in epilepsy (SUDEP) is mechanistically complex and one probable cause is seizure‐related respiratory dysfunction. Medullary respiratory regulatory nuclei include the pre‐Bötzinger complex (pre‐BötC) in the ventrolateral medulla (VLM), the medullary raphé nuclei (MR) and nucleus of solitary tract in the dorsomedial medulla (DMM). The region of the VLM also contains intermingled tyrosine hydroxylase (TH) catecholaminergic neurones which directly project to the pre‐BötC and regulate breathing under hypoxic conditions and our aim was to evaluate these neurones in SUDEP cases. In post‐mortem cases from three groups [SUDEP (18), epilepsy controls (8) and non‐epilepsy controls (16)] serial sections of medulla (obex + 2 to + 13 mm) were immunolabeled for TH. Three regions of interest (ROI) were outlined (VLM, DMM and MR) and TH‐immunoreactive (TH‐IR) neurones were evaluated using automated detection for overall labeling index (neurones and processes) and neuronal densities and compared between groups and relative to obex level. C‐fos immunoreactivity was also semi‐quantitatively evaluated in these regions. We found no significant difference in the density of TH‐IR neurones or labeling index between the groups in all regions. Significantly more TH‐IR neurones were present in the DMM region than VLM in non‐epilepsy cases only (P < 0.01). Regional variations in TH‐IR neurones with obex level were seen in all groups except SUDEP. We also identified occasional TH neurones in the MR region in all groups. There was significantly less c‐fos labeling in the VLM and MR in SUDEP than non‐epilepsy controls but no difference with epilepsy controls. In conclusion, in this series we found no evidence for alteration of total medullary TH‐IR neuronal numbers in SUDEP but noted some differences in their relative distribution in the medulla and c‐fos neurones compared to control groups which may be relevant to the mechanism of death.
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Affiliation(s)
- Smriti Patodia
- Department of Clinical and Experimental epilepsy, UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology, London, WC1N 2BG, UK
| | - Ian Tan
- Department of Clinical and Experimental epilepsy, UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology, London, WC1N 2BG, UK
| | - Matthew Ellis
- School of Cancer Sciences, University of Southampton, Southampton, UK
| | - Alyma Somani
- Department of Clinical and Experimental epilepsy, UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology, London, WC1N 2BG, UK
| | - Ingrid E Scheffer
- Epilepsy Research Centre, Department of Medicine (Neurology), University of Melbourne, Victoria, 3052, Australia
| | - Sanjay M Sisodiya
- Department of Clinical and Experimental epilepsy, UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology, London, WC1N 2BG, UK.,Chalfont Centre for Epilepsy, Bucks, SL9 0RJ, UK
| | - Maria Thom
- Department of Clinical and Experimental epilepsy, UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology, London, WC1N 2BG, UK.,School of Cancer Sciences, University of Southampton, Southampton, UK
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Single-cell transcriptomics as a framework and roadmap for understanding the brain. J Neurosci Methods 2019; 326:108353. [PMID: 31351971 DOI: 10.1016/j.jneumeth.2019.108353] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/14/2019] [Revised: 07/05/2019] [Accepted: 07/07/2019] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
A framework for interpreting and guiding experimental examination of the brain is essential for neuroscience. Recently, single-cell RNA sequencing and single-molecule fluorescent in situ hybridization have emerged as key technologies to generate such a framework at a single-cell resolution. These technologies provide a powerful complement for understanding gene expression in the brain: RNA sequencing enables genome-wide high-throughput quantification of gene expression, and in situ hybridization yields spatial registration of gene expression at a cellular resolution. Here, I discuss the insight that each of these technologies individually provide, and how they can be paired in principle and practice to resolve the cell-type-specific spatial organization of the brain. I further discuss the potential of cutting-edge spatial transcriptomics technologies that leverage the advantages of both techniques within the same assay, as well as how transcriptomic assays can be linked with higher-order features of brain structure and function. Such current and forthcoming transcriptomic technologies will have immense impact in generating an underlying logic of the nervous system, and will guide experiments and interpretations across molecular, cellular, circuit, and behavioural neuroscience.
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