1
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van der Heijden ME. Converging and Diverging Cerebellar Pathways for Motor and Social Behaviors in Mice. CEREBELLUM (LONDON, ENGLAND) 2024:10.1007/s12311-024-01706-w. [PMID: 38780757 DOI: 10.1007/s12311-024-01706-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 05/17/2024] [Indexed: 05/25/2024]
Abstract
Evidence from clinical and preclinical studies has shown that the cerebellum contributes to cognitive functions, including social behaviors. Now that the cerebellum's role in a wider range of behaviors has been confirmed, the question arises whether the cerebellum contributes to social behaviors via the same mechanisms with which it modulates movements. This review seeks to answer whether the cerebellum guides motor and social behaviors through identical pathways. It focuses on studies in which cerebellar cells, synapses, or genes are manipulated in a cell-type specific manner followed by testing of the effects on social and motor behaviors. These studies show that both anatomically restricted and cerebellar cortex-wide manipulations can lead to social impairments without abnormal motor control, and vice versa. These studies suggest that the cerebellum employs different cellular, synaptic, and molecular pathways for social and motor behaviors. Future studies warrant a focus on the diverging mechanisms by which the cerebellum contributes to a wide range of neural functions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Meike E van der Heijden
- Fralin Biomedical Research Institute, Virginia Tech Carilion, Roanoke, VA, USA.
- Center for Neurobiology Research, Virginia Tech Carilion, Roanoke, VA, USA.
- School of Neuroscience, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA, USA.
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2
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Prati JM, Pontes-Silva A, Gianlorenço ACL. The cerebellum and its connections to other brain structures involved in motor and non-motor functions: A comprehensive review. Behav Brain Res 2024; 465:114933. [PMID: 38458437 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbr.2024.114933] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/17/2023] [Revised: 02/28/2024] [Accepted: 02/29/2024] [Indexed: 03/10/2024]
Abstract
The cerebellum has a large network of neurons that communicate with several brain structures and participate in different functions. Recent studies have demonstrated that the cerebellum is not only associated with motor functions but also participates in several non-motor functions. It is suggested that the cerebellum can modulate behavior through many connections with different nervous system structures in motor, sensory, cognitive, autonomic, and emotional processes. Recently, a growing number of clinical and experimental studies support this theory and provide further evidence. In light of recent findings, a comprehensive review is needed to summarize the knowledge on the influence of the cerebellum on the processing of different functions. Therefore, the aim of this review was to describe the neuroanatomical aspects of the activation of the cerebellum and its connections with other structures of the central nervous system in different behaviors.
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Affiliation(s)
- José Mário Prati
- Postgraduate Program in Physical Therapy, Department of Physical Therapy, Universidade Federal de São Carlos, São Carlos, SP, Brazil.
| | - André Pontes-Silva
- Postgraduate Program in Physical Therapy, Department of Physical Therapy, Universidade Federal de São Carlos, São Carlos, SP, Brazil
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3
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Wang C, Derderian KD, Hamada E, Zhou X, Nelson AD, Kyoung H, Ahituv N, Bouvier G, Bender KJ. Impaired cerebellar plasticity hypersensitizes sensory reflexes in SCN2A-associated ASD. Neuron 2024; 112:1444-1455.e5. [PMID: 38412857 PMCID: PMC11065582 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuron.2024.01.029] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/22/2023] [Revised: 01/03/2024] [Accepted: 01/29/2024] [Indexed: 02/29/2024]
Abstract
Children diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) commonly present with sensory hypersensitivity or abnormally strong reactions to sensory stimuli. Such hypersensitivity can be overwhelming, causing high levels of distress that contribute markedly to the negative aspects of the disorder. Here, we identify a mechanism that underlies hypersensitivity in a sensorimotor reflex found to be altered in humans and in mice with loss of function in the ASD risk-factor gene SCN2A. The cerebellum-dependent vestibulo-ocular reflex (VOR), which helps maintain one's gaze during movement, was hypersensitized due to deficits in cerebellar synaptic plasticity. Heterozygous loss of SCN2A-encoded NaV1.2 sodium channels in granule cells impaired high-frequency transmission to Purkinje cells and long-term potentiation, a form of synaptic plasticity important for modulating VOR gain. VOR plasticity could be rescued in mice via a CRISPR-activator approach that increases Scn2a expression, demonstrating that evaluation of a simple reflex can be used to assess and quantify successful therapeutic intervention.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chenyu Wang
- Neuroscience Graduate Program, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA; Department of Neurology, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA; Weill Institute for Neurosciences, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Kimberly D Derderian
- Department of Neurology, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Elizabeth Hamada
- Department of Neurology, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Xujia Zhou
- Department of Bioengineering and Therapeutic Sciences, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Andrew D Nelson
- Department of Neurology, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA; Weill Institute for Neurosciences, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Henry Kyoung
- Department of Neurology, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Nadav Ahituv
- Weill Institute for Neurosciences, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA; Department of Bioengineering and Therapeutic Sciences, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA; Institute for Human Genetics, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Guy Bouvier
- Department of Physiology, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA; Université Paris-Saclay, CNRS, Institut des Neurosciences Paris-Saclay, 91400 Saclay, France.
| | - Kevin J Bender
- Department of Neurology, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA; Weill Institute for Neurosciences, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA.
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4
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Li CN, Keay KA, Henderson LA, Mychasiuk R. Re-examining the Mysterious Role of the Cerebellum in Pain. J Neurosci 2024; 44:e1538232024. [PMID: 38658164 PMCID: PMC11044115 DOI: 10.1523/jneurosci.1538-23.2024] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/03/2023] [Revised: 03/06/2024] [Accepted: 03/06/2024] [Indexed: 04/26/2024] Open
Abstract
Pain is considered a multidimensional experience that embodies not merely sensation, but also emotion and perception. As is appropriate for this complexity, pain is represented and processed by an extensive matrix of cortical and subcortical structures. Of these structures, the cerebellum is gaining increasing attention. Although association between the cerebellum and both acute and chronic pain have been extensively detailed in electrophysiological and neuroimaging studies, a deep understanding of what functions are mediated by these associations is lacking. Nevertheless, the available evidence implies that lobules IV-VI and Crus I are especially pertinent to pain processing, and anatomical studies reveal that these regions connect with higher-order structures of sensorimotor, emotional, and cognitive function. Therefore, we speculate that the cerebellum exerts a modulatory role in pain via its communication with sites of sensorimotor, executive, reward, and limbic function. On this basis, in this review, we propose numerous ways in which the cerebellum might contribute to both acute and chronic pain, drawing particular attention to emotional and cognitive elements of pain. In addition, we emphasise the importance of advancing our knowledge about the relationship between the cerebellum and pain by discussing novel therapeutic opportunities that capitalize on this association.
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Affiliation(s)
- Crystal N Li
- Department of Neuroscience, School of Translational Medicine, Monash University, Melbourne, VIC 3004, Australia
| | - Kevin A Keay
- School of Medical Sciences (Neuroscience) and Brain and Mind Centre, University of Sydney, NSW 2006, Australia
| | - Luke A Henderson
- School of Medical Sciences (Neuroscience) and Brain and Mind Centre, University of Sydney, NSW 2006, Australia
| | - Richelle Mychasiuk
- Department of Neuroscience, School of Translational Medicine, Monash University, Melbourne, VIC 3004, Australia
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5
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Prince N, Peralta Marzal LN, Markidi A, Ahmed S, Adolfs Y, Pasterkamp RJ, Kumar H, Roeselers G, Garssen J, Kraneveld AD, Perez-Pardo P. Prebiotic diet normalizes aberrant immune and behavioral phenotypes in a mouse model of autism spectrum disorder. Acta Pharmacol Sin 2024:10.1038/s41401-024-01268-x. [PMID: 38589690 DOI: 10.1038/s41401-024-01268-x] [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: 11/07/2023] [Accepted: 03/19/2024] [Indexed: 04/10/2024] Open
Abstract
Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a cluster of neurodevelopmental disorders characterized by deficits in communication and behavior. Increasing evidence suggests that the microbiota-gut-brain axis and the likely related immune imbalance may play a role in the development of this disorder. Gastrointestinal deficits and gut microbiota dysfunction have been linked to the development or severity of autistic behavior. Therefore, treatments that focus on specific diets may improve gastrointestinal function and aberrant behavior in individuals with ASD. In this study, we investigated whether a diet containing specific prebiotic fibers, namely, 3% galacto-oligosaccharide/fructo-oligosaccharide (GOS/FOS; 9:1), can mitigate the adverse effects of in utero exposure to valproic acid (VPA) in mice. Pregnant BALB/cByJ dams were injected with VPA (600 mg/kg, sc.) or phosphate-buffered saline (PBS) on gestational day 11 (G11). Male offspring were divided into four groups: (1) in utero PBS-exposed with a control diet, (2) in utero PBS-exposed with GOS/FOS diet, (3) in utero VPA-exposed with a control diet, and (4) in utero VPA-exposed with GOS/FOS diet. Dietary intervention started from birth and continued throughout the duration of the experiment. We showed that the prebiotic diet normalized VPA-induced alterations in male offspring, including restoration of key microbial taxa, intestinal permeability, peripheral immune homeostasis, reduction of neuroinflammation in the cerebellum, and impairments in social behavior and cognition in mice. Overall, our research provides valuable insights into the gut-brain axis involvement in ASD development. In addition, dietary interventions might correct the disbalance in gut microbiota and immune responses and, ultimately, might improve detrimental behavioral outcomes in ASD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Naika Prince
- Division of Pharmacology, Faculty of Science, Utrecht Institute for Pharmaceutical Sciences, Utrecht University, 3584 CG, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Lucia N Peralta Marzal
- Division of Pharmacology, Faculty of Science, Utrecht Institute for Pharmaceutical Sciences, Utrecht University, 3584 CG, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Anastasia Markidi
- Division of Pharmacology, Faculty of Science, Utrecht Institute for Pharmaceutical Sciences, Utrecht University, 3584 CG, Utrecht, The Netherlands
- Division of Cell Biology, Metabolism & Cancer, Department of Biomolecular Health Sciences, Utrecht University, 3584 CL, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Sabbir Ahmed
- Division of Pharmacology, Faculty of Science, Utrecht Institute for Pharmaceutical Sciences, Utrecht University, 3584 CG, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Youri Adolfs
- Department of Translational Neuroscience, UMC Utrecht Brain Center, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht University, 3584 CG, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - R Jeroen Pasterkamp
- Department of Translational Neuroscience, UMC Utrecht Brain Center, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht University, 3584 CG, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Himanshu Kumar
- Danone Nutricia Research, 3584 CT, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Guus Roeselers
- Danone Nutricia Research, 3584 CT, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Johan Garssen
- Division of Pharmacology, Faculty of Science, Utrecht Institute for Pharmaceutical Sciences, Utrecht University, 3584 CG, Utrecht, The Netherlands
- Danone Nutricia Research, 3584 CT, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Aletta D Kraneveld
- Division of Pharmacology, Faculty of Science, Utrecht Institute for Pharmaceutical Sciences, Utrecht University, 3584 CG, Utrecht, The Netherlands
- Department of Neuroscience, Faculty of Science, VU university, 1081 HV, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Paula Perez-Pardo
- Division of Pharmacology, Faculty of Science, Utrecht Institute for Pharmaceutical Sciences, Utrecht University, 3584 CG, Utrecht, The Netherlands.
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6
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Morgado F, Vandewouw MM, Hammill C, Kelley E, Crosbie J, Schachar R, Ayub M, Nicolson R, Georgiades S, Arnold P, Iaboni A, Kushki A, Taylor MJ, Anagnostou E, Lerch JP. Behaviour-correlated profiles of cerebellar-cerebral functional connectivity observed in independent neurodevelopmental disorder cohorts. Transl Psychiatry 2024; 14:173. [PMID: 38570480 PMCID: PMC10991387 DOI: 10.1038/s41398-024-02857-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/08/2022] [Revised: 02/27/2024] [Accepted: 02/29/2024] [Indexed: 04/05/2024] Open
Abstract
The cerebellum, through its connectivity with the cerebral cortex, plays an integral role in regulating cognitive and affective processes, and its dysregulation can result in neurodevelopmental disorder (NDD)-related behavioural deficits. Identifying cerebellar-cerebral functional connectivity (FC) profiles in children with NDDs can provide insight into common connectivity profiles and their correlation to NDD-related behaviours. 479 participants from the Province of Ontario Neurodevelopmental Disorders (POND) network (typically developing = 93, Autism Spectrum Disorder = 172, Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder = 161, Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder = 53, mean age = 12.2) underwent resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging and behaviour testing (Social Communication Questionnaire, Toronto Obsessive-Compulsive Scale, and Child Behaviour Checklist - Attentional Problems Subscale). FC components maximally correlated to behaviour were identified using canonical correlation analysis. Results were then validated by repeating the investigation in 556 participants from an independent NDD cohort provided from a separate consortium (Healthy Brain Network (HBN)). Replication of canonical components was quantified by correlating the feature vectors between the two cohorts. The two cerebellar-cerebral FC components that replicated to the greatest extent were correlated to, respectively, obsessive-compulsive behaviour (behaviour feature vectors, rPOND-HBN = -0.97; FC feature vectors, rPOND-HBN = -0.68) and social communication deficit contrasted against attention deficit behaviour (behaviour feature vectors, rPOND-HBN = -0.99; FC feature vectors, rPOND-HBN = -0.78). The statistically stable (|z| > 1.96) features of the FC feature vectors, measured via bootstrap re-sampling, predominantly comprised of correlations between cerebellar attentional and control network regions and cerebral attentional, default mode, and control network regions. In both cohorts, spectral clustering on FC loading values resulted in subject clusters mixed across diagnostic categories, but no cluster was significantly enriched for any given diagnosis as measured via chi-squared test (p > 0.05). Overall, two behaviour-correlated components of cerebellar-cerebral functional connectivity were observed in two independent cohorts. This suggests the existence of generalizable cerebellar network differences that span across NDD diagnostic boundaries.
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Affiliation(s)
- Felipe Morgado
- Dept. Medical Biophysics, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada.
- Neurosciences & Mental Health, Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Canada.
| | - Marlee M Vandewouw
- Institute of Biomedical Engineering, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada
- Autism Research Centre, Holland Bloorview Kids Rehabilitation Hospital, Toronto, Canada
| | - Christopher Hammill
- Data Science & Advanced Analytics, St. Michael's Hospital, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada
| | | | - Jennifer Crosbie
- Neurosciences & Mental Health, Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Canada
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada
| | - Russell Schachar
- Neurosciences & Mental Health, Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Canada
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada
| | - Muhammad Ayub
- Department of Psychiatry, University College London, London, UK
| | - Robert Nicolson
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Western Ontario, London, Canada
- Lawson Research Institute, London, Canada
| | - Stelios Georgiades
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioural Neurosciences, McMaster University, Hamilton, Canada
- Offord Centre for Child Studies, McMaster University, Hamilton, Canada
| | - Paul Arnold
- The Mathison Centre for Mental Health Research & Education, Hotchkiss Brain Institute, University of Calgary, Calgary, Canada
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Calgary, Calgary, Canada
| | - Alana Iaboni
- Autism Research Centre, Holland Bloorview Kids Rehabilitation Hospital, Toronto, Canada
| | - Azadeh Kushki
- Institute of Biomedical Engineering, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada
- Autism Research Centre, Holland Bloorview Kids Rehabilitation Hospital, Toronto, Canada
| | - Margot J Taylor
- Neurosciences & Mental Health, Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Canada
- Diagnostic Imaging, Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Canada
- Department of Medical Imaging, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada
| | - Evdokia Anagnostou
- Autism Research Centre, Holland Bloorview Kids Rehabilitation Hospital, Toronto, Canada
- Institute of Medical Science, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada
| | - Jason P Lerch
- Nuffield Department of Clinical Neurosciences, Oxford University, Oxford, UK
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7
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Hosseindokht Z, Davoudi S, Rahdar M, Janahmadi M, Kolahdouz M, Sasanpoour P. Photoacoustic viscoelasticity assessment of prefrontal cortex and cerebellum in normal and prenatal valproic acid-exposed rats. PHOTOACOUSTICS 2024; 36:100590. [PMID: 38318427 PMCID: PMC10839762 DOI: 10.1016/j.pacs.2024.100590] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/28/2023] [Revised: 11/11/2023] [Accepted: 01/18/2024] [Indexed: 02/07/2024]
Abstract
Mechanical properties of brain tissues are from principal features from different points of view; diagnosis, the performance of the brain and neurological disorders. Particularly viscoelastic properties of the brain tissues are determinative. In this study based on a proposed accurate and non-invasive method, we have measured the viscoelastic properties of prefrontal cortex and cerebellum, two important brain regions involved in motor learning and pathophysiology of autism spectrum disorder (ASD). In this regard, using photoacoustic systems, viscoelastic properties of tissues from the cerebellum and prefrontal cortex of normal and prenatal VPA (Valproic acid)-exposed (i.e. autistic-like) offspring rats are measured. Results of our study show that the cerebellums of normal tissues are stiffer than the tissue obtained from autistic-like rats, while the viscoelasticity of the prefrontal cortex of normal tissues is higher than that of autistic ones. The proposed method for the measurement of viscoelastic properties of the brain tissue has the potential not only for the fundamental studies but as a diagnosis technique.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zahra Hosseindokht
- School of Electrical and Computer Engineering, College of Engineering, University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran
| | - Shima Davoudi
- Department of Physiology, School of Medicine, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Mona Rahdar
- Department of Physiology, School of Medicine, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Mahyar Janahmadi
- Department of Physiology, School of Medicine, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Mohammadreza Kolahdouz
- School of Electrical and Computer Engineering, College of Engineering, University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran
| | - Pezhman Sasanpoour
- Department of Medical Physics and Biomedical Engineering, School of Medicine, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
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8
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Kebschull JM, Casoni F, Consalez GG, Goldowitz D, Hawkes R, Ruigrok TJH, Schilling K, Wingate R, Wu J, Yeung J, Uusisaari MY. Cerebellum Lecture: the Cerebellar Nuclei-Core of the Cerebellum. CEREBELLUM (LONDON, ENGLAND) 2024; 23:620-677. [PMID: 36781689 PMCID: PMC10951048 DOI: 10.1007/s12311-022-01506-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 12/10/2022] [Indexed: 02/15/2023]
Abstract
The cerebellum is a key player in many brain functions and a major topic of neuroscience research. However, the cerebellar nuclei (CN), the main output structures of the cerebellum, are often overlooked. This neglect is because research on the cerebellum typically focuses on the cortex and tends to treat the CN as relatively simple output nuclei conveying an inverted signal from the cerebellar cortex to the rest of the brain. In this review, by adopting a nucleocentric perspective we aim to rectify this impression. First, we describe CN anatomy and modularity and comprehensively integrate CN architecture with its highly organized but complex afferent and efferent connectivity. This is followed by a novel classification of the specific neuronal classes the CN comprise and speculate on the implications of CN structure and physiology for our understanding of adult cerebellar function. Based on this thorough review of the adult literature we provide a comprehensive overview of CN embryonic development and, by comparing cerebellar structures in various chordate clades, propose an interpretation of CN evolution. Despite their critical importance in cerebellar function, from a clinical perspective intriguingly few, if any, neurological disorders appear to primarily affect the CN. To highlight this curious anomaly, and encourage future nucleocentric interpretations, we build on our review to provide a brief overview of the various syndromes in which the CN are currently implicated. Finally, we summarize the specific perspectives that a nucleocentric view of the cerebellum brings, move major outstanding issues in CN biology to the limelight, and provide a roadmap to the key questions that need to be answered in order to create a comprehensive integrated model of CN structure, function, development, and evolution.
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Affiliation(s)
- Justus M Kebschull
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, 21205, USA.
| | - Filippo Casoni
- Division of Neuroscience, San Raffaele Scientific Institute, and San Raffaele University, Milan, Italy
| | - G Giacomo Consalez
- Division of Neuroscience, San Raffaele Scientific Institute, and San Raffaele University, Milan, Italy
| | - Daniel Goldowitz
- Department of Medical Genetics, Centre for Molecular Medicine and Therapeutics, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada
| | - Richard Hawkes
- Department of Cell Biology & Anatomy and Hotchkiss Brain Institute, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, T2N 4N1, Canada
| | - Tom J H Ruigrok
- Department of Neuroscience, Erasmus MC, Rotterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Karl Schilling
- Department of Anatomy, Anatomy & Cell Biology, Rheinische Friedrich-Wilhelms-Universität, 53115, Bonn, Federal Republic of Germany
| | - Richard Wingate
- MRC Centre for Neurodevelopmental Disorders, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, London, UK
| | - Joshua Wu
- Department of Medical Genetics, Centre for Molecular Medicine and Therapeutics, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada
| | - Joanna Yeung
- Department of Medical Genetics, Centre for Molecular Medicine and Therapeutics, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada
| | - Marylka Yoe Uusisaari
- Neuronal Rhythms in Movement Unit, Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology, 1919-1 Tancha, Onna-Son, Kunigami-Gun, Okinawa, 904-0495, Japan.
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9
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Cakar ME, Okada NJ, Cummings KK, Jung J, Bookheimer SY, Dapretto M, Green SA. Functional connectivity of the sensorimotor cerebellum in autism: associations with sensory over-responsivity. Front Psychiatry 2024; 15:1337921. [PMID: 38590791 PMCID: PMC10999625 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyt.2024.1337921] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/13/2023] [Accepted: 02/27/2024] [Indexed: 04/10/2024] Open
Abstract
The cerebellum has been consistently shown to be atypical in autism spectrum disorder (ASD). However, despite its known role in sensorimotor function, there is limited research on its association with sensory over-responsivity (SOR), a common and impairing feature of ASD. Thus, this study sought to examine functional connectivity of the sensorimotor cerebellum in ASD compared to typically developing (TD) youth and investigate whether cerebellar connectivity is associated with SOR. Resting-state functional connectivity of the sensorimotor cerebellum was examined in 54 ASD and 43 TD youth aged 8-18 years. Using a seed-based approach, connectivity of each sensorimotor cerebellar region (defined as lobules I-IV, V-VI and VIIIA&B) with the whole brain was examined in ASD compared to TD youth, and correlated with parent-reported SOR severity. Across all participants, the sensorimotor cerebellum was functionally connected with sensorimotor and visual regions, though the three seed regions showed distinct connectivity with limbic and higher-order sensory regions. ASD youth showed differences in connectivity including atypical connectivity within the cerebellum and increased connectivity with hippocampus and thalamus compared to TD youth. More severe SOR was associated with stronger connectivity with cortical regions involved in sensory and motor processes and weaker connectivity with cognitive and socio-emotional regions, particularly prefrontal cortex. These results suggest that atypical cerebellum function in ASD may play a role in sensory challenges in autism.
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Affiliation(s)
- Melis E. Cakar
- Neuroscience Interdepartmental Program, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, United States
| | - Nana J. Okada
- Department of Psychology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States
- Department of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, United States
- Jane and Terry Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Human Behavior, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, United States
| | - Kaitlin K. Cummings
- Department of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, United States
- Jane and Terry Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Human Behavior, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, United States
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, United States
| | - Jiwon Jung
- Department of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, United States
- Jane and Terry Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Human Behavior, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, United States
| | - Susan Y. Bookheimer
- Department of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, United States
- Jane and Terry Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Human Behavior, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, United States
| | - Mirella Dapretto
- Department of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, United States
- Jane and Terry Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Human Behavior, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, United States
| | - Shulamite A. Green
- Department of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, United States
- Jane and Terry Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Human Behavior, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, United States
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10
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Sendhilnathan N, Bostan AC, Strick PL, Goldberg ME. A cerebro-cerebellar network for learning visuomotor associations. Nat Commun 2024; 15:2519. [PMID: 38514616 PMCID: PMC10957870 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-46281-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/06/2023] [Accepted: 02/16/2024] [Indexed: 03/23/2024] Open
Abstract
Consensus is rapidly building to support a role for the cerebellum beyond motor function, but its contributions to non-motor learning remain poorly understood. Here, we provide behavioral, anatomical and computational evidence to demonstrate a causal role for the primate posterior lateral cerebellum in learning new visuomotor associations. Reversible inactivation of the posterior lateral cerebellum of male monkeys impeded the learning of new visuomotor associations, but had no effect on movement parameters, or on well-practiced performance of the same task. Using retrograde transneuronal transport of rabies virus, we identified a distinct cerebro-cerebellar network linking Purkinje cells in the posterior lateral cerebellum with a region of the prefrontal cortex that is critical in learning visuomotor associations. Together, these results demonstrate a causal role for the primate posterior lateral cerebellum in non-motor, reinforcement learning.
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Affiliation(s)
- Naveen Sendhilnathan
- Doctoral program in Neurobiology and Behavior, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA.
- Dept. of Neuroscience, Mahoney Center for Brain and Behavior Research, Zuckerman Mind, Brain, and Behavior Institute, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA.
| | - Andreea C Bostan
- Department of Neurobiology, Systems Neuroscience Center, and Brain Institute, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA.
| | - Peter L Strick
- Department of Neurobiology, Systems Neuroscience Center, and Brain Institute, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Michael E Goldberg
- Dept. of Neuroscience, Mahoney Center for Brain and Behavior Research, Zuckerman Mind, Brain, and Behavior Institute, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA
- Kavli Institute for Brain Science, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA
- Dept. of Neurology, Psychiatry, and Ophthalmology, Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons, New York, NY, USA
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11
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Palacios ER, Chadderton P, Friston K, Houghton C. Cerebellar state estimation enables resilient coupling across behavioural domains. Sci Rep 2024; 14:6641. [PMID: 38503802 PMCID: PMC10951354 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-56811-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/09/2023] [Accepted: 03/11/2024] [Indexed: 03/21/2024] Open
Abstract
Cerebellar computations are necessary for fine behavioural control and may rely on internal models for estimation of behaviourally relevant states. Here, we propose that the central cerebellar function is to estimate how states interact with each other, and to use these estimates to coordinates extra-cerebellar neuronal dynamics underpinning a range of interconnected behaviours. To support this claim, we describe a cerebellar model for state estimation that includes state interactions, and link this model with the neuronal architecture and dynamics observed empirically. This is formalised using the free energy principle, which provides a dual perspective on a system in terms of both the dynamics of its physical-in this case neuronal-states, and the inferential process they entail. As a demonstration of this proposal, we simulate cerebellar-dependent synchronisation of whisking and respiration, which are known to be tightly coupled in rodents, as well as limb and tail coordination during locomotion. In summary, we propose that the ubiquitous involvement of the cerebellum in behaviour arises from its central role in precisely coupling behavioural domains.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ensor Rafael Palacios
- University of Bristol, School of Physiology Pharmacology and Neuroscience, Bristol, BS8 1TD, UK.
| | - Paul Chadderton
- University of Bristol, School of Physiology Pharmacology and Neuroscience, Bristol, BS8 1TD, UK
| | - Karl Friston
- UCL, Wellcome Centre for Human Neuroimaging, London, WC1N 3AR, UK
| | - Conor Houghton
- University of Bristol, Department of Computer Science, Bristol, BS8 1UB, UK
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12
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Gaiser C, van der Vliet R, de Boer AAA, Donchin O, Berthet P, Devenyi GA, Mallar Chakravarty M, Diedrichsen J, Marquand AF, Frens MA, Muetzel RL. Population-wide cerebellar growth models of children and adolescents. Nat Commun 2024; 15:2351. [PMID: 38499518 PMCID: PMC10948906 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-46398-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/15/2023] [Accepted: 02/22/2024] [Indexed: 03/20/2024] Open
Abstract
In the past, the cerebellum has been best known for its crucial role in motor function. However, increasingly more findings highlight the importance of cerebellar contributions in cognitive functions and neurodevelopment. Using a total of 7240 neuroimaging scans from 4862 individuals, we describe and provide detailed, openly available models of cerebellar development in childhood and adolescence (age range: 6-17 years), an important time period for brain development and onset of neuropsychiatric disorders. Next to a traditionally used anatomical parcellation of the cerebellum, we generated growth models based on a recently proposed functional parcellation. In both, we find an anterior-posterior growth gradient mirroring the age-related improvements of underlying behavior and function, which is analogous to cerebral maturation patterns and offers evidence for directly related cerebello-cortical developmental trajectories. Finally, we illustrate how the current approach can be used to detect cerebellar abnormalities in clinical samples.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carolin Gaiser
- Department of Neuroscience, Erasmus MC, University Medical Centre Rotterdam, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry/Psychology, Erasmus MC - Sophia Children's Hospital, University Medical Centre Rotterdam, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Rick van der Vliet
- Department of Neuroscience, Erasmus MC, University Medical Centre Rotterdam, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
- Department of Neurology, Erasmus MC, University Medical Centre Rotterdam, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
- Department of Clinical Genetics, Erasmus MC, University Medical Centre Rotterdam, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Augustijn A A de Boer
- Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behavior, Radboud University Nijmegen, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
- Department for Cognitive Neuroscience, Radboud University Medical Center Nijmegen, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - Opher Donchin
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Be'er Sheva, Israel
- Zlotowski Center for Neuroscience, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Be'er Sheva, Israel
| | - Pierre Berthet
- Department of Psychology, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway
- Norwegian Center for Mental Disorders Research (NORMENT), University of Oslo, and Oslo University Hospital, Oslo, Norway
| | - Gabriel A Devenyi
- Cerebral Imaging Centre, Douglas Research Centre, McGill University, Montreal, Canada
- Department of Psychiatry, McGill University, Montreal, Canada
| | - M Mallar Chakravarty
- Cerebral Imaging Centre, Douglas Research Centre, McGill University, Montreal, Canada
- Department of Psychiatry, McGill University, Montreal, Canada
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, McGill University, Montreal, Canada
| | - Jörn Diedrichsen
- Western Institute of Neuroscience, Western University, London, Ontario, Canada
- Department of Statistical and Actuarial Sciences, Western University, London, Ontario, Canada
- Department of Computer Science, Western University, London, Ontario, Canada
| | - Andre F Marquand
- Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behavior, Radboud University Nijmegen, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
- Department for Cognitive Neuroscience, Radboud University Medical Center Nijmegen, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - Maarten A Frens
- Department of Neuroscience, Erasmus MC, University Medical Centre Rotterdam, Rotterdam, The Netherlands.
| | - Ryan L Muetzel
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry/Psychology, Erasmus MC - Sophia Children's Hospital, University Medical Centre Rotterdam, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
- Department of Radiology and Nuclear Medicine, Erasmus MC, University Medical Centre Rotterdam, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
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13
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Li H, Cui J, Hu C, Li H, Luo X, Hao Y. Identification and Analysis of ZIC-Related Genes in Cerebellum of Autism Spectrum Disorders. Neuropsychiatr Dis Treat 2024; 20:325-339. [PMID: 38410689 PMCID: PMC10895985 DOI: 10.2147/ndt.s444138] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/14/2023] [Accepted: 02/09/2024] [Indexed: 02/28/2024] Open
Abstract
Objective Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a complex neurodevelopmental disorder with significant genetic heterogeneity. The ZIC gene family can regulate neurodevelopment, especially in the cerebellum, and has been implicated in ASD-like behaviors in mice. We performed bioinformatic analysis to identify the ZIC gene family in the ASD cerebellum. Methods We explored the roles of ZIC family genes in ASD by investigating (i) the association of ZIC genes with ASD risk genes from the Simons Foundation Autism Research Initiative (SFARI) database and ZIC genes in the brain regions of the Human Protein Atlas (HPA) database; (ii) co-expressed gene networks of genes positively and negatively correlated with ZIC1, ZIC2, and ZIC3, Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathway enrichment, and receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis of genes in these networks; and (iii) the relationship between ZIC1, ZIC2, ZIC3, and their related genes with cerebellar immune cells and stromal cells in ASD patients. Results (i) ZIC1, ZIC2, and ZIC3 were associated with neurodevelopmental disorders and risk genes related to ASD in the human cerebellum and (ii) ZIC1, ZIC2, and ZIC3 were highly expressed in the cerebellum, which may play a pathogenic role by affecting neuronal development and the cerebellar internal environment in patients with ASD, including immune cells, astrocytes, and endothelial cells. (iii) OLFM3, SLC27A4, GRB2, TMED1, NR2F1, and STRBP are closely related to ZIC1, ZIC2, and ZIC3 in ASD cerebellum and have good diagnostic accuracy. (iv) ASD mice in the maternal immune activation model demonstrated that Zic3 and Nr2f1 levels were decreased in the immune-activated cerebellum. Conclusion Our study supports the role of ZIC1, ZIC2, and ZIC3 in ASD pathogenesis and provides potential targets for early and accurate prediction of ASD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Heli Li
- Division of Child Healthcare, Department of Pediatrics, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 430030, People's Republic of China
| | - Jinru Cui
- Division of Child Healthcare, Department of Pediatrics, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 430030, People's Republic of China
| | - Cong Hu
- Division of Child Healthcare, Department of Pediatrics, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 430030, People's Republic of China
| | - Hao Li
- Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 430030, People's Republic of China
| | - Xiaoping Luo
- Department of Pediatrics, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 430030, People's Republic of China
| | - Yan Hao
- Division of Child Healthcare, Department of Pediatrics, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 430030, People's Republic of China
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14
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Hanzel M, Fernando K, Maloney SE, Gong S, Mätlik K, Zhao J, Pasolli HA, Heissel S, Dougherty JD, Hull C, Hatten ME. Mice lacking Astn2 have ASD-like behaviors and altered cerebellar circuit properties. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.02.18.580354. [PMID: 38405978 PMCID: PMC10888872 DOI: 10.1101/2024.02.18.580354] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/27/2024]
Abstract
Astrotactin 2 (ASTN2) is a transmembrane neuronal protein highly expressed in the cerebellum that functions in receptor trafficking and modulates cerebellar Purkinje cell (PC) synaptic activity. We recently reported a family with a paternally inherited intragenic ASTN2 duplication with a range of neurodevelopmental disorders, including autism spectrum disorder (ASD), learning difficulties, and speech and language delay. To provide a genetic model for the role of the cerebellum in ASD-related behaviors and study the role of ASTN2 in cerebellar circuit function, we generated global and PC-specific conditional Astn2 knockout (KO and cKO, respectively) mouse lines. Astn2 KO mice exhibit strong ASD-related behavioral phenotypes, including a marked decrease in separation-induced pup ultrasonic vocalization calls, hyperactivity and repetitive behaviors, altered social behaviors, and impaired cerebellar-dependent eyeblink conditioning. Hyperactivity and repetitive behaviors were also prominent in Astn2 cKO animals. By Golgi staining, Astn2 KO PCs have region-specific changes in dendritic spine density and filopodia numbers. Proteomic analysis of Astn2 KO cerebellum reveals a marked upregulation of ASTN2 family member, ASTN1, a neuron-glial adhesion protein. Immunohistochemistry and electron microscopy demonstrates a significant increase in Bergmann glia volume in the molecular layer of Astn2 KO animals. Electrophysiological experiments indicate a reduced frequency of spontaneous excitatory postsynaptic currents (EPSCs), as well as increased amplitudes of both spontaneous EPSCs and inhibitory postsynaptic currents (IPSCs) in the Astn2 KO animals, suggesting that pre- and postsynaptic components of synaptic transmission are altered. Thus, ASTN2 regulates ASD-like behaviors and cerebellar circuit properties.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michalina Hanzel
- Laboratory of Developmental Neurobiology, The Rockefeller University, New York, NY, USA 10065
| | - Kayla Fernando
- Neurobiology Department, Duke University, Durham, NC, USA
| | - Susan E Maloney
- Dept of Psychiatry and the Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities Research Center, Washington University Medical School, St Louis, MO, USA
| | | | - Kärt Mätlik
- Laboratory of Developmental Neurobiology, The Rockefeller University, New York, NY, USA 10065
| | - Jiajia Zhao
- Laboratory of Developmental Neurobiology, The Rockefeller University, New York, NY, USA 10065
| | - H Amalia Pasolli
- Electron Microscopy Resource Center, The Rockefeller University, New York, NY, USA 10065
| | - Søren Heissel
- Proteomics Resource Center, The Rockefeller University, New York, NY, USA 10065
| | - Joseph D Dougherty
- Dept of Psychiatry and the Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities Research Center, Washington University Medical School, St Louis, MO, USA
- Dept of Genetics, Washington University Medical School, St Louis, MO, USA
| | - Court Hull
- Neurobiology Department, Duke University, Durham, NC, USA
| | - Mary E Hatten
- Laboratory of Developmental Neurobiology, The Rockefeller University, New York, NY, USA 10065
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15
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Hur SW, Safaryan K, Yang L, Blair HT, Masmanidis SC, Mathews PJ, Aharoni D, Golshani P. Correlated signatures of social behavior in cerebellum and anterior cingulate cortex. eLife 2024; 12:RP88439. [PMID: 38345922 PMCID: PMC10942583 DOI: 10.7554/elife.88439] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/15/2024] Open
Abstract
The cerebellum has been implicated in the regulation of social behavior. Its influence is thought to arise from communication, via the thalamus, to forebrain regions integral in the expression of social interactions, including the anterior cingulate cortex (ACC). However, the signals encoded or the nature of the communication between the cerebellum and these brain regions is poorly understood. Here, we describe an approach that overcomes technical challenges in exploring the coordination of distant brain regions at high temporal and spatial resolution during social behavior. We developed the E-Scope, an electrophysiology-integrated miniature microscope, to synchronously measure extracellular electrical activity in the cerebellum along with calcium imaging of the ACC. This single coaxial cable device combined these data streams to provide a powerful tool to monitor the activity of distant brain regions in freely behaving animals. During social behavior, we recorded the spike timing of multiple single units in cerebellar right Crus I (RCrus I) Purkinje cells (PCs) or dentate nucleus (DN) neurons while synchronously imaging calcium transients in contralateral ACC neurons. We found that during social interactions a significant subpopulation of cerebellar PCs were robustly inhibited, while most modulated neurons in the DN were activated, and their activity was correlated with positively modulated ACC neurons. These distinctions largely disappeared when only non-social epochs were analyzed suggesting that cerebellar-cortical interactions were behaviorally specific. Our work provides new insights into the complexity of cerebellar activation and co-modulation of the ACC during social behavior and a valuable open-source tool for simultaneous, multimodal recordings in freely behaving mice.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sung Won Hur
- Department of Neurology, DGSOM, University of California Los AngelesLos AngelesUnited States
- The Lundquist Institute for Biomedical Innovation, Harbor-UCLA Medical CenterTorranceUnited States
| | - Karen Safaryan
- Department of Neurology, DGSOM, University of California Los AngelesLos AngelesUnited States
| | - Long Yang
- Department of Neurobiology, University of California Los AngelesLos AngelesUnited States
| | - Hugh T Blair
- Department of Psychology, University of California Los AngelesLos AngelesUnited States
| | - Sotiris C Masmanidis
- Department of Neurobiology, University of California Los AngelesLos AngelesUnited States
| | - Paul J Mathews
- The Lundquist Institute for Biomedical Innovation, Harbor-UCLA Medical CenterTorranceUnited States
- Department of Neurology, Harbor-UCLA Medical CenterTorranceUnited States
| | - Daniel Aharoni
- Department of Neurology, DGSOM, University of California Los AngelesLos AngelesUnited States
| | - Peyman Golshani
- Department of Neurology, DGSOM, University of California Los AngelesLos AngelesUnited States
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16
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Liu Y, Lin W, Liu J, Zhu H. Structural and temporal dynamics analysis of neural circuit from 2002 to 2022: A bibliometric analysis. Heliyon 2024; 10:e24649. [PMID: 38298625 PMCID: PMC10828061 DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2024.e24649] [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: 06/14/2023] [Revised: 01/05/2024] [Accepted: 01/11/2024] [Indexed: 02/02/2024] Open
Abstract
Background In the pursuit of causal insights into neural circuit functionality, various interventions, including electrical, genetic, and pharmacological approaches, have been applied over recent decades. This study employs a comprehensive bibliometric perspective to explore the field of neural circuits. Methods Reviews and articles on neural circuits were obtained from the Web of Science Core Collection (WOSCC) database on Apr. 12, 2023. In this article, co-authorship analysis, co-occurrence analysis, citation analysis, bibliographic analysis, and co-citation analysis were used to clarify the authors, journals, institutions, countries, topics, and internal associations between them. Results More than 2000 organizations from 52 different countries published 3975 articles in the field of "neural circuit" were used to analysis. Luo liqun emerged as the most prolific author, and Deisseroth Karl garners the highest co-citations (3643). The Journal of Neuroscience leaded in publications, while Nature toped in citations. Chinese Academy of Science recorded the highest article count institutionally, with Stanford University ranking first with 14,350 citations. Since 2020, neurodynamic, anxiety-related mechanisms, and GABAergic neurons have gained prominence, shaping the trajectory of neural circuitry research. Conclusions Our investigation has discerned a paradigmatic reorientation towards neurodynamic processes, anxiety-related mechanisms, and GABAergic neurons within the domain of neural circuit research. This identification intimates a prospective trajectory for the field. In the future, it is imperative for research endeavors to accord priority to the translational application of these discernments, with the aim of materializing tangible clinical solutions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuan Liu
- Cancer Research Center Nantong, Affiliated Tumor Hospital of Nantong University, Nantong, China
| | - Wei Lin
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Neuropsychiatric Diseases and Institute of Neuroscience, Soochow University, Suzhou, China
- Department of Pediatrics, The First Affiliated Hospital of Fujian Medical University, Fujian, China
| | - Jie Liu
- Department of Orthopedics, The Affiliated Taizhou People's Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Taizhou School of Clinical Medicine, Nanjing Medical University, Taizhou, China
| | - Haixia Zhu
- Cancer Research Center Nantong, Affiliated Tumor Hospital of Nantong University, Nantong, China
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17
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Chen H, Xiong XX, Jin SY, He XY, Li XW, Yang JM, Gao TM, Chen YH. Dopamine D2 receptors in pyramidal neurons in the medial prefrontal cortex regulate social behavior. Pharmacol Res 2024; 199:107042. [PMID: 38142878 DOI: 10.1016/j.phrs.2023.107042] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/24/2023] [Revised: 12/14/2023] [Accepted: 12/15/2023] [Indexed: 12/26/2023]
Abstract
Drugs acting on dopamine D2 receptors are widely used for the treatment of several neuropsychiatric disorders, including schizophrenia and depression. Social deficits are a core symptom of these disorders. Pharmacological manipulation of dopamine D2 receptors (Drd2), a Gi-coupled subtype of dopamine receptors, in the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) has shown that Drd2 is implicated in social behaviors. However, the type of neurons expressing Drd2 in the mPFC and the underlying circuit mechanism regulating social behaviors remain largely unknown. Here, we show that Drd2 were mainly expressed in pyramidal neurons in the mPFC and that the activation of the Gi-pathway in Drd2+ pyramidal neurons impaired social behavior in male mice. In contrast, the knockdown of D2R in pyramidal neurons in the mPFC enhanced social approach behaviors in male mice and selectively facilitated the activation of mPFC neurons projecting to the nucleus accumbens (NAc) during social interaction. Remarkably, optogenetic activation of mPFC-to-NAc-projecting neurons mimicked the effects of conditional D2R knockdown on social behaviors. Altogether, these results demonstrate a cell type-specific role for Drd2 in the mPFC in regulating social behavior, which may be mediated by the mPFC-to-NAc pathway.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hao Chen
- Key Laboratory of Mental Health of the Ministry of Education, Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area Center for Brain Science and Brain-Inspired Intelligence, Guangdong Province Key Laboratory of Psychiatric Disorders, Department of Neurobiology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Xing-Xing Xiong
- Key Laboratory of Mental Health of the Ministry of Education, Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area Center for Brain Science and Brain-Inspired Intelligence, Guangdong Province Key Laboratory of Psychiatric Disorders, Department of Neurobiology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Shi-Yang Jin
- Key Laboratory of Mental Health of the Ministry of Education, Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area Center for Brain Science and Brain-Inspired Intelligence, Guangdong Province Key Laboratory of Psychiatric Disorders, Department of Neurobiology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Xiao-Ying He
- Key Laboratory of Mental Health of the Ministry of Education, Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area Center for Brain Science and Brain-Inspired Intelligence, Guangdong Province Key Laboratory of Psychiatric Disorders, Department of Neurobiology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Xiao-Wen Li
- Key Laboratory of Mental Health of the Ministry of Education, Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area Center for Brain Science and Brain-Inspired Intelligence, Guangdong Province Key Laboratory of Psychiatric Disorders, Department of Neurobiology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Jian-Ming Yang
- Key Laboratory of Mental Health of the Ministry of Education, Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area Center for Brain Science and Brain-Inspired Intelligence, Guangdong Province Key Laboratory of Psychiatric Disorders, Department of Neurobiology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Tian-Ming Gao
- Key Laboratory of Mental Health of the Ministry of Education, Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area Center for Brain Science and Brain-Inspired Intelligence, Guangdong Province Key Laboratory of Psychiatric Disorders, Department of Neurobiology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China; State Key Laboratory of Organ Failure Research, Institute of Brain Diseases, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, China.
| | - Yi-Hua Chen
- Key Laboratory of Mental Health of the Ministry of Education, Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area Center for Brain Science and Brain-Inspired Intelligence, Guangdong Province Key Laboratory of Psychiatric Disorders, Department of Neurobiology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China.
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18
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Duarte-Campos JF, Vázquez-Moreno CN, Martínez-Marcial M, Chavarría A, Ramírez-Carreto RJ, Velasco Velázquez MA, De La Fuente-Granada M, González-Arenas A. Changes in neuroinflammatory markers and microglial density in the hippocampus and prefrontal cortex of the C58/J mouse model of autism. Eur J Neurosci 2024; 59:154-173. [PMID: 38057955 DOI: 10.1111/ejn.16204] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/27/2023] [Revised: 10/20/2023] [Accepted: 11/08/2023] [Indexed: 12/08/2023]
Abstract
Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a diverse group of neurodevelopmental conditions with complex origins. Individuals with ASD present various neurobiological abnormalities, including an altered immune response in the central nervous system and other tissues. Animal models like the C58/J inbred mouse strain are used to study biological characteristics of ASD. This strain is considered an idiopathic autism model because of its demonstrated reduced social preference and repetitive behaviours. Notably, C58/J mice exhibit alterations in dendritic arbour complexity, density and dendritic spines maturation in the hippocampus and prefrontal cortex (PFC), but inflammatory-related changes have not been explored in these mice. In this study, we investigated proinflammatory markers in the hippocampus and PFC of adult male C58/J mice. We discovered elevated levels of interferon gamma (IFN-γ) and monocyte chemoattractant protein 1 (MCP-1) in the hippocampus, suggesting increased inflammation, alongside a reduction in the anti-inflammatory enzyme arginase 1 (ARG1). Conversely, the PFC displayed reduced levels of TNF-α and MCP-1. Microglial analysis revealed higher levels of transmembrane protein 119 (TMEM119) and increased microglial density in a region-specific manner of the autistic-like mice, particularly in the PFC and hippocampus. Additionally, an augmented expression of the fractalkine receptor CX3CR1 was observed in the hippocampus and PFC of C58/J mice. Microglial morphological analysis shows no evident changes in the hippocampus of mice with autistic-like behaviours versus wild-type strain. These region-specific changes can contribute to modulate processes like inflammation or synaptic pruning in the C58/J mouse model of idiopathic autism.
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Affiliation(s)
- Juan F Duarte-Campos
- Departamento de Medicina Genómica y Toxicología Ambiental, Instituto de Investigaciones Biomédicas, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México (UNAM), Mexico City, Mexico
| | - C Noé Vázquez-Moreno
- Departamento de Medicina Genómica y Toxicología Ambiental, Instituto de Investigaciones Biomédicas, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México (UNAM), Mexico City, Mexico
| | - Mónica Martínez-Marcial
- Unidad de Modelos Biológicos, Instituto de Investigaciones Biomédicas, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México (UNAM), Mexico City, Mexico
| | - Anahí Chavarría
- Unidad de Medicina Experimental, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México (UNAM), Mexico City, Mexico
| | - Ricardo Jair Ramírez-Carreto
- Unidad de Medicina Experimental, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México (UNAM), Mexico City, Mexico
| | - Marco A Velasco Velázquez
- Departamento de Farmacología, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México (UNAM), Mexico City, Mexico
| | - Marisol De La Fuente-Granada
- Departamento de Medicina Genómica y Toxicología Ambiental, Instituto de Investigaciones Biomédicas, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México (UNAM), Mexico City, Mexico
| | - Aliesha González-Arenas
- Departamento de Medicina Genómica y Toxicología Ambiental, Instituto de Investigaciones Biomédicas, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México (UNAM), Mexico City, Mexico
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19
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Parrella NF, Hill AT, Dipnall LM, Loke YJ, Enticott PG, Ford TC. Inhibitory dysfunction and social processing difficulties in autism: A comprehensive narrative review. J Psychiatr Res 2024; 169:113-125. [PMID: 38016393 DOI: 10.1016/j.jpsychires.2023.11.014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/13/2023] [Revised: 09/04/2023] [Accepted: 11/15/2023] [Indexed: 11/30/2023]
Abstract
The primary inhibitory neurotransmitter γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA) has a prominent role in regulating neural development and function, with disruption to GABAergic signalling linked to behavioural phenotypes associated with neurodevelopmental disorders, particularly autism. Such neurochemical disruption, likely resulting from diverse genetic and molecular mechanisms, particularly during early development, can subsequently affect the cellular balance of excitation and inhibition in neuronal circuits, which may account for the social processing difficulties observed in autism and related conditions. This comprehensive narrative review integrates diverse streams of research from several disciplines, including molecular neurobiology, genetics, epigenetics, and systems neuroscience. In so doing it aims to elucidate the relevance of inhibitory dysfunction to autism, with specific focus on social processing difficulties that represent a core feature of this disorder. Many of the social processing difficulties experienced in autism have been linked to higher levels of the excitatory neurotransmitter glutamate and/or lower levels of inhibitory GABA. While current therapeutic options for social difficulties in autism are largely limited to behavioural interventions, this review highlights the psychopharmacological studies that explore the utility of GABA modulation in alleviating such difficulties.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Aron T Hill
- Cognitive Neuroscience Unit, School of Psychology, Deakin University, Geelong, Australia; Department of Psychiatry, Central Clinical School, Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Lillian M Dipnall
- Cognitive Neuroscience Unit, School of Psychology, Deakin University, Geelong, Australia; Early Life Epigenetics Group, Deakin University, Geelong, Australia
| | - Yuk Jing Loke
- Epigenetics Group, Murdoch Children's Research Institute, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia; Department of Paediatrics, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Peter G Enticott
- Cognitive Neuroscience Unit, School of Psychology, Deakin University, Geelong, Australia
| | - Talitha C Ford
- Cognitive Neuroscience Unit, School of Psychology, Deakin University, Geelong, Australia; Centre for Human Psychopharmacology, Faculty of Health, Arts and Design, Swinburne University of Technology, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
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20
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Xu FX, Wang XT, Cai XY, Liu JY, Guo JW, Yang F, Chen W, Schonewille M, De Zeeuw C, Zhou L, Shen Y. Purkinje-cell-specific MeCP2 deficiency leads to motor deficits and autistic-like behavior due to aberrations in PTP1B-TrkB-SK signaling. Cell Rep 2023; 42:113559. [PMID: 38100348 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2023.113559] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/27/2022] [Revised: 10/05/2023] [Accepted: 11/22/2023] [Indexed: 12/17/2023] Open
Abstract
Patients with Rett syndrome suffer from a loss-of-function mutation of the Mecp2 gene, which results in various symptoms including autistic traits and motor deficits. Deletion of Mecp2 in the brain mimics part of these symptoms, but the specific function of methyl-CpG-binding protein 2 (MeCP2) in the cerebellum remains to be elucidated. Here, we demonstrate that Mecp2 deletion in Purkinje cells (PCs) reduces their intrinsic excitability through a signaling pathway comprising the small-conductance calcium-activated potassium channel PTP1B and TrkB, the receptor of brain-derived neurotrophic factor. Aberration of this cascade, in turn, leads to autistic-like behaviors as well as reduced vestibulocerebellar motor learning. Interestingly, increasing activity of TrkB in PCs is sufficient to rescue PC dysfunction and abnormal motor and non-motor behaviors caused by Mecp2 deficiency. Our findings highlight how PC dysfunction may contribute to Rett syndrome, providing insight into the underlying mechanism and paving the way for rational therapeutic designs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fang-Xiao Xu
- Department of Physiology and Department of Psychiatry, Sir Run Run Shaw Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou 310000, China
| | - Xin-Tai Wang
- Department of Physiology and Department of Psychiatry, Sir Run Run Shaw Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou 310000, China; Institute of Life Sciences, College of Life and Environmental Sciences, Hangzhou Normal University, Hangzhou 311121, China
| | - Xin-Yu Cai
- Department of Physiology and Department of Psychiatry, Sir Run Run Shaw Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou 310000, China
| | - Jia-Yu Liu
- Department of Physiology and Department of Psychiatry, Sir Run Run Shaw Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou 310000, China
| | - Jing-Wen Guo
- Department of Physiology and Department of Psychiatry, Sir Run Run Shaw Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou 310000, China
| | - Fan Yang
- Department of Biophysics, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou 310058, China
| | - Wei Chen
- Department of Physiology and Department of Psychiatry, Sir Run Run Shaw Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou 310000, China
| | - Martijn Schonewille
- Department of Neuroscience, Erasmus University Medical Center, 3000 DR Rotterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Chris De Zeeuw
- Department of Neuroscience, Erasmus University Medical Center, 3000 DR Rotterdam, the Netherlands; The Netherlands Institute for Neuroscience, Royal Dutch Academy of Arts and Science, 1105 CA Amsterdam, the Netherlands.
| | - Lin Zhou
- Department of Physiology and Department of Psychiatry, Sir Run Run Shaw Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou 310000, China.
| | - Ying Shen
- Department of Physiology and Department of Psychiatry, Sir Run Run Shaw Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou 310000, China; International Institutes of Medicine, Fourth Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Yiwu 322000, China; Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology of Zhejiang Province, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou 310000, China.
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21
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Gibson JM, Vazquez AH, Yamashiro K, Jakkamsetti V, Ren C, Lei K, Dentel B, Pascual JM, Tsai PT. Cerebellar contribution to autism-relevant behaviors in fragile X syndrome models. Cell Rep 2023; 42:113533. [PMID: 38048226 PMCID: PMC10831814 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2023.113533] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/21/2022] [Revised: 09/01/2023] [Accepted: 11/17/2023] [Indexed: 12/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Cerebellar dysfunction has been linked to autism spectrum disorders (ASDs). Although cerebellar pathology has been observed in individuals with fragile X syndrome (FXS) and in mouse models of the disorder, a cerebellar functional contribution to ASD-relevant behaviors in FXS has yet to be fully characterized. In this study, we demonstrate a critical cerebellar role for Fmr1 (fragile X messenger ribonucleoprotein 1) in ASD-relevant behaviors. First, we identify reduced social behaviors, sensory hypersensitivity, and cerebellar dysfunction, with loss of cerebellar Fmr1. We then demonstrate that cerebellar-specific expression of Fmr1 is sufficient to impact social, sensory, cerebellar dysfunction, and cerebro-cortical hyperexcitability phenotypes observed in global Fmr1 mutants. Moreover, we demonstrate that targeting the ASD-implicated cerebellar region Crus1 ameliorates behaviors in both cerebellar-specific and global Fmr1 mutants. Together, these results demonstrate a critical role for the cerebellar contribution to FXS-related behaviors, with implications for future therapeutic strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jennifer M Gibson
- Department of Neurology, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390, USA; Department of Neuroscience, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390, USA
| | - Anthony Hernandez Vazquez
- Department of Neurology, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390, USA; Department of Neuroscience, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390, USA
| | - Kunihiko Yamashiro
- Department of Neurology, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390, USA
| | - Vikram Jakkamsetti
- Department of Neurology, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390, USA
| | - Chongyu Ren
- Department of Neurology, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390, USA
| | - Katherine Lei
- Department of Neurology, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390, USA
| | - Brianne Dentel
- Department of Neurology, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390, USA; Department of Pediatrics, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390, USA
| | - Juan M Pascual
- Department of Neurology, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390, USA; Department of Pediatrics, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390, USA
| | - Peter T Tsai
- Department of Neurology, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390, USA; Department of Neuroscience, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390, USA; Department of Pediatrics, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390, USA; Department of Psychiatry, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390, USA.
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22
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Baptista PPA, Furtado ACA, Fernandes TG, Freire Júnior RC, Lima CFM, Mendonça ASGB. Positive impact of the Therasuit method on gross motor function of children with autism spectrum disorder: Case series. Front Neurol 2023; 14:1254867. [PMID: 38170131 PMCID: PMC10760636 DOI: 10.3389/fneur.2023.1254867] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/07/2023] [Accepted: 11/16/2023] [Indexed: 01/05/2024] Open
Abstract
The Therasuit method is a valuable physiotherapeutic method to improve the gross motor function of children with neuromotor disorders. This series of case studies investigates the effect of the Therasuit method on the gross motor function of children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Therasuit method is a therapeutic intervention that involves the use of a therapeutic suit attached to a cage to stimulate gross motor skills, muscle strengthening, stretching, task training, and balance, which is a positive intervention for other neurodevelopmental disorders. The study was conducted with nine male children (42.1 + 4.1 months old) with ASD who received the Therasuit protocol for 4 weeks (20 sessions). The Gross Motor Function Measure (GMFM-88) was used to assess the children's gross motor function before and after the Therasuit method intervention. In dimension B, several skills showed improvement, including transfer to sitting, lean forward and return, trunk rotation without support, and transfer from sitting to all four stances. In dimension C, an increase was observed in skills such as being prone to all four stance transfers and reaching above the shoulders. In dimension D, maximum scores were achieved in skills such as pulling to stand on a large bench without assistance. The dimensions with the greatest impairment were D and E, corresponding to gross motor skills in orthostasis and dynamic skills in orthostasis, respectively. The findings suggest that the Therasuit method is a promising resource for treating motor impairments in children with ASD. However, further studies with a larger sample size, an adequate control condition, and random assignment of participants would be needed to provide stronger evidence of the method's effectiveness in this population.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pedro Porto Alegre Baptista
- Laboratório de Tecnologias Assistivas e Análise do Movimento, Faculdade de Educação Física e Fisioterapia, Universidade Federal do Amazonas, Manaus, Brazil
| | - Ana Carolina Azevedo Furtado
- Laboratório de Tecnologias Assistivas e Análise do Movimento, Faculdade de Educação Física e Fisioterapia, Universidade Federal do Amazonas, Manaus, Brazil
| | - Tiótrefis Gomes Fernandes
- Laboratório de Tecnologias Assistivas e Análise do Movimento, Faculdade de Educação Física e Fisioterapia, Universidade Federal do Amazonas, Manaus, Brazil
| | - Renato Campos Freire Júnior
- Laboratório de Tecnologias Assistivas e Análise do Movimento, Faculdade de Educação Física e Fisioterapia, Universidade Federal do Amazonas, Manaus, Brazil
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23
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Zhu J, Hasanbegović H, Liu LD, Gao Z, Li N. Activity map of a cortico-cerebellar loop underlying motor planning. Nat Neurosci 2023; 26:1916-1928. [PMID: 37814026 PMCID: PMC10620095 DOI: 10.1038/s41593-023-01453-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/29/2022] [Accepted: 09/06/2023] [Indexed: 10/11/2023]
Abstract
The neocortex and cerebellum interact to mediate cognitive functions. It remains unknown how the two structures organize into functional networks to mediate specific behaviors. Here we delineate activity supporting motor planning in relation to the mesoscale cortico-cerebellar connectome. In mice planning directional licking based on short-term memory, preparatory activity instructing future movement depends on the anterior lateral motor cortex (ALM) and the cerebellum. Transneuronal tracing revealed divergent and largely open-loop connectivity between the ALM and distributed regions of the cerebellum. A cerebellum-wide survey of neuronal activity revealed enriched preparatory activity in hotspot regions with conjunctive input-output connectivity to the ALM. Perturbation experiments show that the conjunction regions were required for maintaining preparatory activity and correct subsequent movement. Other cerebellar regions contributed little to motor planning despite input or output connectivity to the ALM. These results identify a functional cortico-cerebellar loop and suggest the cerebellar cortex selectively establishes reciprocal cortico-cerebellar communications to orchestrate motor planning.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jia Zhu
- Department of Neuroscience, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
| | | | - Liu D Liu
- Department of Neuroscience, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Zhenyu Gao
- Department of Neuroscience, Erasmus MC, Rotterdam, the Netherlands.
| | - Nuo Li
- Department of Neuroscience, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA.
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24
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Chen L, Xiong XY, Yao TT, Gui LN, Luo F, Du Y, Cheng Y. Blood exosome sensing via neuronal insulin-like growth factor-1 regulates autism-related phenotypes. Pharmacol Res 2023; 197:106965. [PMID: 37852341 DOI: 10.1016/j.phrs.2023.106965] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/03/2023] [Revised: 10/15/2023] [Accepted: 10/16/2023] [Indexed: 10/20/2023]
Abstract
The development and progression of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is characterized by multiple complex molecular events, highlighting the importance of the prefrontal brain regions in this process. Exosomes are nanovesicles that play a critical role in intercellular communication. Peripheral systems influence brain function under both physiological and pathological conditions. We investigated whether this influence was mediated by the direct sensing of peripheral blood exosomes by brain cells. Administration of serum exosomes from rats with valproic acid-induced ASD resulted in ASD-related phenotypes in mice, whereas exosomes from normal rats did not exhibit such effects. RNA sequencing and bioinformatics analysis suggested that negative regulation of medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1) by exosome-derived miR-29b-3p may contribute to these ASD-associated effects. Further evidence showed that miR-29b-3p-enriched exosomes crossed the blood-brain barrier to reach the mPFC, subsequently inducing the suppression of IGF-1 expression in neurons. Optogenetic activation of excitatory neurons in the mPFC improved behavioral abnormalities in exosome-treated mice. The addition of exogenous IGF-1 or inhibition of miR-29b-3p expression in the mPFC also rescued the ASD-related phenotypes in mice. Importantly, administration of miR-29b-3p-enriched serum exosomes from human donors with ASD into the mouse medial prefrontal cortex was sufficient to induce hallmark ASD behaviors. Together, our findings indicate that blood-brain cross-talk is crucial for ASD pathophysiology and that the brain may sense peripheral system changes through exosomes, which could serve as the basis for future neurological therapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lei Chen
- Key Laboratory of Ethnomedicine of Ministry of Education, Center on Translational Neuroscience, School of Pharmacy, Minzu University of China, Beijing, China
| | - Xi-Yue Xiong
- NHC Key Laboratory of Birth Defects Research, Prevention and Treatment, Hunan Provincial Maternal and Child Health Care Hospital, Changsha, China
| | - Tong-Tong Yao
- College of Life and Environmental Sciences, Minzu University of China, Beijing, China
| | - Lue-Ning Gui
- College of Life and Environmental Sciences, Minzu University of China, Beijing, China
| | - Fan Luo
- College of Life and Environmental Sciences, Minzu University of China, Beijing, China
| | - Yang Du
- Key Laboratory of Ethnomedicine of Ministry of Education, Center on Translational Neuroscience, School of Pharmacy, Minzu University of China, Beijing, China.
| | - Yong Cheng
- Key Laboratory of Ethnomedicine of Ministry of Education, Center on Translational Neuroscience, School of Pharmacy, Minzu University of China, Beijing, China; College of Life and Environmental Sciences, Minzu University of China, Beijing, China; Institute of National Security, Minzu University of China, Beijing, China.
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25
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Kim J, Jung MW, Lee D. Reward learning improves social signal processing in autism model mice. Cell Rep 2023; 42:113228. [PMID: 37815916 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2023.113228] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/21/2023] [Revised: 09/03/2023] [Accepted: 09/21/2023] [Indexed: 10/12/2023] Open
Abstract
Social and reward signal processing and their association are critical elements of social motivation. Despite the use of reward learning to improve the social interactions of patients with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), the underlying neural mechanisms are unknown. Here, we found different yet conjunct neuronal representations of social and reward signals in the mouse medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC). We also found that social signal processing is selectively disrupted, whereas reward signal processing is intact in the mPFC of Shank2-knockout mice, a mouse model of ASD. Furthermore, reward learning not only allows Shank2-knockout mice to associate social stimuli with reward availability, but it also rescues the impaired social signal processing. These findings provide insights into the neural basis for the therapeutic use of reward learning in ASD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joowon Kim
- Center for Cognition and Sociality, Institute for Basic Science, Daejeon 34126, Korea; Graduate School of Medical Science and Engineering, Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology, Daejeon 34141, Korea
| | - Min Whan Jung
- Graduate School of Medical Science and Engineering, Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology, Daejeon 34141, Korea; Department of Biological Sciences, Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology, Daejeon 34141, Korea; Center for Synaptic Brain Dysfunction, Institute for Basic Science, Daejeon 34141, Korea.
| | - Doyun Lee
- Center for Cognition and Sociality, Institute for Basic Science, Daejeon 34126, Korea.
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26
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Schmahmann JD. Ferdinando Rossi Lecture: the Cerebellar Cognitive Affective Syndrome-Implications and Future Directions. CEREBELLUM (LONDON, ENGLAND) 2023; 22:947-953. [PMID: 35948744 DOI: 10.1007/s12311-022-01456-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 08/04/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
The notion that the cerebellum is devoted exclusively to motor control has been replaced by a more sophisticated understanding of its role in neurological function, one that includes cognition and emotion. Early clinical reports, as well as physiological and behavioral studies in animal models, raised the possibility of a nonmotor role for the cerebellum. Anatomical studies demonstrate cerebellar connectivity with the distributed neural circuits linked with autonomic, sensorimotor, vestibular, associative and limbic/paralimbic brain areas. Identification of the cerebellar cognitive affective syndrome in adults and children underscored the clinical relevance of the role of the cerebellum in cognition and emotion. It opened new avenues of investigation into higher order deficits that accompany the ataxias and other cerebellar diseases, as well as the contribution of cerebellar dysfunction to neuropsychiatric and neurocognitive disorders. Brain imaging studies demonstrate the complexity of cerebellar functional topography, revealing a double representation of the sensorimotor cerebellum in the anterior lobe and lobule VIII and a triple cognitive representation in the cerebellar posterior lobe, as well as representation in the cerebellum of the intrinsic connectivity networks identified in the cerebral hemispheres. This paradigm shift in thinking about the cerebellum has been advanced by the theories of dysmetria of thought and the universal cerebellar transform, harmonizing the dual anatomic realities of homogeneously repeating cerebellar cortical microcircuitry set against the heterogeneous and topographically arranged cerebellar connections with extracerebellar structures. This new appreciation of the cerebellar incorporation into circuits that subserve cognition and emotion enables deeper understanding and improved care of our patients with cerebellar ataxias and novel cerebellar-based approaches to therapy in neuropsychiatry.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jeremy D Schmahmann
- Ataxia Center, Cognitive Behavioral Neurology Unit, Laboratory for Neuroanatomy and Cerebellar Neurobiology, Department of Neurology, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, 100 Cambridge Street, Suite 2000, Boston, MA, 02114, USA.
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27
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Shen LP, Li W, Pei LZ, Yin J, Xie ST, Li HZ, Yan C, Wang JJ, Zhang Q, Zhang XY, Zhu JN. Oxytocin Receptor in Cerebellar Purkinje Cells Does Not Engage in Autism-Related Behaviors. CEREBELLUM (LONDON, ENGLAND) 2023; 22:888-904. [PMID: 36040660 DOI: 10.1007/s12311-022-01466-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 08/22/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
The classical motor center cerebellum is one of the most consistent structures of abnormality in autism spectrum disorders (ASD), and neuropeptide oxytocin is increasingly explored as a potential pharmacotherapy for ASD. However, whether oxytocin targets the cerebellum for therapeutic effects remains unclear. Here, we report a localization of oxytocin receptor (OXTR) in Purkinje cells (PCs) of cerebellar lobule Crus I, which is functionally connected with ASD-implicated circuits. OXTR activation neither affects firing activities, intrinsic excitability, and synaptic transmission of normal PCs nor improves abnormal intrinsic excitability and synaptic transmission of PCs in maternal immune activation (MIA) mouse model of autism. Furthermore, blockage of OXTR in Crus I in wild-type mice does not induce autistic-like social, stereotypic, cognitive, and anxiety-like behaviors. These results suggest that oxytocin signaling in Crus I PCs seems to be uninvolved in ASD pathophysiology, and contribute to understanding of targets and mechanisms of oxytocin in ASD treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Li-Ping Shen
- State Key Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology and Department of Physiology, School of Life Sciences, Nanjing University, Nanjing, China
| | - Wei Li
- State Key Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology and Department of Physiology, School of Life Sciences, Nanjing University, Nanjing, China
| | - Ling-Zhu Pei
- State Key Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology and Department of Physiology, School of Life Sciences, Nanjing University, Nanjing, China
| | - Jun Yin
- State Key Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology and Department of Physiology, School of Life Sciences, Nanjing University, Nanjing, China
| | - Shu-Tao Xie
- State Key Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology and Department of Physiology, School of Life Sciences, Nanjing University, Nanjing, China
| | - Hong-Zhao Li
- State Key Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology and Department of Physiology, School of Life Sciences, Nanjing University, Nanjing, China
| | - Chao Yan
- State Key Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology and Department of Physiology, School of Life Sciences, Nanjing University, Nanjing, China
| | - Jian-Jun Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology and Department of Physiology, School of Life Sciences, Nanjing University, Nanjing, China
- Institute for Brain Sciences, Nanjing University, Nanjing, China
| | - Qipeng Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology and Department of Physiology, School of Life Sciences, Nanjing University, Nanjing, China.
- Institute for Brain Sciences, Nanjing University, Nanjing, China.
| | - Xiao-Yang Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology and Department of Physiology, School of Life Sciences, Nanjing University, Nanjing, China.
- Institute for Brain Sciences, Nanjing University, Nanjing, China.
| | - Jing-Ning Zhu
- State Key Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology and Department of Physiology, School of Life Sciences, Nanjing University, Nanjing, China.
- Institute for Brain Sciences, Nanjing University, Nanjing, China.
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28
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You M, Li S, Yan S, Yao D, Wang T, Wang Y. Exposure to nonylphenol in early life causes behavioural deficits related with autism spectrum disorders in rats. ENVIRONMENT INTERNATIONAL 2023; 180:108228. [PMID: 37802007 DOI: 10.1016/j.envint.2023.108228] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/13/2023] [Revised: 08/31/2023] [Accepted: 09/20/2023] [Indexed: 10/08/2023]
Abstract
Early-life exposure to environmental endocrine disruptors (EDCs) is a potential risk factor for autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Exposure to nonylphenol (NP), a typical EDC, is known to cause some long-term behavioural abnormalities. Moreover, these abnormal behaviours are the most frequent psychiatric co-morbidities in ASD. However, the direct evidence for the link between NP exposure in early life and ASD-like behavioural phenotypes is still missing. In the present study, typical ASD-like behaviours induced by valproic acid treatment were considered as a positive behavioural control. We investigated impacts on social behaviours following early-life exposure to NP, and explored effects of this exposure on neuronal dendritic spines, mitochondria function, oxidative stress, and endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress. Furthermore, primary cultured rat neurons were employed as in vitro model to evaluate changes in dendritic spine caused by exposure to NP, and oxidative stress and ER stress were specifically modulated to further explore their roles in these changes. Our results indicated rats exposed to NP in early life showed mild ASD-like behaviours. Moreover, we also found the activation of ER stress triggered by oxidative stress may contribute to dendritic spine decrease and synaptic dysfunction, which may underlie neurobehavioural abnormalities induced by early-life exposure to NP.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mingdan You
- Department of Occupational and Environmental Health, School of Public Health, China Medical University, Shenyang, Liaoning, People's Republic of China; School of Public Heath, Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang, Guizhou, People's Republic of China
| | - Siyao Li
- Department of Occupational and Environmental Health, School of Public Health, China Medical University, Shenyang, Liaoning, People's Republic of China; Key Laboratory of Environmental Stress and Chronic Disease Control & Prevention (China Medical University), Ministry of Education, Shenyang, Liaoning, People's Republic of China
| | - Siyu Yan
- Department of Occupational and Environmental Health, School of Public Health, China Medical University, Shenyang, Liaoning, People's Republic of China; Key Laboratory of Environmental Stress and Chronic Disease Control & Prevention (China Medical University), Ministry of Education, Shenyang, Liaoning, People's Republic of China
| | - Dianqi Yao
- Department of Occupational and Environmental Health, School of Public Health, China Medical University, Shenyang, Liaoning, People's Republic of China; Key Laboratory of Environmental Stress and Chronic Disease Control & Prevention (China Medical University), Ministry of Education, Shenyang, Liaoning, People's Republic of China
| | - Tingyu Wang
- College of Medical Laboratory, Dalian Medical University, Dalian, Liaoning, People's Republic of China
| | - Yi Wang
- Department of Occupational and Environmental Health, School of Public Health, China Medical University, Shenyang, Liaoning, People's Republic of China; Key Laboratory of Environmental Stress and Chronic Disease Control & Prevention (China Medical University), Ministry of Education, Shenyang, Liaoning, People's Republic of China.
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29
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Jun S, Kim M, Park H, Hwang E, Yamamoto Y, Tanaka-Yamamoto K. Organization of Purkinje cell development by neuronal MEGF11 in cerebellar granule cells. Cell Rep 2023; 42:113137. [PMID: 37708022 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2023.113137] [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] [Received: 02/14/2023] [Revised: 07/24/2023] [Accepted: 08/31/2023] [Indexed: 09/16/2023] Open
Abstract
As cerebellar granule cells (GCs) coordinate the formation of regular cerebellar networks during postnatal development, molecules in GCs are expected to be involved. Here, we test the effects of the knockdown (KD) of multiple epidermal growth factor-like domains protein 11 (MEGF11), which is a homolog of proteins mediating astrocytic phagocytosis but is substantially increased at the later developmental stages of GCs on cerebellar development. MEGF11-KD in GCs of developing mice results in abnormal cerebellar structures, including extensively ectopic Purkinje cell (PC) somas, and in impaired motor functions. MEGF11-KD also causes abnormally asynchronous synaptic release from GC axons, parallel fibers, before the appearance of abnormal cerebellar structures. Interestingly, blockade of this abnormal synaptic release restores most of the cerebellar structures. Thus, apart from phagocytic functions of its related homologs in astrocytes, MEGF11 in GCs promotes proper PC development and cerebellar network formation by regulating immature synaptic transmission.
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Affiliation(s)
- Soyoung Jun
- Brain Science Institute, Korea Institute of Science and Technology (KIST), Seoul 02792, Republic of Korea; Division of Bio-Medical Science and Technology, KIST School, Korea University of Science and Technology (UST), Seoul 02792, Republic of Korea
| | - Muwoong Kim
- Brain Science Institute, Korea Institute of Science and Technology (KIST), Seoul 02792, Republic of Korea; Division of Bio-Medical Science and Technology, KIST School, Korea University of Science and Technology (UST), Seoul 02792, Republic of Korea
| | - Heeyoun Park
- Brain Science Institute, Korea Institute of Science and Technology (KIST), Seoul 02792, Republic of Korea
| | - Eunmi Hwang
- Brain Science Institute, Korea Institute of Science and Technology (KIST), Seoul 02792, Republic of Korea; Division of Bio-Medical Science and Technology, KIST School, Korea University of Science and Technology (UST), Seoul 02792, Republic of Korea
| | - Yukio Yamamoto
- Brain Science Institute, Korea Institute of Science and Technology (KIST), Seoul 02792, Republic of Korea.
| | - Keiko Tanaka-Yamamoto
- Brain Science Institute, Korea Institute of Science and Technology (KIST), Seoul 02792, Republic of Korea; Division of Bio-Medical Science and Technology, KIST School, Korea University of Science and Technology (UST), Seoul 02792, Republic of Korea.
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30
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Lorenzi RM, Geminiani A, Zerlaut Y, De Grazia M, Destexhe A, Gandini Wheeler-Kingshott CAM, Palesi F, Casellato C, D'Angelo E. A multi-layer mean-field model of the cerebellum embedding microstructure and population-specific dynamics. PLoS Comput Biol 2023; 19:e1011434. [PMID: 37656758 PMCID: PMC10501640 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pcbi.1011434] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/22/2022] [Revised: 09/14/2023] [Accepted: 08/15/2023] [Indexed: 09/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Mean-field (MF) models are computational formalism used to summarize in a few statistical parameters the salient biophysical properties of an inter-wired neuronal network. Their formalism normally incorporates different types of neurons and synapses along with their topological organization. MFs are crucial to efficiently implement the computational modules of large-scale models of brain function, maintaining the specificity of local cortical microcircuits. While MFs have been generated for the isocortex, they are still missing for other parts of the brain. Here we have designed and simulated a multi-layer MF of the cerebellar microcircuit (including Granule Cells, Golgi Cells, Molecular Layer Interneurons, and Purkinje Cells) and validated it against experimental data and the corresponding spiking neural network (SNN) microcircuit model. The cerebellar MF was built using a system of equations, where properties of neuronal populations and topological parameters are embedded in inter-dependent transfer functions. The model time constant was optimised using local field potentials recorded experimentally from acute mouse cerebellar slices as a template. The MF reproduced the average dynamics of different neuronal populations in response to various input patterns and predicted the modulation of the Purkinje Cells firing depending on cortical plasticity, which drives learning in associative tasks, and the level of feedforward inhibition. The cerebellar MF provides a computationally efficient tool for future investigations of the causal relationship between microscopic neuronal properties and ensemble brain activity in virtual brain models addressing both physiological and pathological conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Alice Geminiani
- Department of Brain and Behavioural Sciences, University of Pavia, Pavia, Italy
| | - Yann Zerlaut
- Institut du Cerveau-Paris Brain Institute-ICM, Inserm, CNRS, APHP, Hôpital de la Pitié Salpêtrière, Paris, France
| | | | | | - Claudia A M Gandini Wheeler-Kingshott
- Department of Brain and Behavioural Sciences, University of Pavia, Pavia, Italy
- NMR Research Unit, Queen Square Multiple Sclerosis Centre, Department of Neuroinflammation, UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology, UCL, London, United Kingdom
- Brain Connectivity Center, IRCCS Mondino Foundation, Pavia, Italy
| | - Fulvia Palesi
- Department of Brain and Behavioural Sciences, University of Pavia, Pavia, Italy
| | - Claudia Casellato
- Department of Brain and Behavioural Sciences, University of Pavia, Pavia, Italy
| | - Egidio D'Angelo
- Department of Brain and Behavioural Sciences, University of Pavia, Pavia, Italy
- Brain Connectivity Center, IRCCS Mondino Foundation, Pavia, Italy
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31
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Longo F, Aryal S, Anastasiades PG, Maltese M, Baimel C, Albanese F, Tabor J, Zhu JD, Oliveira MM, Gastaldo D, Bagni C, Santini E, Tritsch NX, Carter AG, Klann E. Cell-type-specific disruption of cortico-striatal circuitry drives repetitive patterns of behavior in fragile X syndrome model mice. Cell Rep 2023; 42:112901. [PMID: 37505982 PMCID: PMC10552611 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2023.112901] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/05/2022] [Revised: 05/18/2023] [Accepted: 07/13/2023] [Indexed: 07/30/2023] Open
Abstract
Individuals with fragile X syndrome (FXS) are frequently diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), including increased risk for restricted and repetitive behaviors (RRBs). Consistent with observations in humans, FXS model mice display distinct RRBs and hyperactivity that are consistent with dysfunctional cortico-striatal circuits, an area relatively unexplored in FXS. Using a multidisciplinary approach, we dissect the contribution of two populations of striatal medium spiny neurons (SPNs) in the expression of RRBs in FXS model mice. Here, we report that dysregulated protein synthesis at cortico-striatal synapses is a molecular culprit of the synaptic and ASD-associated motor phenotypes displayed by FXS model mice. Cell-type-specific translational profiling of the FXS mouse striatum reveals differentially translated mRNAs, providing critical information concerning potential therapeutic targets. Our findings uncover a cell-type-specific impact of the loss of fragile X messenger ribonucleoprotein (FMRP) on translation and the sequence of neuronal events in the striatum that drive RRBs in FXS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Francesco Longo
- Center for Neural Science, New York University, New York, NY 10003, USA; Institute for Neuroscience and Physiology, University of Gothenburg, 40530 Gothenburg, Sweden; Sackler Institute of Graduate Biomedical Sciences, NYU School of Medicine, New York, NY 10016, USA
| | - Sameer Aryal
- Center for Neural Science, New York University, New York, NY 10003, USA; NYU Neuroscience Institute, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY 10016, USA
| | | | - Marta Maltese
- Fresco Institute for Parkinson's and Movement Disorders, New York University Langone Health, New York, NY 10016, USA; Department of Fundamental Neurosciences, University of Lausanne, 1005 Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Corey Baimel
- Center for Neural Science, New York University, New York, NY 10003, USA
| | - Federica Albanese
- Center for Neural Science, New York University, New York, NY 10003, USA
| | - Joanna Tabor
- Center for Neural Science, New York University, New York, NY 10003, USA
| | - Jeffrey D Zhu
- Center for Neural Science, New York University, New York, NY 10003, USA
| | | | - Denise Gastaldo
- Department of Biomedicine and Prevention, University of Rome "Tor Vergata," 1005 Rome, Italy
| | - Claudia Bagni
- Department of Biomedicine and Prevention, University of Rome "Tor Vergata," 1005 Rome, Italy
| | - Emanuela Santini
- Center for Neural Science, New York University, New York, NY 10003, USA; Department of Neuroscience, Biomedicum, Karolinska Institute, 171 77 Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Nicolas X Tritsch
- NYU Neuroscience Institute, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY 10016, USA; Fresco Institute for Parkinson's and Movement Disorders, New York University Langone Health, New York, NY 10016, USA
| | - Adam G Carter
- Center for Neural Science, New York University, New York, NY 10003, USA
| | - Eric Klann
- Center for Neural Science, New York University, New York, NY 10003, USA; NYU Neuroscience Institute, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY 10016, USA.
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32
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Sun Y, Wang L, Gao K, Ying S, Lin W, Humphreys KL, Li G, Niu S, Liu M, Wang L. Self-supervised learning with application for infant cerebellum segmentation and analysis. Nat Commun 2023; 14:4717. [PMID: 37543620 PMCID: PMC10404262 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-40446-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/13/2021] [Accepted: 07/27/2023] [Indexed: 08/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Accurate tissue segmentation is critical to characterize early cerebellar development in the first two postnatal years. However, challenges in tissue segmentation arising from tightly-folded cortex, low and dynamic tissue contrast, and large inter-site data heterogeneity have limited our understanding of early cerebellar development. In this paper, we propose an accurate self-supervised learning framework for infant cerebellum segmentation. We validate its accuracy using 358 subjects from three datasets. Our results suggest the first six months exhibit the most rapid and dynamic changes, with gray matter (GM) playing a dominant role in cerebellar growth over white matter (WM). We also find both GM and WM volumes are larger in males than females, and GM and WM volumes are larger in autistic males than neurotypical males. Application of our method to a larger population will fuel more cerebellar studies, ultimately advancing our comprehension of its structure and function in neurotypical and disordered development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yue Sun
- Department of Radiology and Biomedical Research Imaging Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, 27599, USA
| | - Limei Wang
- Department of Radiology and Biomedical Research Imaging Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, 27599, USA
| | - Kun Gao
- Department of Radiology and Biomedical Research Imaging Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, 27599, USA
| | - Shihui Ying
- Department of Radiology and Biomedical Research Imaging Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, 27599, USA
| | - Weili Lin
- Department of Radiology and Biomedical Research Imaging Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, 27599, USA
| | - Kathryn L Humphreys
- Department of Psychology and Human Development, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, 37203, USA
- Department of Psychiatric and Behavioral Sciences, School of Medicine, Tulane University, New Orleans, LA, 70118, USA
| | - Gang Li
- Department of Radiology and Biomedical Research Imaging Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, 27599, USA
| | - Sijie Niu
- Department of Radiology and Biomedical Research Imaging Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, 27599, USA
| | - Mingxia Liu
- Department of Radiology and Biomedical Research Imaging Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, 27599, USA.
| | - Li Wang
- Department of Radiology and Biomedical Research Imaging Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, 27599, USA.
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33
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Wang Z, Yueh H, Chau M, Veenstra-VanderWeele J, O'Reilly KC. Circuits underlying social function and dysfunction. Autism Res 2023; 16:1268-1288. [PMID: 37458578 DOI: 10.1002/aur.2978] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/27/2023] [Accepted: 06/13/2023] [Indexed: 08/01/2023]
Abstract
Substantial advances have been made toward understanding the genetic and environmental risk factors for autism, a neurodevelopmental disorder with social impairment as a core feature. In combination with optogenetic and chemogenetic tools to manipulate neural circuits in vivo, it is now possible to use model systems to test how specific neural circuits underlie social function and dysfunction. Here, we review the literature that has identified circuits associated with social interest (sociability), social reward, social memory, dominance, and aggression, and we outline a preliminary roadmap of the neural circuits driving these social behaviors. We highlight the neural circuitry underlying each behavioral domain, as well as develop an interactive map of how these circuits overlap across domains. We find that some of the circuits underlying social behavior are general and are involved in the control of multiple behavioral aspects, whereas other circuits appear to be specialized for specific aspects of social behavior. Our overlapping circuit map therefore helps to delineate the circuits involved in the various domains of social behavior and to identify gaps in knowledge.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ziwen Wang
- Department of Psychiatry, Columbia University; New York State Psychiatric Institute, New York, New York, USA
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Hannah Yueh
- Department of Psychiatry, Columbia University; New York State Psychiatric Institute, New York, New York, USA
| | - Mirabella Chau
- Department of Psychiatry, Columbia University; New York State Psychiatric Institute, New York, New York, USA
| | - Jeremy Veenstra-VanderWeele
- Department of Psychiatry, Columbia University; New York State Psychiatric Institute, New York, New York, USA
| | - Kally C O'Reilly
- Department of Psychiatry, Columbia University; New York State Psychiatric Institute, New York, New York, USA
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34
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Ji C, Tang Y, Zhang Y, Huang X, Li C, Yang Y, Wu Q, Xia X, Cai Q, Qi XR, Zheng JC. Glutaminase 1 deficiency confined in forebrain neurons causes autism spectrum disorder-like behaviors. Cell Rep 2023; 42:112712. [PMID: 37384529 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2023.112712] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/20/2022] [Revised: 04/21/2023] [Accepted: 06/13/2023] [Indexed: 07/01/2023] Open
Abstract
An abnormal glutamate signaling pathway has been proposed in the mechanisms of autism spectrum disorder (ASD). However, less is known about the involvement of alterations of glutaminase 1 (GLS1) in the pathophysiology of ASD. We show that the transcript level of GLS1 is significantly decreased in the postmortem frontal cortex and peripheral blood of ASD subjects. Mice lacking Gls1 in CamKIIα-positive neurons display a series of ASD-like behaviors, synaptic excitatory and inhibitory (E/I) imbalance, higher spine density, and glutamate receptor expression in the prefrontal cortex, as well as a compromised expression pattern of genes involved in synapse pruning and less engulfed synaptic puncta in microglia. A low dose of lipopolysaccharide treatment restores microglial synapse pruning, corrects synaptic neurotransmission, and rescues behavioral deficits in these mice. In summary, these findings provide mechanistic insights into Gls1 loss in ASD symptoms and identify Gls1 as a target for the treatment of ASD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chenhui Ji
- Center for Translational Neurodegeneration and Regenerative Therapy, Tongji Hospital Affiliated to Tongji University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200065, China
| | - Yalin Tang
- Center for Translational Neurodegeneration and Regenerative Therapy, Tongji Hospital Affiliated to Tongji University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200065, China
| | - Yanyan Zhang
- Center for Translational Neurodegeneration and Regenerative Therapy, Tongji Hospital Affiliated to Tongji University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200065, China
| | - Xiaoyan Huang
- Center for Translational Neurodegeneration and Regenerative Therapy, Tongji Hospital Affiliated to Tongji University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200065, China
| | - Congcong Li
- Center for Translational Neurodegeneration and Regenerative Therapy, Tongji Hospital Affiliated to Tongji University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200065, China
| | - Yuhong Yang
- Center for Translational Neurodegeneration and Regenerative Therapy, Tongji Hospital Affiliated to Tongji University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200065, China
| | - Qihui Wu
- Translational Research Institute of Brain and Brain-Like Intelligence, Shanghai Fourth People's Hospital Affiliated to Tongji University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200081, China
| | - Xiaohuan Xia
- Center for Translational Neurodegeneration and Regenerative Therapy, Tongji Hospital Affiliated to Tongji University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200065, China; Translational Research Institute of Brain and Brain-Like Intelligence, Shanghai Fourth People's Hospital Affiliated to Tongji University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200081, China; Shanghai Key Laboratory of Anesthesiology and Brain Functional Modulation, Clinical Research Center for Anesthesiology and Perioperative Medicine, Translational Research Institute of Brain and Brain-Like Intelligence, Shanghai Fourth People's Hospital, School of Medicine, Tongji University, Shanghai 200434, China; Shanghai Frontiers Science Center of Nanocatalytic Medicine, Tongji University, Shanghai 200331, China
| | - Qingyuan Cai
- Franklin and Marshall College, 415 Harrisburg Avenue, Lancaster, PA 17603, USA
| | - Xin-Rui Qi
- Center for Translational Neurodegeneration and Regenerative Therapy, Tongji Hospital Affiliated to Tongji University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200065, China.
| | - Jialin C Zheng
- Center for Translational Neurodegeneration and Regenerative Therapy, Tongji Hospital Affiliated to Tongji University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200065, China; Translational Research Institute of Brain and Brain-Like Intelligence, Shanghai Fourth People's Hospital Affiliated to Tongji University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200081, China; Collaborative Innovation Center for Brain Science, Tongji University, Shanghai 200092, China; Shanghai Key Laboratory of Anesthesiology and Brain Functional Modulation, Clinical Research Center for Anesthesiology and Perioperative Medicine, Translational Research Institute of Brain and Brain-Like Intelligence, Shanghai Fourth People's Hospital, School of Medicine, Tongji University, Shanghai 200434, China; Shanghai Frontiers Science Center of Nanocatalytic Medicine, Tongji University, Shanghai 200331, China.
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35
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Melchor-Eixea I, Guarque-Chabrera J, Sanchez-Hernandez A, Ibáñez-Marín P, Pastor R, Miquel M. Putting forward a model for the role of the cerebellum in cocaine-induced pavlovian memory. Front Syst Neurosci 2023; 17:1154014. [PMID: 37388941 PMCID: PMC10303950 DOI: 10.3389/fnsys.2023.1154014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/30/2023] [Accepted: 05/25/2023] [Indexed: 07/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Substance Use Disorder (SUD) involves emotional, cognitive, and motivational dysfunction. Long-lasting molecular and structural changes in brain regions functionally and anatomically linked to the cerebellum, such as the prefrontal cortex, amygdala, hippocampus, basal ganglia, and ventral tegmental area, are characteristic of SUD. Direct and indirect reciprocal connectivity between the cerebellum and these brain regions can explain cerebellar roles in Pavlovian and reinforcement learning, fear memory, and executive functions. It is increasingly clear that the cerebellum modulates brain functions altered in SUD and other neuropsychiatric disorders that exhibit comorbidity with SUD. In the present manuscript, we review and discuss this evidence and present new research exploring the role of the cerebellum in cocaine-induced conditioned memory using chemogenetic tools (designer receptor exclusively activated by designer drug, DREADDs). Our preliminary data showed that inactivation of a region that includes the interposed and lateral deep cerebellar nuclei reduces the facilitating effect of a posterior vermis lesion on cocaine-induced preference conditioning. These findings support our previous research and suggest that posterior vermis damage may increase drug impact on the addiction circuitry by regulating activity in the DCN. However, they raise further questions that will also be discussed.
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36
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Wang C, Derderian KD, Hamada E, Zhou X, Nelson AD, Kyoung H, Ahituv N, Bouvier G, Bender KJ. Impaired cerebellar plasticity hypersensitizes sensory reflexes in SCN2A-associated ASD. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.06.05.543814. [PMID: 37333267 PMCID: PMC10274749 DOI: 10.1101/2023.06.05.543814] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/20/2023]
Abstract
Children diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) commonly present with sensory hypersensitivity, or abnormally strong reactions to sensory stimuli. Such hypersensitivity can be overwhelming, causing high levels of distress that contribute markedly to the negative aspects of the disorder. Here, we identify the mechanisms that underlie hypersensitivity in a sensorimotor reflex found to be altered in humans and in mice with loss-of-function in the ASD risk-factor gene SCN2A. The cerebellum-dependent vestibulo-ocular reflex (VOR), which helps maintain one's gaze during movement, was hypersensitized due to deficits in cerebellar synaptic plasticity. Heterozygous loss of SCN2A-encoded NaV1.2 sodium channels in granule cells impaired high-frequency transmission to Purkinje cells and long-term potentiation, a form of synaptic plasticity important for modulating VOR gain. VOR plasticity could be rescued in adolescent mice via a CRISPR-activator approach that increases Scn2a expression, highlighting how evaluation of simple reflexes can be used as quantitative readout of therapeutic interventions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chenyu Wang
- Neuroscience Graduate Program, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Kimberly D. Derderian
- Department of Neurology, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Elizabeth Hamada
- Department of Neurology, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Xujia Zhou
- Department of Bioengineering and Therapeutic Sciences, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Andrew D. Nelson
- Department of Neurology, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Henry Kyoung
- Department of Neurology, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Nadav Ahituv
- Weill Institute for Neurosciences, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
- Department of Bioengineering and Therapeutic Sciences, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
- Institute for Human Genetics, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Guy Bouvier
- Department of Physiology, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Kevin J Bender
- Department of Neurology, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
- Weill Institute for Neurosciences, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
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37
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Verpeut JL, Bergeler S, Kislin M, William Townes F, Klibaite U, Dhanerawala ZM, Hoag A, Janarthanan S, Jung C, Lee J, Pisano TJ, Seagraves KM, Shaevitz JW, Wang SSH. Cerebellar contributions to a brainwide network for flexible behavior in mice. Commun Biol 2023; 6:605. [PMID: 37277453 PMCID: PMC10241932 DOI: 10.1038/s42003-023-04920-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/10/2022] [Accepted: 05/05/2023] [Indexed: 06/07/2023] Open
Abstract
The cerebellum regulates nonmotor behavior, but the routes of influence are not well characterized. Here we report a necessary role for the posterior cerebellum in guiding a reversal learning task through a network of diencephalic and neocortical structures, and in flexibility of free behavior. After chemogenetic inhibition of lobule VI vermis or hemispheric crus I Purkinje cells, mice could learn a water Y-maze but were impaired in ability to reverse their initial choice. To map targets of perturbation, we imaged c-Fos activation in cleared whole brains using light-sheet microscopy. Reversal learning activated diencephalic and associative neocortical regions. Distinctive subsets of structures were altered by perturbation of lobule VI (including thalamus and habenula) and crus I (including hypothalamus and prelimbic/orbital cortex), and both perturbations influenced anterior cingulate and infralimbic cortex. To identify functional networks, we used correlated variation in c-Fos activation within each group. Lobule VI inactivation weakened within-thalamus correlations, while crus I inactivation divided neocortical activity into sensorimotor and associative subnetworks. In both groups, high-throughput automated analysis of whole-body movement revealed deficiencies in across-day behavioral habituation to an open-field environment. Taken together, these experiments reveal brainwide systems for cerebellar influence that affect multiple flexible responses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jessica L Verpeut
- Neuroscience Institute, Princeton University, Washington Road, Princeton, NJ, 08544, USA.
| | - Silke Bergeler
- Neuroscience Institute, Princeton University, Washington Road, Princeton, NJ, 08544, USA
- Department of Physics, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ, 08544, USA
- Lewis-Sigler Institute for Integrative Genomics, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ, 08544, USA
| | - Mikhail Kislin
- Neuroscience Institute, Princeton University, Washington Road, Princeton, NJ, 08544, USA
| | - F William Townes
- Department of Statistics and Data Science, Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, PA, 15213, USA
| | - Ugne Klibaite
- Department of Organismic and Evolutionary Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, 01451, USA
| | - Zahra M Dhanerawala
- Neuroscience Institute, Princeton University, Washington Road, Princeton, NJ, 08544, USA
| | - Austin Hoag
- Neuroscience Institute, Princeton University, Washington Road, Princeton, NJ, 08544, USA
| | - Sanjeev Janarthanan
- Neuroscience Institute, Princeton University, Washington Road, Princeton, NJ, 08544, USA
| | - Caroline Jung
- Neuroscience Institute, Princeton University, Washington Road, Princeton, NJ, 08544, USA
| | - Junuk Lee
- Neuroscience Institute, Princeton University, Washington Road, Princeton, NJ, 08544, USA
| | - Thomas J Pisano
- Neuroscience Institute, Princeton University, Washington Road, Princeton, NJ, 08544, USA
| | - Kelly M Seagraves
- Neuroscience Institute, Princeton University, Washington Road, Princeton, NJ, 08544, USA
| | - Joshua W Shaevitz
- Department of Physics, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ, 08544, USA
- Lewis-Sigler Institute for Integrative Genomics, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ, 08544, USA
| | - Samuel S-H Wang
- Neuroscience Institute, Princeton University, Washington Road, Princeton, NJ, 08544, USA.
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38
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Hughes DE, Kunitoki K, Elyounssi S, Luo M, Bazer OM, Hopkinson CE, Dowling KF, Doyle AE, Dunn EC, Eryilmaz H, Gilman JM, Holt DJ, Valera EM, Smoller JW, Cecil CAM, Tiemeier H, Lee PH, Roffman JL. Genetic patterning for child psychopathology is distinct from that for adults and implicates fetal cerebellar development. Nat Neurosci 2023; 26:959-969. [PMID: 37202553 PMCID: PMC7614744 DOI: 10.1038/s41593-023-01321-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/13/2022] [Accepted: 03/29/2023] [Indexed: 05/20/2023]
Abstract
Childhood psychiatric symptoms are often diffuse but can coalesce into discrete mental illnesses during late adolescence. We leveraged polygenic scores (PGSs) to parse genomic risk for childhood symptoms and to uncover related neurodevelopmental mechanisms with transcriptomic and neuroimaging data. In independent samples (Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development, Generation R) a narrow cross-disorder neurodevelopmental PGS, reflecting risk for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, autism, depression and Tourette syndrome, predicted psychiatric symptoms through early adolescence with greater sensitivity than broad cross-disorder PGSs reflecting shared risk across eight psychiatric disorders, the disorder-specific PGS individually or two other narrow cross-disorder (Compulsive, Mood-Psychotic) scores. Neurodevelopmental PGS-associated genes were preferentially expressed in the cerebellum, where their expression peaked prenatally. Further, lower gray matter volumes in cerebellum and functionally coupled cortical regions associated with psychiatric symptoms in mid-childhood. These findings demonstrate that the genetic underpinnings of pediatric psychiatric symptoms differ from those of adult illness, and implicate fetal cerebellar developmental processes that endure through childhood.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dylan E Hughes
- Department of Psychiatry, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Keiko Kunitoki
- Department of Psychiatry, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Safia Elyounssi
- Department of Psychiatry, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Mannan Luo
- Department of Psychology, Education and Child Studies, Erasmus University Rotterdam, Rotterdam, the Netherlands
- Generation R Study Group, Erasmus MC, University Medical Center Rotterdam, Rotterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Oren M Bazer
- Department of Psychiatry, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Casey E Hopkinson
- Department of Psychiatry, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Kevin F Dowling
- Department of Psychiatry, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
- Translational Neuroscience Program, Department of Psychiatry, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
- Medical Scientist Training Program, University of Pittsburgh and Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Alysa E Doyle
- Department of Psychiatry, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
- Center for Genomic Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Erin C Dunn
- Department of Psychiatry, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
- Psychiatric and Neurodevelopmental Genetics Unit, Center for Genomic Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
- Stanley Center for Psychiatric Research, The Broad Institute of Harvard and MIT, Cambridge, MA, USA
- Center on the Developing Child at Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Hamdi Eryilmaz
- Department of Psychiatry, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Jodi M Gilman
- Department of Psychiatry, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
- MGH/HST Athinoula A. Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging, Department of Radiology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Charlestown, MA, USA
| | - Daphne J Holt
- Department of Psychiatry, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
- MGH/HST Athinoula A. Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging, Department of Radiology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Charlestown, MA, USA
| | - Eve M Valera
- Department of Psychiatry, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Jordan W Smoller
- Department of Psychiatry, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
- Psychiatric and Neurodevelopmental Genetics Unit, Center for Genomic Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
- Stanley Center for Psychiatric Research, The Broad Institute of Harvard and MIT, Cambridge, MA, USA
- Center for Precision Psychiatry, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Charlotte A M Cecil
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry/Psychology, Erasmus MC-Sophia, Rotterdam, the Netherlands
- Department of Epidemiology, Erasmus MC, Rotterdam, the Netherlands
- Molecular Epidemiology, Department of Biomedical Data Sciences, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, the Netherlands
| | - Henning Tiemeier
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry/Psychology, Erasmus MC-Sophia, Rotterdam, the Netherlands
- Department of Social and Behavioral Sciences, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Phil H Lee
- Psychiatric and Neurodevelopmental Genetics Unit, Center for Genomic Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
- Stanley Center for Psychiatric Research, The Broad Institute of Harvard and MIT, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Joshua L Roffman
- Department of Psychiatry, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA.
- MGH/HST Athinoula A. Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging, Department of Radiology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Charlestown, MA, USA.
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39
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van der Heijden ME, Rey Hipolito AG, Kim LH, Kizek DJ, Perez RM, Lin T, Sillitoe RV. Glutamatergic cerebellar neurons differentially contribute to the acquisition of motor and social behaviors. Nat Commun 2023; 14:2771. [PMID: 37188723 PMCID: PMC10185563 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-38475-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/14/2022] [Accepted: 05/04/2023] [Indexed: 05/17/2023] Open
Abstract
Insults to the developing cerebellum can cause motor, language, and social deficits. Here, we investigate whether developmental insults to different cerebellar neurons constrain the ability to acquire cerebellar-dependent behaviors. We perturb cerebellar cortical or nuclei neuron function by eliminating glutamatergic neurotransmission during development, and then we measure motor and social behaviors in early postnatal and adult mice. Altering cortical and nuclei neurons impacts postnatal motor control and social vocalizations. Normalizing neurotransmission in cortical neurons but not nuclei neurons restores social behaviors while the motor deficits remain impaired in adults. In contrast, manipulating only a subset of nuclei neurons leaves social behaviors intact but leads to early motor deficits that are restored by adulthood. Our data uncover that glutamatergic neurotransmission from cerebellar cortical and nuclei neurons differentially control the acquisition of motor and social behaviors, and that the brain can compensate for some but not all perturbations to the developing cerebellum.
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Affiliation(s)
- Meike E van der Heijden
- Department of Pathology & Immunology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
- Jan and Dan Duncan Neurological Research Institute at Texas Children's Hospital, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Alejandro G Rey Hipolito
- Jan and Dan Duncan Neurological Research Institute at Texas Children's Hospital, Houston, TX, USA
- Department of Neuroscience, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Linda H Kim
- Department of Pathology & Immunology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
- Jan and Dan Duncan Neurological Research Institute at Texas Children's Hospital, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Dominic J Kizek
- Department of Pathology & Immunology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
- Jan and Dan Duncan Neurological Research Institute at Texas Children's Hospital, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Ross M Perez
- Jan and Dan Duncan Neurological Research Institute at Texas Children's Hospital, Houston, TX, USA
- Development, Disease Models & Therapeutics Graduate Program, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Tao Lin
- Department of Pathology & Immunology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
- Jan and Dan Duncan Neurological Research Institute at Texas Children's Hospital, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Roy V Sillitoe
- Department of Pathology & Immunology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA.
- Jan and Dan Duncan Neurological Research Institute at Texas Children's Hospital, Houston, TX, USA.
- Department of Neuroscience, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA.
- Development, Disease Models & Therapeutics Graduate Program, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA.
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40
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Bruce MR, Couch ACM, Grant S, McLellan J, Ku K, Chang C, Bachman A, Matson M, Berman RF, Maddock RJ, Rowland D, Kim E, Ponzini MD, Harvey D, Taylor SL, Vernon AC, Bauman MD, Van de Water J. Altered behavior, brain structure, and neurometabolites in a rat model of autism-specific maternal autoantibody exposure. Mol Psychiatry 2023; 28:2136-2147. [PMID: 36973347 PMCID: PMC10575787 DOI: 10.1038/s41380-023-02020-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/15/2022] [Revised: 02/23/2023] [Accepted: 02/27/2023] [Indexed: 03/29/2023]
Abstract
Maternal immune dysregulation is a prenatal risk factor for autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Importantly, a clinically relevant connection exists between inflammation and metabolic stress that can result in aberrant cytokine signaling and autoimmunity. In this study we examined the potential for maternal autoantibodies (aAbs) to disrupt metabolic signaling and induce neuroanatomical changes in the brains of exposed offspring. To accomplish this, we developed a model of maternal aAb exposure in rats based on the clinical phenomenon of maternal autoantibody-related ASD (MAR-ASD). Following confirmation of aAb production in rat dams and antigen-specific immunoglobulin G (IgG) transfer to offspring, we assessed offspring behavior and brain structure longitudinally. MAR-ASD rat offspring displayed a reduction in pup ultrasonic vocalizations and a pronounced deficit in social play behavior when allowed to freely interact with a novel partner. Additionally, longitudinal in vivo structural magnetic resonance imaging (sMRI) at postnatal day 30 (PND30) and PND70, conducted in a separate cohort of animals, revealed sex-specific differences in total and regional brain volume. Treatment-specific effects by region appeared to converge on midbrain and cerebellar structures in MAR-ASD offspring. Simultaneously, in vivo 1H magnetic resonance spectroscopy (1H-MRS) data were collected to examine brain metabolite levels in the medial prefrontal cortex. Results showed that MAR-ASD offspring displayed decreased levels of choline-containing compounds and glutathione, accompanied by increased taurine compared to control animals. Overall, we found that rats exposed to MAR-ASD aAbs present with alterations in behavior, brain structure, and neurometabolites; reminiscent of findings observed in clinical ASD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matthew R Bruce
- Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Rheumatology, Allergy, and Clinical Immunology, University of California, Davis, CA, USA
| | - Amalie C M Couch
- Department of Basic and Clinical Neuroscience, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, London, UK
| | - Simone Grant
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of California, Davis, CA, USA
| | - Janna McLellan
- Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Rheumatology, Allergy, and Clinical Immunology, University of California, Davis, CA, USA
| | - Katherine Ku
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of California, Davis, CA, USA
| | - Christina Chang
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of California, Davis, CA, USA
| | - Angelica Bachman
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of California, Davis, CA, USA
| | - Matthew Matson
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of California, Davis, CA, USA
| | - Robert F Berman
- Department of Neurological Surgery, University of California, Davis, CA, USA
- MIND Institute, University of California, Davis, CA, USA
| | - Richard J Maddock
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of California, Davis, CA, USA
| | - Douglas Rowland
- Center for Molecular and Genomic Imaging, University of California, Davis, CA, USA
| | - Eugene Kim
- Department of Neuroimaging, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, London, UK
| | - Matthew D Ponzini
- Department of Neuroimaging, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, London, UK
| | - Danielle Harvey
- Department of Public Health Sciences, University of California, Davis, CA, USA
| | - Sandra L Taylor
- Department of Public Health Sciences, University of California, Davis, CA, USA
| | - Anthony C Vernon
- Department of Basic and Clinical Neuroscience, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, London, UK
- MRC Centre for Neurodevelopmental Disorders, King's College London, London, UK
| | - Melissa D Bauman
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of California, Davis, CA, USA
- MIND Institute, University of California, Davis, CA, USA
| | - Judy Van de Water
- Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Rheumatology, Allergy, and Clinical Immunology, University of California, Davis, CA, USA.
- MIND Institute, University of California, Davis, CA, USA.
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41
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Nakamura T, Takata A. The molecular pathology of schizophrenia: an overview of existing knowledge and new directions for future research. Mol Psychiatry 2023; 28:1868-1889. [PMID: 36878965 PMCID: PMC10575785 DOI: 10.1038/s41380-023-02005-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/01/2022] [Revised: 02/15/2023] [Accepted: 02/15/2023] [Indexed: 03/08/2023]
Abstract
Despite enormous efforts employing various approaches, the molecular pathology in the schizophrenia brain remains elusive. On the other hand, the knowledge of the association between the disease risk and changes in the DNA sequences, in other words, our understanding of the genetic pathology of schizophrenia, has dramatically improved over the past two decades. As the consequence, now we can explain more than 20% of the liability to schizophrenia by considering all analyzable common genetic variants including those with weak or no statistically significant association. Also, a large-scale exome sequencing study identified single genes whose rare mutations substantially increase the risk for schizophrenia, of which six genes (SETD1A, CUL1, XPO7, GRIA3, GRIN2A, and RB1CC1) showed odds ratios larger than ten. Based on these findings together with the preceding discovery of copy number variants (CNVs) with similarly large effect sizes, multiple disease models with high etiological validity have been generated and analyzed. Studies of the brains of these models, as well as transcriptomic and epigenomic analyses of patient postmortem tissues, have provided new insights into the molecular pathology of schizophrenia. In this review, we overview the current knowledge acquired from these studies, their limitations, and directions for future research that may redefine schizophrenia based on biological alterations in the responsible organ rather than operationalized criteria.
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Affiliation(s)
- Takumi Nakamura
- Laboratory for Molecular Pathology of Psychiatric Disorders, RIKEN Center for Brain Science, 2-1 Hirosawa, Wako, Saitama, 351-0198, Japan
| | - Atsushi Takata
- Laboratory for Molecular Pathology of Psychiatric Disorders, RIKEN Center for Brain Science, 2-1 Hirosawa, Wako, Saitama, 351-0198, Japan.
- Research Institute for Diseases of Old Age, Juntendo University Graduate School of Medicine, 2-1-1 Hongo, Bunkyo-Ku, Tokyo, 113-8421, Japan.
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42
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Hwang KD, Baek J, Ryu HH, Lee J, Shim HG, Kim SY, Kim SJ, Lee YS. Cerebellar nuclei neurons projecting to the lateral parabrachial nucleus modulate classical fear conditioning. Cell Rep 2023; 42:112291. [PMID: 36952344 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2023.112291] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/21/2022] [Revised: 02/04/2023] [Accepted: 03/06/2023] [Indexed: 03/24/2023] Open
Abstract
Multiple brain regions are engaged in classical fear conditioning. Despite evidence for cerebellar involvement in fear conditioning, the mechanisms by which cerebellar outputs modulate fear learning and memory remain unclear. We identify a population of deep cerebellar nucleus (DCN) neurons with monosynaptic glutamatergic projections to the lateral parabrachial nucleus (lPBN) (DCN→lPBN neurons) in mice. While optogenetic suppression of DCN→lPBN neurons impairs auditory fear memory, activation of DCN→lPBN neurons elicits freezing behavior only after auditory fear conditioning. Moreover, auditory fear conditioning potentiates DCN-lPBN synapses, and subsequently, auditory cue activates lPBN neurons after fear conditioning. Furthermore, DCN→lPBN neuron activation can replace the auditory cue but not footshock in fear conditioning. These findings demonstrate that cerebellar nuclei modulate auditory fear conditioning via transmitting conditioned stimuli signals to the lPBN. Collectively, our findings suggest that the DCN-lPBN circuit is a part of neuronal substrates within interconnected brain regions underscoring auditory fear memory.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kyoung-Doo Hwang
- Department of Physiology, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul 03080, Republic of Korea; Department of Biomedical Science, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul 03080, Republic of Korea
| | - Jinhee Baek
- Department of Physiology, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul 03080, Republic of Korea; Department of Biomedical Science, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul 03080, Republic of Korea
| | - Hyun-Hee Ryu
- Department of Physiology, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul 03080, Republic of Korea; Neuroscience Research Institute, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul 03080, Republic of Korea
| | - Jaegeon Lee
- Department of Physiology, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul 03080, Republic of Korea; Department of Biomedical Science, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul 03080, Republic of Korea
| | - Hyun Geun Shim
- Department of Physiology, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul 03080, Republic of Korea; Department of Biomedical Science, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul 03080, Republic of Korea
| | - Sun Yong Kim
- Department of Physiology, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul 03080, Republic of Korea; Department of Biomedical Science, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul 03080, Republic of Korea
| | - Sang Jeong Kim
- Department of Physiology, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul 03080, Republic of Korea; Department of Biomedical Science, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul 03080, Republic of Korea; Neuroscience Research Institute, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul 03080, Republic of Korea; Wide River Institute of Immunology, Seoul National University, Hongcheon, Republic of Korea.
| | - Yong-Seok Lee
- Department of Physiology, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul 03080, Republic of Korea; Department of Biomedical Science, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul 03080, Republic of Korea; Neuroscience Research Institute, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul 03080, Republic of Korea; Wide River Institute of Immunology, Seoul National University, Hongcheon, Republic of Korea.
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43
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Guerra M, Medici V, Weatheritt R, Corvino V, Palacios D, Geloso MC, Farini D, Sette C. Fetal exposure to valproic acid dysregulates the expression of autism-linked genes in the developing cerebellum. Transl Psychiatry 2023; 13:114. [PMID: 37019889 PMCID: PMC10076313 DOI: 10.1038/s41398-023-02391-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/22/2022] [Revised: 02/27/2023] [Accepted: 03/01/2023] [Indexed: 04/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) includes a set of highly heritable neurodevelopmental syndromes characterized by social and communication impairment, repetitive behaviour, and intellectual disability. Although mutations in multiple genes have been associated to ASD, most patients lack detectable genetic alterations. For this reason, environmental factors are commonly thought to also contribute to ASD aetiology. Transcriptome analyses have revealed that autistic brains possess distinct gene expression signatures, whose elucidation can provide insights about the mechanisms underlying the effects of ASD-causing genetic and environmental factors. Herein, we have identified a coordinated and temporally regulated programme of gene expression in the post-natal development of cerebellum, a brain area whose defects are strongly associated with ASD. Notably, this cerebellar developmental programme is significantly enriched in ASD-linked genes. Clustering analyses highlighted six different patterns of gene expression modulated during cerebellar development, with most of them being enriched in functional processes that are frequently dysregulated in ASD. By using the valproic acid mouse model of ASD, we found that ASD-linked genes are dysregulated in the developing cerebellum of ASD-like mice, a defect that correlates with impaired social behaviour and altered cerebellar cortical morphology. Moreover, changes in transcript levels were reflected in aberrant protein expression, indicating the functional relevance of these alterations. Thus, our work uncovers a complex ASD-related transcriptional programme regulated during cerebellar development and highlight genes whose expression is dysregulated in this brain area of an ASD mouse model.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marika Guerra
- Department of Neuroscience, Section of Human Anatomy, Catholic University of the Sacred Hearth, Rome, Italy
- GSTeP-Organoids Research Core Facility, Fondazione Policlinico Universitario A. Gemelli, IRCCS, Rome, Italy
| | - Vanessa Medici
- Department of Neuroscience, Section of Human Anatomy, Catholic University of the Sacred Hearth, Rome, Italy
| | - Robert Weatheritt
- Garvan Institute of Medical Research, EMBL Australia, Darlinghurst, NSW, Australia
| | - Valentina Corvino
- Department of Neuroscience, Section of Human Anatomy, Catholic University of the Sacred Hearth, Rome, Italy
| | - Daniela Palacios
- Department of Life Science and Public Health, Section of Biology, Catholic University of the Sacred Hearth, Rome, Italy
| | - Maria Concetta Geloso
- Department of Neuroscience, Section of Human Anatomy, Catholic University of the Sacred Hearth, Rome, Italy
- GSTeP-Organoids Research Core Facility, Fondazione Policlinico Universitario A. Gemelli, IRCCS, Rome, Italy
| | - Donatella Farini
- Department of Biomedicine and Prevention, University of Rome Tor Vergata, Rome, Italy
| | - Claudio Sette
- Department of Neuroscience, Section of Human Anatomy, Catholic University of the Sacred Hearth, Rome, Italy.
- GSTeP-Organoids Research Core Facility, Fondazione Policlinico Universitario A. Gemelli, IRCCS, Rome, Italy.
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44
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Olson IR, Hoffman LJ, Jobson KR, Popal HS, Wang Y. Little brain, little minds: The big role of the cerebellum in social development. Dev Cogn Neurosci 2023; 60:101238. [PMID: 37004475 PMCID: PMC10067769 DOI: 10.1016/j.dcn.2023.101238] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/02/2022] [Revised: 03/08/2023] [Accepted: 03/24/2023] [Indexed: 03/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Seminal work in the 1990's found alterations in the cerebellum of individuals with social disorders including autism spectrum disorder and schizophrenia. In neurotypical populations, distinct portions of the posterior cerebellum are consistently activated in fMRI studies of social cognition and it has been hypothesized that the cerebellum plays an essential role in social cognition, particularly in theory of mind. Here we review the lesion literature and find that the effect of cerebellar damage on social cognition is strongly linked to the age of insult, with dramatic impairments observed after prenatal insult, strong deficits observed after childhood damage, and mild and inconsistent deficits observed following damage to the adult cerebellum. To explain the developmental gradient, we propose that early in life, the forward model dominates cerebellar computations. The forward model learns and uses errors to help build schemas of our interpersonal worlds. Subsequently, we argue that once these schemas have been built up, the inverse model, which is the foundation of automatic processing, becomes dominant. We provide suggestions for how to test this, and also outline directions for future research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ingrid R Olson
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, Temple University, Philadephia PA, USA.
| | - Linda J Hoffman
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, Temple University, Philadephia PA, USA
| | - Katie R Jobson
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, Temple University, Philadephia PA, USA
| | - Haroon S Popal
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, Temple University, Philadephia PA, USA
| | - Yin Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Cognitive Neuroscience and Learning, and IDG/McGovern Institute for Brain Research, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, China
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45
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Frontera JL, Sala RW, Georgescu IA, Baba Aissa H, d'Almeida MN, Popa D, Léna C. The cerebellum regulates fear extinction through thalamo-prefrontal cortex interactions in male mice. Nat Commun 2023; 14:1508. [PMID: 36932068 PMCID: PMC10023697 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-36943-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/06/2022] [Accepted: 02/22/2023] [Indexed: 03/19/2023] Open
Abstract
Fear extinction is a form of inhibitory learning that suppresses the expression of aversive memories and plays a key role in the recovery of anxiety and trauma-related disorders. Here, using male mice, we identify a cerebello-thalamo-cortical pathway regulating fear extinction. The cerebellar fastigial nucleus (FN) projects to the lateral subregion of the mediodorsal thalamic nucleus (MD), which is reciprocally connected with the dorsomedial prefrontal cortex (dmPFC). The inhibition of FN inputs to MD in male mice impairs fear extinction in animals with high fear responses and increases the bursting of MD neurons, a firing pattern known to prevent extinction learning. Indeed, this MD bursting is followed by high levels of the dmPFC 4 Hz oscillations causally associated with fear responses during fear extinction, and the inhibition of FN-MD neurons increases the coherence of MD bursts and oscillations with dmPFC 4 Hz oscillations. Overall, these findings reveal a regulation of fear-related thalamo-cortical dynamics by the cerebellum and its contribution to fear extinction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jimena L Frontera
- Neurophysiology of Brain Circuits Team, Institut de Biologie de l'Ecole Normale Supérieure (IBENS), Ecole Normale Supérieure, CNRS, INSERM, PSL Research University, 75005, Paris, France
| | - Romain W Sala
- Neurophysiology of Brain Circuits Team, Institut de Biologie de l'Ecole Normale Supérieure (IBENS), Ecole Normale Supérieure, CNRS, INSERM, PSL Research University, 75005, Paris, France
| | - Ioana A Georgescu
- Neurophysiology of Brain Circuits Team, Institut de Biologie de l'Ecole Normale Supérieure (IBENS), Ecole Normale Supérieure, CNRS, INSERM, PSL Research University, 75005, Paris, France
| | - Hind Baba Aissa
- Neurophysiology of Brain Circuits Team, Institut de Biologie de l'Ecole Normale Supérieure (IBENS), Ecole Normale Supérieure, CNRS, INSERM, PSL Research University, 75005, Paris, France
| | - Marion N d'Almeida
- Neurophysiology of Brain Circuits Team, Institut de Biologie de l'Ecole Normale Supérieure (IBENS), Ecole Normale Supérieure, CNRS, INSERM, PSL Research University, 75005, Paris, France
| | - Daniela Popa
- Neurophysiology of Brain Circuits Team, Institut de Biologie de l'Ecole Normale Supérieure (IBENS), Ecole Normale Supérieure, CNRS, INSERM, PSL Research University, 75005, Paris, France
| | - Clément Léna
- Neurophysiology of Brain Circuits Team, Institut de Biologie de l'Ecole Normale Supérieure (IBENS), Ecole Normale Supérieure, CNRS, INSERM, PSL Research University, 75005, Paris, France.
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46
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The cerebellum promotes sequential foraging strategies and contributes to the directional modulation of hippocampal place cells. iScience 2023; 26:106200. [PMID: 36922992 PMCID: PMC10009096 DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2023.106200] [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: 07/22/2022] [Revised: 10/14/2022] [Accepted: 02/10/2023] [Indexed: 02/17/2023] Open
Abstract
The cerebellum contributes to goal-directed navigation abilities and place coding in the hippocampus. Here we investigated its contribution to foraging strategies. We recorded hippocampal neurons in mice with impaired PKC-dependent cerebellar functions (L7-PKCI) and in their littermate controls while they performed a task where they were rewarded for visiting a subset of hidden locations. We found that L7-PKCI and control mice developed different foraging strategies: while control mice repeated spatial sequences to maximize their rewards, L7-PKCI mice persisted to use a random foraging strategy. Sequential foraging was associated with more place cells exhibiting theta-phase precession and theta rate modulation. Recording in the dark showed that PKC-dependent cerebellar functions controlled how self-motion cues contribute to the selectivity of place cells to both position and direction. Thus, the cerebellum contributes to the development of optimal sequential paths during foraging, possibly by controlling how self-motion and theta signals contribute to place cell coding.
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47
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Pang EW, Hammill C, Taylor MJ, Near J, Schachar R, Crosbie J, Arnold PD, Anagnostou E, Lerch JP. Cerebellar gamma-aminobutyric acid: Investigation of group effects in neurodevelopmental disorders. Autism Res 2023; 16:535-542. [PMID: 36626308 DOI: 10.1002/aur.2888] [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: 03/23/2022] [Accepted: 12/24/2022] [Indexed: 01/11/2023]
Abstract
Neurodevelopmental disorders (NDDs) including autism spectrum disorder (ASD), attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) are thought to arise in part from the disruption in the excitatory/inhibitory balance of gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) and glutamate in the brain. Recent evidence has shown the involvement of the cerebellum in cognition and affect regulation, and cerebellar atypical function or damage is reported frequently in NDDs. Magnetic resonance spectroscopy studies have reported decreases in GABA in cortical brain areas in the NDDs, however, GABA levels in the cerebellum have not been examined. To determine possible group effects, we used a MEGA-PRESS acquisition to investigate GABA+ levels in a cerebellar voxel in 343 individuals (aged 2.5-22 years) with ASD, ADHD, OCD and controls. Using a mixed effects model, we found no significant differences between groups in GABA+ concentration. Our findings suggest that cerebellar GABA+ levels do not differentiate NDD groups.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elizabeth W Pang
- Division of Neurology/Neuroscience and Mental Health, Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Canada
| | - Chris Hammill
- Mouse Imaging Centre, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Canada
| | - Margot J Taylor
- Diagnostic Imaging/Neuroscience and Mental Health, Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto and Departments of Medical Imaging and Psychology, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada
| | - Jamie Near
- Physical Sciences, Sunnybrook Research Institute, Toronto, Canada
| | - Russell Schachar
- Department of Psychiatry/Neuroscience and Mental Health, Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Canada
| | - Jennifer Crosbie
- Department of Psychiatry/Neuroscience and Mental Health, Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Canada
| | - Paul D Arnold
- The Mathison Centre for Mental Health Research and Education, Hotchkiss Brain Institute, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, Canada
| | - Evdokia Anagnostou
- Autism Research Centre, Holland Bloorview Kids Rehabilitation Hospital, Toronto, Canada
| | - Jason P Lerch
- Mouse Imaging Centre, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Canada.,Wellcome Centre for Integrative Neuroimaging, FMRIB, Nuffield Department of Clinical Neuroscience, The University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
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48
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He LN, Chen S, Yang Q, Wu Z, Lao ZK, Tang CF, Song JJ, Liu XD, Lu J, Xu XH, Chen JJ, Xu TL, Sun S, Xu NJ. EphB2-dependent prefrontal cortex activation promotes long-range social approach and partner responsiveness. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2023; 120:e2219952120. [PMID: 36802416 PMCID: PMC9992767 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2219952120] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/22/2022] [Accepted: 01/15/2023] [Indexed: 02/23/2023] Open
Abstract
Social behavior starts with dynamic approach prior to the final consummation. The flexible processes ensure mutual feedback across social brains to transmit signals. However, how the brain responds to the initial social stimuli precisely to elicit timed behaviors remains elusive. Here, by using real-time calcium recording, we identify the abnormalities of EphB2 mutant with autism-associated Q858X mutation in processing long-range approach and accurate activity of prefrontal cortex (dmPFC). The EphB2-dependent dmPFC activation precedes the behavioral onset and is actively associated with subsequent social action with the partner. Furthermore, we find that partner dmPFC activity is responsive coordinately to the approaching WT mouse rather than Q858X mutant mouse, and the social defects caused by the mutation are rescued by synchro-optogenetic activation in dmPFC of paired social partners. These results thus reveal that EphB2 sustains neuronal activation in the dmPFC that is essential for the proactive modulation of social approach to initial social interaction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Li-Na He
- Research Center of Translational Medicine, Shanghai Children’s Hospital, Department of Anatomy and Physiology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai200062, China
- Songjiang Institute, Songjiang District Central Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai201699, China
| | - Si Chen
- Research Center of Translational Medicine, Shanghai Children’s Hospital, Department of Anatomy and Physiology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai200062, China
- Songjiang Institute, Songjiang District Central Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai201699, China
| | - Qi Yang
- Research Center of Translational Medicine, Shanghai Children’s Hospital, Department of Anatomy and Physiology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai200062, China
- Songjiang Institute, Songjiang District Central Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai201699, China
| | - Zheng Wu
- Research Center of Translational Medicine, Shanghai Children’s Hospital, Department of Anatomy and Physiology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai200062, China
| | - Zheng-Kai Lao
- Research Center of Translational Medicine, Shanghai Children’s Hospital, Department of Anatomy and Physiology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai200062, China
- Songjiang Institute, Songjiang District Central Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai201699, China
| | - Chang-Fei Tang
- Research Center of Translational Medicine, Shanghai Children’s Hospital, Department of Anatomy and Physiology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai200062, China
- Songjiang Institute, Songjiang District Central Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai201699, China
| | - Jiao-Jiao Song
- Research Center of Translational Medicine, Shanghai Children’s Hospital, Department of Anatomy and Physiology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai200062, China
| | - Xian-Dong Liu
- Department of Neurology and Institute of Neurology, Rui Jin Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai200025, China
| | - Jiangteng Lu
- Research Center of Translational Medicine, Shanghai Children’s Hospital, Department of Anatomy and Physiology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai200062, China
- Songjiang Institute, Songjiang District Central Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai201699, China
| | - Xiao-Hong Xu
- Institute of Neuroscience and State Key Laboratory of Neuroscience, Center for Excellence in Brain Science and Intelligence Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai200031, China
| | - Jin-Jin Chen
- Research Center of Translational Medicine, Shanghai Children’s Hospital, Department of Anatomy and Physiology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai200062, China
| | - Tian-Le Xu
- Research Center of Translational Medicine, Shanghai Children’s Hospital, Department of Anatomy and Physiology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai200062, China
- Songjiang Institute, Songjiang District Central Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai201699, China
| | - Suya Sun
- Department of Neurology and Institute of Neurology, Rui Jin Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai200025, China
| | - Nan-Jie Xu
- Research Center of Translational Medicine, Shanghai Children’s Hospital, Department of Anatomy and Physiology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai200062, China
- Songjiang Institute, Songjiang District Central Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai201699, China
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Reproductive Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai200025, China
- Key Laboratory of Cell Differentiation and Apoptosis of Chinese Ministry of Education, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai200025, China
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49
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Liu P, Zhao Y, Xiong W, Pan Y, Zhu M, Zhu X. Degradation of Perineuronal Nets in the Cerebellar Interpositus Nucleus Ameliorated Social Deficits in Shank3-deficient Mice. Neuroscience 2023; 511:29-38. [PMID: 36587867 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroscience.2022.12.024] [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] [Received: 07/22/2022] [Revised: 12/08/2022] [Accepted: 12/26/2022] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
Abstract
Perineuronal nets (PNNs) are structures that contain extracellular matrix chondroitin sulfate proteoglycan and surround the soma and dendrites of various neuronal cell types. They are involved in synaptic plasticity and undertake important physiological functions. Altered expression of PNNs has been demonstrated in the brains of autism-related animal models. However, the underlying mechanism is still unknown. In this study, we demonstrated that the PNNs in the cerebellum are involved in modulating social and repetitive/inflexible behaviors in Shank3B-/- mice, an established animal model of autism spectrum disorder. First, we performed wisteria floribunda agglutinin staining of the whole brain of Shank3B-/- mice, and found wisteria floribunda agglutinin-positive PNNs are significantly increased in the cerebellar interpositus nucleus (IntP) in Shank3B-/- mice compared to control littermates. After degradation of PNNs in the IntP by chondroitinase ABC, the repetitive behaviors of Shank3B-/- mice were decreased, while their social behaviors were ameliorated. These results suggested that PNNs homeostasis is involved in the regulation of social behavior, revealing a potential therapeutic strategy targeting PNNs in the IntP for the treatment of autism spectrum disorder.
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Affiliation(s)
- Peng Liu
- School of Basic Medical Sciences, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou 510515, China
| | - Yulu Zhao
- School of Basic Medical Sciences, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou 510515, China
| | - Wenchao Xiong
- School of Basic Medical Sciences, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou 510515, China.
| | - Yida Pan
- School of Basic Medical Sciences, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou 510515, China
| | - Minzhen Zhu
- School of Basic Medical Sciences, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou 510515, China
| | - Xinhong Zhu
- School of Basic Medical Sciences, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou 510515, China; School of Psychology, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen 518060, China; Research Center for Brain Health, Pazhou Lab, Guangzhou 510330, China.
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50
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Bagnall-Moreau C, Spielman B, Brimberg L. Maternal brain reactive antibodies profile in autism spectrum disorder: an update. Transl Psychiatry 2023; 13:37. [PMID: 36737600 PMCID: PMC9898547 DOI: 10.1038/s41398-023-02335-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/25/2022] [Revised: 01/20/2023] [Accepted: 01/24/2023] [Indexed: 02/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a heterogeneous neurodevelopmental disorder with multifactorial etiologies involving both genetic and environmental factors. In the past two decades it has become clear that in utero exposure to toxins, inflammation, microbiome, and antibodies (Abs), may play a role in the etiology of ASD. Maternal brain-reactive Abs, present in 10-20% of mothers of a child with ASD, pose a potential risk to the developing brain because they can gain access to the brain during gestation, altering brain development during a critical period. Different maternal anti-brain Abs have been associated with ASD and have been suggested to bind extracellular or intracellular neuronal antigens. Clinical data from various cohorts support the increase in prevalence of such maternal brain-reactive Abs in mothers of a child with ASD compared to mothers of a typically developing child. Animal models of both non-human primates and rodents have provided compelling evidence supporting a pathogenic role of these Abs. In this review we summarize the data from clinical and animal models addressing the role of pathogenic maternal Abs in ASD. We propose that maternal brain-reactive Abs are an overlooked and promising field of research, representing a modifiable risk factor that may account for up to 20% of cases of ASD. More studies are needed to better characterize the Abs that contribute to the risk of having a child with ASD, to understand whether we can we predict such cases of ASD, and to better pinpoint the antigenic specificity of these Abs and their mechanisms of pathogenicity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ciara Bagnall-Moreau
- grid.250903.d0000 0000 9566 0634Institute of Molecular Medicine, The Feinstein Institutes for Medical Research, Northwell Health System, Manhasset, New York, NY USA
| | - Benjamin Spielman
- grid.250903.d0000 0000 9566 0634Institute of Molecular Medicine, The Feinstein Institutes for Medical Research, Northwell Health System, Manhasset, New York, NY USA ,grid.512756.20000 0004 0370 4759Donald and Barbara Zucker School of Medicine at Hofstra/Northwell, Hempstead, NY USA
| | - Lior Brimberg
- Institute of Molecular Medicine, The Feinstein Institutes for Medical Research, Northwell Health System, Manhasset, New York, NY, USA. .,Donald and Barbara Zucker School of Medicine at Hofstra/Northwell, Hempstead, NY, USA.
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