Neuroscience
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This study was conducted to examine the behavioral consequences of unlimited consumption of highly palatable food (HPF) and investigate its underlying neural mechanisms. Male Sprague-Dawley rats had free access to chocolate cookie rich in fat (HPF) in addition to ad libitum chow and the control group received chow only. Rats were subjected to behavioral tests during the 2nd week of food condition; i.e. ambulatory activity test on the 8th, elevated plus maze test (EPM) on the 10th and forced swim test (FST) on the 14th day of food condition. ⋯ However, immobility duration during FST was increased, and swim decreased, in the rats received free cookie access compared with control rats. Stress-induced corticosterone increase was exaggerated in cookie-fed rats, while the stress-induced c-Fos expression in the NAc was blunted, compared to control rats. Results suggest that free access to HPF may lead to the development of depression-like behaviors in rats, likely in relation with dysfunctions in the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis and the reward center.
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Retracted Publication
Decrease in age-related tau hyperphosphorylation and cognitive improvement following vitamin D supplementation are associated with modulation of brain energy metabolism and redox state.
In the present study we examined whether vitamin D supplementation can reduce age-related tau hyperphosphorylation and cognitive impairment by enhancing brain energy homeostasis and protein phosphatase 2A (PP2A) activity, and modulating the redox state. Male F344 rats aged 20 months (aged) and 6 months (young) were randomly assigned to either vitamin D supplementation or no supplementation (control). Rats were housed in pairs and the supplementation group (n=10 young and n=10 aged) received subcutaneous injections of vitamin D (1, α25-dihydroxyvitamin D3) for 21 days. ⋯ More importantly, we found that age-related changes in brain energy metabolism, redox state, and cognitive function were attenuated by vitamin D supplementation. No significant differences were seen in tau hyperphosphorylation, markers of energy metabolism and redox state in the young animal groups. Our data suggest that vitamin D ameliorated the age-related tau hyperphosphorylation and cognitive decline by enhancing brain energy metabolism, redox state, and PP2A activity making it a potentially useful therapeutic option to alleviate the effects of aging.
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The postsynaptic density is an electron dense meshwork composed of a variety of molecules facilitating neuronal signal transmission. ProSAP2/Shank3 represents a crucial player at postsynaptic sites, assembling large multimeric platforms and anchoring numerous other molecules, thereby linking the functional synapse with the cytoskeleton. ProSAP2/Shank3 is also implicated in the pathogenesis of numerous diseases, including autism spectrum disorders. ⋯ Thus an interaction between ProSAP2 and Kvβ2 could have important roles at diverse cellular compartments and moreover during maturation stages. We report here on the direct protein-protein interaction of the postsynaptic density anchoring molecule ProSAP2 and the potassium channel subunit Kvβ2, initially identified in a yeast-two-hybrid-screen. Furthermore, we characterize this interaction at synapses using primary hippocampal neurons in vitro.
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In the present study we investigated the effects of anodal transcranial direct current stimulation over the auditory cortex (AC) on the perception of rapidly changing acoustic cues. For this purpose, in 15 native German speakers the left or right AC was separately stimulated while participants performed a between-channel gap detection task. ⋯ Our data indicate a left hemispheric dominance for the processing of rapid temporal cues in auditory non-speech sounds. Moreover, we demonstrate the ability of non-invasive brain stimulation to change human temporal information processing in the auditory domain.
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Precise regulation of the chloride homeostasis crucially determines the action of inhibitory transmitters GABA and glycine and thereby endows neurons or even discrete neuronal compartments with distinct physiological responses to the same transmitters. In mammals, the signaling mediated by GABAA/glycine receptors shifts during early postnatal life from depolarization to hyperpolarization, due to delayed maturation of the chloride homeostasis system. While the activity of the secondary active, K(+)-Cl(-)-extruding cotransporter KCC2, renders GABA/glycine hyperpolarizing in auditory brainstem nuclei of altricial rodents, the mechanisms contributing to the initially depolarizing transmembrane gradient for Cl(-) in respective neurons remained unknown. ⋯ Our data identify the 1Na(+):1K(+):2Cl(-) cotransporter 1 (NKCC1) as the major Cl(-)-loader responsible for depolarizing action of GABA/glycine at postnatal days 3-5 (P3-5). Extracellular GABA/muscimol elicited calcium signaling through R-, L-, and T-type channels, which was dependent on bumetanide- and [Na(+)]e-sensitive Cl(-) accumulation. The "adult like", low intracellular Cl(-) concentration is established during the second postnatal week, through a mechanism engaging the NKCC1-down regulation between P5 and P15 and ongoing KCC2-mediated Cl(-)-extrusion.