Neuroscience
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Brain connectivity studies have reported that functional networks change with older age. We aim to (1) investigate whether electroencephalography (EEG) data can be used to distinguish between individual functional networks of young and old adults; and (2) identify the functional connections that contribute to this classification. Two eyes-open resting-state EEG recording sessions with 64 electrodes for each of 22 younger adults (19-37 years) and 22 older adults (63-85 years) were conducted. ⋯ Functional connections showing decreased strength with older age were not significantly different in electrode-to-electrode distance than those that increased with older age. Most of the connections used by the classifier to distinguish participants by age group belonged to the alpha band. Findings suggest a decrease in connectivity in key networks and frequency bands associated with attention and awareness, and an increase in connectivity of the sensorimotor functional networks with aging during a resting state.
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Oncostatin M (OSM) is a cytokine of the interleukin (IL)-6 family members. It induces blood-brain barrier (BBB) dysfunction by activating Janus-activated kinase (JAK) and signal transducer and activator of transcription (STAT) 3 pathways in brain endothelial cells. Brain pericytes located around microvessels are one of the BBB constituents. ⋯ This OSM-reactive pericyte-induced aggravation of lowered RBEC barrier function was reversed by ruxolitinib, a JAK inhibitor. These findings suggest that activated JAK/STAT3 signaling in pericytes contributes to OSM-produced BBB breakdown. Thus, OSM-reactive pericytes may have to be considered a characteristic machinery in the formation and progression of BBB breakdown under pathological conditions associated with increased OSM levels.
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The pancreatic peptide, Amylin (AMY), reportedly affects nociception in rodents. Here, we investigated the potential effect of AMY on the tolerance to morphine and on the expression of BDNF at both levels of protein and RNA in the lumbar spinal cord of morphine tolerant rats. Animals in both groups of control and test received a single daily dose of intrathecal (i.t.) morphine for 10 days. ⋯ Levels of pro-BDNF and BDNF proteins remained unchanged in the lumbar spinal cord of rats treated by AMY alone. These results suggest that i.t. AMY not only abolished morphine tolerance, but also reduced the morphine induced increase in the expression of both BDNF transcripts and protein in the lumbar spinal cord.
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Dystonia is a disabling neurological syndrome characterized by abnormal movements and postures that result from intermittent or sustained involuntary muscle contractions; mutations of DYT1/TOR1A are the most common cause of childhood-onset, generalized, inherited dystonia. Patient and mouse model data strongly support dysregulation of the nigrostriatal dopamine neurotransmission circuit in the presence of the DYT1-causing mutation. ⋯ We found that over-expression of mutant torsinA in MSNs produces complex cell-autonomous and non-cell autonomous alterations in nigrostriatal dopaminergic and intrastriatal cholinergic function, similar to that found in pan-cellular DYT1 mouse models. These data introduce targets for future studies to identify which are causative and which are compensatory in DYT1 dystonia, and thereby aid in defining appropriate therapies.
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A right-left dichotomy of olfactory processes has been recognized on several levels of the perception or processing of olfactory input. On a clinical level, the lateralization of components of human olfaction is contrasted by the predominantly birhinal olfactory testing. The present analyses aimed at investigation of the relation of such side-differences related with the subject's age, sex and with the cause or degree of olfactory loss. ⋯ The observation particularly owed to olfactory loss attributed to head trauma, which may hint at a different impact on the left or right hemisphere processing of olfactory input. Thus, between-nostrils agreement in odor identification is limited and the common unilateral olfactory testing probably misses important information. Lateral differences owe to age, sex, kind of odor and etiology of olfactory loss.