Neuroscience
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Some previous studies have demonstrated atypical brain lateralization in autism spectrum disorder (ASD). However, most of these reports have focused on language-related asymmetries in adults, and the developmental trajectory of hemispheric asymmetries in the important phase that occurs at 2-5 years of age remains unclear. Thus, we used structural magnetic resonance imaging and diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) in a longitudinal study of grey matter (GM) asymmetries across all cortical parcellation units (PUs) and white matter (WM) lateralization across the WM skeleton using voxel-based morphometry and tract-based spatial statistics (TBSS) in 34 toddlers with ASD and a matched group of 26 toddlers with developmental delay (DD) at 2-3 years old and with follow-up at 4-5 years of age. ⋯ GM lateralization was associated with the social and communicative disturbances observed in ASD at baseline, while WM asymmetry was significantly related to social disturbances and repetitive behaviours seen at 4-5 years of age. In conclusion, both ASD and DD toddlers had widespread rightward asymmetry, and the patterns of lateralization were similar across the groups. GM and WM showed asynchronous development of hemispheric asymmetries at 2-5 years of age, and this lateralization was associated with ASD symptoms.
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As a non-limbic structure, the human thalamus is the most important modulator of the limbic system. The hypothalamus plays vital roles in the survival of species by regulating fear, learning, feeding behavior, circadian rhythm, sociosexual and reproductive activities of the limbic system through connections with the thalamus. The detailed anatomy of the pathways responsible for mediating these responses, however, is yet to be determined. ⋯ We studied 30 healthy human subjects. Using a high-resolution diffusion weighted tractography technique, for the first time, we were able to delineate and reconstruct the trajectory of the dorsal thalamo-hypothalamic tract (DTH). We further revealed the close relationship of the DTH, fornix and hippocampus in healthy adult human brain.
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Accumulating evidence indicates a positive effect of abacus-based mental calculation (AMC) training on various cognitive functions including short-term memory (STM). Our previous work has shown AMC training-induced activation changes in the frontal-parietal network (FPN) using task fMRI. However, whether AMC training-induced functional plasticity in the same brain network can be detected at resting state remains unknown. ⋯ In addition, a significant and positive correlation between letter forward memory span and SPL connectivity was found at post-training session in the AMC group. While the weakest quartile of SPL connections ranking by pre-training connectivity strength showed the largest effect of enhancement after training, it was the strongest quartile of SPL connectivity that correlated the most with memory span at post-training session. These findings suggest that AMC training may enhance bilateral SPL functional connectivity, through which AMC training might exert a transfer effect to improve short-term memory capacity.
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Myeloid zinc finger 1 (MZF1) belongs to the Kruppel family of zinc-finger transcription factors. Recent studies have demonstrated that in dorsal root ganglion (DRG) neurons, MZF1 is involved in the development and maintenance of neuropathic pain. However, the role of MZF1 in inflammatory pain still remains unknown. ⋯ The ChIP-PCR results revealed that MZF1 binds directly to the promoter region of MMP-2/9 gene. Together, the above results imply that upregulation of MZF1 in DRGs might contribute to the development and maintenance of CFA-induced chronic inflammatory pain by regulating MMP-2/9 and Kv1.2 expression. Targeting DRG-localized MZF1 might be a promising therapeutic strategy for the treatment of chronic inflammatory pain in the clinic.
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Hedgehog (Hh) signaling has been shown to be involved in regulating both intact and injured peripheral nerves. Therefore, it is critical to understand how Hh signaling is regulated in the peripheral nerve. One of the transcription factors of the Hh signaling pathway, Gli3, functions as both a repressor and an activator of Hh signaling activity. ⋯ In fact, Gli3-/+ mice exhibited accelerated ligand switching and subsequent nerve regeneration. Both suppression of Hh signaling with Gli3 in the intact nerves and activation of Hh signaling without Gli3 in the injured nerve were observed in the SCs in an autocrine manner. Thus, Gli3 is a key factor in the control of intact peripheral nerve homeostasis and nerve regeneration.