Neuroscience
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Sensory systems in the peripheral and central nervous systems shape host response during infections.
The function of sensory cells has been largely investigated in the field of neuroscience for how they report the physical and chemical changes of the environment ("exteroception") and of internal physiology ("interoception"). Investigations over the last century have largely focused on the morphological, electrical and receptor properties of sensory cells in the nervous system focusing on conscious perception of external cues or homeostatic regulation upon detection of internal cues. ⋯ The corresponding neuronal activation associated with the presence of pathogens can impact their classical functions within the nervous system and trigger the release of compounds modulating the response to intruders, either triggering pain to raise awareness, enhancing host defense or sometimes, aggravating the infection. This perspective brings to light the need for interdisciplinary training in immunology, microbiology and neuroscience for the next generation of investigators in this field.
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In order for open science to reach its full potential to reduce barriers in science and increase access to the field, data and tools need to be accompanied by training and other supporting resources to make them truly accessible to prospective and new users. Further, these educational resources must be tailored to meet the needs of many different user profiles, such as neuroscientists of many specialties, computational scientists, and educators. In this article, we will describe some of the approaches the Allen Institute has taken to support working scientists, students, and educators at multiple career stages and paths to use our open science resources.
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Astrocytes have been increasingly acknowledged to play active roles in regulating synaptic transmission and plasticity. Through a variety of metabotropic and ionotropic receptors expressed on their surface, astrocytes detect extracellular neurotransmitters, and in turn, release gliotransmitters to modify synaptic strength, while they can also alter neuronal membrane excitability by modulating extracellular ionic milieu. Given the seemingly large repertoire of synaptic modulation, when, where and how astrocytes interact with synapses remain to be fully understood. ⋯ Upon preventing astrocyte calcium signaling or blocking L-VGCCs, NMDA + glycine application triggers an increase, rather than a decrease, in the rate of spontaneous glutamate release, thereby shifting the presynaptic plasticity to promote an increase in strength. Our findings point to a crucial and surprising role of astrocytes in controlling the polarity of NMDA receptor and adenosine-dependent presynaptic plasticity. Such a pivotal mechanism unveils the power of astrocytes in regulating computations performed by neural circuits and is expected to profoundly impact cognitive processes.
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Africa is home to a longstanding tradition of scientific enquiry dating back to the Pharaohs. In the last century, Africa's universities were instrumental in nation building and in training expertise in many fields of scientific endeavor, including neuroscience. In 1988 IBRO, committed to neuroscience development in Africa, organized a workshop at the University of Nairobi to bring African neuroscientists together to discuss advancement of the discipline on the continent. ⋯ Since then, IBRO has continued its support for African neuroscience through several initiatives including organization of a series of high-level schools in Africa that have kept the continent's educators and researchers abreast of the latest advances and technological tools in the discipline. The rapid development of new neuroscience methodologies for the treatment and enhancement of brain function, including brain stimulation, pharmaceutical treatment of psychiatric disorders, and stem cell transplants to treat neurodegenerative diseases create research environments in which Africa's rich genetic diversity and its medicinal plant resources can play an important role. The continued support of IBRO to African neuroscience over the past 35 years has contributed effectively to laying the groundwork for a new sense of community that Africa's educators need to develop further through cooperation in defining curricula and joint research projects.