The mechanisms of neurotoxicity induced by unconjugated bilirubin (UCB) in newborns are incompletely understood. UCB may cause both necrotic and apoptotic neuronal death. We explored UCB toxicity and release of cytokines in human NT2-N neurons and the effect of dexamethasone on these processes. Cultured NT2-N neurons were exposed to UCB, ...

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a neurodegenerative disorder characterized by loss of motor neuron and various cognitive deficits including writing errors. (11)C-flumazenil (FMZ), the positron emission tomography (PET) GABA(A) receptor ligand, is a marker of cortical dysfunction. The objective of this study was to investigate the relationship between cognitive deficits ...

Integrating hippocampal anatomy from neuronal dendrites to whole system may help elucidate its relation to function. Toward this aim, we digitally traced the cytoarchitectonic boundaries of the dentate gyrus (DG) and areas CA3/CA1 throughout their entire longitudinal extent from high-resolution images of thin cryostatic sections of adult rat brain. The ...

The GFP reconstitution across synaptic partners (GRASP) technique, based on functional complementation between two nonfluorescent GFP fragments, can be used to detect the location of synapses quickly, accurately and with high spatial resolution. The method has been previously applied in the nematode and the fruit fly but requires substantial modification ...

So-called bimodal odorants are able to stimulate the intranasal trigeminal system at relatively low concentrations. Using them as stimuli, the current study focused on the interaction between the olfactory and trigeminal systems at a cerebral level. In the experiment, menthol was used at two concentrations, low and high, and these ...

Neural synchronization is a key mechanism to a wide variety of brain functions, such as cognition, perception or memory. High temporal resolution achieved by EEG recordings allows the study of the dynamical properties of synchronous patterns of activity at a very fine temporal scale but with very low spatial resolution. ...

Electroencephalography (EEG) and magnetoencephalography (MEG) have different sensitivities to differently configured brain activations, making them complimentary in providing independent information for better detection and inverse reconstruction of brain sources. In the present study, we developed an integrative approach, which integrates a novel sparse electromagnetic source imaging method, i.e., variation-based cortical ...

Precuneus responds to a wide range of cognitive processes. Here, we examined how the patterns of resting state connectivity may define functional subregions in the precuneus. Using a K-means algorithm to cluster the whole-brain "correlograms" of the precuneus in 225 adult individuals, we corroborated the dorsal-anterior, dorsal-posterior, and ventral subregions, ...

Previous studies have shown that healthy participants learn to control local brain activity with operant training by using real-time functional magnetic resonance imaging (rt-fMRI). Very little data exist, however, on the dynamics of interaction between critical brain regions during rt-fMRI-based training. Here, we examined self-regulation of stimulus-elicited insula activation and ...

BACKGROUND: The anterior cingulate cortex plays a central role in altered processes of cognitive control in schizophrenia. However, the cortical foundations of disturbed anterior cingulate cognitive activation are poorly understood. Therefore, this study investigated the association of anterior cingulate cognitive activation and cortical thickness in schizophrenia combining functional magnetic resonance ...

Controversy surrounds the role of the temporoparietal junction (TPJ) area of the human brain. Although TPJ has been implicated both in reorienting of attention and social cognition, it is still unclear whether these functions have the same neural basis. Indeed, whether TPJ is a precisely identifiable cortical region or a ...

To introduce the clinical utility of the absolute value of the reconstructed waveform method in the analysis of multifocal visual evoked potential (mfVEP). The mfVEP with 4-channel recording was performed using RETIscan® on 10 eyes of 10 normal subjects. Amplitudes were obtained from ring-shaped 6 areas and 4 sectors. The ...

Estimating the interregional structural connections of the brain via diffusion tractography is a complex procedure and the parameters chosen can affect the outcome of the connectivity matrix. Here, we investigated the influence of different connection reconstruction methods on brain connectivity networks. Specifically, we applied three connection reconstruction methods to the ...

The fossil record of the hominin pelvis reflects important evolutionary changes in locomotion and parturition. The partial pelves of two individuals of Australopithecus sediba were reconstructed from previously reported finds and new material. These remains share some features with australopiths, such as large biacetabular diameter, small sacral and coxal joints, ...

The purpose of this study was to examine whether in vivo drug distribution to the brain can be reconstructed by integrating P-glycoprotein (P-gp/mdr1a) expression levels, P-gp in vitro activity, and drug unbound fractions in mouse plasma and brain. For 11 P-gp substrates, in vitro P-gp transport activities were determined by ...

Understanding population activities of underlying neurons reveal emergent behavior as patterns of information flow in neural circuits. Evoked local field potentials (LFPs) arise from complex interactions of spatial distribution of current sources, time dynamics, and spatial distribution of dipoles apart underlying conductive properties of the extracellular medium. We reconstructed LFP ...

The correlation network of neurons emerges as an important mathematical framework for a spectrum of applications including neural modeling, brain disease prediction and brain-machine interface. However, construction of correlation network is computationally expensive, especially when the number of neurons is large and this prohibits realtime applications. This paper proposes a ...

Magnetoencephalography (MEG) can be used to reconstruct neuronal activity with high spatial and temporal resolution. However, this reconstruction problem is ill-posed, and requires the use of prior constraints in order to produce a unique solution. At present there are a multitude of inversion algorithms, each employing different assumptions, but one ...

MOTIVATION: Advances in techniques to sparsely label neurons unlock the potential to reconstruct connectivity from 3D image stacks acquired by light microscopy. We present an application for semi-automated tracing of neurons to quickly annotate noisy data sets and construct complex neuronal topologies, which we call the Simple Neurite Tracer. AVAILABILITY: ...

Despite a long history of anatomical mapping of neuronal networks, we are only beginning to understand the detailed three-dimensional (3D) organization of the cortical micro-circuitry. This is in part due to the lack of complete reconstructions of individual cortical neurons. Morphological studies are either performed on incomplete cells in vitro, ...

The spatial distribution of synaptic inputs on the dendritic tree of a neuron can have significant influence on neuronal function. Consequently, accurate anatomical reconstructions of neuron morphology and synaptic localization are critical when modeling and predicting physiological responses of individual neurons. Historically, generation of three-dimensional (3D) neuronal reconstructions together with ...

The three-dimensional (3D) structure of neural circuits represents an essential constraint for information flow in the brain. Methods to directly monitor streams of excitation, at subcellular and millisecond resolution, are at present lacking. Here, we describe a pipeline of tools that allow investigating information flow by simulating electrical signals that ...

Previous studies have found that short-term integrative body-mind training (IBMT) has positive effects on the brain structure and function in the anterior cingulate cortex. Here, we determined whether 11 h of IBMT alters topological properties of the anterior cingulate cortex in brain functional networks. We applied network analysis to resting-state ...

The stria terminalis (ST) connects the amygdale (AM) with the hypothalamus, anterior commissure, preoptic area, and septal region. Many animal studies have reported on the anatomy and function of the ST; in contrast, little is known about its anatomy and function in the human brain. In the current study, we ...

Full reconstruction of neuron morphology is of fundamental interest for the analysis and understanding of their functioning. We have developed a novel method capable of automatically tracing neurons in three-dimensional microscopy data. In contrast to template-based methods, the proposed approach makes no assumptions about the shape or appearance of neurite ...

Aim: To investigate whether writing errors are predictive of longitudinal brain atrophy progression in patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). Methods: The frequency of writing errors in 6 ALS patients without dementia was compared with longitudinal changes in lateral ventricular areas of the bilateral anterior and inferior horns on X-ray ...

The medial superior frontal cortex (SFC), including the supplementary motor area (SMA) and presupplementary motor area (preSMA), is implicated in movement and cognitive control, among other functions central to decision making. Previous studies delineated the anatomical boundaries and functional connectivity of the SMA. However, it is unclear whether the preSMA, ...

There are three paralogous genes for gonadotrophin-releasing hormone (GnRH) peptides of vertebrates in general. GnRH1, the protein product of gnrh1 gene, is the hypophysiotropic neuropeptide, and is a critical regulator of gonadotrophin secretion, whereas GnRH2 and GnRH3 are regarded to have neuromodulatory functions. In some teleost species, the terminal nerve ...

Medullary gigantocellular reticular neurons have been ascribed a variety of behaviors, many of which may fall under the concepts of either arousal or motivation. Despite this, many details of the connectivity of mGi neurons, particularly in reference to those neurons with ascending axons, remain unknown. In order to provide a ...

High-frequency stimulation (HFS) of the ventrolateral (VL) thalamus is effective in treating the resting tremor of Parkinson's disease (PD). PD is a movement disorder that involves neurodegeneration, predominantly of the substantia nigra, but also in other brain areas, such as the motor cortex and hippocampus. The mechanisms of action of ...

Transient A-type K(+) currents (I(A)) are known to influence the firing pattern of a number of thalamic cell types, but have not been investigated in intralaminar thalamocortical (TC) relay neurons yet. We therefore combined whole-cell patch-clamp techniques, PCR analysis, and immunohistochemistry to investigate the voltage-dependent and pharmacological properties of I(A) ...

Selective blockade of nociceptive neurons can be achieved by the delivery of permanently charged sodium channel blockers through the pores of nociceptive ion channels. To assess the feasibility of this application in the dental area, we investigated the electrophysiological and neurochemical characteristics of nociceptive dental primary afferent (DPA) neurons. DPA ...

Excitotoxicity is a widely studied mechanism underlying motoneuron degeneration in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). Synaptic alterations that produce an imbalance in the ratio of inhibitory/excitatory synapses are expected to promote or protect against motoneuron excitotoxicity. In ALS patients, motoneurons suffer a reduction in their synaptic coverage, as in the transition ...

Brain-computer interfaces (BCI) are using the electroencephalogram, the electrocorticogram and trains of action potentials as inputs to analyze brain activity for communication purposes and/or the control of external devices. Thus far it is not known whether a BCI system can be developed that utilizes the states of brain structures that ...

To study the relationship between aging and the vulnerability of substantia nigra pars compacta (SNc) tyrosine hydroxylase immunoreactive positive (TH+) dopaminergic (DA) neurons. We determined the number of TH+ DA neurons in aged rats (24 mon) compared to adult rats (5 mon) using immunohistochemistry and cell counting. Furthermore, the expression ...

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a progressive neurodegenerative disease characterized by a preferential loss of motor neurones. Previous publications using in vitro neonatal preparations suggest an increased excitability of motor neurones in various superoxide dismutase-1 (SOD1) mutant mice models of ALS which may contribute to excitotoxicity of the motor neurones. ...

Cerebral atrophy is a correlate of clinical progression in multiple sclerosis (MS). Mitochondria are now established to play a part in the pathogenesis of MS. Uniquely, mitochondria harbor their own mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA), essential for maintaining a healthy central nervous system. We explored mitochondrial respiratory chain activity and mtDNA deletions ...

Proper control of movement and posture occurs partly via descending projections from the vestibular nuclei to spinal motor circuits. Days before birth in rodents, vestibulospinal neurons develop axonal projections that extend to the spinal cord. How functional these projections are just after birth is unknown. Our goal was to assess ...

The neuregulin (NRG) family of trophic factors is present in the central and peripheral nervous systems and participates in the survival, proliferation, and differentiation of many different cell types, including motoneurons. NRG1 was first characterized by its role in the formation of the neuromuscular junction, and recently it was shown ...

We investigated the effects of chemical hypoxia on the central pattern generator controlling swimming in stage 42 Xenopus laevis larvae. We recorded motoneuron activity from ventral roots of immobilized tadpoles and evoked swim episodes by brief electrical stimulation of the tail skin. In the presence of the metabolic inhibitor, sodium ...

The balance between excitatory and inhibitory synaptic inputs is critical for the physiological control of motoneurons. The maintenance of a low-intracellular chloride concentration by the potassium chloride cotransporter 2 (KCC2) is essential for the efficacy of fast synaptic inhibition of mature motoneurons in response to the activation of ionotropic γ-aminobutyric ...

Multifunctional motoneurons and muscles, which are active during forward and backward locomotion are ubiquitous in animal models. However, studies in the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans suggest that some locomotor motoneurons are necessary only for forward locomotion (dorsal B-motoneurons, DB), while others (dorsal A-motoneurons, DA) are necessary only for backward locomotion. We ...

A first step towards understanding the operation of a neural network is identification of the populations of neurons that contribute to it. Our aim here is to reassess the basis for subdivision of adult mammalian spinal interneurons that mediate reflex actions from tendon organs (group Ib afferents) and muscle spindle ...

Strong evidence that premotor interneurons provide ventral spinocerebellar tract (VSCT) neurons with feedback information on their actions on motoneurons was previously found for Ia inhibitory interneurons and Renshaw cells, while indications for similar actions of other premotor interneurons were weaker and indirect. Therefore the aim of the present study was ...

Dysregulation of protein expression, function and/or aggregation is a hallmark of a number of neuropathological conditions. Among them, upregulation and/or de novo expression of the neuronal isoform of nitric oxide (NO) synthase (nNOS) commonly occurs in diverse neurodegenerative diseases and in axotomized motoneurons. We used adenoviral (AVV) and lentiviral (LVV) ...

Neuronal nitric oxide synthase (nNOS) is induced after axonal injury. The role of induced nNOS in injured neurons is not well established. In the present study, we investigated the co-expression of nNOS with GAP-43 in spinal motoneurons following axonal injury. The role of induced nNOS was discussed and evaluated. In ...

Interneurons in the neocortex of the brain are small, locally projecting inhibitory GABAergic cells with a broad array of anatomical and physiological properties. The diversity of interneurons is believed to be crucial for regulating myriad operations in the neocortex. Here, we describe current theories about how interneuron diversity may support ...

Neonatally hemidecorticated rats show fairly normal reaching and grasping behaviors of the forelimb contralateral to the lesion at the adult stage. Previous experiments using an anterograde tracer showed that the corticospinal fibers originating from the sensorimotor cortex of the intact side projected aberrant collaterals to the spinal gray matter on ...

A doublet of action potentials is frequently observed at the beginning of motoneuronal discharge patterns and its appearance leads to a considerable increase in the motor unit force. The aims of this study were (1) to determine the relationship between the intensity of rectangular depolarization currents injected into motoneurones and ...

The characteristics of central pattern generator (CPG) outputs are subject to extensive modulation. Previous studies of neuromodulation largely focused on immediate actions of neuromodulators, i.e., actions that were exerted at the time when either neuromodulators were present or neuromodulatory inputs to the CPG were active. However, neuromodulatory actions are known ...