Search Our Scientific Publications & Authors

J Med Chem 2021 Apr 16. Epub 2021 Apr 16.

LAQV/REQUIMTE, Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Faculty of Sciences, University of Porto, 4169-007 Porto, Portugal.

The control of Parkinson's disease (PD) is challenged by the motor and non-motor fluctuations as well as dyskinesias associated with levodopa long-term therapy. As such, pharmacological alternatives to reduce the reliance on this drug are needed. Melanostatin (MIF-1), a positive allosteric modulator (PAM) of D receptors (DR), is being explored as a novel pharmacological approach focused on DR potentiation. Read More

Sci Rep 2021 Apr 15;11(1):8326. Epub 2021 Apr 15.

BioMedical Sciences Graduate Program (BMSGP), Chonnam National University, 264 seoyangro, Hwasun, 58128, Republic of Korea.

Metabolic syndrome, which increases the risk of obesity and type 2 diabetes has emerged as a significant issue worldwide. Recent studies have highlighted the relationship between metabolic imbalance and neurological pathologies such as memory loss. Glucagon-like peptide 1 (GLP-1) secreted from gut L-cells and specific brain nuclei plays multiple roles including regulation of insulin sensitivity, inflammation and synaptic plasticity. Read More

Cogn Neurodyn 2021 Apr 29;15(2):253-263. Epub 2020 Jun 29.

College of Life Sciences and Key Laboratory of Bioactive Materials Ministry of Education, Nankai University, Tianjin, 300071 People's Republic of China.

The indexes of synaptic plasticity, including long-term potentiation (LTP) and long-term depression (LTD), can usually be measured by evaluating the slope and/or magnitude of field excitatory postsynaptic potentials (fEPSPs). So far, the process depends on manually labeling the linear portion of fEPSPs one by one, which is not only a subjective procedure but also a time-consuming job. In the present study, a novel approach has been developed in order to objectively and effectively evaluate the index of synaptic plasticity. Read More

Neural Plast 2021 29;2021:8834645. Epub 2021 Mar 29.

Laboratory of Neurobiology, Department of Neurology, Poznan University of Medical Sciences, Poznan, Poland.

Neural plasticity-the ability to alter a neuronal response to environmental stimuli-is an important factor in learning and memory. Short-term synaptic plasticity and long-term synaptic plasticity, including long-term potentiation and long-term depression, are the most-characterized models of learning and memory at the molecular and cellular level. These processes are often disrupted by neurodegeneration-induced dementias. Read More

Sci Adv 2021 Apr 14;7(16). Epub 2021 Apr 14.

Department of Pharmacology, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO 80045, USA.

Higher brain functions are thought to require synaptic frequency decoding that can lead to long-term potentiation (LTP) or depression (LTD). We show that the LTP versus LTD decision is determined by complex cross-regulation of T286 and T305/306 autophosphorylation within the 12meric CaMKII holoenzyme, which enabled molecular computation of stimulus frequency, amplitude, and duration. Both LTP and LTD require T286 phosphorylation, but T305/306 phosphorylation selectively promoted LTD. Read More

Ann Transl Med 2021 Mar;9(6):509

Department of Pharmacology, Second Military Medical University/Naval Medical University, Shanghai, China.

The α7 nicotinic acetylcholine receptor (α7nAChR) has been studied for many years since its discovery. Although many functions and characteristics of brain α7nAChR are widely understood, much remains to be elucidated. The α7nAChR is widely expressed in the central nervous system, not only in neurons but also in astrocytes, microglia, and endothelial cells. Read More

Mol Neurodegener 2021 Apr 13;16(1):23. Epub 2021 Apr 13.

Division of Applied Life Science (BK 21 Four), College of Natural Science, Gyeongsang National University, Jinju, 52828, Republic of Korea.

Background: Recently, we and other researchers reported that brain metabolic disorders are implicated in Alzheimer's disease (AD), a progressive, devastating and incurable neurodegenerative disease. Hence, novel therapeutic approaches are urgently needed to explore potential and novel therapeutic targets/agents for the treatment of AD. The neuronal adiponectin receptor 1 (AdipoR1) is an emerging potential target for intervention in metabolic-associated AD. Read More

Psychiatry Res 2021 Apr 3;300:113917. Epub 2021 Apr 3.

Department of Anesthesiology, the First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing 400016, China.

Electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) is one of the most effective treatments for depression, but it can cause cognitive deficit. Unfortunately, effective preventive measures are still lacking. The endocannabinoid system is thought to play a key role in regulation of cognitive process. Read More

Cell Calcium 2021 Apr 8;96:102406. Epub 2021 Apr 8.

Department of Molecular Neurobiology, Shemyakin-Ovchinnikov Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry, Russian Academy of Sciences, Miklukho-Maklaya Street 16/10, Moscow, 117997, Russia; Department of Physiology, Jiaxing University College of Medicine, Zhejiang, 314033 China; Sechenov First Moscow State Medical University, Bolshaya Pirogovskaya Str 19с1, Moscow, 119146, Russia. Electronic address:

The effect of brain extracellular matrix (ECM) on synaptic plasticity remains controversial. Here, we show that targeted enzymatic attenuation with chondroitinase ABC (ChABC) of ECM triggers the appearance of new glutamatergic synapses on hippocampal pyramidal neurons, thereby increasing the amplitude of field EPSPs while decreasing both the mean miniature EPSC amplitude and AMPA/NMDA ratio. Although the increased proportion of 'unpotentiated' synapses caused by ECM attenuation should promote long-term potentiation (LTP), surprisingly, LTP was suppressed. Read More

Neurotoxicology 2021 Apr 10;84:198-207. Epub 2021 Apr 10.

Institute of Chemistry, NAWI Graz, University of Graz, 8010, Graz, Austria. Electronic address:

Arsenic-containing hydrocarbons (AsHCs) are common constituents of marine organisms and have potential toxicity to human health. This work is to study the effect of AsHCs on long-term potentiation (LTP) for the first time. A multi-electrode array (MEA) system was used to record the field excitatory postsynaptic potential (fEPSP) of CA1 before and after treatment with AsHC 360 in hippocampal slices from infantile male rats. Read More

ACS Appl Mater Interfaces 2021 Apr 13. Epub 2021 Apr 13.

Department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering, Xi'an Jiaotong-Liverpool University, Suzhou 215123, China.

The ecofriendly combustion synthesis (ECS) and self-combustion synthesis (ESCS) have been successfully utilized to deposit high- aluminum oxide (AlO) dielectrics at low temperatures and applied for aqueous InO thin-film transistors (TFTs) accordingly. The ECS and ESCS processes facilitate the formation of high-quality dielectrics at lower temperatures compared to conventional methods based on an ethanol precursor, as confirmed by thermal analysis and chemical composition characterization. The aqueous InO TFTs based on ECS and ESCS-AlO show enhanced electrical characteristics and counterclockwise transfer-curve hysteresis. Read More

J Neurosci Res 2021 Apr 12. Epub 2021 Apr 12.

Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, University of California, Irvine, CA, USA.

Although sex differences in learning behaviors are well documented, sexual dimorphism in the synaptic processes of encoding is only recently appreciated. Studies in male rodents have built upon the discovery of long-term potentiation (LTP), and acceptance of this activity-dependent increase in synaptic strength as a mechanism of encoding, to identify synaptic receptors and signaling activities that coordinate the activity-dependent remodeling of the subsynaptic actin cytoskeleton that is critical for enduring potentiation and memory. These molecular substrates together with other features of LTP, as characterized in males, have provided an explanation for a range of memory phenomena including multiple stages of consolidation, the efficacy of spaced training, and the location of engrams at the level of individual synapses. Read More

Neurosci Res 2021 Apr 9. Epub 2021 Apr 9.

Department of Physiology, Keio University School of Medicine, Tokyo 160-8582, Japan. Electronic address:

Lysosomes are organelles that support diverse cellular functions such as terminal degradation of macromolecules and nutrient recycling. Additionally, lysosomes can fuse with the plasma membrane, a phenomenon referred to as lysosomal exocytosis, to release their contents, including hydrolytic enzymes and cargo proteins. Recently, neuronal activity has been shown to induce lysosomal exocytosis in dendrites and axons. Read More

Nat Commun 2021 04 9;12(1):2112. Epub 2021 Apr 9.

Department of Neuroscience, Physiology and Pharmacology, UCL, London, UK.

GABA receptors (GABARs) are pentameric ligand-gated ion channels distributed throughout the brain where they mediate synaptic and tonic inhibition. Following activation, these receptors undergo desensitization which involves entry into long-lived agonist-bound closed states. Although the kinetic effects of this state are recognised and its structural basis has been uncovered, the physiological impact of desensitization on inhibitory neurotransmission remains unknown. Read More

J Neurosci 2021 Apr 6. Epub 2021 Apr 6.

Department of Neurobiology, University of Utah.

Memory consolidation is thought to occur through protein synthesis-dependent synaptic plasticity mechanisms such as long-term potentiation (LTP). Dynamic changes in gene expression and epigenetic modifications underlie the maintenance of LTP. Similar mechanisms may mediate the storage of memory. Read More

PLoS One 2021 7;16(4):e0249290. Epub 2021 Apr 7.

Department of Psychology, Yonsei University, Seoul, Republic of Korea.

When a stimulus is associated with an external reward, its chance of being consolidated into long-term memory is boosted via dopaminergic facilitation of long-term potentiation in the hippocampus. Given that higher temporal distance (TD) has been found to discount the subjective value of a reward, we hypothesized that memory performance associated with a more immediate reward will result in better memory performance. We tested this hypothesis by measuring both behavioral memory performance and brain activation using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) during memory encoding and retrieval tasks. Read More

Int J Physiol Pathophysiol Pharmacol 2021 15;13(1):1-11. Epub 2021 Feb 15.

Department of Pharmacology and Experimental Neuroscience, University of Nebraska Medical Center Omaha, NE 68198, USA.

NMDA receptors (NMDARs) are ion channels gated by glutamate, the major excitatory neurotransmitter in the central nervous system. Anti-NMDA receptor (anti-NMDAR) encephalitis is an autoimmune disease characterized by the presence of autoantibodies against the NMDAR GluN1 subunit. Here we briefly review current advances in the understanding of the mechanisms underlying the pathogenesis of anti-NMDAR encephalitis. Read More

Eur J Neurosci 2021 Apr 3. Epub 2021 Apr 3.

Laboratoire de Neurosciences Cognitives et Adaptatives (LNCA UMR7364), Centre de la Recherche Nationale Scientifique, Université de Strasbourg, Strasbourg, France.

Cocaine addiction is a complex pathology induced by long-term brain changes. Understanding the neurochemical changes underlying the reinforcing effects of this drug of abuse is critical for reducing the societal burden of drug addiction. The mu opioid receptor plays a major role in drug reward. Read More

Cells 2021 Mar 26;10(4). Epub 2021 Mar 26.

Department of Pharmacy, School of Medicine and Surgery, University of Naples Federico II, 80131 Naples, Italy.

Dopamine (DA) is a key neurotransmitter involved in multiple physiological functions including motor control, modulation of affective and emotional states, reward mechanisms, reinforcement of behavior, and selected higher cognitive functions. Dysfunction in dopaminergic transmission is recognized as a core alteration in several devastating neurological and psychiatric disorders, including Parkinson's disease (PD), schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and addiction. Here we will discuss the current insights on the role of DA in motor control and reward learning mechanisms and its involvement in the modulation of synaptic dynamics through different pathways. Read More

Brain Sci 2021 Mar 22;11(3). Epub 2021 Mar 22.

VA San Diego Healthcare System, San Diego, CA 92161, USA.

Synaptic plasticity in the hippocampus assists with consolidation and storage of long-lasting memories. Decades of research has provided substantial information on the cellular and molecular mechanisms underlying synaptic plasticity in the hippocampus, and this review discusses these mechanisms in brief. Addiction is a chronic relapsing disorder with loss of control over drug taking and drug seeking that is caused by long-lasting memories of drug experience. Read More

Int J Mol Sci 2021 Mar 5;22(5). Epub 2021 Mar 5.

UNICAEN, INSERM, COMETE, CYCERON, CHU Caen, Normandie Université, 14000 Caen, France.

For a better translation from treatment designs of schizophrenia to clinical efficiency, there is a crucial need to refine preclinical animal models. In order to consider the multifactorial nature of the disorder, a new mouse model associating three factors (genetic susceptibility-partial deletion of the gene, early-life stress-maternal separation, and pharmacological treatment-chronic Δ-9-tetrahydrocannabinol during adolescence) has recently been described. While this model depicts a schizophrenia-like phenotype, the neurobiological correlates remain unknown. Read More

Int J Mol Sci 2021 Mar 20;22(6). Epub 2021 Mar 20.

Department of Pharmacology, Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Tohoku University, Sendai 980-8578, Japan.

Nicotine is the predominant addictive compound of tobacco and causes the acquisition of dependence through its interactions with nicotinic acetylcholine receptors and various neurotransmitter releases in the central nervous system. The Ca/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase II (CaMKII) and extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) play a pivotal role in synaptic plasticity in the hippocampus. CaMKII is involved in long-term potentiation induction, which underlies the consolidation of learning and memory; however, the roles of CaMKII in nicotine and other psychostimulant-induced addiction still require further investigation. Read More

Pharmacol Rep 2021 Apr 2. Epub 2021 Apr 2.

Department of Physiology, School of Medicine, Erciyes University, Kayseri, Turkey.

Background: The present study examined whether inhibition of guanylate cyclase (GC) is associated with the plasticity-related microtubule-stabilizing protein tau phosphorylation in the dentate gyrus (DG) of hippocampal formation.

Methods: To address this issue, methylene blue (MB 50 μM) or saline was infused into the DG starting from the induction of long-term potentiation (LTP) or depression (LTD) for 1 h. Then, protein phosphatase 1 alpha (PP1α), glycogen synthase kinase 3 beta (GSK3β), and tau total and phosphorylated protein levels were measured in these hippocampi using western blotting. Read More

Front Aging Neurosci 2021 16;13:591735. Epub 2021 Mar 16.

Department of Neurophysiology, Medical Faculty, Ruhr University Bochum, Bochum, Germany.

Beta-amyloid protein [Aβ(1-42)] plays an important role in the disease progress and pathophysiology of Alzheimer's disease (AD). Membrane properties and neuronal excitability are altered in the hippocampus of transgenic AD mouse models that overexpress amyloid precursor protein. Although gap junction hemichannels have been implicated in the early pathogenesis of AD, to what extent Pannexin channels contribute to Aβ(1-42)-mediated brain changes is not yet known. Read More

Elife 2021 04 1;10. Epub 2021 Apr 1.

Departamento de Anatomía, Histología y Neurociencia, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, Madrid, Spain.

Insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1) plays a key role in synaptic plasticity, spatial learning, and anxiety-like behavioral processes. While IGF-1 regulates neuronal firing and synaptic transmission in many areas of the central nervous system, its signaling and consequences on excitability, synaptic plasticity, and animal behavior dependent on the prefrontal cortex remain unexplored. Here, we show that IGF-1 induces a long-lasting depression of the medium and slow post-spike afterhyperpolarization (mAHP and sAHP), increasing the excitability of layer 5 pyramidal neurons of the rat infralimbic cortex. Read More

Front Pharmacol 2021 12;12:627995. Epub 2021 Mar 12.

Department of Molecular and Cellular Neurosciences, Grenoble Institute Neuroscience, Inserm U1216, Grenoble, France.

The search for effective treatments for neuropsychiatric disorders is ongoing, with progress being made as brain structure and neuronal function become clearer. The central roles played by microtubules (MT) and actin in synaptic transmission and plasticity suggest that the cytoskeleton and its modulators could be relevant targets for the development of new molecules to treat psychiatric diseases. In this context, LIM Kinase - which regulates both the actin and MT cytoskeleton especially in dendritic spines, the post-synaptic compartment of the synapse - might be a good target. Read More

Pharm Biol 2021 Dec;59(1):367-374

Department of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine Siriraj Hospital, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand.

Context: ECa 233 is the standardized extract of (L.) Urban. (Apiaceae). Read More

Chem Biol Interact 2021 Mar 27;341:109452. Epub 2021 Mar 27.

College of Medicine, State Key Laboratory of Medicinal Chemical Biology, Key Laboratory of Bioactive Materials for Ministry of Education, Nankai University, Tianjin, 300071, China. Electronic address:

Current strategies for the treatment of Alzheimer's disease (AD) focus on the pathology in the later stages of disease progression. Early microglia abnormality and β-amyloid (Aβ) deposition trigger disease development before identical symptoms emerge, which leads to poor clinical treatment effects in the later stages. In the early stage of disease progression, microglia in brains of 5XFAD mice have been activated by Aβ plaques to secrete more pro-inflammatory cytokines. Read More

Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2021 Apr;118(14)

State Key Laboratory of Membrane Biology, Tsinghua-Peking Center for Life Sciences, IDG/McGovern Institute for Brain Research, School of Life Sciences, Tsinghua University, 100084 Beijing, China;

microRNA-218 (miR-218) has been linked to several cognition related neurodegenerative and neuropsychiatric disorders. However, whether miR-218 plays a direct role in cognitive functions remains unknown. Here, using the miR-218 knockout (KO) mouse model and the sponge/overexpression approaches, we showed that -- but not -- could bidirectionally regulate the contextual and spatial memory in the mice. Read More

Clin Neurophysiol 2021 Mar 13. Epub 2021 Mar 13.

IRCCS Neuromed, Via Atinense 18, 86077 Pozzilli, IS, Italy; Department of Human Neurosciences, Sapienza University of Rome, Viale dell'Università 30, 00185 Rome, Italy.

Objective: In healthy subjects, the long-term potentiation (LTP)-like plasticity of the primary motor cortex (M1) induced by intermittent theta-burst stimulation (iTBS) can be boosted by modulating gamma (γ) oscillations through transcranial alternating current stimulation (tACS). γ-tACS also reduces short-interval intracortical inhibition (SICI). We tested whether the effects of γ-tACS differ between young (YA) and older adults (OA). Read More