cholinergic neurons

Neuromodulation of sleep integrity

The arousal construct underlies a spectrum of behaviors that include sleep, exploration, feeding, sexual activity and adaptive stress. Pathological arousal conditions include stress, anxiety disorders, and addiction. The dynamics between arousal state transitions are modulated by norepinephrine neurons in the locus coeruleus, histaminergic neurons in the hypothalamus, dopaminergic neurons in the mesencephalon and cholinergic neurons in the basal forebrain. The hypocretin/orexin system in the lateral hypothalamus I will also present a new mechanism underlying sleep fragmentation during aging. Hcrt neurons are hyperexcitable in aged mice. We identify a potassium conductance known as the M-current, as a critical player in maintaining excitability of Hcrt neurons. Genetic disruption of KCNQ channels in Hcrt neurons of young animals results in sleep fragmentation. In contrast, treatment of aged animals with a KCNQ channel opener restores sleep/wake architecture. These data point to multiple circuits modulating sleep integrity across lifespan.

Anatomical, electrophysiological, and functional characterization of lateral septal cholinergic neurons

FENS Forum 2024

In vivo examination of age-dependent changes in the activity of basal forebrain cholinergic neurons during a Pavlovian conditioning task

A deep sequencing investigation of mitochondrial DNA damage in cholinergic neurons of the Pedunculopontine Nucleus

FENS Forum 2024

Effects of chemogenetic inhibition of mesopontine cholinergic neurons on REM sleep and PGO waves in mice

FENS Forum 2024