Calcium dynamics

…reticulum (ER) acts as a finite calcium store and can modulate calcium signals involved in presynaptic neurotransmitter release. While computational studies have shed light on the spatiotemporal dynamics of calcium in dendritic spines, the distribution of channels along synaptic and ER membranes and their modulation of calcium dynamics remain unclear. We investigated the influence of calcium exchange in different spatial compartments and the dynamics of calcium concen

The peripheral nervous system (PNS) influences the function of nearly all tissues in the body, regulating various physiological processes. When compared to the central nervous system (CNS) type of neurons, an equivalent understanding of the functional properties of human PNS neurons is lacking in vitro while there is a need for better characterization of electrophysiologically mature human PNS neurons. Generating subtypes of human PNS neurons opens possibilities for physiologically more relevant innervation and OoC models both in health and disease.Here, we modified existing differentiation pr

…to infer brain activity by recording calcium dynamics in genetically defined populations of neurons. Aside from the wide variety of calcium indicators, other genetically encoded biosensors have recently been engineered to measure membrane potential, neurotransmitter release, pH, or various cellular metabolites, such as ATP or cAMP. Due to the spectral characteristics of these tools, different assemblies of optical hardware are usually needed to reveal the full potential of various biosensors. In a

The increasing prevalence of psychiatric disorders, such as depression, highlights the need to elucidate their underlying neurobiological mechanisms. The lateral habenula (LHb) and its neuronal activity contribute to the pathophysiology of depression when dysfunctional. Among the existing rodent models of depression, chronic corticosterone administration for 3-4 weeks recapitulates relevant behavioural aspects of the disease such as anhedonia and increased passive coping. However, the temporal emergence of these features and the cellular underpinnings remain unclear. Thus, we assessed the emer

Following injury, astrocytes undergo major alterations in morphology and gene expression, leading to the acquisition of distinct “reactivity” states that play important roles in brain tissue repair. Evidence indicates that these cellular states are also marked by rewiring of mitochondrial energy metabolism, i.e. the central hub for cellular energy metabolism and metabolic signaling. However, how such mitochondrial responses are regulated and how they may influence astrocyte reactivity remains unclear. Our prior research unveiled temporal and region-specific morphological changes in astrocytic

The brainstem locus coeruleus (LC) is a major source of noradrenaline to the forebrain and plays important roles in emotional learning. Though the LC receives synaptic inputs from the medial prefrontal cortex, a brain region important in cognitive and emotional processing, it is unclear whether and how prefrontal regions influence the LC particularly during fear extinction learning. To address this question, we first examined the detailed anatomical connectivity from prefrontal subregions to the LC in rats. Retrograde and anterograde tracing experiments showed that LC noradrenergic neurons rec

Motor cortex (MCtx) comprise the primary descending circuits for flexible control of voluntary movements and plays an important role in motor skill learning. The proposed mechanism for motor learning and updating is dopaminergic modulation of local neuronal activity. However, little is known about the organization of dopaminoceptive circuits in the MCtx. Therefore, we targeted cells expressing D1 and D2 receptors in the MCtx and discovered that neurons located in the superficial layer 2/3 have D2 receptors, whereas the majority of cells in deep output layers 5-6 express D1 receptors. We then i

…Astrocytes display calcium dyna

Stress-induced alterations in cognitive functions are documented to be mediated by corticosteroid hormones and hence mineralocorticoid (MR) and/or glucocorticoid receptor (GR) activation. Moreover, recent evidence underscores the pivotal role of the endocannabinoid system (ECS) as a modulator of stress responses including the impact of corticosteroids on diverse memory processes. However, the precise mechanisms governing corticosteroid-induced impairment of novel object recognition (NOR) retrieval are yet unknown. The present study aims at elucidating the intricate interactions between cortico

Behavior varies even among genetically identical animals raised in the same environment. However, little is known about the circuit or anatomical underpinnings of this individuality, though previous work implicates sensory periphery. Drosophila olfaction presents an ideal model to study the biological basis of behavioral individuality, because while the neural circuit underlying olfactory behavior is well-described and highly stereotyped, persistent idiosyncrasy in behavior, neural coding, and neural wiring have also been described. Projection neurons (PNs), which relay odor signals sensed by

behaviour varies even among genetically identical animals raised in the same environment. However, little is known about the circuit or anatomical underpinnings of this individuality, though previous work implicates sensory periphery. Drosophila olfaction presents an ideal model to study the biological basis of behavioural individuality, because while the neural circuit underlying olfactory behaviour is well-described and highly stereotyped, persistent idiosyncrasy in behaviour, neural coding, and neural wiring have also been described. Projection neurons (PNs), which relay odor signals sensed