Topic: mitofusin 2

Mitochondrial dysfunction has been implicated in psychiatric disorders, yet the specific cellular and molecular mechanisms remain elusive. Previous research has identified a connection between high trait anxiety and low levels of mitofusin 2 (Mfn2), a mitochondrial fusion protein, in the nucleus accumbens (NAc), a brain region crucial for motivation and goal-directed behavior. To assess the implications of Mfn2 in a cell-type specific manner, in this study we selectively manipulated Mfn2 in NAc dopamine receptor 1-expressing medium spiny neurons (D1-MSNs) using a viral vector (AAV1-Dyn-CRE) in

The nucleus accumbens (NAc), a brain region implicated in the regulation of anxiety-related behaviors, has been found to be susceptible to blood brain barrier (BBB) permeability in psychopathologies. Additionally, the positive effects of testosterone on BBB function and anxiety related behaviours is still controversial. In this study, exploiting natural phenotypic variation in anxiety-like behaviors in outbred Wistar male rats, we aimed at investigating whether testosterone plays a role in anxiety-related BBB disfunction. We classified animals as high (HA) or low anxious (LA) according to the