Topic: VIP

Inhibitory interneurons account for 20-30\% of neurons in the human neocortex (Markram et al. 2004) and separate into distinct cell-types (Gouwens et al. 2020, Lee et al. 2023). However, the functional role of these inhibitory cell-types is not yet well understood, especially not in the intact human neocortical circuit. Here we investigate the input-output transformations afforded by human inhibitory neurons as a function of cell-type compared to their rodent counterparts. To do so, we use multi-objective evolutionary optimization to develop approximately 4860 biophysically realistic and morph

Experiencing traumatic events can lead to the development of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in susceptible individuals. Pinpointing risk factors and mechanisms that lower individual vulnerability to PTSD presents a significant clinical challenge with considerable promise in prevention and threapy. Here we aimed to identify pretrauma cognitive and emotional traits and their neurobiological correlates that predict posttrauma fear generalization, a core symptom of PTSD. An unbiased exploration of neurobehavioral vulnerability traits determining trauma-related fear generalization suggests pr

Vasoactive-intestinal-polypeptide (VIP) is a neuropeptide that is localized together with its receptors (VPAC1 and VPAC2) in brain areas of the stress and anxiety circuit, such as central amygdala (CeA). However, the exact role of the CeA-VIP system in stress and anxiety function is not fully known. By using a pharmacological and chemogenetic approach we investigated the role of VIP in the CeA on anxiety and stress responses of mice. First, we administered specific VIP/VPAC receptor agonists/antagonists bilaterally into the CeA to evaluate effects on anxiety- and stress-related behaviors as we

Understanding the neural mechanisms underlying memory formation and retrieval is fundamental to unraveling the pathophysiology of Alzheimer's disease (AD). Inhibitory interneurons have fundamental roles in shaping neural circuits and synaptic plasticity within the hippocampus, a brain region critical for memory encoding and consolidation. However, the specific contribution of inhibitory interneurons to the formation and maintenance of engrams, the neural representations of memories, remains poorly understood, particularly in the context of AD.To determine neurons participating in the engram fo

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a devastating demyelinating disease of the central nervous system (CNS), characterised by white matter lesions, inflammation, and axonal degeneration.Pituitary adenylate cyclase-activating polypeptide (PACAP) and vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP) are endogenous neuropeptides whose signalling is mediated by three G-protein coupled receptors: PAC1, VPAC1 and VPAC2. While these neuropeptides are known for their neuroprotective and anti-inflammatory activities in the CNS, their role in preventing demyelination, neuronal degeneration and neuroinflammation is unclear. Th