药物滥用与神经元结构可塑性改变的关系

药物成瘾所导致的行为和生理方面的长时程改变可能与相关脑区突触连接的重构有关。安非他命、可卡因、吗啡和尼古丁滥用时,精神依赖和奖赏效应相关脑区神经元的树突和树突棘的结构发生改变,这反映药物滥用致相关神经回路突触连接方式的改变。这种改变足长时程的、脑区特异性的,是多种因素调节的结果。     

大脑皮层内活动依赖的神经环路结构可塑性研究进展

哺乳动物大脑皮层内的神经环路在神经发育、学习记忆、神经和精神疾病过程中表现出令人惊异的结构和功能可塑性。随着新的成像技术及分子生物学方法的应用,在细胞和突触水平上观察活体皮层内神经环路的动态结构变化成为可能,因此近十年来有关活动依赖的神经环路结构可塑性方面的研究进展迅速。该文综述了该方面的部分实验结果,重点阐述个体生长发育、丰富环境、感觉剥夺、病理状态以及学习和记忆等过程和条件下树突的结构可塑性特点,尤其是树突棘的形态和数量变化特征;并简单介绍轴突的结构可塑性,以及结构可塑性相关的分子和细胞机制,最后提出未来该领域内亟待解决的问题。     

脑源性神经营养因子研究进展

脑源性神经营养因子是一种小分子二聚体蛋白质,在结构上与神经生长因子相关。对中枢神经系统的多种类型神经元的生长、发育、分化、维护和再生部具有重要作用,对于治疗运动神经元病变以及神经系统迟行性疾病有显疗效。本对其细胞与分子生物学特征、生物学功能进行阐述。     

长期运动对幼龄大鼠下丘脑脑源性神经营养因子表达的影响

目的：探讨下丘脑脑源性神经营养因子（BDNF）与幼龄大鼠长期运动中摄食调节活动的关系。方法：3周龄断乳SD大鼠随机分为运动组（E）和对照组（C）,运动组进行9周的游泳运动（每天1次,每周6 d）,运动时间由开始每次30 min逐渐增加到每次90 min。12周龄时用ELISA法测试血清BDNF含量,RT-PCR和Western blot方法检测下丘脑中BDNF mRNA、pro-BDNF和BDFN蛋白表达水平。结果：与C组比较,E组大鼠在运动第1周、第9周以及整个实验期间摄食量无变化。12周龄时与C组相比,E组血清BDNF含量和下丘脑BDNF mRNA表达水平无变化,但下丘脑pro-BDNF和BDNF蛋白表达水平升高（P〈0.05）。结论：长期运动使幼龄大鼠下丘脑BDNF和pro-BDNF蛋白表达水平同时升高。     

药物成瘾及成瘾记忆的研究现状

本文在介绍药物成瘾与学习和记忆密切相关的神经回路及共同分子机制的基础上,围绕学习和记忆在药物成瘾中的作用,综述了关联性学习与复吸,关联性学习与敏化,异常关联性学习与强迫性用药行为,关联性学习及成瘾记忆与成瘾,多重记忆系统与成瘾的发生发展等方面的研究进展,并强调了突触可塑性及成瘾记忆在药物成瘾中的重要性。在此基础上提出：作为慢性脑病的药物成瘾的形成过程的重要特征是它包含着信息的特殊学习类型。药物成瘾与依赖于多巴胺的关联性学习紊乱有密切关系。海马可能在成瘾中扮演重要角色。     

病理条件下的神经可塑性及在针灸研究中的可能应用

大脑是由可塑性极强的神经元组成。许多病理因素通过神经可塑性的分子细胞学机制诱导出特异性的神经活动模式,从而在细胞学水平引起脑的病理生理变化。这一逐步完善的理论不仅为理解诸多极为复杂的神经系统疾病提供了理论依据,亦为将来的临床治疗提供了可行的途径。针灸效用的生物学机制目前尚不十分清楚,有证据表明经络可能直接或间接地传入中枢神经系统,并通过重塑神经元活动模式（可塑性）达到某些治疗效果。由于这方面的研究尚处于起步阶段,这里以药物成瘾中神经可塑性作为范例,论述外周刺激如何利用神经可塑性改变脑的功能。药物成瘾是一种中枢神经系统性疾病,通常被定义为无法自拔的药物使用。充分证据表明,反复使用某种依赖性药物后,中脑边缘多巴胺（DA）系统的神经回路会发生一系列病理性的持久变化,从而导致动物情绪上的巨大改变。发现、鉴定和总结成瘾性药物在中脑边缘DA系统引发的长时程细胞学变化,是目前揭开成瘾的神经学机制的一条可行之路。突触可塑性变化是长时程神经变化中,进展最快、最深入的研究领域。因此,本综述试图以药物成瘾为例,阐明在特定病理条件下神经系统可塑性的普遍机制和在针灸研究中的可能应用。     

脑源性神经营养因子前体蛋白生物学效应研究进展

神经营养因子是一类分泌性多肽类生长因子,可促进中枢和外周神经元的生长、存活以及分化,但其前体分子却具有不同的生物学活性,也有着不同的受体以及细胞内信号通路。本文对近年来关于脑源性神经营养因子前体蛋白的研究予以综述,着重讨论其在神经损伤与情绪障碍和神经退行性变疾病模型中的作用。     

马来熊脑源性神经营养因子基因编码区的克隆与序列分析

参照人脑源性神经神经生长因子（ＢＤＮＦ）基因序列设计出一对引物，利用聚合酶链式反应，首次从马来熊基因组ＤＮＡ中扩增和克隆到ＢＤＮＦ基因的编码区。对该基因所作的序列分析表明，马来熊和人ＢＤＮＦ基因编码区的核苷酸序列同源性为９４％，而与大熊猫ＢＤＮＦ基因的核苷酸序列同源性高达９９％。在推导的多肽序列中，除在前导肽区有两个氨基酸的差异外，马来熊ＢＤＮＦ的成熟区与人和其他已报道的哺乳动物ＢＤＮＦ成熟区的氨     

谷氨酸受体调控树突棘形态可塑性的研究进展

树突棘是神经元之间产生直接联系的部位,其形态可塑性是记忆的结构基础。谷氨酸信息传递是中枢神经信息传递的主要方式,能产生突触传递效率的可塑性,由此引起树突棘形态的可塑性变化。本文从谷氨酸受体途径的角度对树突棘形态可塑性的调控机制做一综述。谷氨酸受体主要通过其下游信号分子调节棘内肌动蛋白动力学蛋白,参与树突棘的形态发生和稳定。该作用在局部受到不同的蛋白、信号分子、激素、mi RNAs的调节,从而参与生理及病理过程。最后,提出展望,研究脑区特异的局部微环境变化对记忆相关疾病病因及治疗探讨有参考价值。     

Synaptic competition in structural plasticity and cognitive function

Connections between neurons can undergo long-lasting changes in synaptic strength correlating with changes in structure. These events require the synthesis of new proteins, the availability of which can lead to cooperative and competitive interactions between synapses for the expression of plasticity. These processes can occur over limited spatial distances and temporal periods, defining dendritic regions over which activity may be integrated and could lead to the physical rewiring of synapses into functional groups. Such clustering of inputs may increase the computational power of neurons by allowing information to be combined in a greater than additive manner. The availability of new proteins may be a key modulatory step towards activity-dependent, long-term growth or elimination of spines necessary for remodelling of connections. Thus, the aberrant growth or shrinkage of dendritic spines could occur if protein levels are misregulated. Indeed, such perturbations can be seen in several mental retardation disorders, wherein either too much or too little protein translation exists, matching an observed increase or decrease in spine density, respectively. Cellular events which alter protein availability could relieve a constraint on synaptic competition and disturb synaptic clustering mechanisms. These changes may be detrimental to modifications in neural circuitry following activity.     

Aging impairs dendrite morphogenesis of newborn neurons and is rescued by 7, 8‐dihydroxyflavone

All aging individuals will develop some degree of decline in cognitive capacity as time progresses. The molecular and cellular mechanisms leading to age‐related cognitive decline are still not fully understood. Through our previous research, we discovered that active neural progenitor cells selectively become more quiescent in response to aging, thus leading to the decline of neurogenesis in the aged hippocampus. Here, we further find that aging impaired dendrite development of newborn neurons. Currently, no effective approach is available to increase neurogenesis or promote dendrite development of newborn neurons in the aging brain. We found that systemically administration of 7, 8‐dihydroxyflavone (DHF), a small molecule imitating brain‐derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), significantly enhanced dendrite length in the newborn neurons, while it did not promote survival of immature neurons, in the hippocampus of 12‐month‐old mice. DHF‐promoted dendrite development of newborn neurons in the hippocampus may enhance their function in the aging animal leading to a possible improvement in cognition.     

Neuropeptide orphanin FQ inhibits dendritic morphogenesis through activation of RhoA

Brain‐derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) plays a facilitatory role in neuronal development and promotion of differentiation. Mechanisms that oppose BDNF's stimulatory effects create balance and regulate dendritic growth. However, these mechanisms have not been studied. We have focused our studies on the BDNF‐induced neuropeptide OrphaninFQ/ Nociceptin (OFQ); while BDNF is known to enhance synaptic activity, OFQ has opposite effects on activity, learning, and memory. We have now examined whether OFQ provides a balance to the stimulatory effects of BDNF on neuronal differentiation in the hippocampus. Golgi staining in OFQ knockout (KO) mice revealed an increase in primary dendrite length as well as spine density, suggesting that endogenous OFQ inhibits dendritic morphology. We have also used cultured hippocampal neurons to demonstrate that exogenous OFQ has an inhibitory effect on dendritic growth and that the neuropeptide alters the response to BDNF when pre‐administered. To determine if BDNF and OFQ act in a feedback loop, we inhibited the actions of the BDNF and OFQ receptors, TrkB and NOP using ANA‐12 and NOP KO mice respectively but our data suggest that the two factors do not act in a negative feedback loop. We found that the inhibition of dendritic morphology induced by OFQ is via enhanced RhoA activity. Finally, we have evidence that RhoA activation is required for the inhibitory effects of OFQ on dendritic morphology. Our results reveal basic mechanisms by which neurons not only regulate the formation of proper dendritic growth during development but also control plasticity in the mature nervous system. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Develop Neurobiol 73: 769–784, 2013     

Age-dependent effects of chronic stress on brain plasticity and depressive behavior

Exposure to chronic mild stress (CMS) is known to induce anhedonia in adult animals, and is associated with induction of depression in humans. However, the behavioral effects of CMS in young animals have not yet been characterized, and little is known about the long-term neurochemical effects of CMS in either young or adult animals. Here, we found that CMS induces anhedonia in adult but not in young animals, as measured by a set of behavioral paradigms. Furthermore, while CMS decreased neurogenesis and levels of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) in the hippocampus of adult animals, it increased these parameters in young animals. We also found that CMS altered alpha-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methylisoxazole-4-propionate (AMPA) receptor GluR1 subunit levels in the hippocampus and the nucleus accumbens of adult, but not young animals. Finally, no significant differences were observed between the effects of CMS on circadian corticosterone levels in the different age groups. The substantially different neurochemical effects chronic stress exerts in young and adult animals may explain the behavioral resilience to such stress young animals possess.     

Non-ionotropic NMDA receptor signaling gates bidirectional structural plasticity of dendritic spines

1. Download : Download high-res image (136KB)
2. Download : Download full-size image

     

Homeostatic Plasticity in the Hippocampus Facilitates Memory Extinction

1. Download high-res image (199KB)
2. Download full-size image

     

Role of presenilin 1 in structural plasticity of cortical dendritic spines in vivo

Mutations in presenilins are the major cause of familial Alzheimer's disease (FAD), leading to impairments of memory and synaptic plasticity followed by age-dependent neurodegeneration. Presenilins are the catalytic subunits of γ-secretase, which itself is critically involved in the processing of amyloid precursor protein to release neurotoxic amyloid β (Aβ). Besides Aβ generation, there is growing evidence that presenilins play an essential role in the formation and maintenance of synapses. To further elucidate the effect of presenilin1 (PS1) on synapses, we performed longitudinal in vivo two-photon imaging of dendritic spines in the somatosensory cortex of transgenic mice over-expressing either human wild-type PS1 or the FAD-mutated variant A246E (FAD-PS1). Interestingly, the consequences of transgene expression were different in two subtypes of cortical dendrites. On apical layer 5 dendrites, we found an enhanced spine density in both mice over-expressing human wild-type presenilin1 and FAD-PS1, whereas on basal layer 3 dendrites only over-expression of FAD-PS1 increased the spine density. Time-lapse imaging revealed no differences in kinetically distinct classes of dendritic spines nor was the shape of spines affected. Although γ-secretase-dependent processing of synapse-relevant proteins seemed to be unaltered, higher expression levels of ryanodine receptors suggest a modified Ca(2+) homeostasis in PS1 over-expressing mice. However, the conditional depletion of PS1 in single cortical neurons had no observable impact on dendritic spines. In consequence, our results favor the view that PS1 influences dendritic spine plasticity in a gain-of-function but γ-secretase-independent manner.     

Escalating ethanol intake is associated with altered corticostriatal BDNF expression

Alcoholism is a chronically relapsing condition, indicative of long-term neuronal adaptations maintaining the disease even after prolonged abstinence. Previously, we identified brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) in the dorsal striatum as the central mediator of a homeostatic mechanism which is activated by acute alcohol (ethanol) exposure and functions to decrease the sensitivity of rodents to ethanol-related behaviors. We hypothesized that extensive exposure to ethanol would result in dysregulation of this BDNF-mediated protective mechanism, accompanied by heightened ethanol intake. In this study, we demonstrate that while a single bout of ethanol intake increases BDNF mRNA expression in the dorsal striatum, this effect is no longer observed after 6 weeks of daily ethanol access. Additionally, 6 weeks of ethanol consumption decreases BDNF in the cortex, a main source of BDNF for the striatum. Importantly, these ethanol-induced changes in BDNF levels are not ameliorated by 2 weeks' abstinence. Together, these data suggest that the BDNF pathway, which is activated following a single bout of ethanol drinking, breaks down by the end of 6 weeks of access and does not recover its protective function after a 2-week deprivation period. These results suggest that the persistence of altered BDNF signaling may contribute to the inflexibility of addictive behaviors.     

NMDAR‐dependent Argonaute 2 phosphorylation regulates miRNA activity and dendritic spine plasticity

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) repress translation of target mRNAs by associating with Argonaute (Ago) proteins to form the RNA‐induced silencing complex (RISC), underpinning a powerful mechanism for fine‐tuning protein expression. Specific miRNAs are required for NMDA receptor (NMDAR)‐dependent synaptic plasticity by modulating the translation of proteins involved in dendritic spine morphogenesis or synaptic transmission. However, it is unknown how NMDAR stimulation stimulates RISC activity to rapidly repress translation of synaptic proteins. We show that NMDAR stimulation transiently increases Akt‐dependent phosphorylation of Ago2 at S387, which causes an increase in binding to GW182 and a rapid increase in translational repression of LIMK1 via miR‐134. Furthermore, NMDAR‐dependent down‐regulation of endogenous LIMK1 translation in dendrites and dendritic spine shrinkage requires phospho‐regulation of Ago2 at S387. AMPAR trafficking and hippocampal LTD do not involve S387 phosphorylation, defining this mechanism as a specific pathway for structural plasticity. This work defines a novel mechanism for the rapid transduction of NMDAR stimulation into miRNA‐mediated translational repression to control dendritic spine morphology.