From smooth brains to rocky mountains: Quentin Pittman in a Quintessentially Canadian career.

This commentary is to honour Dr Quentin Pittman as he steps back from an active role in academia. Pittman's work leaves a legacy of ground-breaking discoveries, impeccable research, and generous mentorship. His work on thermoregulation, vasopressin, perinatal programming, and hypothalamic function laid a good part of the foundation of the psychoneuroimmunology research we do today.

Maternal immune activation alters the GABAergic system in the prefrontal cortex of female rat offspring: Role of interleukin-6.

Maternal immune activation (MIA) induces long-term cognitive impairments by modulating the gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA)ergic system. Experimental evidence suggests that maternal immune challenge with bacterial active ingredient lipopolysaccharide (LPS) reduces GABAergic tone in the offspring's prefrontal cortex. In this study, we aimed to assess whether interleukin-6 (IL-6) contributes to this reduced GABAergic system in the prefrontal cortex of juvenile offspring.

The Effects of Neuroactive Steroids on Myelin in Health and Disease.

Myelin plays a pivotal role in the efficient transmission of nerve impulses. Disruptions in myelin integrity are associated with numerous neurological disorders, including multiple sclerosis. In the central nervous system (CNS), myelin is formed by oligodendrocytes.

Breastfeeding promotes oligodendrocyte precursor cells division and myelination in the demyelinated corpus callosum.

Demyelination alters the conduction of neuronal signals and hampers sensory-motor functions. Experimental and clinical evidence suggest that breastfeeding exerts a promyelinating impact on the maternal brain. The mechanism underlying this neuroprotective effect is not well-understood.