Mesolimbic neuropeptide W coordinates stress responses under novel environments.

Neuropeptide B (NPB) and neuropeptide W (NPW) are endogenous neuropeptide ligands for the G protein-coupled receptors NPBWR1 and NPBWR2. Here we report that the majority of NPW neurons in the mesolimbic region possess tyrosine hydroxylase immunoreactivity, indicating that a small subset of dopaminergic neurons coexpress NPW. These NPW-containing neurons densely and exclusively innervate two limbic system nuclei in adult mouse brain: the lateral bed nucleus of the stria terminalis and the lateral part of the central amygdala nucleus (CeAL).

Modulation of circadian glucocorticoid oscillation via adrenal opioid-CXCR7 signaling alters emotional behavior.

Circulating glucocorticoid levels oscillate with a robust circadian rhythm, yet the physiological relevance of this rhythmicity remains unclear. Here, we show that modulation of circadian glucocorticoid oscillation by enhancing its amplitude leads to anxiolytic-like behavior. We observed that mice with adrenal subcapsular cell hyperplasia (SCH), a common histological change in the adrenals, are less anxious than mice without SCH.

Loss of Goosecoid-like and DiGeorge syndrome critical region 14 in interpeduncular nucleus results in altered regulation of rapid eye movement sleep.

Sleep and wakefulness are regulated primarily by inhibitory interactions between the hypothalamus and brainstem. The expression of the states of rapid eye movement (REM) sleep and non-REM (NREM) sleep also are correlated with the activity of groups of REM-off and REM-on neurons in the dorsal brainstem. However, the contribution of ventral brainstem nuclei to sleep regulation has been little characterized to date.