Publications by authors named "Courtney A Akitake"
Cholinergic left-right asymmetry in the habenulo-interpeduncular pathway.
Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A
December 2013
Article Synopsis
- The habenulo-interpeduncular pathway in larval zebrafish is studied to understand left-right brain asymmetry, revealing important differences in gene expression and organization between the left and right dorsal habenular nuclei (dHb).
- Researchers identified a duplicated cholinergic gene locus, finding that specific genes related to cholinergic neurotransmission are more highly expressed in the right dHb, indicating a functional asymmetry.
- Experiments using optogenetics confirmed that activation of the right dHb leads to distinct excitatory and cholinergic responses in target neurons, while adult zebrafish show size differences in cholinergic and peptidergic subnuclei, affecting how they respond to nicotine.