A cAMP-Related Gene Network in Microglia Is Inversely Regulated by Morphine Tolerance and Withdrawal.

Background: Microglia have recently been implicated in opioid dependence and withdrawal. Mu Opioid (MOR) receptors are expressed in microglia, and microglia form intimate connections with nearby neurons. Accordingly, opioids have both direct (MOR mediated) and indirect (neuron-interaction mediated) effects on microglia function.

Mitigating End-of-Life Burden: Parallel Perspectives of Physician-Patients & Family Caregivers.

Context: Patients and family caregivers perceive burden in care at the end of life differently even when the patient is a physican.

Objectives: We describe how older adult physicians as prospective patients (hereafter "physician-patients") and family caregivers of physician-patients view burden in care at the end of life.

Methods: Interviews with physician-patients (n = 28) and family caregivers (n = 26) of physician-patients who had died were conducted as part of a shared decision-making study.

Chemogenetic inhibition of lateral habenula projections to the dorsal raphe nucleus reduces passive coping and perseverative reward seeking in rats.

The lateral habenula (LHb) processes information about aversive experiences that contributes to the symptoms of stress disorders. Previously, we found that chemogenetic inhibition of rat LHb neurons reduced immobility in the forced swim test, but the downstream target of these neurons was not known. Using an intersectional viral vector strategy, we selectively transduced three different output pathways from the LHb by injecting AAV8-DIO-hMDi into the LHb and CAV2-CRE (a retrograde viral vector) into one of the three target areas as follows: dorsal raphe nucleus (DRN), ventral tegmental area (VTA), or rostromedial tegmentum (RMTg).