Transcription and DNA methylation signatures of paternal behavior in hippocampal dentate gyrus of prairie voles.

In socially monogamous prairie voles (Microtus ochrogaster), parental behaviors not only occur in mothers and fathers, but also exist in some virgin males. In contrast, the other virgin males display aggressive behaviors towards conspecific pups. However, little is known about the molecular underpinnings of this behavioral dichotomy, such as gene expression changes and their regulatory mechanisms.

Role of Long Noncoding RNA Gas5 in Cocaine Action.

Background: Long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) are a class of transcribed RNA molecules greater than 200 nucleotides in length. Although lncRNAs do not encode proteins, they play numerous functional roles in gene expression regulation. lncRNAs are notably abundant in brain; however, their neural functions remain largely unknown.

Nicotine exposure beginning in adolescence enhances the acquisition of methamphetamine self-administration, but not methamphetamine-primed reinstatement in male rats.

Background: Nicotine is commonly abused in adolescence and is believed to be a "gateway" to other drugs of abuse [e.g., methamphetamine (METH)].

Postnatal manganese exposure does not alter dopamine autoreceptor sensitivity in adult and adolescent male rats.

Administering manganese chloride (Mn) to rats on postnatal day (PD) 1-21 causes long-term reductions in dopamine transporter levels in the dorsal striatum, as well as a persistent increase in D1 and D2 receptor concentrations. Whether dopamine autoreceptors change in number or sensitivity is uncertain, although D2S receptors, which may be presynaptic in origin, are elevated in Mn-exposed rats. The purpose of this study was to determine if early Mn exposure causes long-term changes in dopamine autoreceptor sensitivity that persist into adolescence and adulthood.