Oxytocin Exhibits Neuroprotective Effects on Hippocampal Cultures under Severe Oxygen-Glucose Deprivation Conditions.

Perinatal asphyxia (PA) and hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy can result in severe, long-lasting neurological deficits. In vitro models, such as oxygen-glucose deprivation (OGD), are used experimentally to investigate neuronal response to metabolic stress. However, multiple variables can affect the severity level of OGD/PA and may confound any measured treatment effect.

Investigating Different Levels of Bimanual Interaction With a Novel Motor Learning Task: A Behavioural and Transcranial Alternating Current Stimulation Study.

Many tasks require the skilled interaction of both hands, such as eating with knife and fork or keyboard typing. However, our understanding of the behavioural and neurophysiological mechanisms underpinning bimanual motor learning is still sparse. Here, we aimed to address this by first characterising learning-related changes of different levels of bimanual interaction and second investigating how beta tACS modulates these learning-related changes.

Recent advances in the role of excitation-inhibition balance in motor recovery post-stroke.

Stroke affects millions of people worldwide each year, and stroke survivors are often left with motor deficits. Current therapies to improve these functional deficits are limited, making it a priority to better understand the pathophysiology of stroke recovery and find novel adjuvant options. The excitation-inhibition balance undergoes significant changes post-stroke, and the inhibitory neurotransmitter γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA) appears to play an important role in stroke recovery.

Neuronal Transmembrane Chloride Transport Has a Time-Dependent Influence on Survival of Hippocampal Cultures to Oxygen-Glucose Deprivation.

Neuronal ischemia results in chloride gradient alterations which impact the excitatory-inhibitory balance, volume regulation, and neuronal survival. Thus, the Na/K/Cl co-transporter (NKCC1), the K/ Cl co-transporter (KCC2), and the gamma-aminobutyric acid A (GABA) receptor may represent therapeutic targets in stroke, but a time-dependent effect on neuronal viability could influence the outcome. We, therefore, successively blocked NKCC1, KCC2, and GABA (with bumetanide, DIOA, and gabazine, respectively) or activated GABA (with isoguvacine) either during or after oxygen-glucose deprivation (OGD).

Maternal High-Fat Diet Modifies the Immature Hippocampus Vulnerability to Perinatal Asphyxia in Rats.

Background: High-fat diet (HFD) is a detrimental habit with harmful systemic consequences, including low-grade, long-lasting inflammation. During pregnancy, HFD can induce developmental changes. Moreover, HFD-related maternal obesity might enhance the risk of peripartum complications including hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy secondary to perinatal asphyxia (PA).