Neuronal plasticity is a crucial mechanism for an adapting nervous system to change. It is shown to be regulated by perineuronal nets (PNNs), the condensed forms of the extracellular matrix (ECM) around neuronal bodies. By assessing the changes in the number, intensity, and structure of PNNs, the ultrastructure of the PNN mesh, and the expression of inhibitory and excitatory synaptic inputs on these neurons, we aimed to clarify the role of an ECM glycoprotein, tenascin-C (TnC), in the dorsal hippocampus.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFIntroduction: There is an increasing evidence supporting the hypothesis that traumatic experiences during early developmental periods might be associated with psychopathology later in life. Maternal deprivation (MD) in rodents has been proposed as an animal model for certain aspects of neuropsychiatric disorders.
Methods: To determine whether early-life stress leads to changes in GABAergic, inhibitory interneurons in the limbic system structures, specifically the amygdala and nucleus accumbens, 9-day-old Wistar rats were exposed to a 24 h MD.
Unlabelled: Prognosis is an essential component of informed consent for medical decision making. Research shows that physicians display discrepancies in their prognostication, leading to variable, inaccurate, optimistic, or pessimistic prognosis. Factors driving these discrepancies and the supporting evidence have not been reviewed systematically.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFEarly life stress negatively impacts brain development and affects structure and function of parvalbumin immunopositive (PV+) inhibitory neurons. Main regulators of PV+ interneurons activity and plasticity are perineuronal nets (PNNs), an extracellular matrix formation that enwraps PV+ interneurons mainly in the neocortex and hippocampus. To experimentally address the impact of early life stress on the PNNs and PV+ interneurons in the medial prefrontal cortex and dorsal hippocampus in rats, we employed a 24 h maternal deprivation protocol.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFIntroduction: There has been a proliferation of initiatives targeted towards improving psychological wellbeing among medical learners. Yet many learners do not seek assistance due to stigma against help seeking. Understanding the prevailing discourses on the effects of mental health stigma in the context of medical education will improve insight on how to address stigma and improve wellbeing.
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