Cortical VIP neurons as a critical node for dopamine actions.

Dopamine modulates a wide range of cognitive processes in the prefrontal cortex, but the underlying mechanisms remain unclear. Here, we examined the roles of prefrontal vasoactive intestinal polypeptide (VIP)-expressing neurons and their D1 receptors (D1Rs) in working memory using a delayed match-to-sample task in mice. VIP neurons conveyed robust working-memory signals, and their inactivation impaired behavioral performance.

Parallel processing of working memory and temporal information by distinct types of cortical projection neurons.

It is unclear how different types of cortical projection neurons work together to support diverse cortical functions. We examined the discharge characteristics and inactivation effects of intratelencephalic (IT) and pyramidal tract (PT) neurons-two major types of cortical excitatory neurons that project to cortical and subcortical structures, respectively-in the deep layer of the medial prefrontal cortex in mice performing a delayed response task. We found stronger target-dependent firing of IT than PT neurons during the delay period.

Dynamically changing neuronal activity supporting working memory for predictable and unpredictable durations.

Diverse neural processes have been proposed as the neural basis of working memory. To investigate whether the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) relies on different neural processes to mediate working memory depending on the predictability of delay duration, we examined mPFC neural activity in mice performing a delayed response task with fixed (4 s) or random (between 1-7 s) delay durations. mPFC neural activity was strongly influenced by the predictability of delay duration.

Endometrial stromal sarcoma of the sigmoid colon arising in endometriosis: a case report with a review of literatures.

Most of malignant tumors arising in ovarian and extraovarian endometriosis are carcinomas. Mixed mullerian tumor and endometrial stromal sarcoma arising in intestinal endometriosis are rarely described, but its clinicopathologic features have not been well characterized. Here we report a case of endometrial stromal sarcoma of the sigmoid colon arising in endometriosis with a review of six additional cases of endometrial stromal sarcoma arising in intestinal endometriosis found in English literatures.