Acute Administration of HIV-1 Tat Protein Drives Glutamatergic Alterations in a Rodent Model of HIV-Associated Neurocognitive Disorders.

HIV-1-associated neurocognitive disorders (HAND) are a major comorbidity of HIV-1 infection, marked by impairment of executive function varying in severity. HAND affects nearly half of people living with HIV (PLWH), with mild forms predominating since the use of anti-retroviral therapies (ART). The HIV-1 transactivator of transcription (Tat) protein is found in the cerebrospinal fluid of patients adherent to ART, and its administration or expression in animals causes cognitive symptoms.

Pharmacologic enrichment of exosome yields and mitochondrial cargo.

In studies with human participants, exosome-based biospecimens can facilitate unique biomarker assessments. As exosome cargos can include mitochondrial components, there is interest in using exosomes to inform the status of an individual's mitochondria. Here, we evaluated whether targeted pharmacologic manipulations could influence the quantity of exosomes shed by cells, and whether these manipulations could impact their mitochondrial cargos.

Limitations of the rat medial forebrain lesion model to study prefrontal cortex mediated cognitive tasks in Parkinson's disease.

Parkinson's Disease (PD) is a progressive movement disorder characterized by the loss of dopaminergic neurons in the midbrain. Besides motor impairment, PD patients exhibit non-motor symptoms that negatively impact their quality of life and often manifest prior to motor deficits. One such symptom is mild cognitive impairment (PD-MCI), which is comprised of deficits in executive function such as working memory, attention, cognitive flexibility, and spatial memory.

Single and combined effects of Δ -tetrahydrocannabinol and cannabidiol in a mouse model of chemotherapy-induced neuropathic pain.

Background And Purpose: The non-psychoactive phytocannabinoid cannabidiol (CBD) can affect the pharmacological effects of Δ -tetrahydrocannabinol (THC). We tested the possible synergy between CBD and THC in decreasing mechanical sensitivity in a mouse model of paclitaxel-induced neuropathic pain. We also tested the effects of CBD on oxaliplatin- and vincristine-induced mechanical sensitivity.