Microglia Drive Pockets of Neuroinflammation in Middle Age.

During aging, microglia produce inflammatory factors, show reduced tissue surveillance, altered interactions with synapses, and prolonged responses to CNS insults, positioning these cells to have profound impact on the function of nearby neurons. We and others recently showed that microglial attributes differ significantly across brain regions in young adult mice. However, the degree to which microglial properties vary during aging is largely unexplored.

Association between preoperative peripheral blood mononuclear cell gene expression profiles, early postoperative organ function recovery potential and long-term survival in advanced heart failure patients undergoing mechanical circulatory support.

Background: Multiorgan dysfunction syndrome contributes to adverse outcomes in advanced heart failure (AdHF) patients after mechanical circulatory support (MCS) implantation and is associated with aberrant leukocyte activity. We tested the hypothesis that preoperative peripheral blood mononuclear cell (PBMC) gene expression profiles (GEP) can predict early postoperative improvement or non-improvement in patients undergoing MCS implantation. We believe this information may be useful in developing prognostic biomarkers.

Physiological and anatomical correlates of the human dentate gyrus: consequences or causes of epilepsy.

The presence of paroxysmal discharges in the epileptic human dentate gyrus provides a physiologic basis for hyperexcitability that may initiate seizure discharges during the development of epilepsy. Although these responses can occur with single orthodromic stimulation, data obtained under conditions that weaken synaptic inhibition (e.g.

Paroxysmal discharges in the EL mouse, a genetic model of epilepsy.

The EL/Suz (EL) mouse is a strain that is highly susceptible to convulsive seizures after repeated sensory stimulation. Its control strain, DDY/Jc1 (DDY), is less susceptible under similar conditions. The seizure prone phenotype is the result of differences at several genetic loci.

Mossy fiber reorganization and its possible physiological consequences in the dentate gyrus of epileptic humans.

It is unlikely that MF reorganization is the cause of epilepsy, but it may affect the progression of the disease, i.e., the frequency or severity of seizures.