Acute stress induces different changes on the expression of CB1 receptors in the hippocampus of two lines of male rats differing in their response to stressors.

The stress-induced alterations in cognitive processes and psychiatric disorders can be accelerated when acute stressors challenge the hippocampal functions. To address this issue, we used Western Blot (WB) and immunohistochemistry assays to investigate the impact of acute forced swimming (FS) on the expression of the CB1 cannabinoid receptors (CB1R) in the hippocampus (HC) of the male outbred Roman High- (RHA) and Low-Avoidance (RLA) rat lines, one of the most validated genetic models for the study of behavior related to fear/anxiety and stress-induced depression. The distinct responses to FS confirmed the different behavioral strategies displayed by the two phenotypes when exposed to stressors, with RLA and RHA rats displaying reactive vs.

Mixing energy drinks and alcohol during adolescence impairs brain function: A study of rat hippocampal plasticity.

In the last decades, the consumption of energy drinks has risen dramatically, especially among young people, adolescents and athletes, driven by the constant search for ergogenic effects, such as the increase in physical and cognitive performance. In parallel, mixed consumption of energy drinks and ethanol, under a binge drinking modality, under a binge drinking modality, has similarly grown among adolescents. However, little is known whether the combined consumption of these drinks, during adolescence, may have long-term effects on central function, raising the question of the risks of this habit on brain maturation.

Effects of Tail Pinch on BDNF and trkB Expression in the Hippocampus of Roman Low- (RLA) and High-Avoidance (RHA) Rats.

In this article, we describe the effects of tail pinch (TP), a mild acute stressor, on the levels of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) and its tyrosine kinase receptor B (trkB) proteins in the hippocampus (HC) of the outbred Roman High- (RHA) and Low-Avoidance (RLA) rats, one of the most validated genetic models for the study of fear/anxiety- and stress-related behaviors. Using Western blot (WB) and immunohistochemistry assays, we show for the first time that TP induces distinct changes in the levels of BDNF and trkB proteins in the dorsal (dHC) and ventral (vHC) HC of RHA and RLA rats. The WB assays showed that TP increases BDNF and trkB levels in the dHC of both lines but induces opposite changes in the vHC, decreasing BDNF levels in RHA rats and trkB levels in RLA rats.

Acute Stress Induces Different Changes on the Expression of BDNF and trkB in the Mesocorticolimbic System of Two Lines of Rats Differing in Their Response to Stressors.

The present work was undertaken to investigate the effects of acute forced swimming (FS) on the levels of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) and tyrosine kinase receptor B (trkB) proteins in: the ventral tegmental area (VTA); the nucleus accumbens (Acb) shell and core compartments; and the anterior cingulate (ACg), prelimbic (PL) and infralimbic (IL) territories of the prefrontal cortex of genetic models of vulnerability (RLA, Roman low-avoidance rats) and resistance (RHA, Roman high-avoidance rats) to stress-induced depression. We report for the first time that FS induced very rapid and distinct changes in the levels of BDNF and trkB proteins in different areas of the mesocorticolimbic system of RHA and RLA rats. Thus, (1) in the VTA and Acb core, FS elicited a significant increase of both BDNF- and trkB-LI in RHA but not RLA rats, whereas in the Acb shell no significant changes in BDNF- and trkB-LI across the line and treatment were observed; (2) in RLA rats, the basal levels of BDNF-LI in the IL/PL cortex and of trkB-LI in the ACg cortex were markedly lower than those of RHA rats; moreover, BDNF- and trkB-LI in the IL/PL and ACg cortex were increased by FS in RLA rats but decreased in their RHA counterparts.

The density of hepatic autonomic innervation differs between compensatory and direct hyperplasia rat models.

To contribute to the knowledge of the autonomic innervation in liver regeneration, here we investigate the distribution of tyrosine hydroxylase (TH)- and choline acetyltransferase (ChAT)-like immunoreactive (LI) nerve fibers, to indicate noradrenergic and cholinergic nerves, respectively, in rats under different conditions of liver damage and repair. By immunohistochemistry and assessment of nerve fiber density, three models of induced hepatic regeneration were examined: the carbon tetrachloride (CCl ) intoxication, with two treatment periods of 14 weeks and 18 weeks; the partial hepatectomy (PH); the thyroid hormone (T3) treatment. TH- and ChAT-LI nerve fibers were detectable mostly in the portal spaces, the TH-LI ones occurring only around blood vessels while the ChAT-LI nerve fibers were also associated with secretory ducts.

In vivo probabilistic atlas of white matter tracts of the human subthalamic area combining track density imaging and optimized diffusion tractography.

The human subthalamic area is a region of high anatomical complexity, tightly packed with tiny fiber bundles. Some of them, including the pallidothalamic, cerebello-thalamic, and mammillothalamic tracts, are relevant targets in functional neurosurgery for various brain diseases. Diffusion-weighted imaging-based tractography has been suggested as a useful tool to map white matter pathways in the human brain in vivo and non-invasively, though the reconstruction of these specific fiber bundles is challenging due to their small dimensions and complex anatomy.

Neuroplastic changes in c-Fos, ΔFosB, BDNF, trkB, and Arc expression in the hippocampus of male Roman rats: differential effects of sexual activity.

Sexual activity causes differential changes in the expression of markers of neural activation (c-Fos and ΔFosB) and neural plasticity (Arc and BDNF/trkB), as determined either by Western Blot (BDNF, trkB, Arc, and ΔFosB) or immunohistochemistry (BDNF, trkB, Arc, and c-Fos), in the hippocampus of male Roman high (RHA) and low avoidance (RLA) rats, two psychogenetically selected rat lines that display marked differences in sexual behavior (RHA rats exhibit higher sexual motivation and better copulatory performance than RLA rats). Both methods showed (with some differences) that sexual activity modifies the expression levels of these markers in the hippocampus of Roman rats depending on: (i) the level of sexual experience, that is, changes were usually more evident in sexually naïve than in experienced rats; (ii) the hippocampal partition, that is, BDNF and Arc increased in the dorsal but tended to decrease in the ventral hippocampus; (iii) the marker considered, that is, in sexually experienced animals BDNF, c-Fos, and Arc levels were similar to those of controls, while ΔFosB levels increased; and (iv) the rat line, that is, changes were usually larger in RHA than RLA rats. These findings resemble those of early studies in RHA and RLA rats showing that sexual activity influences the expression of these markers in the nucleus accumbens, medial prefrontal cortex, and ventral tegmental area, and show for the first time that also in the hippocampus sexual activity induces neural activation and plasticity, events that occur mainly during the first phase of the acquisition of sexual experience and depend on the genotypic/phenotypic characteristics of the animals.

Anti-Inflammatory Effect of Beta-Caryophyllene Mediated by the Involvement of TRPV1, BDNF and trkB in the Rat Cerebral Cortex after Hypoperfusion/Reperfusion.

We have previously shown that bilateral common carotid artery occlusion followed by reperfusion (BCCAO/R) is a model to study early hypoperfusion/reperfusion-induced changes in biomarkers of the tissue physiological response to oxidative stress and inflammation. Thus in this study, we investigate with immunochemical assays if a single dose of beta-caryophyllene (BCP), administered before the BCCAO/R, can modulate the TRPV1, BDNF, and trkB receptor in the brain cortex; the glial markers GFAP and Iba1 were also examined. Frontal and temporal-occipital cortical regions were analyzed in two groups of male rats, sham-operated and submitted to BCCAO/R.

Red nucleus structure and function: from anatomy to clinical neurosciences.

The red nucleus (RN) is a large subcortical structure located in the ventral midbrain. Although it originated as a primitive relay between the cerebellum and the spinal cord, during its phylogenesis the RN shows a progressive segregation between a magnocellular part, involved in the rubrospinal system, and a parvocellular part, involved in the olivocerebellar system. Despite exhibiting distinct evolutionary trajectories, these two regions are strictly tied together and play a prominent role in motor and non-motor behavior in different animal species.

Altered Sexual Behavior in Dopamine Transporter (DAT) Knockout Male Rats: A Behavioral, Neurochemical and Intracerebral Microdialysis Study.

Central dopamine plays a key role in sexual behavior. Recently, a Dopamine Transporter knockout (DAT KO) rat has been developed, which displays several behavioral dysfunctions that have been related to increased extracellular dopamine levels and altered dopamine turnover secondary to DAT gene silencing. This prompted us to characterize the sexual behavior of these DAT KO rats and their heterozygote (HET) and wild type (WT) counterparts in classical copulatory tests with a sexually receptive female rat and to verify if and how the acquisition of sexual experience changes along five copulatory tests in these rat lines.

Tyrosine-hydroxylase, dopamine β-hydroxylase and choline acetyltransferase-like immunoreactive fibres in the human major sublingual gland.

Objective: To study the innervation of the major sublingual gland by means of immunohistochemistry.

Design: Bioptic and autoptic specimens of the major sublingual gland of humans were examined for the presence of immunoreactivity to tyrosine hydroxylase and dopamine-β-hydroxylase, on one hand, and choline acetyltransferase, on the other, to indicate adrenergic and cholinergic nerves, respectively.

Results: Acini and ducts were supplied by both divisions of the autonomic nervous system.

Case report of sudden death after a gunshot wound to the C2 vertebral bone without direct spinal cord injury: Histopathological analysis of spinal-medullary junction.

Gunshot wounds (GSW) are one of the most common causes of penetrating spinal injury, however few data are available regarding GSW causing an indirect fatal nervous tissue injury, such as that induced by the concussive force secondary to the bullet penetration. This report describes a rare case of a death following a GSW spine injury at the level of C2 vertebral body, without direct contact with the spinal cord, as seen with computed tomography scan performed soon after the death. At autopsy, vertebral canal and dura mater, as well as spinal cord and medulla oblongata, appeared devoid of pathologies and/or lesions, major viscera were unaltered.

Resveratrol Regulates BDNF, trkB, PSA-NCAM, and Arc Expression in the Rat Cerebral Cortex after Bilateral Common Carotid Artery Occlusion and Reperfusion.

The polyphenol resveratrol (RVT) may drive protective mechanisms of cerebral homeostasis during the hypoperfusion/reperfusion triggered by the transient bilateral common carotid artery occlusion followed by reperfusion (BCCAO/R). This immunochemical study investigates if a single dose of RVT modulates the plasticity-related markers brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), the tyrosine kinase trkB receptor, Polysialylated-Neural Cell Adhesion Molecule (PSA-NCAM), and Activity-regulated cytoskeleton-associated (Arc) protein in the brain cortex after BCCAO/R. Frontal and temporal-occipital cortical regions were examined in male Wistar rats randomly subdivided in two groups, sham-operated and submitted to BCCAO/R.

Effect of Acute Stress on the Expression of BDNF, trkB, and PSA-NCAM in the Hippocampus of the Roman Rats: A Genetic Model of Vulnerability/Resistance to Stress-Induced Depression.

The Roman High-Avoidance (RHA) and the Roman Low-Avoidance (RLA) rats, represent two psychogenetically-selected lines that are, respectively, resistant and prone to displaying depression-like behavior, induced by stressors. In the view of the key role played by the neurotrophic factors and neuronal plasticity, in the pathophysiology of depression, we aimed at assessing the effects of acute stress, i.e.

c-Fos, ΔFosB, BDNF, trkB and Arc Expression in the Limbic System of Male Roman High- and Low-Avoidance Rats that Show Differences in Sexual Behavior: Effect of Sexual Activity.

Male Roman High- (RHA) and Low-Avoidance (RLA) rats display significant differences in sexual behavior (RHA rats exhibit higher sexual motivation and better copulatory performance than RLA rats). These differences are very evident in sexually naïve rats (which copulate with a receptive female rat for the first time), and are still present, although reduced, after five copulatory tests, when sexual experience has been acquired. Since sexual activity is a natural reward that induces neural activation and synaptic plastic changes in limbic brain areas, we studied whether the differences in sexual activity between these rat lines are accompanied by changes in the expression of markers of neural activation and plasticity, i.

TRPV1-Like Immunoreactivity in the Human Locus K, a Distinct Subregion of the Cuneate Nucleus.

The presence of transient receptor potential vanilloid type-1 receptor (TRPV1)-like immunoreactivity (LI), in the form of nerve fibres and terminals, is shown in a set of discrete gray matter subregions placed in the territory of the human cuneate nucleus. We showed previously that those subregions share neurochemical and structural features with the protopathic nuclei and, after the ancient name of our town, collectively call them Locus Karalis, and briefly Locus K. TRPV1-LI in the Locus K is codistributed, though not perfectly overlapped, with that of the neuropeptides calcitonin gene-related peptide and substance P, the topography of the elements immunoreactive to the three markers, in relation to each other, reflecting that previously described in the caudal spinal trigeminal nucleus.

The Roman high- and low-avoidance rats differ in the sensitivity to shock-induced suppression of drinking and to the anxiogenic effect of pentylenetetrazole.

The Roman high- (RHA) and low-avoidance (RLA) outbred rat lines are selected for respectively rapid vs. poor acquisition of active avoidant behavior. Emotional reactivity appears to be the most prominent behavioral difference between the two lines, with RLA rats being more fearful/anxious than their RHA counterparts.

Acute administration of beta-caryophyllene prevents endocannabinoid system activation during transient common carotid artery occlusion and reperfusion.

Background: The transient global cerebral hypoperfusion/reperfusion achieved by induction of Bilateral Common Carotid Artery Occlusion followed by Reperfusion (BCCAO/R) has been shown to stimulate early molecular changes that can be easily traced in brain tissue and plasma, and that are indicative of the tissue physiological response to the reperfusion-induced oxidative stress and inflammation. The aim of the present study is to probe the possibility to prevent the molecular changes induced by the BCCAO/R with dietary natural compounds known to possess anti-inflammatory activity, such as the phytocannabinoid beta-caryophyllene (BCP).

Methods: Two groups of adult Wistar rats were used, sham-operated and submitted to BCCAO/R.

Preventive Effects of Resveratrol on Endocannabinoid System and Synaptic Protein Modifications in Rat Cerebral Cortex Challenged by Bilateral Common Carotid Artery Occlusion and Reperfusion.

This study aims to evaluate the putative roles of a single acute dose of resveratrol (RVT) in preventing cerebral oxidative stress induced by bilateral common carotid artery occlusion, followed by reperfusion (BCCAO/R) and to investigate RVT's ability to preserve the neuronal structural integrity. Frontal and temporal-occipital cortices were examined in two groups of adult Wistar rats, sham-operated and submitted to BCCAO/R. In both groups, 6 h before surgery, half the rats were gavage-fed with a single dose of RVT (40 mg/per rat in 300 µL of sunflower oil as the vehicle), while the second half received the vehicle alone.

Expression of BDNF and trkB in the hippocampus of a rat genetic model of vulnerability (Roman low-avoidance) and resistance (Roman high-avoidance) to stress-induced depression.

Introduction: The selective breeding of Roman High- (RHA) and Low-Avoidance (RLA) rats for, respectively, rapid versus poor acquisition of the active avoidance response has generated two distinct phenotypes differing in many behavioral traits, including coping strategies to aversive conditions. Thus, RLA rats are considered as a genetic model of vulnerability to stress-induced depression whereas RHA rats are a model of resilience to that trait. Besides the monoamine hypothesis of depression, there is evidence that alterations in neuronal plasticity in the hippocampus and other brain areas are critically involved in the pathophysiology of mood disorders.

Involvement of the endocannabinoid system in the physiological response to transient common carotid artery occlusion and reperfusion.

Background: The transient global cerebral hypoperfusion/reperfusion achieved by induction of Bilateral Common Carotid Artery Occlusion followed by Reperfusion (BCCAO/R) may trigger a physiological response in an attempt to preserve tissue and function integrity. There are several candidate molecules among which the endocannabinoid system (ECS) and/or peroxisome-proliferator activated receptor-alpha (PPAR-alpha) may play a role in modulating oxidative stress and inflammation. The aims of the present study are to evaluate whether the ECS, the enzyme cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) and PPAR-alpha are involved during BCCAO/R in rat brain, and to identify possible markers of the ongoing BCCAO/R-induced challenge in plasma.

TRPV1 receptor in the human trigeminal ganglion and spinal nucleus: immunohistochemical localization and comparison with the neuropeptides CGRP and SP.

This work presents new data concerning the immunohistochemical occurrence of the transient receptor potential vanilloid type-1 (TRPV1) receptor in the human trigeminal ganglion (TG) and spinal nucleus of subjects at different ontogenetic stages, from prenatal life to postnatal old age. Comparisons are made with the sensory neuropeptides calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) and substance P (SP). TRPV1-like immunoreactive (LI) material was detected by western blot in homogenates of TG and medulla oblongata of subjects at prenatal and adult stages of life.

TRPV1, CGRP and SP in scalp arteries of patients suffering from chronic migraine.

Objective: The transient receptor potential vanilloid type-1 receptor (TRPV1) and the neuropeptides calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) and substance P (SP) appear to be differently involved in migraine pain. A role of neurovascular scalp structures is also suggested by several data. We performed a quantitative study of TRPV1-like immunoreactive (LI), CGRP-LI and SP-LI innervation of scalp arterial samples from patients affected with chronic migraine (CM).