Neuregulin and dopamine modulation of hippocampal gamma oscillations is dependent on dopamine D4 receptors.

The neuregulin/ErbB signaling network is genetically associated with schizophrenia and modulates hippocampal γ oscillations--a type of neuronal network activity important for higher brain processes and altered in psychiatric disorders. Because neuregulin-1 (NRG-1) dramatically increases extracellular dopamine levels in the hippocampus, we investigated the relationship between NRG/ErbB and dopamine signaling in hippocampal γ oscillations. Using agonists for different D1- and D2-type dopamine receptors, we found that the D4 receptor (D4R) agonist PD168077, but not D1/D5 and D2/D3 agonists, increases γ oscillation power, and its effect is blocked by the highly specific D4R antagonist L-745,870.

A very large number of GABAergic neurons are activated in the tuberal hypothalamus during paradoxical (REM) sleep hypersomnia.

We recently discovered, using Fos immunostaining, that the tuberal and mammillary hypothalamus contain a massive population of neurons specifically activated during paradoxical sleep (PS) hypersomnia. We further showed that some of the activated neurons of the tuberal hypothalamus express the melanin concentrating hormone (MCH) neuropeptide and that icv injection of MCH induces a strong increase in PS quantity. However, the chemical nature of the majority of the neurons activated during PS had not been characterized.