Abundant transcriptomic alterations in the human cerebellum of patients with a C9orf72 repeat expansion.

The most prominent genetic cause of both amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and frontotemporal lobar degeneration (FTLD) is a repeat expansion in the gene C9orf72. Importantly, the transcriptomic consequences of the C9orf72 repeat expansion remain largely unclear. Here, we used short-read RNA sequencing (RNAseq) to profile the cerebellar transcriptome, detecting alterations in patients with a C9orf72 repeat expansion.

Astrocytes Undergo Metabolic Reprogramming in the Multiple Sclerosis Animal Model.

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a chronic inflammatory disease of the central nervous system that presents a largely unknown etiopathology. The presence of reactive astrocytes in MS lesions has been described for a long time; however, the role that these cells play in the pathophysiology of MS is still not fully understood. Recently, we used an MS animal model to perform high-throughput sequencing of astrocytes' transcriptome during disease progression.

Comparative effectiveness of preventive treatment with dimethyl fumarate-loaded solid lipid nanoparticles and oral dimethyl fumarate in a mouse model of multiple sclerosis.

Background: Orally administered dimethyl fumarate (DMF) presents gastrointestinal adverse effects, such as pain and diarrhea, in addition to flushing and lymphopenia.

Objective: Solid lipid nanoparticles (SLNs) with DMF were developed for subcutaneous administration.

Methods: DMF-incorporated SLNs and free DMF were tested in mice induced with experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE).

Profiling Microglia in a Mouse Model of Machado-Joseph Disease.

Microglia have been increasingly implicated in neurodegenerative diseases (NDs), and specific disease associated microglia (DAM) profiles have been defined for several of these NDs. Yet, the microglial profile in Machado-Joseph disease (MJD) remains unexplored. Here, we characterized the profile of microglia in the CMVMJD135 mouse model of MJD.

Association Between Iron-Related Protein Lipocalin 2 and Cognitive Impairment in Cerebrospinal Fluid and Serum.

A worldwide increase in longevity is bringing novel challenges to public health and health care professionals. Cognitive impairment in the elderly may compromise living conditions and precede Alzheimer's disease (AD), the most prevalent form of dementia. Therefore, finding molecular markers associated with cognitive impairment is of crucial importance.

CNS-Draining Meningeal Lymphatic Vasculature: Roles, Conundrums and Future Challenges.

A genuine and functional lymphatic vascular system is found in the meninges that sheath the central nervous system (CNS). This unexpected (re)discovery led to a reevaluation of CNS fluid and solute drainage mechanisms, neuroimmune interactions and the involvement of meningeal lymphatics in the initiation and progression of neurological disorders. In this manuscript, we provide an overview of the development, morphology and unique functional features of meningeal lymphatics.

Altered astrocytic function in experimental neuroinflammation and multiple sclerosis.

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a chronic inflammatory disease of the central nervous system (CNS) that affects about 2.5 million people worldwide. In MS, the patients' immune system starts to attack the myelin sheath, leading to demyelination, neurodegeneration, and, ultimately, loss of vital neurological functions such as walking.

Structural and molecular correlates of cognitive aging in the rat.

Aging is associated with cognitive decline. Herein, we studied a large cohort of old age and young adult male rats and confirmed that, as a group, old  rats display poorer spatial learning and behavioral flexibility than younger adults. Surprisingly, when animals were clustered as good and bad performers, our data revealed that while in younger animals better cognitive performance was associated with longer dendritic trees and increased levels of synaptic markers in the hippocampus and prefrontal cortex, the opposite was found in the older group, in which better performance was associated with shorter dendrites and lower levels of synaptic markers.

Employing an open-source tool to assess astrocyte tridimensional structure.

Astrocytes display important features that allow them to maintain a close dialog with neurons, ultimately impacting brain function. The complex morphological structure of astrocytes is crucial to the role of astrocytes in brain networks. Therefore, assessing morphologic features of astrocytes will help provide insights into their physiological relevance in healthy and pathological conditions.