Publications by authors named "W J Sheward"

Background: Diurnal variations in the incidence of events such as heart attack and stroke suggest a role for circadian rhythms in the etiology of cardiovascular disease. The aim of this study was to assess the influence of the suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN) circadian clock on cardiovascular function.

Methodology/principal Findings: Heart rate (HR), blood pressure (BP) and locomotor activity (LA) were measured in circadian mutant (Vipr2(-/-)) mice and wild type littermates, using implanted radio-telemetry devices.

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The controlled production of neurons in the postnatal dentate gyrus and throughout life is important for hippocampal learning and memory. The mechanisms underlying the necessary coupling of neuronal activity to neural stem/progenitor cell (NSPC) function remain poorly understood. Within the dentate subgranular stem cell niche, local interneurons appear to play an important part in this excitation-neurogenesis coupling via GABAergic transmission, which promotes neuronal differentiation and integration.

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Variability in expression of the 5-HT transporter (5-HTT) gene in the human population has been associated with a range of behavioural phenotypes. The underlying mechanisms are unclear but may involve changes in 5-HT receptor levels and/or signalling. The present study used a novel 5-HTT overexpressing transgenic mouse to test the hypothesis that variability in 5-HTT expression may alter 5-HT(2A) receptor function.

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The master clock driving mammalian circadian rhythms is located in the suprachiasmatic nuclei (SCN) of the hypothalamus and entrained by daily light/dark cycles. SCN lesions abolish circadian rhythms of behavior and result in a loss of synchronized circadian rhythms of clock gene expression in peripheral organs (e.g.

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A commonly occurring polymorphic variant of the human 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT) transporter (5-HTT) gene that increases 5-HTT expression has been associated with reduced anxiety levels in human volunteer and patient populations. However, it is not known whether this linkage between genotype and anxiety relates to variation in 5-HTT expression and consequent changes in 5-HT transmission. Here we test this hypothesis by measuring the neurochemical and behavioral characteristics of a mouse genetically engineered to overexpress the 5-HTT.

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