91 results match your criteria: "Integrative Physiology and Center for Neuroscience[Affiliation]"

The Human Affectome.

Neurosci Biobehav Rev

March 2024

Neuroqualia (NGO), Truro, Nova Scotia, Canada. Electronic address:

Article Synopsis
  • Theoretical perspectives in the affective sciences have increased in variety rather than converging due to differing beliefs about the nature and function of human emotions.
  • A teleological principle is proposed to create a unified approach by viewing human affective phenomena as algorithms that adapt to comfort or monitor these adaptations.
  • This framework aims to organize existing theories and inspire new research in the field, leading to a more integrated understanding of human affectivity through the concept of the Human Affectome.
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Compared to microbiomes on other skin sites, the bacterial microbiome of the human hand has been found to have greater variability across time. To increase understanding regarding the longitudinal transfer of the hand microbiome to objects in the built environment, and vice versa, 22 participants provided skin microbiome samples from their dominant hands, as well as from frequently and infrequently touched objects in their office environments. Additional longitudinal samples from home environments were obtained from a subset of 11 participants.

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Serotonergic systems are involved in the development and regulation of social behaviour, and drugs that target serotonin neurotransmission, such as selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), also alter aspects of social approach-avoidance. The midbrain dorsal raphe nucleus (DR), which is a major serotonergic nucleus and main source of serotonergic innervation of the forebrain, has been proposed as an important target for SSRIs, although evidence in females is lacking. In this study, we examined the involvement of the DR serotonergic systems in social behaviour and in response to SSRI treatment, using peri-adolescent female BALB/c mice.

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Identification, presence, and possible multifunctional regulatory role of invertebrate gonadotropin-releasing hormone/corazonin molecule in the great pond snail (Lymnaea stagnalis).

Gen Comp Endocrinol

December 2020

Adaptive Neuroethology Research Group, Department of Experimental Zoology, Balaton Limnological Institute, Centre for Ecological Research, 8237 Tihany, Hungary. Electronic address:

In the last years, our interpretation of the origin and function of the gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) neuropeptide superfamily has changed substantially. A main driver for these conceptual changes came from increased investigations into functions and evolutionary lineage of previously identified molluscan GnRH molecules. Emerging evidence suggests not only reproductive, but also diverse biological effects of these molecules and proposes they should most likely be called corazonin (CRZ).

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Temporomandibular inflammation mobilizes parvalbumin and FosB/deltaFosB neurons of amygdala and dorsal raphe.

Braz J Med Biol Res

August 2020

Departamento de Psicologia, Faculdade de Filosofia, Ciências e Letras de Ribeirão Preto, Universidade de São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto, SP, Brasil.

Pathophysiological mechanisms involved in orofacial pain and their relationship with emotional disorders have emerged as an important research area for multidisciplinary studies. In particular, temporomandibular disorders (TMD) have been evaluated clinically from both physiological and psychological perspectives. We hypothesized that an altered neuronal activity occurs in the amygdala and the dorsal raphe nucleus (DR), encephalic regions involved in the modulation of painful and emotional information.

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Article Synopsis
  • Evidence shows that inflammation plays a significant role in the outcomes of traumatic brain injury (TBI) affecting both clinical and functional recovery.
  • Many treatments that work well in animal studies do not translate effectively to human clinical trials due to factors like timing and the immune environment.
  • The article aims to highlight immune system components involved in TBI and propose modifiable mechanisms that could enhance treatment outcomes and bridge the gap between animal research and human applications.
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Background: The central serotonergic system originating from the dorsal raphe nucleus (DR) plays a critical role in anxiety and trauma-related disorders such as posttraumatic stress disorder. Although many studies have investigated the role of serotonin (5-HT) within pro-fear brain regions such as the amygdala, the majority of these studies have utilized non-selective pharmacological approaches or poorly understood lesioning techniques which limit their interpretation.

Aim: Here we investigated the role of amygdala-projecting 5-HT neurons in the DR in innate anxiety and conditioned fear behaviors.

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Seasonal affective disorder and seasonal changes in weight and sleep duration are inversely associated with plasma adiponectin levels.

J Psychiatr Res

March 2020

Mood and Anxiety Program, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA; Saint Elizabeths Hospital, DC Department of Behavioral Health, Washington, DC, USA; Veterans Health Administration, Rocky Mountain Mental Illness Research Education and Clinical Center (MIRECC), Rocky Mountain Regional Veterans Affairs Medical Center (RMRVAMC), Aurora, CO, USA; Veterans Health Administration, Capitol MIRECC, Baltimore VA Medical Center, Baltimore MD, USA. Electronic address:

Overlapping pathways between mood and metabolic regulation have increasingly been reported. Although impaired regulation of adiponectin, a major metabolism-regulating hormone, has been implicated in major depressive disorder, its role in seasonal changes in mood and seasonal affective disorder-winter type (SAD), a disorder characterized by onset of mood impairment and metabolic dysregulation (e.g.

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Crh receptor priming in the bed nucleus of the stria terminalis (BNST) induces tph2 gene expression in the dorsomedial dorsal raphe nucleus and chronic anxiety.

Prog Neuropsychopharmacol Biol Psychiatry

January 2020

Department of Integrative Physiology and Center for Neuroscience, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO 80309, USA; Department of Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation and Center for Neuroscience, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO 80045, USA; Veterans Health Administration, Rocky Mountain Mental Illness Research Education and Clinical Center (MIRECC), Rocky Mountain Regional Veterans Affairs Medical Center (RMRVAMC), Aurora, CO 80045, USA; Military and Veteran Microbiome: Consortium for Research and Education, Aurora, CO 80045, USA. Electronic address:

The bed nucleus of the stria terminalis (BNST) is a nodal structure in neural circuits controlling anxiety-related defensive behavioral responses. It contains neurons expressing the stress- and anxiety-related neuropeptide corticotropin-releasing hormone (Crh) as well as Crh receptors. Repeated daily subthreshold activation of Crh receptors in the BNST is known to induce a chronic anxiety-like state, but how this affects neurotransmitter-relevant gene expression in target regions of the BNST is still unclear.

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Brain serotonin (5-hydroxytryptamine, 5-HT) system dysfunction is implicated in exaggerated fear responses triggering various anxiety-, stress-, and trauma-related disorders. However, the underlying mechanisms are not well understood. Here, we investigated the impact of constitutively inactivated 5-HT synthesis on context-dependent fear learning and extinction using tryptophan hydroxylase 2 () knockout mice.

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Article Synopsis
  • Fear is a fundamental emotion that influences how organisms navigate their environment, and this review highlights our understanding of fear learning and memory across humans and animals.
  • The text details the neurobiology of fear, including genetic and environmental factors, and explores various treatment approaches for fear-related disorders like PTSD, incorporating innovative strategies like virtual reality.
  • It also identifies research gaps in understanding fear and suggests the development of linguistic tools for assessing and treating fear-related issues.
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Serotonin actions within the prelimbic cortex induce anxiolysis mediated by serotonin 1a receptors.

J Psychopharmacol

December 2018

1 Department of Pharmacology, Ribeirao Preto Medical School, University of Sao Paulo, Ribeirao Preto, Sao Paulo, Brazil.

Background:: Serotonin plays an important role in the regulation of anxiety, acting through complex modulatory mechanisms within distinct brain structures. Serotonin can act through complex negative feedback mechanisms controlling the neuronal activity of serotonergic circuits and downstream physiologic and behavioral responses. Administration of serotonin or the serotonin 1A receptor agonist, (±)-8-hydroxy-2-(dipropylamino)tetralin (8-OH-DPAT), into the prefrontal cortex, inhibits anxiety-like responses.

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Old Friends, immunoregulation, and stress resilience.

Pflugers Arch

February 2019

Laboratory for Molecular Psychosomatics, Department of Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy, University Ulm, Albert-Einstein-Allee 23, 89081, Ulm, Germany.

There is a considerable body of evidence indicating that chronic adverse experience, especially chronic psychosocial stress/trauma, represents a major risk factor for the development of many somatic and affective disorders, including inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). However, the mechanisms underlying the development of chronic stress-associated disorders are still in large part unknown, and current treatment and prevention strategies lack efficacy and reliability. A greater understanding of mechanisms involved in the development and persistence of chronic stress-induced disorders may lead to novel approaches to prevention and treatment of these disorders.

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Objectives: Plasma nitrite is a metabolite of nitric oxide and reflects endogenous nitric oxide synthase (NOS) activity. Although plasma nitrites were previously linked with obesity and metabolic syndrome (MetS), the direction of association remains inconsistent, possibly due to sample heterogeneity. In a relatively homogeneous population, we hypothesized that nitrite levels will be positively associated with overweight/obesity and MetS.

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Anxiety-related defensive behavior is controlled by a distributed network of brain regions and interconnected neural circuits. The dorsal raphe nucleus (DR), which contains the majority of forebrain-projecting serotonergic neurons, is a key brain region involved in fear states and anxiety-related behavior via modulation of this broad neural network. Evidence suggests that relaxin-3 neurons in the nucleus incertus (NI) may also interact with this network, however, the potential role of the NI in the control of anxiety-related defensive behavior requires further investigation.

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Aging is a major risk factor for developing postoperative cognitive dysfunction. Neuroinflammatory processes, which can play a causal role in the etiology of postoperative cognitive dysfunction, are potentiated or primed as a function of aging. Here we explored whether exposure to a microorganism with immunoregulatory and anti-inflammatory properties, Mycobacterium vaccae NCTC 11659 (M.

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Moderation of the relationship between Toxoplasma gondii seropositivity and trait impulsivity in younger men by the phenylalanine-tyrosine ratio.

Psychiatry Res

December 2018

Mood and Anxiety Program, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA; Rocky Mountain Mental Illness Research, Education and Clinical Center (MIRECC) for Suicide Prevention, Denver, CO, USA; Military and Veteran Microbiome: Consortium for Research and Education (MVM-CoRE). Denver, CO, USA; VA Capitol Health Care Network, Mental Illness Research, Education and Clinical Center (VISN 5 MIRECC), Baltimore, MD, USA. Electronic address:

Previously, we reported that Toxoplasma gondii (T. gondii)-seropositivity is associated with higher impulsive sensation seeking in younger men. As dopaminergic and serotonergic signaling regulate impulsivity, and as T.

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Whole-Body Heating: An Emerging Therapeutic Approach to Treatment of Major Depressive Disorder.

Focus (Am Psychiatr Publ)

July 2018

Dr. Lowry is with the Department of Integrative Physiology and Center for Neuroscience, University of Colorado, Boulder. Mr. Flux is with the Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, University of Colorado, Boulder. Dr. Raison is with the School of Human Ecology and the School of Medicine and Public Health, University of Wisconsin-Madison.

Major depressive disorder is the leading cause of disability worldwide. Currently available pharmacological approaches to the treatment of depression (which are the mainstay of treatment in the United States) suffer from important shortcomings, including limited efficacy, delayed onset of action, increased relapse risk upon withdrawal, and significant side effects that impair quality of life and promote treatment nonadherence and/or discontinuation. There is an emerging interest in the potential use of evolutionarily conserved interoceptive pathways (i.

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Although the neurobiological mechanisms underlying autism spectrum disorder (ASD) are still unknown, dysregulation of serotonergic systems has been implicated in the etiology of ASD, and serotonergic antidepressant drugs are often prescribed to treat some symptoms of ASD. The BALB/c strain of mice express a dysregulated serotonergic system and a phenotype that is relevant to ASD. In this study, juvenile male BALB/c mice were exposed to the selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor fluoxetine either chronically (18 mg/kg/day in drinking water, post-natal day (PND) 28-39) or acutely (18 mg/kg, i.

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Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a heterogeneous and highly heritable condition with multiple aetiologies. Although the biological mechanisms underlying ASD are not fully understood, evidence suggests that dysregulation of serotonergic systems play an important role in ASD psychopathology. Preclinical models using mice with altered serotonergic neurotransmission may provide insight into the role of serotonin in behaviours relevant to clinical features of ASD.

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Organic cation transporter 3: A cellular mechanism underlying rapid, non-genomic glucocorticoid regulation of monoaminergic neurotransmission, physiology, and behavior.

Horm Behav

August 2018

Department of Integrative Physiology and Center for Neuroscience, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO 80309, USA; Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO 80045, USA; Rocky Mountain Mental Illness Research Education and Clinical Center (MIRECC), Denver Veterans Affairs Medical Center (VAMC), Denver, CO 80220, USA; Military and Veteran Microbiome Consortium for Research and Education (MVM-CoRE), Denver, CO 80220, USA. Electronic address:

Contribution to Special Issue on Fast effects of steroids. Corticosteroid hormones act at intracellular glucocorticoid receptors (GR) and mineralocorticoid receptors (MR) to alter gene expression, leading to diverse physiological and behavioral responses. In addition to these classical genomic effects, corticosteroid hormones also exert rapid actions on physiology and behavior through a variety of non-genomic mechanisms, some of which involve GR or MR, and others of which are independent of these receptors.

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