Zebrafish glial-vascular interactions progressively expand over the course of brain development.

Glial-vascular interactions are critical for the formation and maintenance of brain blood vessels and the blood-brain barrier (BBB) in mammals, but their role in the zebrafish BBB remains unclear. Using three glial gene promoters-, , and (a truncated )-we explored glial-vascular development in zebrafish. Sparse labeling showed fewer glial-vascular interactions at early stages, with glial coverage and contact area increasing with age.

Prefrontal cortex neuronal ensembles dynamically encode task features during associative memory and virtual navigation.

Neuronal populations expand their information-encoding capacity using mixed selective neurons. This is particularly prominent in association areas such as the lateral prefrontal cortex (LPFC), which integrate information from multiple sensory systems. However, during conditions that approximate natural behaviors, it is unclear how LPFC neuronal ensembles process space- and time-varying information about task features.

Vaginal Microbiome: Environmental, Biological, and Racial Influences on Gynecological Health Across the Lifespan.

The human vaginal microbiome (VMB) is a complex and unique ecosystem composed of various microorganisms, including bacteria, fungi, archaea, viruses, and candidate phyla radiation. A healthy VMB is often characterized by the presence of Lactobacillus species, which play a crucial role in protecting and maintaining homeostasis within the vaginal environment. When this balance is disrupted, the protection of the vaginal epithelium weakens, leading to a reduction in Lactobacillus species and an increased risk of various gynecological and reproductive health issues.

Exercise as a Therapeutic Intervention in Multiple Sclerosis.

The role of exercise as a therapeutic intervention in multiple sclerosis (MS) has shifted over time. Early views surrounding exercise in MS advocated for caution against participation. With increasing evidence, perspectives shifted to promote exercise as a therapeutic approach for symptom management.

In search of prosociality in rodents: A scoping review.

Studying prosociality in rodents can provide insight into brain mechanisms potentially related to neurodevelopmental disorders known to impact social behaviors (e.g., autism spectrum disorder).

Master regulators of neurogenesis: the dynamic roles of Ephrin receptors across diverse cellular niches.

The ephrin receptors (EphRs) are the largest family of receptor tyrosine kinases (RTKs) that are abundantly expressed in the developing brain and play important roles at different stages of neurogenesis ranging from neural stem cell (NSC) fate specification to neural migration, morphogenesis, and circuit assembly. Defects in EphR signalling have been associated with several pathologies including neurodevelopmental disorders (NDDs), intellectual disability (ID), and neurodegenerative diseases (NDs). Here, we review our current understanding of the complex and dynamic role of EphRs in the brain and discuss how deregulation of these receptors contributes to disease, highlighting their potential as valuable druggable targets.

Increasing Sensitivity in Patient-Reported MDS-UPDRS Items for Predicting Medication Initiation in Early PD.

Background: The MDS-UPDRS Parts IB and II are self-reported items providing a direct patient voice to the experiences of PD.

Objective: To determine the most sensitive combination of MDS-UPDRS Parts IB and II items that accurately predicted the clinically relevant target of dopaminergic therapy initiation.

Methods: Utilizing a longitudinal cohort of de novo non-treated PD patients, we applied item response theory (IRT) and survival analysis to assess the relationship between baseline patient-reported symptoms and the later initiation of dopaminergic therapy.

What can naked mole-rats teach us about ameliorating hypoxia-related human diseases?

Ameliorating the deleterious impact of systemic or tissue-level hypoxia or ischemia is key to preventing or treating many human diseases and pathologies. Usefully, environmental hypoxia is also a common challenge in many natural habitats; animals that are native to such hypoxic niches often exhibit strategies that enable them to thrive with limited O availability. Studying how such species have evolved to tolerate systemic hypoxia offers a promising avenue of discovery for novel strategies to mitigate the deleterious effects of hypoxia in human diseases and pathologies.

Optimizing antidepressant benefits: Effect of theta burst stimulation treatment in physically active people with treatment-resistant depression.

Theta burst stimulation (TBS) is a promising therapy for treatment-resistant major depressive disorder (MDD), but a significant proportion of individuals do not respond adequately, necessitating alternative approaches. This study explores whether individuals meeting minimum recommended physical activity levels demonstrate better responses to TBS compared to physically inactive individuals. Using data from a randomized controlled trial (n = 43), participants were categorized as physically active or inactive based on baseline International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ) scores.

Physiological fitness in people with advanced multiple sclerosis.

Introduction: Physiological fitness, encompassing cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF) and body composition, are important markers of overall health, functional capacity, and quality of life in general and clinical populations. Characterizing fitness is important for the development of tailored interventions and strategies to optimize well-being across the spectrum of disability in multiple sclerosis (MS). While existing research has explored fitness in people with mild-to-moderate disability, there is a scarcity of data in people with advanced MS (Expanded Disability Severity Scale, EDSS≥7.

A high-density multi-electrode platform examining the effects of radiation on in vitro cortical networks.

Radiation therapy and stereotactic radiosurgery are common treatments for brain malignancies. However, the impact of radiation on underlying neuronal circuits is poorly understood. In the prefrontal cortex (PFC), neurons communicate via action potentials that control cognitive processes, thus it is important to understand the impact of radiation on these circuits.

Rapid reorganization of serotonin projections and antidepressant response to 5-HT1A-biased agonist NLX-101 in fluoxetine-resistant cF1ko mice.

Selective serotonin (5-HT) reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) like fluoxetine remain a first-line treatment for major depression, but are effective in less than half of patients and can take 4-8 weeks to show results. In this study, we examined cF1ko mice with genetically induced upregulation of 5-HT1A autoreceptors that reduces 5-HT neuronal activity. These mice display anxiety- and depression-related behaviors that did not respond to chronic fluoxetine treatment.

Priorities in healthcare provision in Parkinson's disease from the perspective of Parkinson Nurses: A focus group study.

Background: Through their expertise and diverse skills, Parkinson Nurses are key care providers for people with Parkinson's disease. They are seen as an important profession for person-centered and multidisciplinary care, considered priorities in Parkinson's care delivery. Currently, however, little is known about the priorities that this profession itself defines for the care of Parkinson's patients and how they perceive their own role in the care process.

Regulation of Zfp36 by ISGF3 and MK2 restricts the expression of inflammatory cytokines during necroptosis stimulation.

Necrosome activation following TLR- or cytokine receptor-signaling results in cell death by necroptosis which is characterized by the rupture of cell membranes and the consequent release of intracellular contents to the extracellular milieu. While necroptosis exacerbates various inflammatory diseases, the mechanisms through which the inflammatory responses are regulated are not clear. We show that the necrosome activation of macrophages results in an upregulation of various pathways, including the mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) cascade, which results in an elevation of the inflammatory response and consequent expression of several cytokines and chemokines.

The effect of probiotic supplementation on sleep, depression-like behaviour, and central glucose and lactate metabolism in male and female pubertal mice exposed to chronic sleep disruption.

The prevalence of depression significantly increases during puberty and adolescence. Puberty is the period during which sexual maturity is attained, while adolescence persists beyond puberty and includes physiological, social, emotional, and cognitive maturation. A stressor that has been shown previously to induce depression is chronic sleep disruption.

Reduction of Glyoxalase 1 Expression Links Fetal Methylmercury Exposure to Autism Spectrum Disorder Pathogenesis.

Glyoxalase 1 (Glo1) is an essential enzyme to detoxify methylglyoxal (MGO), a cytotoxic byproduct of glycolysis. Accumulating studies have shown an important role of Glo1 in regulating cortical development and neurogenesis, potentially contributing to the pathogenesis of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) when impaired. We have previously shown that prenatal exposure to non-apoptotic low-dose methylmercury (MeHg), an environmental pollutant, induces premature cortical neurogenesis and ASD-like behaviors in a rodent model.

Rock2 heterozygosity improves recognition memory and endothelial function in a mouse model of 16p11.2 deletion autism syndrome.

Rho-associated protein kinase-2 (ROCK2) is a critical player in many cellular processes and was incriminated in cardiovascular and neurological disorders. Recent evidence has shown that non-selective pharmacological blockage of ROCKs ameliorates behavioral alterations in a mouse model of 16p11.2 haploinsufficiency.