386 results match your criteria: "Ottawa Brain and Mind Research Institute[Affiliation]"

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.

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

Cell Rep

January 2025

Western Institute for Neuroscience, Western University, London, ON, Canada; Department of Clinical Neurological Sciences, London Health Sciences Centre, Western University, London, ON, Canada; Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Schulich School of Medicine and Dentistry, Western University, London, ON, Canada. Electronic address:

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.

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

Am J Reprod Immunol

December 2024

NISE Laboratory, School of Psychology, Faculty of Social Science, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada.

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.

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Exercise as a Therapeutic Intervention in Multiple Sclerosis.

Mult Scler

December 2024

School of Rehabilitation Science, College of Medicine, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, SK, Canada.

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.

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Antibiotic-mediated selection of randomly mutagenized and cytokine-expressing oncolytic viruses.

Nat Biomed Eng

November 2024

Department of Microbiology and Infectiology, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Université de Sherbrooke Cancer Research Institute, Université de Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, Québec, Canada.

Article Synopsis
  • Optimizing oncolytic viruses for cancer treatment involves removing harmful genes and adding new ones to improve their ability to replicate and stimulate immune responses.
  • The complex nature of viral genomes and the difficulty of creating modified viruses have slowed progress in developing these therapies.
  • Researchers used a novel strategy involving antibiotics, transposon systems, and advanced sequencing to efficiently engineer safer and more effective oncolytic viruses by identifying useful genetic changes.
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In search of prosociality in rodents: A scoping review.

PLoS One

November 2024

Behavioural Neuroscience Group, School of Psychology, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada.

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).

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

Transl Psychiatry

November 2024

Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, University of Ottawa, 451 Smyth Road, Ottawa, ON, K1H 8M5, Canada.

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.

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Article Synopsis
  • Brain pericytes can change into multiple cell types after injury, but different subsets might have varied abilities to do so based on their characteristics.
  • Using an ischemic stroke model and advanced techniques like single-cell RNA sequencing, researchers identified two main pericyte subpopulations (NG2 and Tbx18) that respond differently to brain injury: NG2 pericytes are more likely to turn into neurons, while Tbx18 pericytes can become endothelial cells, fibroblasts, and microglia.
  • Additionally, by manipulating AMP-dependent kinase (AMPK) activity, the study found ways to enhance the conversion of pericytes into functional neurons, implying that targeted treatments could improve neuron formation from pericytes after
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Targeting glioblastoma with a brain-penetrant drug that impairs brain tumor stem cells via NLE1-Notch1 complex.

Stem Cell Reports

November 2024

Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Ottawa, 451 Smyth Road, Ottawa, ON K1H 8M5, Canada; University of Ottawa Brain and Mind Research Institute, 451 Smyth Road, Ottawa, ON K1H 8M5, Canada; Ottawa Institute of Systems Biology, University of Ottawa, 451 Smyth Road, Ottawa, ON K1H 8M5, Canada; Lady Davis Institute for Medical Research, Jewish General Hospital, 3755 Chemin de la Côte-Sainte-Catherine, Montréal, QC H3T 1E2, Canada; Gerald Bronfman Department of Oncology, McGill University, 5100 de Maisonneuve Boulevard West, Montréal, QC H4A 3T2, Canada; Cancer Therapeutic and Regenerative Medicine Program, Ottawa Hospital Research Institute, Ottawa, ON, Canada. Electronic address:

Article Synopsis
  • Brain tumor stem cells (BTSCs) are key players in glioblastoma growth and treatment resistance, making them critical targets for new therapies.
  • Edaravone is identified as an effective drug that inhibits BTSCs without harming non-cancerous neural stem cells, impacting essential gene functions involved in cell growth and repair.
  • In preclinical studies, edaravone not only slows down tumor development and enhances the effectiveness of radiation therapy but also improves survival rates in animal models, suggesting its potential in treating glioblastoma patients.
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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.

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Article Synopsis
  • * Recently, there have been great breakthroughs for MS, with new medications being approved, but people with PD still have not gotten new treatments and only have old ones that don't work as well.
  • * Experts from around the world gathered in Toronto to discuss how to improve treatment for PD by learning from what worked for MS, focusing on things like better clinical trials and understanding the diseases better.
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  • Scientists from 34 labs in 19 countries worked together to measure certain fats (ceramides) in human blood using special techniques.
  • They used both standard methods and their own methods to get very accurate and consistent results.
  • The study helps improve future medical tests and treatments by providing reliable information about these fats in blood samples.
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  • The Canadian Open Parkinson Network (C-OPN) aims to enhance collaboration between study participants, clinicians, and researchers to boost Parkinson's disease research across ten universities and research centers in Canada.
  • The C-OPN database collects a variety of data, including demographic information, treatment approaches, and biological samples, which are accessible for multi-center studies via web-based systems like REDCap.
  • By November 2023, the C-OPN had enrolled 1,505 participants, with a focus on environmental and symptom analysis, serving as a platform for innovative research and collaboration among scientists in Canada.
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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.

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

J Affect Disord

December 2024

The Royal's Institute of Mental Health Research, 1145 Carling Ave, Ottawa, ON K1Z 7K4, Canada; The University of Ottawa Brain and Mind Research Institute, Roger Guindon Hall, 451 Smyth Rd #2044, Ottawa, ON K1H 8M5, Canada; Département de psychoéducation et de psychologie, Université du Québec en Outaouais, 283 Alexandre-Taché Boul, Gatineau, QC J8X 3X7, Canada; Department of Neuroscience, Carleton University, 1125 Colonel By Dr, Ottawa, ON K1S 5B6, Canada; Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, University of Ottawa, Roger Guindon Hall, 451 Smyth Rd #2044, Ottawa, ON K1H 8M5, Canada. Electronic address:

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.

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Physiological fitness in people with advanced multiple sclerosis.

Mult Scler Relat Disord

November 2024

Interdisciplinary School of Health Sciences, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON, Canada; The University of Ottawa Brain and Mind Research Institute, Ottawa, ON, Canada. Electronic address:

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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

Psychoneuroendocrinology

October 2024

NISE Laboratory, School of Psychology, University of Ottawa, 136 Jean-Jacques Lussier, Ottawa, Ontario K1N 6N5, Canada; University of Ottawa Brain and Mind Research Institute, University of Ottawa, 136 Jean-Jacques Lussier, Ottawa, Ontario K1N 6N5, Canada. Electronic address:

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.

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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.

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

Neurosci Lett

August 2024

Neuroscience Program, The Ottawa Hospital Research Institute, Ottawa, ON, Canada; Cellular & Molecular Medicine, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON, Canada; University of Ottawa Brain and Mind Research Institute, Ottawa, ON, Canada. Electronic address:

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.

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