1,164 research outputs found
Neurobiology of Memory and Anxiety: From Genes to Behavior
Interaction of anxiety and memory represents an essential feature of CNS functioning. This paper reviews experimental data coming from neurogenetics, neurochemistry, and behavioral pharmacology (as well as parallel clinical findings) reflecting different mechanisms of memory-anxiety interplay, including brain neurochemistry, circuitry, pharmacology, neuroplasticity, genes, and gene-environment interactions. It emphasizes the complexity and nonlinearity of such interplay, illustrated by a survey of anxiety and learning/memory phenotypes in various genetically modified mouse models that exhibit either synergistic or reciprocal effects of the mutation on anxiety levels and memory performance. The paper also assesses the putative role of different neurotransmitter systems and neuropeptides in the regulation of memory processes and anxiety, and discusses the role of neural plasticity in these mechanisms
10th Jubilee Multidisciplinary International Conference of Neuroscience and Biological Psychiatry “Stress and Behavior”
St. Petersburg (Russia) hosted the 10th Jubilee Multidisciplinary Conference “Stress and Behavior” during May 16–20, 2007. The conference featured many foremost researchers speaking on recent developments on topics such as the role of neural plasticity, memory, learning, genetics, neuromediators, transporters, and steroids in stress research, spanning disciplines from fields ranging from neurogenetics to clinical psychiatry. The conference was attended by 700 delegates from over 40 nations
The Importance of Cognitive Phenotypes in Experimental Modeling of Animal Anxiety and Depression
Cognitive dysfunctions are commonly seen in many stress-related disorders, including
anxiety and depression—the world's most common neuropsychiatric illnesses. Various genetic,
pharmacological, and behavioral animal models have long been used to establish animal anxiety-like
and depression-like phenotypes, as well as to assess their memory, learning, and other
cognitive functions. Mounting clinical and animal evidences strongly supports the notion that
disturbed cognitions represent an important pathogenetic factor in anxiety and depression, and may
also play a role in integrating the two disorders within a common stress-precipitated
developmental pathway. This paper evaluates why and how the assessment of cognitive and
emotional domains may improve our understanding of animal behaviors via different high-throughput
tests and enable a better translation of animal phenotypes into human brain disorders
Time to (finally) acknowledge that fish have emotionality and pain
The increasing work using fish as a model organism calls for a better understanding of their sentience. While growing evidence suggests that pain and emotionality exist in zebrafish, many deniers continue to ignore the evidence. Here we revisit the main conceptual breakthroughs in the field that argue clearly for pain and emotionality. We call for an end to denial and a focus on studying the mechanisms of fish pain and emotionality, and their translational relevance to human conditions
Principles of modeling brain diseases and their therapy based on zebrafish studies
Here, we introduce the multidisciplinary readers of the present specialized issue of the journal to the significance and principal approaches to modeling various brain disorders in laboratory fish species — the zebrafish (Danio rerio). © Authors, 2022.Saint Petersburg State University, SPbU, (73026081)Suzhou University of Science and TechnologyUral Federal University, UrFUFunding source. This work was supported by the Saint Petersburg State University (State Assignment, Project No. 73026081), Ural Federal University (Novosibirsk) and Sirius University of Science and Technology (Sochi)
Zebrafish models for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD)
Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a common, debilitating neurodevelopmental disorder associated with inattentiveness, pathological hyperactivity and impulsivity. Despite the mounting human and animal evidence, the neurological pathways underlying ADHD remain poorly understood. Novel translational model organisms, such as the zebrafish (Danio rerio), are becoming important tools to investigate genetic and pathophysiological mechanisms of various neuropsychiatric disorders. Here, we discuss ADHD etiology, existing animal models and their limitations, and emphasize the advantages of using zebrafish to model ADHD. Overall, the growing utility of zebrafish models may improve our understanding of ADHD and facilitate drug discovery to prevent or treat this disorder. © 2019 Elsevier Lt
Developing translational biological psychiatry: Learning from history to build the future
Psychiatric disorders are among the most complex human disorders that, albeit
often difficult to diagnose and treat, are widespread in modern society.
Biological psychiatry studies biological functions of the central nervous system
as mental disorders develop. Today’s biological psychiatry is facing multiple
conceptual problems that prevent our deeper understanding of disease pathogenesis
and delay the invention of new treatments. Thus, providing a historical
context to this rapidly developing field may help scientists better understand
the existing challenges and their potential solutions. Here, we discuss the main
conceptual problems and paradigms of biological psychiatry, including the lack
of reproducibility and/or valid theories, through an historical overview of its
role in addressing theoretical and clinical questions. We propose a wider use of
the translational approach in psychiatry to expand our analyses of psychiatric
disorders to other species, and as a tool to create and further develop theories
and concepts in this field.This work was supported by the
Russian Foundation for Basic Research
(RFBR) Grant 16-04-00851
Aberrant Ganglioside Functions to Underpin Dysregulated Myelination, Insulin Signalling, and Cytokine Expression: Is There a Link and a Room for Therapy?
Gangliosides are molecules widely present in the plasma membranes of mammalian cells, participating in a variety of processes, including protein organization, transmembrane signalling and cell adhesion. Gangliosides are abundant in the grey matter of the brain, where they are critically involved in postnatal neural development and function. The common precursor of the majority of brain gangliosides, GM3, is formed by the sialylation of lactosylceramide, and four derivatives of its a- and b-series, GM1, GD1a, GD1b and GT1b, constitute 95% of all the brain gangliosides. Impairments in ganglioside metabolism due to genetic abnormalities of GM-synthases are associated with severe neurological disorders. Apart from that, the latest genome-wide association and translational studies suggest a role of genes involved in brain ganglioside synthesis in less pervasive psychiatric disorders. Remarkably, the most recent animal studies showed that abnormal ganglioside functions result in dysregulated neuroinflammation, aberrant myelination and altered insulin receptor signalling. At the same time, these molecular features are well established as accompanying developmental psychiatric disorders such as attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and autism spectrum disorders (ASD). This led us to hypothesize a role of deficient ganglioside function in developmental neuropsychiatric disorders and warrants further gene association clinical studies addressing this question. Here, we critically review the literature to discuss this hypothesis and focus on the recent studies on ST3GAL5-deficient mice. In addition, we elaborate on the therapeutic potential of various anti-inflammatory remedies for treatment of developmental neuropsychiatric conditions related to aberrant ganglioside functions.
Keywords: insulin receptor signalling; major brain gangliosides; mice; myelination; neurodevelopmental disorders; neuroinflammatio
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