Social behaviors are fundamental and intricate functions in both humans and animals,governed by the interplay of social cognition and emotions.A noteworthy feature of several neuropsychiatric disorders,including autis...Social behaviors are fundamental and intricate functions in both humans and animals,governed by the interplay of social cognition and emotions.A noteworthy feature of several neuropsychiatric disorders,including autism spectrum disorder(ASD)and schizophrenia(SCZ),is a pronounced deficit in social functioning.Despite a burgeoning body of research on social behaviors,the precise neural circuit mechanisms underpinning these phenomena remain to be elucidated.In this paper,we review the pivotal role of the prefrontal cortex(PFC)in modulating social behaviors,as well as its functional alteration in social disorders in ASD or SCZ.We posit that PFC dysfunction may represent a critical hub in the pathogenesis of psychiatric disorders characterized by shared social deficits.Furthermore,we delve into the intricate connectivity of the medial PFC(mPFC)with other cortical areas and subcortical brain regions in rodents,which exerts a profound influence on social behaviors.Notably,a substantial body of evidence underscores the role of N-methyl-D-aspartate receptors(NMDARs)and the proper functioning of parvalbumin-positive interneurons within the mPFC for social regulation.Our overarching goal is to furnish a comprehensive understanding of these intricate circuits and thereby contribute to the enhancement of both research endeavors and clinical practices concerning social behavior deficits.展开更多
The prefrontal cortex (PFC) is involved in complex planning, learning, memory, attention and integrates sensory information. It was reported that the PFC was dysfunctional in attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (...The prefrontal cortex (PFC) is involved in complex planning, learning, memory, attention and integrates sensory information. It was reported that the PFC was dysfunctional in attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Methylphenidate (MPD), a drug often prescribed for the treatment of ADHD, has potential for abuse and misuse. Most MPD studies were completed in adult subjects;however, most users were adolescents. The objective of this study was to investigate the acute and chronic dose response characteristics of MPD on PFC neuronal activity recorded in freely behaving adolescent rats. Four groups of animals were used: saline (control), 0.6, 2.5, and 10 mg/kg MPD. Acute MPD elicited a dose response increase in animals’ locomotor activity. Rechallenge with MPD at experimental day (ED10) when compared to the effect of MPD at ED1 showed no significant differences. When the animals were divided into two groups based on their individual responses to chronic MPD exposure, some animals expressed behavioral tolerance and some expressed behavioral sensitization. Electrophysiologically, a dose response characteristic for acute and chronic MPD exposure was observed. With increasing MPD doses, more PFC units responded by changing their firing rate. Moreover, the neuronal responses to chronic MPD recorded from animals expressing behavioral tolerance were significantly different compared to the neuronal population responses recorded from animals expressing behavioral sensitization. The majority of the PFC units recorded from animals expressing behavioral tolerance responded to MPD predominately by decreasing their firing rates, whereas PFC units recorded from behaviorally sensitized animals mainly showed an increase in their firing rates.展开更多
The purpose of this study was to investigate neuronal mechanisms active during the percep-tion of forward postural limits in a standing po-sition and to specify fall-related brain activity using optical functional nea...The purpose of this study was to investigate neuronal mechanisms active during the percep-tion of forward postural limits in a standing po-sition and to specify fall-related brain activity using optical functional near-infrared spectros-copy. The study group included six right-handed, healthy female volunteers (range: 19, 20 years). The optical imaging device comprised 16 opto-des designed to provide 24-channel recording of changes in hemoglobin oxygenation. We meas-ured the changes of oxygenated hemoglobin levels in the frontal region when subjects per-ceived reachability in a standing position. Com- pared with those in other regions, the oxygen-ated hemoglobin levels in the right frontal region compatible with the right prefrontal cortex sig-nificantly increased. This result suggests that brain activities in the right prefrontal cortex are related to perception of reachability. Overesti-mation of postural limits has been reported as one of the risk factor for falling. This overesti-mation might be induced by dysfunction in the prefrontal cortex, resulting in a failure to inhibit a motor program that would have caused a loss of balance in reaching. Activation of the right prefrontal cortex may be a key factor for pre-venting accidental falls in the elderly and in pa-tients with neurological disorders.展开更多
Considerable evidence has revealed that essential oils and their main constituents possess anti-depressant and anxiolytic properties.In the current study,we report the effect ofβ-citronellol,the main component of ros...Considerable evidence has revealed that essential oils and their main constituents possess anti-depressant and anxiolytic properties.In the current study,we report the effect ofβ-citronellol,the main component of rose essential oil,on depressive-like and anxiety-like behaviors in chronic restraint stress(CRS)mice.We found that chronic inhalation ofβ-citronellol for 14 days could increase locomotor activity in the open field test,decrease the percentage of immobility duration in the forced swimming test,and increase open arms exploration in elevated plus-maze test in CRS mice.Western blot experiment shows that chronicβ-citronellol inhalation rescues parvalbumin(PV)expression loss in the prefrontal cortex(PFC)of CRS mice.Correlation analysis reveals a strong relationship between the PV expression in PFC and the percentage of sucrose preference of the mice.These findings indicate the relationships between the PV gene expression of PFC and the effects ofβ-citronellol inhalation.展开更多
Working memory is one of the most important functions in our brain,which has been widely studied with unreal-life measured technologies.A functional near-infrared spectroscopy(fNIRS)instrument with a portable and low-...Working memory is one of the most important functions in our brain,which has been widely studied with unreal-life measured technologies.A functional near-infrared spectroscopy(fNIRS)instrument with a portable and low-cost design is developed,which is capable of providing hemodynamic measurement associated with brain function in real-life situations.Using this instrument,we performed working memory studies involved in Chinese words encoding,verbal,and spatial stem recognition,which are mainly studied with other technologies.Our results show that fNIRS can well assess working memory activities,in comparison with the reported results mainly using other methodologies.Furthermore,we find that hemodynamic change in the prefrontal cortex during all working memory tasks is highly associated with subjects’behavioral data.fNIRS is shown to be a promising alternative to the current methodologies for studying or assessing functional brain activities in natural condition.展开更多
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(Nos.81801355,U22A20306,and 3192010300)the Autism Research Special Fund of Zhejiang Foundation for Disabled Persons(Nos.2022001 and 2023002)+1 种基金the Research and Development Program of Guangdong Province(No.2019B030335001)the Non-profit Central Research Institute Fund of Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences(No.2023-PT310-01)。
文摘Social behaviors are fundamental and intricate functions in both humans and animals,governed by the interplay of social cognition and emotions.A noteworthy feature of several neuropsychiatric disorders,including autism spectrum disorder(ASD)and schizophrenia(SCZ),is a pronounced deficit in social functioning.Despite a burgeoning body of research on social behaviors,the precise neural circuit mechanisms underpinning these phenomena remain to be elucidated.In this paper,we review the pivotal role of the prefrontal cortex(PFC)in modulating social behaviors,as well as its functional alteration in social disorders in ASD or SCZ.We posit that PFC dysfunction may represent a critical hub in the pathogenesis of psychiatric disorders characterized by shared social deficits.Furthermore,we delve into the intricate connectivity of the medial PFC(mPFC)with other cortical areas and subcortical brain regions in rodents,which exerts a profound influence on social behaviors.Notably,a substantial body of evidence underscores the role of N-methyl-D-aspartate receptors(NMDARs)and the proper functioning of parvalbumin-positive interneurons within the mPFC for social regulation.Our overarching goal is to furnish a comprehensive understanding of these intricate circuits and thereby contribute to the enhancement of both research endeavors and clinical practices concerning social behavior deficits.
文摘The prefrontal cortex (PFC) is involved in complex planning, learning, memory, attention and integrates sensory information. It was reported that the PFC was dysfunctional in attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Methylphenidate (MPD), a drug often prescribed for the treatment of ADHD, has potential for abuse and misuse. Most MPD studies were completed in adult subjects;however, most users were adolescents. The objective of this study was to investigate the acute and chronic dose response characteristics of MPD on PFC neuronal activity recorded in freely behaving adolescent rats. Four groups of animals were used: saline (control), 0.6, 2.5, and 10 mg/kg MPD. Acute MPD elicited a dose response increase in animals’ locomotor activity. Rechallenge with MPD at experimental day (ED10) when compared to the effect of MPD at ED1 showed no significant differences. When the animals were divided into two groups based on their individual responses to chronic MPD exposure, some animals expressed behavioral tolerance and some expressed behavioral sensitization. Electrophysiologically, a dose response characteristic for acute and chronic MPD exposure was observed. With increasing MPD doses, more PFC units responded by changing their firing rate. Moreover, the neuronal responses to chronic MPD recorded from animals expressing behavioral tolerance were significantly different compared to the neuronal population responses recorded from animals expressing behavioral sensitization. The majority of the PFC units recorded from animals expressing behavioral tolerance responded to MPD predominately by decreasing their firing rates, whereas PFC units recorded from behaviorally sensitized animals mainly showed an increase in their firing rates.
文摘The purpose of this study was to investigate neuronal mechanisms active during the percep-tion of forward postural limits in a standing po-sition and to specify fall-related brain activity using optical functional near-infrared spectros-copy. The study group included six right-handed, healthy female volunteers (range: 19, 20 years). The optical imaging device comprised 16 opto-des designed to provide 24-channel recording of changes in hemoglobin oxygenation. We meas-ured the changes of oxygenated hemoglobin levels in the frontal region when subjects per-ceived reachability in a standing position. Com- pared with those in other regions, the oxygen-ated hemoglobin levels in the right frontal region compatible with the right prefrontal cortex sig-nificantly increased. This result suggests that brain activities in the right prefrontal cortex are related to perception of reachability. Overesti-mation of postural limits has been reported as one of the risk factor for falling. This overesti-mation might be induced by dysfunction in the prefrontal cortex, resulting in a failure to inhibit a motor program that would have caused a loss of balance in reaching. Activation of the right prefrontal cortex may be a key factor for pre-venting accidental falls in the elderly and in pa-tients with neurological disorders.
基金the National Natural Science Foundation of China(No.81871064)the Science and Technology Conmission of Shanghai Municipality(No.13DZ2260500)the Innovation Program of Shanghai Municipal Education Commission(No.2019-01-07-00-02-E00037)。
文摘Considerable evidence has revealed that essential oils and their main constituents possess anti-depressant and anxiolytic properties.In the current study,we report the effect ofβ-citronellol,the main component of rose essential oil,on depressive-like and anxiety-like behaviors in chronic restraint stress(CRS)mice.We found that chronic inhalation ofβ-citronellol for 14 days could increase locomotor activity in the open field test,decrease the percentage of immobility duration in the forced swimming test,and increase open arms exploration in elevated plus-maze test in CRS mice.Western blot experiment shows that chronicβ-citronellol inhalation rescues parvalbumin(PV)expression loss in the prefrontal cortex(PFC)of CRS mice.Correlation analysis reveals a strong relationship between the PV expression in PFC and the percentage of sucrose preference of the mice.These findings indicate the relationships between the PV gene expression of PFC and the effects ofβ-citronellol inhalation.
基金the National Nature Science Foundation of China(Grant no.30070261,60025514)and 111 project.
文摘Working memory is one of the most important functions in our brain,which has been widely studied with unreal-life measured technologies.A functional near-infrared spectroscopy(fNIRS)instrument with a portable and low-cost design is developed,which is capable of providing hemodynamic measurement associated with brain function in real-life situations.Using this instrument,we performed working memory studies involved in Chinese words encoding,verbal,and spatial stem recognition,which are mainly studied with other technologies.Our results show that fNIRS can well assess working memory activities,in comparison with the reported results mainly using other methodologies.Furthermore,we find that hemodynamic change in the prefrontal cortex during all working memory tasks is highly associated with subjects’behavioral data.fNIRS is shown to be a promising alternative to the current methodologies for studying or assessing functional brain activities in natural condition.
