2009 Targeting Trends Review

Halasz J, Zelena D, Toth M, Tulogdi A, Mikics E, Haller J (2009) Substance P neurotransmission and violent aggression: the role of tachykinin NK(1) receptors in the hypothalamic attack area. Eur J Pharmacol 611:35-43. doi: 10.1016/j.ejphar.2009.03.050

Summary: Stimulation of the hypothalamic attack area elicits biting attacks in rats. The authors eliminated NK1 receptor-expressing neurons in this area with bilateral 6.25-ng injections of SP-SAP (Cat. #IT-07). Violent attacks were dramatically reduced while milder forms of aggression remained unchanged, indicating that these two forms of aggression are controlled via different pathways. Lesioned animals also displayed reduced anxiety-like behavior in the elevated plus-maze, suggesting a connection between the hypothalamic attack area and brain areas controlling anxiety.

Related Products: SP-SAP (Cat. #IT-07)

De Bartolo P, Gelfo F, Mandolesi L, Foti F, Cutuli D, Petrosini L (2009) Effects of chronic donepezil treatment and cholinergic deafferentation on parietal pyramidal neuron morphology. J Alzheimers Dis 17:177-191. doi: 10.3233/JAD-2009-1035 PMID: 19494441

Summary: Donepezil has been shown to enhance cognitive functioning in both healthy patients and those suffering from dementia. This study examined whether donepezil treatment changes neocortical morphology in healthy or diseased brains. Rats received 4 µg bilateral injections of 192-IgG-SAP (Cat. #IT-01) into the lateral ventricles. Various morphological parameters were analyzed demonstrating that in the absence of cholinergic neurons donepezil prevented the compensatory response rather than enhanced function.

Related Products: 192-IgG-SAP (Cat. #IT-01)

Browning PG, Gaffan D, Croxson PL, Baxter MG (2010) Severe scene learning impairment, but intact recognition memory, after cholinergic depletion of inferotemporal cortex followed by fornix transection. Cereb Cortex 20(2):282-293. doi: 10.1093/cercor/bhp097

Summary: In this work the authors investigated the link between connections carried by the fornix and cholinergic input to the inferotemporal cortex in scene learning. Monkeys received 56-64 0.02-µg injections of ME20.4-SAP (Cat. #IT-15) into the inferotemporal cortex, and entorhinal cortices. There was a marked impairment in memory for lesioned animals that also received a fornix transection, indicating a synergistic interaction between connections carried by the fornix and cholinergic input to the inferotemporal cortex for episodic memory.

Related Products: ME20.4-SAP (Cat. #IT-15)

Abbott SB, Stornetta RL, Fortuna MG, Depuy SD, West GH, Harris TE, Guyenet PG (2009) Photostimulation of retrotrapezoid nucleus phox2b-expressing neurons in vivo produces long-lasting activation of breathing in rats. J Neurosci 29:5806-5819. doi: 10.1523/JNEUROSCI.1106-09.2009

Summary: The retrotrapezoid nucleus (RTN) contains a subpopulation of cells that are thought to function as central respiratory chemoreceptors. The authors used bilateral 22-ng injections of anti-DBH-SAP (Cat. #IT-03) into the lateral horn of the second thoracic segment to investigate this hypothesis. Coupled with data generated by lentivirus-driven transgenic expression of a light-activated cationic channel, it is demonstrated that noncatecholaminergic neurons in the RTN function as central respiratory chemoreceptors.

Related Products: Anti-DBH-SAP (Cat. #IT-03)

Ramanathan D, Tuszynski MH, Conner JM (2009) The basal forebrain cholinergic system is required specifically for behaviorally mediated cortical map plasticity. J Neurosci 29:5992-6000. doi: 10.1523/JNEUROSCI.0230-09.2009

Summary: In this work the authors examined what types of neuronal plasticity require the cholinergic system. Selective depletion of the basal forebrain cholinergic system was accomplished by bilateral 112-ng and 75-ng injections of 192-IgG-SAP (Cat. #IT-01) into the nucleus basalis magnocellularis/substantia inominata. The results indicate a linkage between cholinergic mechanisms and distinct forms of cortical plasticity, supporting the role of the forebrain cholinergic system in modulating plasticity associated with behavioral experience.

Related Products: 192-IgG-SAP (Cat. #IT-01)

Truitt WA, Johnson PL, Dietrich AD, Fitz SD, Shekhar A (2009) Anxiety-like behavior is modulated by a discrete subpopulation of interneurons in the basolateral amygdala. Neuroscience 160:284-294. doi: 10.1016/j.neuroscience.2009.01.083

Summary: It is thought that the basolateral nucleus of the amygdala (BL) is an anxiety regulator. The authors previously demonstrated that SSP-SAP (Cat. #IT-11) lesions of the BL increase anxiety-like behaviors in rats. Using a series of 6 bilateral injections of SSP-SAP (4 ng per injection), the NK-1 receptor-expressing cells of the BL are further characterized.

Related Products: SSP-SAP (Cat. #IT-11)

Brightwell JJ, Taylor BK (2009) Noradrenergic neurons in the locus coeruleus contribute to neuropathic pain. Neuroscience 160:174-185. doi: 10.1016/j.neuroscience.2009.02.023

Summary: Noradrenergic neurons were eliminated with 5 µg intracerebroventricular injections of anti-DBH-SAP (Cat. #IT-03). Mouse IgG-SAP (Cat. #IT-18) was used as a control. Animals lesioned with anti-DBH-SAP displayed a reduction in behavioral signs of several kinds of allodynia.

Related Products: Anti-DBH-SAP (Cat. #IT-03), Mouse IgG-SAP (Cat. #IT-18)

Craig LA, Hong NS, Kopp J, McDonald RJ (2009) Cholinergic depletion of the medial septum followed by phase shifting does not impair memory or rest-activity rhythms measured under standard light/dark conditions in rats. Brain Res Bull 79(1):53-62. doi: 10.1016/j.brainresbull.2008.10.013

Summary: It has been theorized that cognitive decline observed in Alzheimer’s disease is in part due to disruption of the circadian rhythm (CR) in these patients. Some basal forebrain cholinergic neurons project to the suprachiasmatic nucleus, which is responsible for maintenance of CR. Rats received two injections totaling 7.5 ng of 192-IgG-SAP (Cat. #IT-01) into the medial septum/diagonal band of Broca. Lesioned animals did not show any evidence of CR disruption.

Related Products: 192-IgG-SAP (Cat. #IT-01)

Botly LC, De Rosa E (2009) Cholinergic deafferentation of the neocortex using 192 IgG-saporin impairs feature binding in rats. J Neurosci 29:4120-4130. doi: 10.1523/JNEUROSCI.0654-09.2009

Summary: It has been hypothesized that the nucleus basalis magnocellularis (NBM) is the source of cholinergic input to the neocortex that is responsible for incorporating different features of an object into a unified neural representation of said object. Rats received 0.04-µg bilateral injections of 192-IgG-SAP (Cat. #IT-01) into the NBM. In lesioned animals modes of learning requiring feature binding were impaired, while processes not using feature binding were left intact.

Related Products: 192-IgG-SAP (Cat. #IT-01)

Montero Dominguez M, Gonzalez B, Zimmer J (2009) Neuroprotective effects of the anti-inflammatory compound triflusal on ischemia-like neurodegeneration in mouse hippocampal slice cultures occur independent of microglia. Exp Neurol 218:11-23. doi: 10.1016/j.expneurol.2009.03.023

Summary: In this work the authors looked to clarify the role of microglia in an experimental stroke model. Hippocampal slices were subject to oxygen-glucose deprivation to establish the stroke model. Slices were exposed to 1.3 nM Mac-1-SAP (Cat. #IT-06) for 7 days prior to the experiments. This treatment depleted virtually all of the microglia. The lesioned slices were more susceptible to neurodegeneration, but the anti-inflammatory drug triflusal was still able to fulfill its neuroprotective role in treated slices.

Related Products: Mac-1-SAP mouse/human (Cat. #IT-06)

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