Cell Reports,
Journal Year:
2020,
Volume and Issue:
31(12), P. 107812 - 107812
Published: June 1, 2020
The
medial
prefrontal
cortex
(mPFC)
is
a
brain
region
involved
in
the
affective
components
of
pain
and
undergoes
plasticity
during
development
chronic
pain.
Dopamine
(DA)
key
neuromodulator
mesocortical
circuit
modulates
working
memory
aversion.
Although
DA
inputs
into
mPFC
are
known
to
modulate
plasticity,
whether
how
these
affect
remains
incompletely
understood.
By
using
optogenetics,
we
find
that
phasic
activation
from
ventral
tegmental
area
(VTA)
reduce
mechanical
hypersensitivity
neuropathic
states.
Mice
with
exhibit
preference
for
contexts
paired
photostimulation
terminals
mPFC.
Fiber
photometry-based
calcium
imaging
reveals
increases
activity
neurons
projecting
ventrolateral
periaqueductal
gray
(vlPAG).
Together,
our
findings
indicate
an
important
role
signaling
modulation.
Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences,
Journal Year:
2019,
Volume and Issue:
1457(1), P. 5 - 25
Published: March 15, 2019
Social
connections
are
vital
to
survival
throughout
the
animal
kingdom
and
dynamic
across
life
span.
There
debilitating
consequences
of
social
isolation
loneliness,
support
is
increasingly
a
primary
consideration
in
health
care,
disease
prevention,
recovery.
Considering
connection
as
an
"innate
need,"
it
hypothesized
that
evolutionarily
conserved
neural
systems
underlie
maintenance
connections:
alerting
individual
their
absence
coordinating
effector
mechanisms
restore
contact.
This
reminiscent
homeostatic
system
designed
maintain
connection.
Here,
we
explore
identity
regulating
"social
homeostasis."
We
review
findings
from
rodent
studies
evaluating
rapid
response
deficit
(in
form
acute
isolation)
propose
parallel,
overlapping
circuits
engaged
adapt
vulnerabilities
By
considering
other
needs,
such
energy
fluid
balance,
discuss
potential
attributes
circuitry.
reason
uncovering
these
circuits/mechanisms
will
facilitate
our
understanding
how
loneliness
perpetuates
long-term
states,
which
speculate
may
result
sustained
recruitment
circuits.
Science,
Journal Year:
2019,
Volume and Issue:
366(6468), P. 1008 - 1012
Published: Nov. 22, 2019
A
brain
circuit
to
control
alcohol
intake
Most
people
are
exposed
at
some
point
in
their
lives,
but
only
a
small
fraction
will
develop
compulsive
drinking
disorder.
Siciliano
et
al.
first
established
behavioral
measure
assess
how
predisposition
interacts
with
experience
produce
subset
of
mice
(see
the
Perspective
by
Nixon
and
Mangieri).
In
search
underlying
neurobiological
mechanism,
they
discovered
that
discrete
between
medial
prefrontal
cortex
brainstem
is
central
for
development
drinking.
This
serves
as
both
biomarker
driver
its
expression.
It
can
bidirectionally
behavior
mitigating
or
mimicking
punishment
signals.
Science
,
this
issue
p.
1008
;
see
also
947
The
medial
prefrontal
cortex
(mPFC)
and
its
abundant
connections
with
other
brain
regions
play
key
roles
in
memory,
cognition,
decision
making,
social
behaviors,
mood.
Dysfunction
mPFC
is
implicated
psychiatric
disorders
which
these
behaviors
go
awry.
prolonged
maturation
of
likely
enables
complex
to
emerge,
but
also
increases
their
vulnerability
disruption.
Many
foundational
studies
have
characterized
either
synaptic
or
behavioral
development
without
establishing
between
them.
Here,
we
review
this
rich
body
literature,
aligning
major
events
the
behaviors.
We
focus
on
emotional
memory
cognitive
flexibility,
highlight
new
work
linking
circuit
disruption
alterations
disease
models.
advance
hypotheses
about
causal
propose
research
strategies
establish
an
integrated
understanding
neural
architecture
repertoires.
