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Readable research linked to original sources
Browse normalized, publication-ready research with direct links to its evidence and source.
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Readable research linked to original sources
Browse normalized, publication-ready research with direct links to its evidence and source.
27 articles
Newest firstBackground and objective Lafora disease (LD) is a rare progressive disorder caused by mutations in the EPM2A or EPM2B genes, characterized by the accumulation of Lafora bodies, drug-resistant epilepsy, and cognitive decline. To investigate the early molecular mechanisms of LD, we studied electrophysiological changes in the dentate gyrus (DG) of the Epm2aR240X knock-in mouse model at various ages. Methods Electroph…
Open article record in new tab ↗In this study, we have examined the neuroprotective effects of cannabidiolic acid (CBDA) in models of Alzheimer's disease (AD). We used in vitro electrophysiological recording in hippocampal slices and performed proteomic analysis of cortical tissue from APPswe/PS1dE9 (APP/PS1) mice. In wild-type (WT) slices from C57BL6 mice, acute treatment with CBDA (10 μM) did not alter levels of hippocampal long-term potentiat…
Adolescent binge drinking has lasting behavioral consequences by disrupting the endocannabinoid system (ECS) and depleting brain omega-3. The natural accumulation of omega-3 fatty acids in cell membranes is crucial for maintaining the membrane structure, supporting interactions with the ECS, and restoring synaptic plasticity and cognition impaired by prenatal ethanol (EtOH) exposure. However, it remains unclear wh…
Deficits in learning and memory are some of the most commonly reported symptoms following a traumatic brain injury (TBI). We will examine whether the neural basis of these deficits stems from alterations to bidirectional synaptic plasticity within the hippocampus. Although the CA1 subregion of the hippocampus has been a focus of TBI research, the dentate gyrus should also be given attention as it exhibits a unique…
Background and aim Major depressive disorder is a prevalent psychiatric condition associated with impaired neuroplasticity, particularly in the hippocampus. Although selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) are commonly prescribed, their delayed onset and adverse effects highlight the need for alternative therapies. Cannabidiol (CBD), a non-psychotomimetic cannabinoid, has shown antidepressant-like properti…
Background/Objectives: Omega-3 long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) support brain cell membrane integrity and help mitigate synaptic plasticity deficits. The endocannabinoid system (ECS) is integral to synaptic plasticity and regulates various brain functions. While PUFAs influence the ECS, the effects of omega-3 on the ECS, cognition, and behavior in a healthy brain remain unclear. Methods and Results:…
Objectives Long-term potentiation (LTP) is a kind of synaptic plasticity and has a key role in learning and memory. Endocannabinoids and orexins are the endogenous systems that can modulate synaptic plasticity. Given that new studies have shown an interaction between cannabinoid and orexin systems in the brain, we decided to examine this interaction between the two systems on LTP induction in rat's hippocampus. Ma…
Open article record in new tab ↗Background The release of various neurotransmitters and thereby the excitability of neuronal circuits are regulated by the endocannabinoid system in an activity-dependent manner. Hippocampal long-term potentiation (LTP) is augmented in cannabinoid type 1 (CB1) receptor-deficient mice. CB1 receptors exist on GABAergic axon terminals in the hippocampus. In our previous work, we showed that CB1 antagonists increased…
The present study describes a detailed neuroanatomical distribution map of the cannabinoid type 1 (CB1) receptor, along with the biochemical characterization of the expression and functional coupling to their cognate G i/o proteins in the medial prefrontal cortex (mPCx) of the obese Zucker rats. The CB1 receptor density was higher in the prelimbic (PL) and infralimbic (IL) subregions of the mPCx of obese Zucker ra…
There is evidence that cannabis use during adolescence leads to memory and cognitive problems in young adulthood but little is known about effects of early life cannabis exposure on synaptic operations that are critical for encoding and organizing information. We report here that a 14-day course of daily Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol treatments administered to adolescent rats and mice (aTHC) leads to profound but select…
The transient receptor potential vanilloid 1 (TRPV1) participates in synaptic functions in the brain. In the dentate gyrus, post-synaptic TRPV1 in the granule cell (GC) dendritic spines mediates a type of long-term depression (LTD) of the excitatory medial perforant path (MPP) synapses independent of pre-synaptic cannabinoid CB1 receptors. As CB1 receptors also mediate LTD at these synapses, both CB1 and TRPV1 mig…
Background Accumulation of amyloid beta oligomers (AβO) in Alzheimer's disease (AD) impairs hippocampal long-term potentiation (LTP), leading to memory deficits. Thus, identifying the molecular targets of AβO involved in LTP inhibition is critical for developing therapeutics for AD. Endocannabinoid (eCB) synthesis and release, a process collectively called eCB mobilization by hippocampal CA1 pyramidal cells, is kn…
Open article record in new tab ↗Imbalance in redox homeostasis is a major cause of age-related cognitive impairment. The endocannabinoid system (ECS) is a key player in regulating synaptic transmission, plasticity and memory. Increasing evidence indicates an important interplay between the two systems. However, how excessive oxidative stress could alter ECS and that, in turn, impairs its modulatory role in synaptic plasticity and cognitive funct…
Open article record in new tab ↗The endocannabinoid (eCB) system is a lipid-based neurotransmitter complex that plays crucial roles in the neural control of learning and memory. The current model of eCB-mediated retrograde signaling is that eCBs released from postsynaptic elements travel retrogradely to presynaptic axon terminals, where they activate cannabinoid type-1 receptors (CB1Rs) and ultimately decrease neurotransmitter release on a short…
Open article record in new tab ↗The insular cortex plays pivotal roles in taste learning. As cellular mechanisms of taste learning, long-term potentiation (LTP) at glutamatergic synapses is well studied. However, little is known about long-term changes of synaptic efficacy at GABAergic synapses in the insular cortex. Here, we examined the synaptic mechanisms of long-term plasticity at GABAergic synapses in layer V pyramidal neurons of the mouse…
Open article record in new tab ↗The hippocampus is thought to encode information by altering synaptic strength via synaptic plasticity. Some forms of synaptic plasticity are induced by lipid-based endocannabinoid signaling molecules that act on cannabinoid receptors (CB1). Endocannabinoids modulate synaptic plasticity of hippocampal pyramidal cells and stratum radiatum interneurons; however, the role of endocannabinoids in mediating synaptic pla…
Open article record in new tab ↗A large number of experiments have indicated that precise spike times, firing rates, and synapse locations crucially determine the dynamics of long-term plasticity induction in excitatory synapses. However, it remains unknown how plasticity mechanisms of synapses distributed along dendritic trees cooperate to produce the wide spectrum of outcomes for various plasticity protocols. Here, we propose a four-pathway pl…
Nociceptors, sensory neurons that detect damage or potential damage to the body, are the first stage of communicating noxious stimuli from the periphery to central nervous system (CNS). In this study, long-term potentiation (LTP) in the CNS of the medicinal leech, Hirudo verbana, was examined, taking advantage of the ability to selectively record from nociceptive synapses in this model organism. High frequency sti…
Open article record in new tab ↗Endocannabinoid signaling via anandamide (AEA) is implicated in a variety of neuronal functions and considered a promising therapeutic target for numerous emotion-related disorders. The major AEA degrading enzyme is fatty acid amide hydrolase (FAAH). Genetic deletion and pharmacological inhibition of FAAH reduce anxiety and improve emotional responses and memory in rodents and humans. Complementarily, the mechanis…
Neural stem cells (NSCs) in the adult mouse hippocampus occur in a specific neurogenic niche, where a multitude of extracellular signaling molecules converges to regulate NSC proliferation as well as fate and functional integration. However, the underlying mechanisms how NSCs react to extrinsic signals and convert them to intracellular responses still remains elusive. NSCs contain a functional endocannabinoid syst…