An accessory prefrontal cortex–thalamus circuit sculpts maternal behavior in virgin female mice

Glat, Micaela; Gundacker, Anna; Rico, Laura Cuenca; Czuczu, Barbara; Ben-Simon, Yoav; Harkany, Tibor; Pollak, Daniela D.

doi:10.15252/embj.2022111648

Cited by 6 publications

(3 citation statements)

References 66 publications

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“…Chemically targeted activation with simultaneous calcium imaging of neurons was conducted using AAVs containing a Cre-dependent DREADD 55 , 56 construct (AAV-DIO-CAG-hM3Dq-2A-dTomato; Addgene #202036) added to organotypic hippocampal slice cultures of Prox1-cre::Ai95 (GCaMP6f) mice at 4–6 d in vitro. Each transduced cell expressed both cytoplasmic dTomato and the excitatory designer receptor hM3Dq.…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Dense 4D nanoscale reconstruction of living brain tissue

et al. 2023

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Three-dimensional (3D) reconstruction of living brain tissue down to an individual synapse level would create opportunities for decoding the dynamics and structure–function relationships of the brain’s complex and dense information processing network; however, this has been hindered by insufficient 3D resolution, inadequate signal-to-noise ratio and prohibitive light burden in optical imaging, whereas electron microscopy is inherently static. Here we solved these challenges by developing an integrated optical/machine-learning technology, LIONESS (live information-optimized nanoscopy enabling saturated segmentation). This leverages optical modifications to stimulated emission depletion microscopy in comprehensively, extracellularly labeled tissue and previous information on sample structure via machine learning to simultaneously achieve isotropic super-resolution, high signal-to-noise ratio and compatibility with living tissue. This allows dense deep-learning-based instance segmentation and 3D reconstruction at a synapse level, incorporating molecular, activity and morphodynamic information. LIONESS opens up avenues for studying the dynamic functional (nano-)architecture of living brain tissue.

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Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Dense 4D nanoscale reconstruction of living brain tissue

et al. 2023

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“…A second study, using retrograde AAVs, reported an incredibly sparse population of ACA neurons (1–3 neurons per section) that projected monosynaptically to both dorsal and ventral CA1 ( Bian et al, 2019 ). However, other mouse studies using anterograde AAVs to map efferents from ACA report no projection to hippocampus ( Glat et al, 2022 ; Shi et al, 2022 ). While not reported explicitly, representative images from another study mapping outputs of ACA revealed no labelling in hippocampus ( Zhang et al, 2016 ).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 98%

No evidence from complementary data sources of a direct glutamatergic projection from the mouse anterior cingulate area to the hippocampal formation

Andrianova,

Yanakieva,

Margetts-Smith

et al. 2023

eLife

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The connectivity and interplay between the prefrontal cortex and hippocampus underpin various key cognitive processes, with changes in these interactions being implicated in both neurodevelopmental as well as neurodegenerative conditions. Understanding the precise cellular connections through which this circuit is organised is, therefore, vital for understanding these same processes. Overturning earlier findings, a recent study described a novel excitatory projection from anterior cingulate area to dorsal hippocampus. We sought to validate this unexpected finding using multiple, complementary methods: anterograde and retrograde anatomical tracing, using anterograde and retrograde AAVs, monosynaptic rabies tracing and the Fast Blue classical tracer. Additionally, an extensive data search of the Allen Projection Brain Atlas database was conducted to find the stated projection within any of the deposited anatomical studies, as an independent verification of our own results. However, we failed to find any evidence of a direct, monosynaptic glutamatergic projection from mouse anterior cingulate cortex to the hippocampus proper.

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“…The formation and density of dendritic spines in hippocampal neurons [ 167 , 214 , 216 – 219 ], as well as neurogenesis in the dentate gyrus [ 220 ], and long-term potentiation [ 221 ], are further molded by estradiol. Increased levels of estradiol are known to specifically affect brain areas directly related to maternal care behavior [ 222 ], such as the medial preoptic area (mPOA) [ 223 ], amygdala [ 224 ], hypothalamus [ 225 , 226 ], olfactory system [ 227 , 228 ], parietal, and prefrontal cortex [ 168 ].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Interaction of the pre- and postnatal environment in the maternal immune activation model

Gundacker,

Cuenca Rico,

Stoehrmann

et al. 2023

Discov Ment Health

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Adverse influences during pregnancy are associated with a range of unfavorable outcomes for the developing offspring. Maternal psychosocial stress, exposure to infections and nutritional imbalances are known risk factors for neurodevelopmental derangements and according psychiatric and neurological manifestations later in offspring life. In this context, the maternal immune activation (MIA) model has been extensively used in preclinical research to study how stimulation of the maternal immune system during gestation derails the tightly coordinated sequence of fetal neurodevelopment. The ensuing consequence of MIA for offspring brain structure and function are majorly manifested in behavioral and cognitive abnormalities, phenotypically presenting during the periods of adolescence and adulthood. These observations have been interpreted within the framework of the “double-hit-hypothesis” suggesting that an elevated risk for neurodevelopmental disorders results from an individual being subjected to two adverse environmental influences at distinct periods of life, jointly leading to the emergence of pathology. The early postnatal period, during which the caregiving parent is the major determinant of the newborn´s environment, constitutes a window of vulnerability to external stimuli. Considering that MIA not only affects the developing fetus, but also impinges on the mother´s brain, which is in a state of heightened malleability during pregnancy, the impact of MIA on maternal brain function and behavior postpartum may importantly contribute to the detrimental consequences for her progeny. Here we review current information on the interaction between the prenatal and postnatal maternal environments in the modulation of offspring development and their relevance for the pathophysiology of the MIA model.

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An accessory prefrontal cortex–thalamus circuit sculpts maternal behavior in virgin female mice

Cited by 6 publications

References 66 publications

Dense 4D nanoscale reconstruction of living brain tissue

Dense 4D nanoscale reconstruction of living brain tissue

No evidence from complementary data sources of a direct glutamatergic projection from the mouse anterior cingulate area to the hippocampal formation

Interaction of the pre- and postnatal environment in the maternal immune activation model

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