Neuroscience Letters最新文献

{"title":"Linking oxytocin to nicotine dependence: An experimental study of the brain, behavior, and gut microbiota in rats","authors":"Ruiyan Wang ,&nbsp;Guanglin Liu ,&nbsp;Huan Chen ,&nbsp;Hongwei Hou ,&nbsp;Qingyuan Hu","doi":"10.1016/j.neulet.2025.138198","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.neulet.2025.138198","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Oxytocin (OXT) is a hypothalamic neuropeptide, and numerous studies have indicated that exposure to addictive substances, such as opioids, cocaine, etc., can result in decreased function of the OXT system. The study also found that OXT can reduce addictive behavior for certain drugs, including methamphetamine, alcohol, and cocaine, suggesting a close relationship between the OXT system and drug abuse. Although nicotine is the main addictive substance in tobacco, its interaction with the OXT system is unknown and requires further study. Therefore, OXT levels in plasma and brain regions associated with addiction were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) using chronic nicotine administration via a slow-release pump. In addition, the effects of OXT injection on nicotine self-administration behavior, motor activity, and intestinal microbiota in rats were examined by nicotine self-administration experiment, open field experiment, and 16S sequencing experiment. By depleting gut microbiota with oral antibiotics, this study aims to investigate whether gut microbiota mediates oxytocin effect on the nicotine self-administration behavior in rats. This study shows that chronic nicotine administration can reduce OXT levels in plasma and brain regions such as the paraventricular nucleus (PVN), ventral tegmental area (VTA), and caudate putamen (CPU). OXT at a dose of 1.0 mg/kg significantly reduced the number of nicotine infusions and the abundance of Lactobacillus in rats. Notably, our findings indicate that other mechanisms besides gut microbes are involved in the effect of peripheral OXT administration on the inhibition of nicotine self-administration.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":19290,"journal":{"name":"Neuroscience Letters","volume":"852 ","pages":"Article 138198"},"PeriodicalIF":2.5,"publicationDate":"2025-03-15","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143630541","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Intracellular metabotropic glutamate receptor 5 in spinal dorsal horn neurons contributes to pain in a mouse model of vincristine-induced neuropathic pain","authors":"Xiao Li ,&nbsp;Hui Yang ,&nbsp;Ming Qian ,&nbsp;Hang Liu ,&nbsp;Shuang Zuo ,&nbsp;Jin-Chun Liu ,&nbsp;Wei-Hong Ge ,&nbsp;Lin Zhou","doi":"10.1016/j.neulet.2025.138193","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.neulet.2025.138193","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Vincristine (VCR) is a commonly used clinical anti-cancer drug, but it can also induce neurotoxicity and cause vincristine-induced neuropathic pain (VINP). The metabotropic glutamate receptor 5 (mGluR5) within spinal dorsal horn neurons regulates the transmission of pain mediated by glutamate. In this study, we investigated for the first time the role of mGluR5 in the transmission of noxious information in VINP. Expression of mGluR5 protein was significantly increased in the spinal cord from days 6 to 14 after VCR injection. Immunofluorescence double staining showed that mGluR5 colocalized with the neuron-specific marker NeuN. The intrathecal administration of MPEP (a specific antagonist of mGluR5) or DHPG (an agonist of mGluR5) influenced the pain threshold and mGluR5 protein expression in VINP mice. The expression of c-Fos protein was also affected by MPEP. Furthermore, simulated blockade of intracellular mGluR5 site by intrathecal injection of small interfering RNA (siRNA) of the excitatory amino acid transporter 3 (EAAT3) reduced mechanical allodynia and thermal hyperalgesia and suppressed the expression of mGluR5 and c-Fos proteins. The results collectively indicate that mGluR5 site in spinal dorsal horn neurons may be involved in the regulation of intracellular nociceptive signal transmission in VINP, and the expression of c-Fos largely depends on the intracellular mGluR5.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":19290,"journal":{"name":"Neuroscience Letters","volume":"852 ","pages":"Article 138193"},"PeriodicalIF":2.5,"publicationDate":"2025-03-15","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143611504","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Valproic acid prevents NMDA-induced retinal degeneration in marmosets","authors":"Takahiko Noro ,&nbsp;Xiaoli Guo ,&nbsp;Kazuhiko Namekata ,&nbsp;Youichi Shinozaki ,&nbsp;Nanako Hashimoto ,&nbsp;Keiko Moriya-Ito ,&nbsp;Chikako Harada ,&nbsp;Tadashi Nakano ,&nbsp;Takayuki Harada","doi":"10.1016/j.neulet.2025.138197","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.neulet.2025.138197","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Valproic acid (VPA) is a prescribed drug widely used for treatment of epilepsy, mood disorders, migraines and neuropathic pain. Accumulating evidence suggests that VPA possess neuroprotective properties. Glaucoma, one of the leading causes of vision loss in the world, is characterized by progressive degeneration of retinal ganglion cells (RGCs) and their axons. Intravitreal injection of <em>N</em>-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) is well studied in rodents as an acute model of RGC death. In the present study, we first investigated whether NMDA induced retinal degeneration in non-human primate common marmosets as the structure and function of the eye is similar to that of humans. We found that NMDA had no effects on intraocular pressure but induced retinal degeneration by using optical coherence tomography and multifocal electroretinogram, both of which are non-invasive methods. In addition, VPA treatment suppressed acute retinal degeneration and ameliorated visual impairment in marmosets. Our findings raise intriguing possibilities that VPA may be useful for preventing RGC death and suggest that the marmoset is a useful animal model for studying glaucoma.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":19290,"journal":{"name":"Neuroscience Letters","volume":"855 ","pages":"Article 138197"},"PeriodicalIF":2.5,"publicationDate":"2025-03-14","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143639516","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Effects of pharmacological inhibition of FABP4 during gestation and lactation on offspring neurodevelopment and behavior","authors":"Sun Zhengkang ,&nbsp;Hinako Kirikae ,&nbsp;He Xiaofeng ,&nbsp;Fumiko Yoshimachi ,&nbsp;Minori Ikuta ,&nbsp;Tetsuo Ohnishi ,&nbsp;Yui Yamamoto ,&nbsp;Hirofumi Miyazaki ,&nbsp;Yoshiyuki Kasahara ,&nbsp;Mai Sakai ,&nbsp;Zhiqian Yu ,&nbsp;Noriko Osumi ,&nbsp;Hiroaki Tomita ,&nbsp;Yuji Owada ,&nbsp;Motoko Maekawa","doi":"10.1016/j.neulet.2025.138199","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.neulet.2025.138199","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Fatty acid-binding protein 4 (FABP4), a key regulator of lipid metabolism and inflammation, has been implicated in neurodevelopmental disorders, including autism spectrum disorder (ASD). This study investigated the effects of FABP4 inhibition during gestation and lactation on offspring neurodevelopment using the selective FABP4 inhibitor BMS309403. Female mice received BMS309403 (15 mg/kg) via oral gavage from two weeks before mating to postnatal day 28 (P28). Administration of BMS309403 to mouse dams resulted in autism-like phenotypes in male offspring (behavioral tests: n = 7–10 per group; spine analysis: 6 mice per group, n = 26–38 dendrites per group), characterized by increased dendritic spine density in the prefrontal cortex, impaired vocal communication, increased repetitive behaviors, and depression-like symptoms. Fatty acid analysis (n = 4–6 per group) revealed significant alterations in maternal and fetal lipid profiles, including elevated arachidonic acid levels in maternal plasma and increased n6PUFAs in the fetal brain, suggesting a pro-inflammatory lipid environment. Principal component analysis demonstrated distinct clustering of lipid profiles between control and BMS309403-treated groups. Cytokine analysis (n = 6 per group) indicated reductions in IL-10 and IL-12(p40) in maternal plasma and decreased TNFα in the fetal plasma, suggesting dysregulation in systemic inflammatory signaling. These findings suggest that FABP4 inhibition during the perinatal period perturbs lipid metabolism and may influence neurodevelopment through systemic metabolic changes. Although the direct effects of BMS309403 on the fetal brain cannot be excluded, alteration in maternal metabolism and placental function may have contributed to the observed neurodevelopmental changes in offspring.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":19290,"journal":{"name":"Neuroscience Letters","volume":"853 ","pages":"Article 138199"},"PeriodicalIF":2.5,"publicationDate":"2025-03-14","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143639487","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Corrigendum to “Hippocampal iron overload and spatial reference memory impairment: Insights from a rat model” [843 (2024) 138014]","authors":"Yihao Sun ,&nbsp;Bin Tian ,&nbsp;Jiali Liang ,&nbsp;Meiru Bu ,&nbsp;Xi Deng ,&nbsp;Kemei Deng ,&nbsp;Muliang Jiang ,&nbsp;Bihong Chen","doi":"10.1016/j.neulet.2025.138133","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.neulet.2025.138133","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":19290,"journal":{"name":"Neuroscience Letters","volume":"851 ","pages":"Article 138133"},"PeriodicalIF":2.5,"publicationDate":"2025-03-10","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143370809","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"1-Epilupinine enhances cognition and reduces inflammation in scopolamine-induced dementia model mice","authors":"Chenhui Zhang ,&nbsp;Jiyi Xu ,&nbsp;Fang Xu ,&nbsp;Xiaomeng Xie ,&nbsp;Tengfei Ji ,&nbsp;Chuanyue Wang ,&nbsp;Jing Du","doi":"10.1016/j.neulet.2025.138184","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.neulet.2025.138184","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Dementia is a growing global public health concern. The search for effective anti-dementia drugs with fewer side effects, particularly in the early stages of the disease, is a key focus of current research. Natural compounds like 1-Epilupinine (ELP) may offer therapeutic potential for cognitive improvement and neuroprotection. To assess the potential of ELP in improving dementia and neuroinflammation in a scopolamine-induced dementia model in mice, a mouse model was induced using scopolamine hydrobromide, with Donepezil as the positive control. After five days of treatment, cognitive performance was assessed using the Morris water maze test. Motor function and anxiety-related behaviors were evaluated through the open field test. An inflammatory factor array was employed to measure inflammatory markers in the prefrontal cortex. The Morris water maze showed that the model group treated with scopolamine hydrobromide (1 mg/kg) had significantly fewer platform crossings and longer latency (<em>P</em> &lt; 0.001) while mice treated with ELP (5 mg/kg) exhibited improved performance, with more crossings and reduced latency (<em>P</em> &lt; 0.01), suggesting ELP effectively reversed cognitive deficits. In the open field test, no significant difference of total movement distance was detected in ELP-treated groups, indicating it did not impair motor function. The result of the inflammation factors array detecting showed lower levels of GM-CSF, IFN-γ, IL-2, and IL-23 significantly in the ELP (5 mg/kg) group, suggesting its potential anti-inflammatory properties for the dementia treatment. Therefore, ELP may serve as a promising treatment for early-stage dementia, offering cognitive improvement alongside anti-inflammatory neuroprotection.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":19290,"journal":{"name":"Neuroscience Letters","volume":"852 ","pages":"Article 138184"},"PeriodicalIF":2.5,"publicationDate":"2025-03-06","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143577966","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Delayed treatment with TGF-β1 associated neuroprotection in trimethyltin-induced hippocampal neurodegeneration","authors":"Ekaterina V. Fedorova,&nbsp;Irina Yu. Chernomorets,&nbsp;Dmitry A. Fedorov,&nbsp;Vladimir I. Arkhipov","doi":"10.1016/j.neulet.2025.138182","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.neulet.2025.138182","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>In experiments conducted on Wistar rats, the effects of the multifunctional cytokine TGF-β1 were investigated using a neurodegeneration model induced by a single injection of the neurotoxicant trimethyltin chloride (TMT). Animals in the experimental group received intranasal administration of TGF-β1 on days 7 and 9 following TMT injection. Behavioral tests were performed to assess cognitive function, and three weeks after TMT administration, hippocampal morphology was analyzed using Nissl staining. Additionally, the state of microglia was evaluated through immunohistochemical labeling of IBA1. The results revealed that exogenous TGF-β1 significantly modulated the progression of hippocampal neurodegeneration. In the passive avoidance test, TGF-β1 ameliorated TMT-induced long-term memory impairment and promoted neuronal preservation in the CA1 region of the hippocampus, although no such effect was observed in the CA3 and CA4 regions. Furthermore, TGF-β1 treatment reduced microglial activation levels in the hippocampal CA1 region compared to animals treated with TMT alone. These findings suggest that the multifunctional cytokine TGF-β1 exerts a neuroprotective effect in the context of ongoing neurodegeneration when delivered intranasally to the brain. The cytokine’s ability to regulate microglial activity appears to contribute, at least in part, to its protective properties.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":19290,"journal":{"name":"Neuroscience Letters","volume":"852 ","pages":"Article 138182"},"PeriodicalIF":2.5,"publicationDate":"2025-03-04","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143562282","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Inflammatory pain modifies reward preferences from larger delayed to smaller immediate rewards in male rats","authors":"Mariana Cerqueira-Nunes ,&nbsp;Clara Monteiro ,&nbsp;Vasco Galhardo ,&nbsp;Helder Cardoso-Cruz","doi":"10.1016/j.neulet.2025.138183","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.neulet.2025.138183","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Self-control underlies goal-directed behavior in both humans and rodents. The ability to balance immediate and delayed gratification is essential for fine-tuning decision-making processes to achieve optimal rewards. Although delayed gratification has been extensively studied using human neuropsychological assessments, brain imaging techniques, and preclinical research, the impact of chronic pain on these processes remains poorly understood. In this study, we successfully trained male rats to perform a custom delayed gratification task (DGt) to evaluate time-reward gratification associations. The task required rats to choose between two levers associated with distinct schedules of reward delivery and magnitude. Behavioral performance was assessed within subjects following the induction of inflammatory chronic pain using the complete Freund’s adjuvant (CFA) model. Our findings revealed that CFA-treated rats developed mechanical allodynia and demonstrated a strong preference for small and immediate rewards. In contrast, saline-treated control rats exhibited a more balanced choice profile, indicative of intact self-control. Collectively, these results offer novel insights into how chronic inflammatory pain disrupts time-reward preferences and impairs self-control mechanisms.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":19290,"journal":{"name":"Neuroscience Letters","volume":"852 ","pages":"Article 138183"},"PeriodicalIF":2.5,"publicationDate":"2025-03-04","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143551002","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"MiR-222-3p regulates methamphetamine-induced behavioral sensitization through PP2A–AKT signaling pathway in the dorsal striatum of male mice","authors":"Gang Chen ,&nbsp;Xingyao Chen ,&nbsp;Wei Han ,&nbsp;Baoyao Gao ,&nbsp;Min Liang ,&nbsp;Tao Li ,&nbsp;Xinshe Liu","doi":"10.1016/j.neulet.2025.138181","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.neulet.2025.138181","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Drug addiction is a chronic and recurrent brain disease. Our previous research demonstrated that the B subunit of phosphatase 2A (PP2A/B) increased in the dorsal striatum (DS) of methamphetamine (METH)-sensitized mice. Interestingly, studies indicate that PP2A/B can also interplay with microRNA (miRNA). In this study, we investigated seven miRNAs that have been reported to potentially interplay with PP2A/B, and our results showed that miR-222-3p significantly decreased in the DS of METH-sensitized mice. We further used dual-luciferase reporter assay to clarify the regulatory relationship between miR-222-3p and PP2A/B mRNA, and we also constructed adeno-associated virus (AAV) to overexpress miR-222-3p in the DS to further examine the influence of miR-222-3p on METH-induced behavioral sensitization. Our results demonstrated that miR-222-3p did interplay with PP2A/B mRNA and overexpressed miR-222-3p could significant attenuate METH-induced behavioral sensitization. At the same time, overexpressed miR-222-3p could reverse the change in the PP2A–AKT signaling pathway in the DS of METH-sensitized mice. Our results indicate that overexpression of miR-222-3p in the DS might attenuate METH-induced behavioral sensitization through the PP2A–AKT signaling pathway.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":19290,"journal":{"name":"Neuroscience Letters","volume":"852 ","pages":"Article 138181"},"PeriodicalIF":2.5,"publicationDate":"2025-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143542789","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Role of pentosidine accumulation in stress-induced social behavioral deficits","authors":"Mayuko Masada ,&nbsp;Kazuya Toriumi ,&nbsp;Kazuhiro Suzuki ,&nbsp;Mitsuhiro Miyashita ,&nbsp;Masanari Itokawa ,&nbsp;Makoto Arai","doi":"10.1016/j.neulet.2025.138180","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.neulet.2025.138180","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The mechanisms underlying schizophrenia, a psychiatric disorder characterized by significant social and behavioral impairments, remain poorly understood. However, glycation stress, driven by the accumulation of advanced glycation end products (AGEs) such as pentosidine, has been implicated in its pathogenesis. Therefore, this study aimed to explore the role of pentosidine in stress-induced social behavioral deficits using a mouse model of social defeat stress (SDS). Mice exposed to SDS displayed individual differences in sociability, and were categorized into stress-susceptible and stress-resilient phenotypes based on their social interaction ratio. Pentosidine levels were significantly elevated in the plasma and the prefrontal cortex (Pfc) of the susceptible group, which correlated with increased social avoidance and decreased interaction times. Administration of pyridoxamine, an AGE synthesis inhibitor, during SDS exposure mitigated these behavioral deficits, and suppressed pentosidine accumulation in both the plasma and Pfc. These findings provide the first evidence linking pentosidine accumulation to stress susceptibility, indicating the involvement of a molecular pathway through which glycation stress influences social behavior. Future studies should further elucidate the mechanisms underlying the effects of pentosidine on behavior, and explore its broader implications in psychiatric disorders.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":19290,"journal":{"name":"Neuroscience Letters","volume":"852 ","pages":"Article 138180"},"PeriodicalIF":2.5,"publicationDate":"2025-02-27","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143537480","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}