小柯机器人

美国加州大学Kira E. Poskanzer研究组近日取得一项新成果。他们研究发现去甲肾上腺素（NE）是星形胶质细胞活性与皮质状态调控的连接因子。2023年3月30日出版的《自然—神经科学》杂志发表了这项成果。

在小鼠视觉皮层中使用体内成像和电生理学，研究人员揭示了皮质星形胶质细胞在电路再同步中的关键作用。研究人员表征了星形胶质细胞对行为唤醒和NE变化的钙反应，并表明在唤醒驱动神经元活动减少和双半球皮质同步性增加时，星形胶质细胞会发出信号。使用体内药理学，研究发现了对Adra1a受体刺激的矛盾、同步反应。通过星形胶质细胞特异性缺失Adra1a会增强唤醒诱导的神经元活动，同时损害与唤醒相关的皮质同步，研究人员确定了这些结果。该研究结果表明，星形胶质细胞NE信号传导作为一种独特的神经调节途径，调节皮质状态并将唤醒相关的不同步与皮质回路再同步联系起来。

据悉，皮质状态决定感觉知觉，其由群体水平的神经元活动模式定义。虽然唤醒相关神经调节剂（包括去甲肾上腺素）会降低皮质同步性，但仍然不知道皮层如何重新获得同步性。此外，对调节唤醒状态下皮质同步的一般机制知之甚少。

附：英文原文

Title: Norepinephrine links astrocytic activity to regulation of cortical state

Author: Reitman, Michael E., Tse, Vincent, Mi, Xuelong, Willoughby, Drew D., Peinado, Alba, Aivazidis, Alexander, Myagmar, Bat-Erdene, Simpson, Paul C., Bayraktar, Omer A., Yu, Guoqiang, Poskanzer, Kira E.

Issue&Volume: 2023-03-30

Abstract: Cortical state, defined by population-level neuronal activity patterns, determines sensory perception. While arousal-associated neuromodulators—including norepinephrine (NE)—reduce cortical synchrony, how the cortex resynchronizes remains unknown. Furthermore, general mechanisms regulating cortical synchrony in the wake state are poorly understood. Using in vivo imaging and electrophysiology in mouse visual cortex, we describe a critical role for cortical astrocytes in circuit resynchronization. We characterize astrocytes’ calcium responses to changes in behavioral arousal and NE, and show that astrocytes signal when arousal-driven neuronal activity is reduced and bi-hemispheric cortical synchrony is increased. Using in vivo pharmacology, we uncover a paradoxical, synchronizing response to Adra1a receptor stimulation. We reconcile these results by demonstrating that astrocyte-specific deletion of Adra1a enhances arousal-driven neuronal activity, while impairing arousal-related cortical synchrony. Our findings demonstrate that astrocytic NE signaling acts as a distinct neuromodulatory pathway, regulating cortical state and linking arousal-associated desynchrony to cortical circuit resynchronization.

DOI: 10.1038/s41593-023-01284-w

Source: https://www.nature.com/articles/s41593-023-01284-w

Nature Neuroscience：《自然—神经科学》，创刊于1998年。隶属于施普林格·自然出版集团，最新IF：28.771
官方网址：https://www.nature.com/neuro/
投稿链接：https://mts-nn.nature.com/cgi-bin/main.plex