小柯机器人

美国南加州大学Li I. Zhang和Huizhong W. Tao研究组合作的最新研究发现，内侧视前区（MPOA）通过不同的GABA能投射介导卵巢激素戒断引起的抑郁样行为。2023年7月31日出版的《自然-神经科学》杂志发表了这项成果。

研究人员发现内侧视前区GABA能神经元介导卵巢激素戒断（HW）后雌性小鼠多种抑郁样行为，这可归因于Esr1（雌激素受体-1）表达GABA能神经元活性下调。增强这些神经元的活性可以改善HW小鼠的抑郁样行为，而降低它们的活性则会导致这些行为的产生。两个神经元亚群分别介导不同的症状：一个亚群投射到腹侧被盖区（VTA）与快感缺乏有关；另一个投射到导水管周围灰质与动力不足有关。

这些投射分别增强VTA中多巴胺能神经元和背侧5-羟色胺能神经元的活性，可能通过去抑制机制增加多巴胺和5-羟色胺的释放。因此，MPOA是参与调控由生殖激素水平转变引起抑郁样行为的枢纽。

据悉，生殖激素水平的波动与女性情绪紊乱有关，例如产后和围绝经期抑郁症。然而，这中间的神经回路机制仍不清楚。

附：英文原文

Title: The medial preoptic area mediates depressive-like behaviors induced by ovarian hormone withdrawal through distinct GABAergic projections

Author: Tao, Can, Zhang, Guang-Wei, Huang, Junxiang J., Li, Zhong, Tao, Huizhong W., Zhang, Li I.

Issue&Volume: 2023-07-31

Abstract: Fluctuations in reproductive hormone levels are associated with mood disruptions in women, such as in postpartum and perimenopausal depression. However, the neural circuit mechanisms remain unclear. Here we report that medial preoptic area (MPOA) GABAergic neurons mediate multifaceted depressive-like behaviors in female mice after ovarian hormone withdrawal (HW), which can be attributed to downregulation of activity in Esr1 (estrogen receptor-1)-expressing GABAergic neurons. Enhancing activity of these neurons ameliorates depressive-like behaviors in HW-treated mice, whereas reducing their activity results in expression of these behaviors. Two separate subpopulations mediate different symptoms: a subpopulation projecting to the ventral tegmental area (VTA) mediates anhedonia and another projecting to the periaqueductal gray mediates immobility. These projections enhance activity of dopaminergic neurons in the VTA and serotonergic neurons in the dorsal raphe, respectively, with increased release of dopamine and serotonin, possibly through disinhibition mechanisms. Thus, the MPOA is a hub that mediates depressive-like behaviors resulting from transitions in reproductive hormone levels.

DOI: 10.1038/s41593-023-01397-2

Source: https://www.nature.com/articles/s41593-023-01397-2

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