Genetically eliminating Purkinje neuron GABAergic neurotransmission increases their response gain to vestibular motion

Alterations to Melanocortinergic, GABAergic and Cannabinoid Neurotransmission Associated with Olanzapine-Induced Weight Gain

BACKGROUND/AIM Second generation antipsychotics (SGAs) are used to treat schizophrenia but can cause serious metabolic side-effects, such as obesity and diabetes. This study examined the effects of low to high doses of olanzapine on appetite/metabolic regulatory signals in the hypothalamus and brainstem to elucidate the mechanisms underlying olanzapine-induced obesity. METHODOLOGY/RESULTS Lev...

A synchronous surround increases the motion strength gain of motion.

Coherent motion detection is greatly enhanced by the synchronous presentation of a static surround (Linares, Motoyoshi, & Nishida, 2012). To further understand this contextual enhancement, here we measured the sensitivity to discriminate motion strength for several pedestal strengths with and without a surround. We found that the surround improved discrimination of low and medium motion strengt...

CORTICAL GLUTAMATERGIC AND GABAergic SYNAPTIC NEUROTRANSMISSION

Implications of GABAergic Neurotransmission in Alzheimer’s Disease

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is characterized pathologically by the deposition of β-amyloid peptides (Aβ) and the accumulation of neurofibrillary tangles (NFTs) composed of hyper-phosphorylated tau. Regardless of the pathological hallmarks, synaptic dysfunction is widely accepted as a causal event in AD. Of the two major types of synapses in the central nervous system (CNS): glutamatergic and GABAe...

GABAergic neurotransmission alterations in autism spectrum disorders

Autism spectrum disorders (ASDs) are a group of complex disorders of neurodevelopment characterized by difficulties in social interaction, verbal and nonverbal communication, and repetitive behaviors. In ASD, deficits in social cognition and related cognitive functions would be the resultant of reduced synchronization between brain regions. A possible explanation for ASDs is the disturbance of ...