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At least 217 records · Page 12Linked to original sources

PubMed1988

Hypoxia preferentially destroys GABAergic neurons in developing rat neocortex explants in culture.

The hypothesis that hypoxic ischemia before or during the human birth process preferentially destroys GABAergic nerve cells, particularly in the neocortex, was tested in a tissue culture model system. To that end, rat neocortex explants dissected from 6-day-old rat pups and cultured to a developmental stage approximately comparable to that of the newborn human neocortex were exposed to hypoxia for different periods. Quantitative light microscopic and immunocytochemical evaluation of the cultures demonstrated that GABAergic neurons were indeed the first neurons to die during hypoxia.

Animals↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Lymphocyte homing after left or right brain neocortex ablation.

The cerebral neocortex is known to modulate the immune system in an asymmetrical way. Ablations of the left cortex decrease, whereas symmetrical right lesions have no effect, or enhance, T cell functions measured 6-8 weeks after lesioning. However, modifications of immune responses induced by lesions of the brain neocortex could result from a lymphocyte redistribution mediated by glucocorticoids, like that observed during stress. We tested this possibility in the present experiments. Cortical lesions modulated concanavalin A-induced proliferation of both lymph node and spleen lymphocytes in a similar way. Cortical lesions of either side modified neither the lymphocyte distribution of 51Cr-labelled injected lymph node cells, nor the percentage of blood cell subsets. These results show that cortical lesions do not affect lymphocyte homing, and suggest that the brain neocortex immunomodulatory effects are not mediated by glucocorticoids.

Animals↗

PubMed1984

Immunohistochemical identification of some plasma proteins in human embryonic and fetal forebrain with particular reference to the development of the neocortex.

The histogenesis of the cerebral neocortex has been studied in human embryos and fetuses from the ventricular zone stage at 9-10 mm crown-rump length (CRL) to the well-developed neocortex at 210 mm CRL. The initial proliferation of the neuroepithelial cells in the ventricular zone stage was followed by a stage characterized by a ventricular zone covered by a primordial plexiform layer; the subventricular zone then arose before the cortical plate was formed within the primordial plexiform layer, thus dividing it into an outer marginal zone and an inner subplate zone; finally the intermediate zone appeared between the subventricular and subplate zones. The distribution of cells containing albumin, alpha-fetoprotein, transferrin, prealbumin, IgG and alpha 1-antitrypsin in the cerebral vesicle and developing neocortex was investigated by the indirect immunoperoxidase technique. Alpha-fetoprotein found in the cells of the ventricular zone was the most widespread and prominent of the plasma proteins examined in the early embryos. The cerebral vesicle was negative for all other plasma proteins investigated at this stage. By 15 and 16 mm CRL, a few cells in the ventricular zone were positive for albumin and transferrin whereas AFP exhibited a distribution similar to that of the 9 mm embryo. By 20-25 mm CRL, albumin and AFP had a similar distribution in the telencephalic wall. At 40-150 mm CRL a positive staining reaction for AFP, albumin, prealbumin and transferrin was predominant in the outer half of cortical plate. At 150-170 mm CRL only cells in the inner half exhibited positive staining and at 210 mm CRL the staining reactions were negative. The cells containing plasma proteins did not belong to a single cell line or type; thus plasma proteins were detected primarily in different types of neurons but also in glial cells. Staining with polyvalent antiserum indicated that the same cells may be positive for more than one plasma protein. Positive staining reactions were also observed in or along fiber systems. It is proposed that cells initially take up plasma protein from the CSF and migrate with it towards the cortical plate. After a certain period they lose their plasma protein but when the neuronal cells which represent the majority of the positively stained cells have reached their final position in the cortical plate they commence plasma protein synthesis which continues for a short period during which the neurons establish their pattern of connectivity.

Blood Proteins↗

PubMed1987

Comparison of oligodendrocytes grown in neocortex and spinal cord aggregate cultures.

Mechanically dissociated cells of mouse central nervous system (CNS) (neocortex and spinal cord) form spherical aggregates in rotation culture and develop into populations of mature neurons and glial cells. Synapses and myelination of axons are evident in these aggregates although onset of these processes differs between aggregate types. In this study neocortex aggregates display synapses at 2 weeks in culture but do not demonstrate myelination of axons until 8 weeks. Spinal cord aggregates demonstrate myelinated axons at 2 weeks in culture although there are few synapses evident. The difference in myelination onset is due in part to the development of predominantly perineuronal oligodendrocytes in neocortex aggregates compared to the development of interfascicular oligodendrocytes in spinal cord aggregates. Both types of oligodendrocytes exhibit light, medium and dark categories and both cell types are capable of myelinating axons in culture.

Animals↗

PubMed1983

Habituation of distraction to a tone in the absence of neocortex in rats.

Normal rats and rats with in excess of 95% of neocortex surgically removed (decorticated) were trained to push a food tray door on a Fixed Ratio schedule. Once the behaviour was established a 3720 Hz, 70 dB tone was presented 4 times per session and the duration of distraction from the operant baseline was recorded. Both groups of rats habituated to the presence of the tone within a single session and the effects were retained over a 24 h interval. The decorticates, but not the normal animals, showed a partial spontaneous recovery of the habituated response between sessions. It was concluded that neocortex is not required for either short-term or long-term habituation in this situation though long-term habituation is more complete when neocortex is present.

Animals↗

PubMed1990

Excitatory amino acid transmitters and their receptors in neural circuits of the cerebral neocortex.

In 1954, L-glutamate (Glu) and L-aspartate (Asp) were first suggested as being excitatory synaptic transmitters in the cerebral cortex. Since then, evidence has mounted steadily in favor of the view that Glu and Asp are major excitatory transmitters in the neocortex. Many of the experimental studies which reported how Glu/Asp came to satisfy the criteria for transmitters in the neocortex are reviewed here, according to the methods employed. Since the question of which particular synaptic sites in cortical neural circuits Glu/Asp operate as excitatory transmitters has not previously been reviewed, particular attention is given to efferent, afferent and intrinsic neural circuits of the visual and somatosensory cortices, where circuitry is relatively clearly delineated. Recent studies using chemical assays of released amino acids, high-affinity uptake mechanisms of Glu/Asp from nerve terminals, the direct micro-iontophoretic administration of Glu/Asp antagonists, and immunocytochemical techniques have demonstrated that almost all corticofugal efferent projections employ Glu/Asp as excitatory synaptic transmitters. Evidence indicating that thalamocortical afferent projections, including geniculocortical projections and some intrinsic connections are glutamatergic, is also reviewed. Thus, the results highlighted here indicate that the main framework of neocortical circuitry is operated by Glu/Asp. Pharmacological studies indicate that synaptic receptors for Glu/Asp can be classified into a few subtypes, including N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) and quisqualate/kainate (non-NMDA) types. Some evidence indicating the sites of operation of NMDA and non-NMDA receptors in neocortical circuitry is reviewed, and the distinct, functional significance of these two types of Glu/Asp receptors in information processing in the neocortex is proposed.

Amino Acids↗

PubMed1994

Latexin: a molecular marker for regional specification in the neocortex.

It largely remains to be elucidated how the mammalian neocortex is regionally specified during development. In an attempt to obtain molecular markers in the neocortex, we have generated a monoclonal antibody PC3.1 which recognizes a subset of neurons located in lateral, but not dorsal, neocortical areas. The antigen is a novel class of protein, named latexin, having a molecular weight of 29,000. Our in vitro studies have revealed that the neocortical regional specification for the production of latexin-positive neurons occurs very early prior to thalamocortical interactions and the completion of neurogenesis, indicating that elements intrinsic to the neocortex play important roles in the neocortical specification. Furthermore, our recent analyses have suggested that this regional specification is attributable, at least in part, to an early restriction of developmental potential in neocortical progenitor cells to become latexin-positive neurons.

Animals↗

PubMed1995

The development of neural visinin-like Ca(2+)-binding protein 2 immunoreactivity in the rat neocortex and hippocampus.

Neural visinin-like Ca(2+)-binding protein 2 (NVP2) immunoreactivity in the rat neocortex and hippocampus was barely detectable by immunoblot analysis on postnatal day 1 (P1), but increased during postnatal weeks 2-3, reaching a plateau on P28. Immunohistochemical analysis revealed moderate immunoreactivity firstly on P7 in some subsets of the hippocampal interneurons and in the hippocampal pyramidal cells and dentate granule cells. Immunoreactivity of the interneurons decreased during postnatal weeks 2-3 and disappeared by P28. In contrast, immunoreactivity of the cortical and hippocampal pyramidal cells and dentate granule cells abruptly increased during postnatal week 2. The distinctly immunoreactive cells were distributed throughout the neocortex, especially in the cortical plate, and the stratum pyramidale of Ammon's horn and granular layer of the dentate gyrus on P14. Immunoreactivity was homogeneously concentrated in the cell bodies and proximal dendrites at this stage, whereas thereafter immunoreactivity in the neuropil gradually increased, and underwent a relative decrease in the cell bodies. By P28, the higher and granular immunoreactivity in the neuropil covered whole layers of the neocortex, Ammon's horn and the dentate gyrus, the same as in adults. Differential expression of NVP2 in different neuron populations may reflect the differential functional consequences for neuronal development.

Animals↗

PubMed1992

Visualization of cholinoceptive neurons in the rat neocortex: colocalization of muscarinic and nicotinic acetylcholine receptors.

The present investigation analyzes the cellular distribution of muscarinic and nicotinic acetylcholine receptors in rat neocortex, by use of monoclonal antibodies raised against purified receptor proteins. The degree of colocalization of both types of receptors was determined by way of immunofluorescent double-labeling techniques. For both classes of receptors, pyramidal and nonpyramidal cells were found immunostained and an identical laminar distribution pattern of immunopositive neurons in the rat neocortex became apparent. A striking similarity in distribution of the two cholinergic receptor types was found in the frontal/motor and parietal cortex. Accordingly, we observed a high degree of colocalization of muscarinic and nicotinic acetylcholine receptors within immunopositive cortical neurons. Approximately 90% of the cholinoceptive neurons expressed both types of receptors. The current data demonstrate that (i) the distribution of muscarinic and nicotinic cholinoceptive neurons in the neocortex is present in identical laminar patterns and represent the same type of cells, (ii) both classes of cholinergic receptors are highly colocalized within cholinoceptive neurons, which points at individual neurons as a likely site of interaction between muscarinic and nicotinic acetylcholine receptor-mediated processes.

Animals↗

PubMed1982

Direct projections from the extrathalamic forebrain structures to the neocortex in the macaque monkey.

Extrathalamic direct projections from the subcortical forebrain structures to the neocortex were examined in the macaque monkey by the horseradish peroxidase method. The enzyme, when injected into discrete regions in the neocortex, labeled cell bodies of extrathalamic forebrain neurons in the basal nucleus of Meynert, nucleus of the diagonal band, medial septal nucleus, hypothalamus, claustrum and dorsolateral part of the basal amygdaloid nucleus. Neurons in the basal nucleus of Meynert, lateral hypothalamus and claustrum appeared to send their axons widely, but not diffusely, to the neocortex.

Animals↗

PubMed1986

An immunocytochemical demonstration of alpha 2HS-glycoprotein in the developing neocortex of the rat.

The presence of the plasma protein alpha 2HS-glycoprotein (alpha 2HS) has been demonstrated in the developing rat neocortex, using biotin-streptavidin immunocytochemistry. alpha 2HS was observed in the neocortex on embryonic day 20 but not earlier. At this age it was present in cells of the subplate and of the intermediate layer and in layer I anteriorly. Between postnatal day 5 and day 10 alpha 2HS-positive cells were found in greater number in various cortical layers and in fibres in layer I. At postnatal day 28 no alpha 2HS-positive cells or fibres could be found in the neocortex. alpha 2HS has been reported to be very closely related to fetuin which is a fetal plasma protein found in cells of the developing cortex in the sheep and the pig. It is suggested that these glycoproteins may be important in some aspects of early neocortical differentiation.

Aging↗

PubMed1993

Injection of tetanus toxin into the neocortex elicits persistent epileptiform activity but only transient impairment of GABA release.

Focal injection of a minute quantity of tetanus toxin into the rat neocortex induces chronic epileptogenesis. Within a day, spontaneous and stimulus-evoked paroxysmal discharges appear in widespread regions of both hemispheres and this lasts for at least nine months. Tetanus toxin blocks transmitter release, apparently by catalysing the breakdown of synaptobrevin, a synaptic protein. It specifically binds to neuronal membranes but its potent epileptogenic properties have been ascribed to a higher affinity for inhibitory neurons. Following focal injection of tetanus toxin into the hippocampus a long-lasting epileptic syndrome also develops. During the early part of the syndrome GABA release is depressed in slices from the injected side, but not in slices from the contralateral, secondary focus. In the present experiments on neocortex, release of radiolabelled GABA was measured from primary and secondary epileptic foci induced by unilateral focal injection of tetanus toxin into the parietal cortex. By four weeks after the injection, no differences were detected in GABA release from any neocortical site in control or toxin-injected animals, despite the persistence of profound epileptic activity in slices from the latter. At earlier times (1.5 days) after the toxin injection, however, release was significantly depressed in both hemispheres. The results indicate that at first, the toxin induces focal neocortical epileptogenesis by directly impeding GABAergic synaptic transmission but that with time there is a recovery from this initial effect. We propose, as has also been suggested for other models, that the initial epileptogenesis leaves in its wake a long-lasting change in the local functional connectivity, such that the neocortex is rendered permanently epileptic.

Animals↗

PubMed1995

Low extracellular magnesium unmasks N-methyl-D-aspartate-mediated graft-host connections in rat neocortex slice preparation.

The main purpose of this study was to investigate the role of N-methyl-D-aspartate receptors in host-graft synaptic transmission in the neocortex. The effects of low extracellular magnesium, the glutamate agonist N-methyl-D-aspartate and N-methyl-D-aspartate antagonists on the synaptic activation of connections between embryonic neocortical graft tissue and the surrounding host tissue were studied in 17 perfused slices of rat neocortex. In standard artificial cerebrospinal fluid, stimulation of the host white matter evoked field potentials in four of 17 grafts. However, in Mg(2+)-free medium, the same stimulation evoked field potentials in an additional six grafts, with significant increases in the mean duration of the evoked responses in the 10 responsive grafts. In five of these slices stimulation of the graft also evoked field potentials in the host tissue, suggesting reciprocal interaction between graft and host. Simultaneous extracellular recordings from graft and host tissues in Mg(2+)-free medium showed that spontaneous epileptiform discharges developed in the graft and host tissue synchronously. In Mg(2+)-free medium, application of N-methyl-D-aspartate induced a shift of the baseline with superimposed epileptiform discharges in both graft and host. Application of the non-competitive N-methyl-D-aspartate antagonist ketamine and the competitive antagonist D,L-2-amino-5-phosphonovaleric acid attenuated or reversibly blocked both the spontaneous epileptiform discharges and the evoked field potentials. Our data provides evidence that N-methyl-D-aspartate receptors are present at synapses created between fetal graft and host neocortex, and that the N-methyl-D-aspartate-activated receptor-channel complex plays an active role in mediating excitatory synaptic transmission in host-graft circuitry.

Animals↗

PubMed1994

Pharmacology and electrophysiology of a synchronous GABA-mediated potential in the human neocortex.

Spontaneous synchronous field potentials of negative polarity (duration = 200-700 ms, inter-event interval = 9.1 +/- 2.9 s; n = 27 slices) were recorded, during application of 4-aminopyridine (50 microM), from the superficial/middle layers of slices of human neocortex obtained in the course of neurosurgery for the relief of intractable seizures. The negative-going field potential corresponded to an intracellular long-lasting (duration = 200-1600 ms) depolarization that could be preceded by preceded by an excitatory postsynaptic potential-hyperpolarizing inhibitory postsynaptic potential sequence and followed by a long-lasting hyperpolarization. This synchronous activity continued to occur following blockade of excitatory synaptic transmission by excitatory amino acid receptor antagonists, but was greatly reduced and eventually disappeared during application of the GABAA receptor antagonist bicuculline methiodide. Simultaneous extracellular recordings from three sites in the slice located along an axis parallel to the pia showed that successive synchronous field potentials could originate from any of the three areas. They invaded the other two sites in c. 35.5% of the cases, while propagation to another site only or no propagation at all was observed, respectively, in 44.4% and 20% of instances. The velocity of lateral propagation of the synchronous field potential was 7.9 +/- 2.5 mm/s (range = 4.5-11.8 mm/s, n = 6). The modalities of origin and propagation remained the same after blockade of excitatory amino acid receptors. Under these conditions, however, there was a higher incidence of non-propagation and the velocity was significantly lower than in control (5.6 +/- 1.9 mm/s; range = 2.8-7.7 mm/s, n = 6). These data indicate that, in the human neocortex, 4-aminopyridine can reveal a synchronous field potential that correlates with an intracellular long-lasting depolarization and is mainly due to the activation of postsynaptic GABAA receptors. The action of excitatory amino acid receptors is not necessary for the generation and propagation of these GABA-mediated potentials. We propose that this potential represents a novel mechanism for synchronization and spread of neuronal activity, including seizure-like discharges in the human neocortex.

2-Amino-5-phosphonovalerate↗

PubMed1989

Thermogenetic changes following frontal neocortex stimulation.

Heat production changes were recorded in anesthetized female Sprague-Dawley rats after stimulation of orbital frontal neocortex. The results obtained show that orbital frontal neocortex stimulation significantly increases oxygen consumption, and core and brown adipose tissue temperature. The increase was more substantial after stimulation of left than right cortex. Administration of the beta-blocker propranolol abolished the increase in O2 consumption, core and brown adipose tissue temperature following cortical stimulation. These results are in agreement with our previous research showing that functional ablation of cerebral cortex blocked the increase in thermogenesis following lateral hypothalamic lesion. These findings also show that the orbital frontal neocortex in rats is specifically involved in the control of thermogenesis.

Adipose Tissue↗

PubMed1990

Ultrastructure of synapses and golgi analysis of neurons in neocortex of the lateral gyrus (visual cortex) of the dolphin and pilot whale.

Qualitative and computerized quantitative analyses of ultrastructural features of synapses in different layers of the primary visual cortex in the dolphin (Stenella coeruleoalba) and the pilot whale (Globicephala melaena) were carried out. Also, Golgi and cytoarchitectonic analyses were performed in the same species of cetaceans and, additionally, in Tursiops truncatus and Phocaena phocaena. It was found that on a synaptic level, as well as in cytoarchitectonic and Golgi features, the neocortex of cetaceans combines evolutionary progressive features and conservative features with a marked prevalence of the latter. Thus, the total number of synapses in visual neocortex in cetaceans is closer to this value in higher Primates. On the other hand, the laminar density of synapses per mm3 is generally the same in all layers in cetacean visual cortex and numerically is close to values found in small lissencephalic brains. Also, the synapse/neuron ratio in the dolphin visual cortex is of the same order as in cortices of rodents and lagomorphs and much higher than in cortices of advanced terrestrial mammals. Layers I and II contain approximately 70% of the total synapses in the cortical slab through visual cortex. Layer I also contains the extraverted dendrites of neurons of layer II and thus these two layers resemble a paleoarchicortical type of organization superimposed on a more typical neocortical organization of the lower cortical layers. In this respect the convexity neocortex of cetaceans is generally similar to the neocortices of phylogenetically ancient extant mammals such as basal Insectivora and Chiroptera.

Animals↗

PubMed2001

Corticocortical and thalamocortical projections to layer I of the frontal neocortex in rats.

Layer I of the neocortex is a dense synaptic zone consisting of horizontal corticocortical and widespread layer VII projections, in addition to thalamic inputs. In order to determine the origin and extent of corticocortical and thalamocortical projections to layer I of the frontal/premotor area M2 of the rat neocortex, we have used fluorescent anatomical tracing methods to determine the precise sources of cortical and thalamic input to the rostral and caudal aspects of layer I of M2. Retrograde tracer diamidino yellow (DY), applied directly to the pial surface on rostral or caudal areas of rat M2 (RM2 and CM2, respectively) labeled cells ipsilaterally throughout layers II/III, V, and VII of the adjacent primary motor area and the parietal areas (SI and SII). In addition, retrograde transport labeled contralateral CM2 or RM2 in layers II/III and V at sites homotopic to either CM2 or RM2 application sites. Contralateral layer VII was retrogradely labeled by the application to layer I of CM2, but not by the RM2 application. Retrograde DY transport from layer I of RM2 or CM2 of was seen in the ventral medial (VM), ventral lateral (VL), and posterior (Po) thalamic nuclei. However layer I transport from CM2 additionally labeled the thalamic central medial (CM) nucleus, while the RM2 labeled the mediodorsal (MD) thalamic nucleus. Upon determination that thalamic nuclei VM and VL were of primary interest in this study, due to their dense retrograde labeling, injections of anterograde tracer rhodamine dextranamine (RDA) into VM or VL were performed in order to study the projection patterns of these nuclei to layer I of the frontal cortex. RDA injections into VM labeled fibers extending through layer I of both RM2 and CM2 and throughout the cingulate cortex. Injections of RDA into VL consistently labeled dense fibers in layer I of both CM2 and RM2, although labeling was sharply decreased anterior to CM2. This study adds to a growing body of evidence that projections to layer I from all sources of cortical input make a significant contribution to integration throughout the neocortex.

Amidines↗

PubMed1997

Predominant expression of Brn-2 in the postmitotic neurons of the developing mouse neocortex.

The expression of Brn-2, a central nervous systems (CNS)-specific POU domain transcription factor, in the developing mouse neocortex was examined with an anti-Brn-2 antibody. Brn-2 protein was first detected in CNS on embryonic day (E) 11.5, and remained strong until E15.5. From E11.5 to postnatal day (P) 0, a high level of Brn-2 expression was observed in the subventricular zone, the intermediate zone, and the outer layer of the neocortex, but not in the ventricular zone. In the double-staining experiments, most of the Brn-2 positive cells were also positive for NCAM-H, an adhesion molecule specific to post-mitotic neurons. Furthermore, BrdU-labeling experiments demonstrated the presence of Brn-2 protein exclusively in postmitotic cells. These results indicated that, in the developing neocortex, Brn-2 expression is up-regulated after the final cell division. Therefore, this transcription factor may be involved in the migration and/or maturation process of the immature neuronal cells.

Animals↗