Messenger RNA (mRNA) for enzymes involved in adrenal steroid biosynthesis are expressed the brain, and coded have been shown to be active. The expression of mRNA cytochrome P-450 enzyme aldosterone synthase, crucial final step synthesis was studied several anatomic areas rat brain. Expression synthase demonstrated by RT-PCR/Southern blot adrenal, aorta, hypothalamus, hippocampus, amygdala, cerebrum, cerebellum. Incubation brain minces from intact adrenalectomized rats corticosterone...

Background The stress hormone corticosterone has the ability both to enhance and suppress synaptic plasticity learning memory processes. However, until today there is very little known about molecular mechanism that underlies bidirectional effects of corticosteroid hormones on efficacy In this study we investigate relationship between AMPA receptors which play a critical role in activity-dependent hippocampal-dependent learning. Methodology/Principal Findings Using immunocytochemistry live...

As a personality trait, grit involves the tendency to strive achieve long-term goals with continual passion and perseverance plays an extremely crucial role in personal achievement. However, neural mechanisms of remain largely unknown. In this study, we aimed explore association between fractional amplitude low-frequency fluctuations (fALFF) 217 healthy adolescent students using resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (RS-fMRI). We found that individual's was negatively related...

ABSTRACT The study aimed to investigate the neuroprotective effects of fenofibrate (FENO), a triglyceride‐lowering drug, in rats with cerebral ischemia. An ischemic edema model was established rats, and an oxygen–glucose deprivation/reoxygenation (OGD/R) created astrocytes. Neurological deficits were quantified using standardized deficit score. Protein expression levels assessed through immunohistochemical staining, western blot analysis, enzyme‐linked immunosorbent assays (ELISA). Gene...

Background Corticosteroid hormones regulate appraisal and consolidation of information via mineralocorticoid receptors (MRs) glucocorticoid (GRs) respectively. How activation these modulates retrieval fearful the subsequent expression fear is largely unknown. We tested here whether blockade MRs or GRs during also affects memory. Methodology/Principal Findings Mice were trained in contextual tone cue conditioning paradigms, by pairing mild foot shocks with a particular context Twenty-four...

The possibility that adrenocorticosteroids might be synthesized in the central nervous system was assessed by RT-PCR using primers for CYP11B1 gene which codes 11 beta-hydroxylase, enzyme responsible corticosterone and cortisol formation zona fasciculata, incubation of minces several areas brain with 3H-DOC measuring steroid metabolites, determining effect intracerebroventricular infusion beta-hydroxylase mechanism-based inhibitor 19-ethynyldeoxycorticosterone upon salt-induced increase...

Transcription regulatory genes are crucial modulators of cell physiology and metabolism whose intracellular levels tightly controlled to respond extracellular stimuli. We studied transcription modulated by angiotensin II, one the most important regulators adrenal cortical function, their role in steroidogenesis H295R human adrenocortical cells. Angiotensin II-modulated were identified with high-density oligonucleotide microarrays results validated real-time RT-PCR. Cotransfection reporter...

Background Family environment and life events have long been suggested to be associated with adolescent depression. The hippocampus plays a crucial role in the neural mechanism of major depressive disorder (MDD) through memory during stressful events. However, few studies explored exact mechanisms underlying these associations. Thus, current study aimed explore alterations hippocampal functional connectivity (FC) MDD based on resting-state magnetic resonance imaging further investigate...

The 11β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase (11βHSD) type 1 (11βHSD1) enzyme is an NADP + -dependent oxidoreductase, usually reductase, of major glucocorticoids. NAD 2 (11βHSD2) oxidase that inactivates cortisol and corticosterone, conferring extrinsic specificity the mineralocorticoid receptor for aldosterone. We reported addition a reducing agent to renal homogenates results in monomerization 11βHSD2 dimers significant increase corticosterone conversion. Estrogenic effects on expression,...

Glucocorticoid hormones, via activation of their receptors, promote memory consolidation, but the exact underlying mechanisms remain elusive. We examined how corticosterone regulates AMPA receptors (AMPARs), which are crucial for synaptic plasticity and formation. Combining a live imaging fluorescent recovery after photobleaching approach with use pH-sensitive GFP-AMPAR tagging revealed that enhances AMPAR mobile fraction increases trapping AMPARs in hippocampal cells. In parallel,...

The mineralocorticoid aldosterone, mainly produced by the adrenal gland, is essential for life, but an abnormally excessive secretion causes severe pathological effects including hypertension and target organ injury in heart kidney. aim of this study was to determine gene regulatory network triggered aldosterone secretagogues a nontransformed cell system. Freshly isolated rat zona glomerulosa cells were stimulated with two main secretagogues, angiotensin II potassium, 2 h subjected whole...

Regulators of G-protein signaling (RGS proteins) interact with Galpha subunits heterotrimeric G-proteins, accelerating the rate GTP hydrolysis and finalizing intracellular triggered by G-protein-coupled receptor (GPCR)-ligand interaction. Angiotensin II (Ang II) interacts its GPCR in adrenal zona glomerulosa cells triggers a cascade signals that regulates steroidogenesis proliferation. On screening for glomerulosa-specific genes, we found RGS4 was exclusively localized rat cortex. We studied...

Abstract AMPA receptor‐mediated synaptic modifications in the amygdala have been reported to sustain cued fear conditioning. However, hippocampal formation is also critically involved learning. Therefore, we examined whether conditioning accompanied by changes transmission hippocampus. We focused on spontaneous miniature excitatory post‐synaptic currents (mEPSCs). Young adult mice were trained using tone/footshock pairings and contextual/cued memories tested 3–4 h 1 day later. found that...

Shortly after stress, limbic neurons are exposed to high levels of noradrenaline and corticosterone. These hormones necessary for optimal behavioural adaptation. Behavioural effects critically depend on acting via β-adrenergic receptors, but these strongly modulated by corticosterone, indicating putative interactions between the two hormones. Since both corticosterone known quickly affect properties AMPA-type glutamate receptors (AMPAR), we here examined – in hippocampal three parameters...

Abstract As a component of self‐discipline, delay discounting refers to the ability wait longer for preferred rewards and plays pivotal role in shaping students’ academic performance. However, neural basis association between performance remains largely unknown. Here, we examined neuroanatomical substrates underlying 214 adolescents via voxel‐based morphometry (VBM) by performing structural magnetic resonance imaging (S‐MRI). Behaviorally, confirmed significant correlation Neurally,...

Abstract Achievement in school is crucial for students to be able pursue successful careers and lead happy lives the future. Although many psychological attributes have been found associated with academic performance, neural substrates of performance remain largely unknown. Here, we investigated relationship between brain structure a large sample high via structural magnetic resonance imaging (S-MRI) using voxel-based morphometry (VBM) approach. The whole-brain regression analyses showed...

As a component of self-regulation, delay discounting (DD) refers to an individual's tendency prefer smaller-but-sooner rewards over larger-but-later and plays essential role in many aspects human behavior. Although numerous studies have examined the neural underpinnings DD adults, there are far fewer focusing on neurobiological correlates underlying adolescents. Here, we investigated associations between individual differences fractional amplitude low-frequency fluctuations (fALFF)...

We compared pharmacokinetics of cocaine and its metabolite, benzoylecgonine, in pregnant rhesus monkeys their fetuses at mid-gestation: 1) after a single intravenous dose cocaine, 2) oral 3) the last administration 50-day-long chronic treatment, 4) on day treatment with five daily injections. found that administrations produced maximal maternal levels benzoylecgonine below plasma for cocaine. In contrast, resulted this metabolite significantly above those The bioavailability orally...