A Relationship between the Characteristics of the Oval Nucleus of the Mesopallium and Parrot Vocal Response to Playback

2021 ◽  
Vol 96 (1) ◽  
pp. 37-48
Author(s):  
Solveig Walløe ◽  
Mukta Chakraborty ◽  
Thorsten J.S. Balsby ◽  
Erich D. Jarvis ◽  
Torben Dabelsteen ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Animal Behavior ◽  
Brain Volume ◽  
Vocal Learning ◽  
Brain Structures ◽  
Brain Regions ◽  
Vocal Response ◽  
Oval Nucleus ◽  
Anterior Forebrain ◽  
Parrot Species ◽  
Region Size

Correlations between differences in animal behavior and brain structures have been used to infer function of those structures. Brain region size has especially been suggested to be important for an animal’s behavioral capability, controlled by specific brain regions. The oval nucleus of the mesopallium (MO) is part of the anterior forebrain vocal learning pathway in the parrot brain. Here, we compare brain volume and total number of neurons in MO of three parrot species (the peach-fronted conure, <i>Eupsittula aurea</i>, the peach-faced lovebird, <i>Agapornis roseicollis</i>, and the budgerigar, <i>Melopsittacus undulatus</i>), relating the total neuron numbers with the vocal response to playbacks of each species. We find that individuals with the highest number of neurons in MO had the shortest vocal latency. The peach-fronted conures showed the shortest vocal latency and largest number of MO neurons, the peach-faced lovebird had intermediary levels of both, and the budgerigar had the longest latency and least number of neurons. These findings indicate the MO nucleus as one candidate region that may be part of what controls the vocal capacity of parrots.

scholarly journals Effects of 24-Week Exergame Intervention on the Gray Matter Volume of Different Brain Structures in Women with Fibromyalgia: A Single-Blind, Randomized Controlled Trial

2020 ◽  
Vol 9 (8) ◽  
pp. 2436
Author(s):  
Juan Luis Leon-Llamas ◽  
Santos Villafaina ◽  
Alvaro Murillo-Garcia ◽  
Francisco Javier Dominguez-Muñoz ◽  
Narcis Gusi
Keyword(s):  
Gray Matter ◽  
Intervention Program ◽  
Brain Volume ◽  
Controlled Trial ◽  
Gray Matter Volume ◽  
Brain Structures ◽  
Brain Regions ◽  
Peak Oxygen Consumption ◽  
Matter Volume ◽  
Left And Right

Background: Exergame-induced changes in the volume of brain gray matter have not been studied in fibromyalgia (FM). This study evaluates the effects of a 24-week exergame-based intervention on the gray matter volume of different brain structures in patients with FM through magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Methods: A total of 25 FM patients completed 24 weeks of intervention program, and another 25 FM patients did not receive any intervention. T1-weighted MRI was used to assess brain volume, and FreeSurfer software was used to segment the brain regions. Results: No significant effects on gray matter volume of different structures and total gray matter were found. Conclusions: FM patients did not show significant changes in gray matter brain volume between the control and experimental groups after 24 weeks. FM patients showed significant relationships between peak oxygen consumption (pVO2) and the left and right regions of the hippocampus and the left and right regions of the amygdala.

scholarly journals Dissociable Mechanisms of Verbal Working Memory Revealed through Multivariate Lesion Mapping

2019 ◽  
Vol 30 (4) ◽  
pp. 2542-2554 ◽  
Author(s):  
Maryam Ghaleh ◽  
Elizabeth H Lacey ◽  
Mackenzie E Fama ◽  
Zainab Anbari ◽  
Andrew T DeMarco ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Working Memory ◽  
Spatial Working Memory ◽  
Superior Temporal Gyrus ◽  
Verbal Working Memory ◽  
Brain Structures ◽  
Brain Regions ◽  
Task Demands ◽  
Auditory Information ◽  
Verbal Information ◽  
Task Conditions

Abstract Two maintenance mechanisms with separate neural systems have been suggested for verbal working memory: articulatory-rehearsal and non-articulatory maintenance. Although lesion data would be key to understanding the essential neural substrates of these systems, there is little evidence from lesion studies that the two proposed mechanisms crucially rely on different neuroanatomical substrates. We examined 39 healthy adults and 71 individuals with chronic left-hemisphere stroke to determine if verbal working memory tasks with varying demands would rely on dissociable brain structures. Multivariate lesion–symptom mapping was used to identify the brain regions involved in each task, controlling for spatial working memory scores. Maintenance of verbal information relied on distinct brain regions depending on task demands: sensorimotor cortex under higher demands and superior temporal gyrus (STG) under lower demands. Inferior parietal cortex and posterior STG were involved under both low and high demands. These results suggest that maintenance of auditory information preferentially relies on auditory-phonological storage in the STG via a nonarticulatory maintenance when demands are low. Under higher demands, sensorimotor regions are crucial for the articulatory rehearsal process, which reduces the reliance on STG for maintenance. Lesions to either of these regions impair maintenance of verbal information preferentially under the appropriate task conditions.

scholarly journals Synergistic Effect of Several Neurotransmitters in PFC-NAc-VTA Neural Circuit for the Anti-Depression Effect of Shuganheweitang in a Chronic Unpredictable Mild Stress Model

2021 ◽  
Vol 16 (3) ◽  
pp. 1934578X2110024
Author(s):  
Xin Chen ◽  
Yuanchun Ma ◽  
Xiongjun Mou ◽  
Hao Liu ◽  
Hao Ming ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Animal Behavior ◽  
Neural Circuit ◽  
Concentration Level ◽  
Brain Regions ◽  
Mild Stress ◽  
Depression Effect ◽  
Monoamine Neurotransmitters ◽  
Reward Circuitry ◽  
High Doses ◽  
The Brain

Depression, a major worldwide mental disorder, leads to massive disability and can result in death. The PFC-NAc-VTA neuro circuit is related to emotional, neurovegetative, and cognitive functions, which emerge as a circuit-level framework for understanding reward deficits in depression. Neurotransmitters, which are widely distributed in different brain regions, are important detected targets for the evaluation of depression. Shuganheweitang (SGHWT) is a popular prescription in clinical therapy for depression. In order to investigate its possible pharmacodynamics and anti-depressive mechanism, the complex plant material was separated into different fractions. These in low and high doses, along with low and high doses of SGHWT were tested in animal behavior tests. The low and high doses of SGHWT were more effective than the various fractions, which indicate the importance of synergistic function in traditional Chinese medicine. Furthermore, amino acid (GABA, Glu) and monoamine neurotransmitters (DA, 5-HT, NA, 5-HIAA) in the PFC-NAc-VTA neuro circuit were investigated by UPLC-MS/MS. The level trend of DA and 5-HT were consistent in the PFC-NAc-VTA neuro circuit, whereas 5-HIAA was decreased in the PFC, Glu was decreased in the PFC and VTA, and NA and GABA were decreased in the NAc. The results indicate that the pathogenesis of depression is associated with dysfunction of the PFC-NAc-VTA neural circuit, mainly through the neural projection effects of neurotransmitters associated with various brain regions in the neural circuit. PCA and OPLS-DA score plots demonstrated the similarities of individuals within each group and the differences among the groups. In this study, SGHWT could regulate the concentration level of different neurotransmitters in the PFC-NAc-VTA neuro circuit to improve the depression, which benefitted from the recognition of the brain reward circuitry in mood disorders.

scholarly journals The Relationship Between Hippocampal Volume and Activity Diversity

2020 ◽  
Vol 4 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. 652-653
Author(s):  
Emily Urban-Wojcik ◽  
Soomi Lee ◽  
Susan Charles ◽  
David Almeida ◽  
Richard Davidson ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Brain Volume ◽  
Daily Diary ◽  
Brain Structures ◽  
Total Activity ◽  
The United States ◽  
Hippocampal Volume ◽  
Daily Activities ◽  
Activity Time ◽  
Left And Right ◽  
The Relationship

Abstract The hippocampus, implicated in learning, memory, and spatial navigation, is one of the few brain structures that demonstrates neurogenesis across the lifespan. Hippocampal volume (HV), then, may be a marker of exposure to and engagement with novel events and environments, which may in turn be related to cognitive functioning. The present study examined the relationship between HV and activity diversity (AD), which characterizes the range and evenness of participation in daily activities. In 52 participants who completed the daily-diary and neuroscience projects of the Midlife in the United States Refresher study, greater levels of AD across an 8-day period were related to greater HV averaged across the left and right hemispheres when adjusting for overall brain volume, total activity time, time between projects, and relevant sociodemographic variables, b=1128mm3, t(43)=2.54, p=.015. These findings may point to a mechanism through which AD has been related to better cognitive and mental health outcomes.

scholarly journals Birdsong Decreases Protein Levels of FoxP2, a Molecule Required for Human Speech

2008 ◽  
Vol 100 (4) ◽  
pp. 2015-2025 ◽  
Author(s):  
Julie E. Miller ◽  
Elizabeth Spiteri ◽  
Michael C. Condro ◽  
Ryan T. Dosumu-Johnson ◽  
Daniel H. Geschwind ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mrna Expression ◽  
Target Genes ◽  
Expression Patterns ◽  
Vocal Learning ◽  
Brain Regions ◽  
Motor Deficits ◽  
Mrna Levels ◽  
Adult Males ◽  
Protein Levels ◽  
Area X

Cognitive and motor deficits associated with language and speech are seen in humans harboring FOXP2 mutations. The neural bases for FOXP2 mutation-related deficits are thought to reside in structural abnormalities distributed across systems important for language and motor learning including the cerebral cortex, basal ganglia, and cerebellum. In these brain regions, our prior research showed that FoxP2 mRNA expression patterns are strikingly similar between developing humans and songbirds. Within the songbird brain, this pattern persists throughout life and includes the striatal subregion, Area X, that is dedicated to song development and maintenance. The persistent mRNA expression suggests a role for FoxP2 that extends beyond the formation of vocal learning circuits to their ongoing use. Because FoxP2 is a transcription factor, a role in shaping circuits likely depends on FoxP2 protein levels which might not always parallel mRNA levels. Indeed our current study shows that FoxP2 protein, like its mRNA, is acutely downregulated in mature Area X when adult males sing with some differences. Total corticosterone levels associated with the different behavioral contexts did not vary, indicating that differences in FoxP2 levels are not likely attributable to stress. Our data, together with recent reports on FoxP2's target genes, suggest that lowered FoxP2 levels may allow for expression of genes important for circuit modification and thus vocal variability.

Sleep Duration, Sleep Apnea, and Gray Matter Volume

2021 ◽  
pp. 089198872098891
Author(s):  
Regina Eun Young Kim ◽  
Robert Douglas Abbott ◽  
Soriul Kim ◽  
Robert Joseph Thomas ◽  
Chang-Ho Yun ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Sleep Apnea ◽  
Sleep Duration ◽  
Gray Matter ◽  
Gray Matter Volume ◽  
Brain Structures ◽  
Brain Regions ◽  
Population Based ◽  
Older Individuals ◽  
Bootstrap Sampling ◽  
Matter Volume

This study aimed to evaluate the effect of sleep duration on brain structures in the presence versus absence of sleep apnea in middle-aged and older individuals. The study investigated a population-based sample of 2,560 individuals, aged 49-80 years. The presence of sleep apnea and self-reported sleep duration were examined in relation to gray matter volume (GMV) in total and lobar brain regions. We identified ranges of sleep duration associated with maximal GMV using quadratic regression and bootstrap sampling. A significant quadratic association between sleep duration and GMV was observed in total and lobar brain regions of men with sleep apnea. In the fully adjusted model, optimal sleep durations associated with peak GMV between brain regions ranged from 6.7 to 7.0 hours. Shorter and longer sleep durations were associated with lower GMV in total and 4 sub-regions of the brain in men with sleep apnea.

Intranasal administration of mitochondria improves spatial memory in olfactory bulbectomized mice

2021 ◽  
pp. 153537022110568
Author(s):  
Natalia V Bobkova ◽  
Daria Y Zhdanova ◽  
Natalia V Belosludtseva ◽  
Nikita V Penkov ◽  
Galina D Mironova
Keyword(s):  
Alzheimer’S Disease ◽  
Alzheimer's Disease ◽  
Spatial Memory ◽  
Intranasal Administration ◽  
Brain Structures ◽  
Brain Regions ◽  
Dependent Manner ◽  
Behavioral Experiments ◽  
Hippocampal Cell Culture ◽  
The Brain

Here, we found that functionally active mitochondria isolated from the brain of NMRI donor mice and administrated intranasally to recipient mice penetrated the brain structures in a dose-dependent manner. The injected mitochondria labeled with the MitoTracker Red localized in different brain regions, including the neocortex and hippocampus, which are responsible for memory and affected by degeneration in patients with Alzheimer's disease. In behavioral experiments, intranasal microinjections of brain mitochondria of native NMRI mice improved spatial memory in the olfactory bulbectomized (OBX) mice with Alzheimer’s type degeneration. Control OBX mice demonstrated loss of spatial memory tested in the Morris water maze. Immunocytochemical analysis revealed that allogeneic mitochondria colocalized with the markers of astrocytes and neurons in hippocampal cell culture. The results suggest that a non-invasive route intranasal administration of mitochondria may be a promising approach to the treatment of neurodegenerative diseases characterized, like Alzheimer's disease, by mitochondrial dysfunction.

scholarly journals Multi-scale analysis of schizophrenia risk genes, brain structure, and clinical symptoms reveals integrative clues for subtyping schizophrenia patients

2018 ◽  
Vol 11 (8) ◽  
pp. 678-687
Author(s):  
Liang Ma ◽  
Edmund T Rolls ◽  
Xiuqin Liu ◽  
Yuting Liu ◽  
Zeyu Jiao ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Clinical Symptoms ◽  
Brain Structures ◽  
Brain Regions ◽  
First Episode ◽  
Grey Matter Volume ◽  
Scale Analysis ◽  
Risk Genes ◽  
Multi Scale ◽  
Scale Scores ◽  
Multi Scale Analysis

AbstractAnalysis linking directly genomics, neuroimaging phenotypes and clinical measurements is crucial for understanding psychiatric disorders, but remains rare. Here, we describe a multi-scale analysis using genome-wide SNPs, gene expression, grey matter volume (GMV), and the positive and negative syndrome scale scores (PANSS) to explore the etiology of schizophrenia. With 72 drug-naive schizophrenic first episode patients (FEPs) and 73 matched heathy controls, we identified 108 genes, from schizophrenia risk genes, that correlated significantly with GMV, which are highly co-expressed in the brain during development. Among these 108 candidates, 19 distinct genes were found associated with 16 brain regions referred to as hot clusters (HCs), primarily in the frontal cortex, sensory-motor regions and temporal and parietal regions. The patients were subtyped into three groups with distinguishable PANSS scores by the GMV of the identified HCs. Furthermore, we found that HCs with common GMV among patient groups are related to genes that mostly mapped to pathways relevant to neural signaling, which are associated with the risk for schizophrenia. Our results provide an integrated view of how genetic variants may affect brain structures that lead to distinct disease phenotypes. The method of multi-scale analysis that was described in this research, may help to advance the understanding of the etiology of schizophrenia.

Diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) findings in schizophrenia: A review

2011 ◽  
Vol 26 (S2) ◽  
pp. 960-960
Author(s):  
J.L. Villegas Martínez ◽  
J.A. Blanco Garrote ◽  
F. Uribe Ladrón de Cegama ◽  
B. Arribas Simón ◽  
G. Cabús Piñol
Keyword(s):  
Diffusion Tensor Imaging ◽  
Diffusion Tensor ◽  
Cochrane Review ◽  
Brain Structures ◽  
Brain Regions ◽  
Parahippocampal Gyrus ◽  
First Episode ◽  
Chronic Patients ◽  
Brain White Matter ◽  
Diffusion Tensor Imaging Dti

IntroductionDiffusion tensor imaging (DTI) is a magnetic resonance imaging technique that have increasingly being used for the non-invasive evaluation of brain white matter (WM) abnormalities. Several studies suggest that the normal integration of cerebral function may be compromised in schizophrenia. Abnormalities in WM tracts may be directly relevant for the neuropathology of schizophrenia.ObjetivesThe purpose of this review was to discuss recent DTI findings in schizophrenia and a methodologic analysis.MethodsThe literature search was performed with the search engine PubMed of the U.S. National Library of Medicine. Search strategy used was based on the Cochrane review technique, limited to the period between 1998 (first report on DTI and schizophrenia) and May 2010. And limited to ‘Title/Abstract’. The reference lists of these studies were used to identify additional studies.ResultsThere is a striking amount of heterogeneity in findings, probably by methodologic problems. Brain regions such as the cingulate bundle, corpus callosum, and regions within frontal and temporal WM have a proportionally larger number of positive findings across the studies. In addition, WM tracts as The superior longitudinal fasciculus, fronto-occipital longitudinal fasciculi, uncinate fasciculi, frontal longitudinal fasciculus and the arcuate fasciculus have also positive findings in patients with schizophrenia. Other brain structures as the cerebellar peduncles, the fornix, the hippocampus and parahippocampal gyrus, the thalamic and optic radiations have been evaluated and shown positive findings. However, these findings are not present in all studies. DTI abnormalities in first-episode patients are less robust than in chronic patients.ConclusionsRecent DTI findings further support the hypothesis of structural dysconnectivity in schizophrenia.

scholarly journals Chromosomal Evolution in Psittaciformes. Revisited

2016 ◽  
Vol 8 (4) ◽  
pp. 34
Author(s):  
A. Villa Rus ◽  
J. C. Cigudosa ◽  
J. L. Carrasco Juan ◽  
A. Otero Gomez ◽  
T. Acosta Almeida ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Chromosome Rearrangement ◽  
Vocal Learning ◽  
Chromosomal Evolution ◽  
Learning Abilities ◽  
Biogeographic History ◽  
Human Attention ◽  
Evolutionary Radiation ◽  
History Of ◽  
Parrot Species ◽  
Evolutionary Comparisons

<p class="1Body">With colourful plumage, charismatic character and vocal learning abilities, parrots are one of the most striking and recognizable bird groups. Their attractiveness has drawn human attention for centuries, and members of the Psittaciformes order were, also, among the first avian species to be subject to cytogenetic studies which have contributed to understand their taxonomic and evolutionary relationships.</p><p class="1Body">We present here the karyological results collected by the study of thirteen parrot species new to karyology. These results are additionally supported by G banded preparations obtained in five species.</p><p class="1Body">The order Psittaciformes is an interesting example of a, typically, non migratory avian lineage with Gondwanaland origin, whose evolutionary radiation has been shaped by the Cenozoic geographic and climatic events that affected the land masses derived from the Gondwanaland continental split.</p><p class="1Body">We discuss the results of our studies, in conjunction with the previously compiled Psittaciformes cytogenetic data to delineate a picture of the chromosomal evolution of the order, concurrently with the biogeographic history of the lands in the southern Hemisphere.</p><p class="1Body">Considering the available data on parrot cytogenetics, a "standard parrot karyotype pattern" is proposed for evolutionary comparisons.</p><p class="1Body">Several biogeographic, and phylogenetically related "karyogram patterns" are also identified, and mechanisms of chromosome rearrangement that associate this patterns among them, and with the standard parrot karyotype pattern are proposed. These schemes on parrot chromosomal variation are discussed in relation to the general avian chromosome evolutionary theses proposed by cytogenetic and molecular genomic researchers.</p>

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