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SUMMARY:BMI SEMINAR // Julia Lemos - Dissecting the actions of corticotrop
 in releasing factor (CRF) in the nucleus accumbens
DTSTART:20190313T121500
DTEND:20190313T131500
DTSTAMP:20260916T224258Z
UID:e58a5e9d51da1117dd8d8991ab5d4925fc3ac3b67912f647cf12853f
CATEGORIES:Conferences - Seminars
DESCRIPTION:Julia Lemos\, Department of Neuroscience\, The University of M
 innesota\, Minneapolis\, USA\nOutside of its well-characterized actions in
  the HPA axis\, the stress-associated peptide corticotropin-releasing fact
 or (CRF) regulates neuronal excitability and synaptic transmission in seve
 ral extrahypothalamic brain regions. Previous research has shown that CRF 
 in the nucleus accumbens (NAc) promotes appetitive behavior through mechan
 isms that remain poorly understood. We have recently showed that CRF poten
 tiates both dopaminergic and cholinergic transmission in the NAc.  Howeve
 r\, it is unknown how CRF regulates the activity of medium spiny neurons (
 MSNs)\, the principle projection neurons of the NAc\, to modulate behavior
 al output. MSNs are classified by their peptide expression and projection 
 targets within the basal ganglia: dMSNs form the direct projection pathway
  and express dynorphin\, whereas iMSNs form the indirect pathway and expre
 ss enkephalin. Using whole-cell patch clamp electrophysiology recordings i
 n brain slices\, we examined the function of exogenously-applied CRF on th
 e excitability of MSNs in the NAc core. Application of 100 nM CRF produced
  a leftward shift in the current-voltage relationship\, demonstrating that
  CRF can enhance the firing rate of both dMSNs and iMSNs. RNAscope in situ
  hybridization was used to assess CRF R1 mRNA expression in MSN subpopulat
 ions\, identifying dMSNs and iMSNs with expression of dynorphin or enkepha
 lin\, respectively. CRF R1 was localized to both dynorphin- and enkephalin
 -positive cells in the NAc. Next steps will focus on identifying the role 
 of CRF receptor subtypes in driving enhanced spiking activity in MSNs and 
 elucidate whether this effect is through direct actions on MSNs or through
  dopaminergic and cholinergic modulation of MSNs. \n 
LOCATION:SV 1717 https://plan.epfl.ch/?room==SV%201717
STATUS:CONFIRMED
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