Congenital hypothyroidism (CH), a pediatric endocrine condition that results in early thyroid hormone (TH) insufficiency, is associated with visuospatial dysfunction suggestive of selective dorsal visual stream impairment. However, the ventral visual stream has not been adequately investigated in this population and so the effect of early TH insufficiency on development of the two streams had not been clearly established. This thesis used a comprehensive set of neuropsychological and experimental tests to assess higher-order visual functions in children and adolescents with CH compared with typically developing individuals. The results show that while CH is associated with poorer performance on tasks tapping into dorsal stream functions such as judgment of line orientation, spatial localization, three-dimensional block and two-dimensional mental construction, judgment of object location, and mental rotation, performance on typical ventral stream tasks such as identity discrimination, including abstract shapes, faces, and buildings, is relatively unimpaired. Thus this thesis establishes that the dorsal visual stream is selectively vulnerable to TH insufficiency. In addition to the investigating the nature of the higher-order visual problems in CH, this thesis explores the mechanism underlying these problems and assesses whether they result from organizational effects by early TH or activational effects by current TH levels. The data support the organizational mechanism and suggest that prenatal TH insufficiency results in irreversible changes to the dorsal visual stream due to the timing of dorsal stream development, which occurs earlier than ventral stream development and is thus more vulnerable to insult.

Congenital hypothyroidism (CH), a pediatric endocrine condition that results in early thyroid hormone (TH) insufficiency, is associated with visuospatial dysfunction suggestive of selective dorsal visual stream impairment. However, the ventral visual stream has not been adequately investigated in this population and so the effect of early TH insufficiency on development of the two streams had not been clearly established. This thesis used a comprehensive set of neuropsychological and experimental tests to assess higher-order visual functions in children and adolescents with CH compared with typically developing individuals. The results show that while CH is associated with poorer performance on tasks tapping into dorsal stream functions such as judgment of line orientation, spatial localization, three-dimensional block and two-dimensional mental construction, judgment of object location, and mental rotation, performance on typical ventral stream tasks such as identity discrimination, including abstract shapes, faces, and buildings, is relatively unimpaired. Thus this thesis establishes that the dorsal visual stream is selectively vulnerable to TH insufficiency. In addition to the investigating the nature of the higher-order visual problems in CH, this thesis explores the mechanism underlying these problems and assesses whether they result from organizational effects by early TH or activational effects by current TH levels. The data support the organizational mechanism and suggest that prenatal TH insufficiency results in irreversible changes to the dorsal visual stream due to the timing of dorsal stream development, which occurs earlier than ventral stream development and is thus more vulnerable to insult.

Made available in DSpace on 2018-08-01T22:57:57Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 tese_8520_Dissertação Eduardo Akira Fujiwara.pdf: 2713772 bytes, checksum: 5750ee1bd3f2a910679e9986e2dd2df9 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2016-10-14 / O quimiorreflexo é um importante mecanismo neural envolvido nos controles cardiovascular e respiratório sob situações hipóxicas ou hipercapnéicas. Em animais experimentais, a ativação deste reflexo promove não só alterações cardiorrespiratórias, mas também comportamentais. Estudos prévios de nosso grupo de pesquisa têm demonstrado que o hipocampo dorsal é capaz de modular respostas cardiovasculares frente a estímulos aversivos, como o medo condicionado ao contexto e o estresse de restrição. Relata-se na literatura que a modulação da neurotransmissão colinérgica no HD produz alterações marcantes na pressão arterial média (PAM) e na frequência cardíaca (FC) (Hori et al. 1995). Entretanto, o papel da neurotransmissão colinérgica no HD na participação de respostas cardiorrespiratórias provocadas pela ativação do quimiorreflexo permanecia inexplorada. O objetivo do presente estudo foi avaliar o envolvimento da neurotransmissão colinérgica no HD na modulação de respostas cardiovasculares e respiratórias provocadas pela ativação de quimiorreceptores periféricos. Ratos Wistar (280-340g) foram anestesiados com tribromoetanol (250mg/kg) e cânulas-guia foram implantadas bilateralmente no HD utilizando aparelho estereotáxico. Três dias após a cirurgia estereotáxica, e sob anestesia com tribromoetanol, foi realizada a cirurgia de canulação da artéria e veia femorais para permitir o registro de pressão arterial pulsátil (PAP) e a injeção de KCN, respectivamente. Foi empregado o método de pletismografia de corpo inteiro para obtenção de frequência respiratória (fR), ventilação minuto (VE) e volume corrente (VT). O quimiorreflexo foi ativado utilizando-se KCN (40 µg/0.05 mL, iv) e PAM, FC, fR, VT e VE foram avaliados antes, 10 e 60 minutos após a microinjeção bilateral de drogas anticolinérgicas no HD. As drogas testadas foram: hemicolínio (1 nmol/500nL), inibidor da recaptação da colina; atropina (0,6; 6; 18 e 30nmol/500nL), antagonista não-seletivo de receptores muscarínicos, J104129 Fumarate (6 nmol/500nL, antagonista de receptores muscarínicos M1/M3 ; pirenzepina (6 nmol/500nL), antagonista seletivo de receptor muscarínico M1. Os dados foram analisados utilizando-se ANOVA de duas vias para medidas repetidas, seguido do pós-teste de Bonferroni (P<0.05). Microinjeções bilaterais das drogas moduladoras da neurotransmissão colinérgica no HD não modificaram os níveis cardiorrespiratórios basais, nem as respostas cardiorrespiratórias induzidas pela ativação dos quimiorreceptores periféricos com KCN (P > 0.05). Os dados mostram que a neurotransmissão colinérgica presente no HD não parece estar envolvida no controle cardiorrespiratório basal, nem no processamento das respostas cardiorrespiratórias induzidas pela ativação de quimiorreceptores periféricos.

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Dorsal root ganglion (DRG) neurons are responsive to altered neuromuscular activity and play a role in diabetic peripheral neuropathy (DPN). We present evidence that small and large DRG neurons are differentially affected by exercise and diabetes. We examined gene expression in samples of small and large neurons of rat L4/L5 DRG, and the specific responses after exercise and diabetes, to identify potential molecular processes involved in activity-dependent changes. Small and large DRG neurons were collected using laser capture microdissection. Relative mRNA levels were determined using real-time polymerase chain reaction experiments. In study 1, healthy adult rats received treadmill exercise for 1 or 17 weeks, or voluntary wheel exercise for 16 weeks. In study 2, STZ-induced diabetic rats received 15 weeks of sedentary treatment or voluntary wheel exercise. Behavioural testing of thermal latency response was performed on all animals in study 2. In study 1, there were no significant changes in small or large DRG neuron gene expression after acute treadmill exercise. After chronic treadmill exercise, mRNA levels changed relative to healthy sedentary rats in small (↑ 5HT1D; ↓5HT1F) and large (↓ 5HT1A, TrkC, SYN1) DRG neurons. After chronic voluntary wheel exercise, mRNA levels changed relative to healthy sedentary rats in small (↓ 5HT1D, OPRD1, TrkA; ↑ GAP43) and large (↓ 5HT1D, Nav1.6, OPRD1, TrkA, TrkC, SYN1; ↑ 5HT3A, GAP43) DRG neurons. In study 2, there were no significant changes in large DRG neuron gene expression. In small DRG neurons, mRNA levels were changed in the diabetic sedentary group (↓TrkB; ↑5HT1F) as well as the diabetic wheel group (↓ CGRP) relative to healthy sedentary rats. 5HT1A receptor mRNA levels were higher in diabetic sedentary rats relative to diabetic wheel rats. Our results demonstrate that small and large DRG neurons respond, but in different ways, to the duration and intensity of exercise. DRG neurons show a greater response to voluntary compared to forced exercise, and chronic compared to acute exercise. The genetic changes in small DRG neurons of rats with DPN that exercise may be correlated with the positive change in progression of thermal hypoalgesia associated with exercise. / May 2016

Several molecular changes occur following axotomy, such as gene up-regulation and down-regulation. In our previous study using Affymetrix arrays, it was found that after the axotomy of sciatic nerve, there were many novel genes with significant expression changes. Among such genes was neuronatin, whose expression was significantly up-regulated. Neuronatin was identified as a gene selectively expressed in the neonatal brain and is involved in neuronal differentiation during brain development, and markedly reduced in adult brains. The present study investigated whether the expression of neuronatin correlates with symptoms of neuropathic pain in adult rats with transected sciatic nerve. Adult male Sprague-Dawley rats weighting 230 to 280 g were used. The rats were grouped into two: those that were sham operated and those that had sciatic nerve axotomy. The specimens-L4,5 dorsal root ganglians(DRG) and their corresponding spinal cords-were collected at post-axotomy day 1, day 3, and day 5. The neuronatin protein contents were analyzed by western blotting and immunohisto- chemistry. Changes in the mRNA levels were evaluated using RT-PCR. Randall and Selitto test was performed to reveal changes in the animal behaviors. The subcellular co-localization of neuronatin with neuronal cell type specific markers were also investigated in correlation with pain-related animal behavior. It was found that after sciatic nerve injury, the expression of neuronatin in dorsal root ganglians was increased in protein extracts. Furthermore, the results of immunohistochemistry revealed that the cell numbers of DRGs were relatively increased. Unmyelinated C-fiber and thinly myelinated A-£_ fiber in adult DRGs were also among the principal sub-population of primary afferent neurons with distributed neuronatin. The increased expression of neuronatin and its subcellular localization were related to mechanical hyperalgesia. The results indicated that there was a following significant correlation between mechanical allodynia axotomy of sciatic nerve and the increased expression of neuronatin in C-fiber and A-£_ fiber of DRG neurons.

Understanding the neural mechanisms underlying the extinction of maladaptive behaviors has become increasingly relevant. Extinction, or the reduction of a response due to lack of reinforcement, is believed to be “new learning.” Most extinction paradigms involve the performance of the previously reinforced response in the absence of reinforcement in order for extinction to occur. Conversely, latent extinction is a cognitive form of learning in which the previously rewarded response is not made during extinction training. However, until now the neurobiological basis of latent extinction has remained unknown. This dissertation has three aims to examine the neurobiological basis of latent extinction. Previous research has shown latent extinction to be impaired following hippocampal inactivation and the goal of Aim 1 was to examine other neural systems potentially involved in latent extinction through examination of brain structures such as the dorsal striatum, medial prefrontal cortex, and basolateral amygdala. Additionally, the neurochemical basis of latent extinction is unidentified; therefore Aim 2 addressed this question, specifically investigating the glutamatergic system through both NMDA receptor agonism and antagonism. Finally, understanding latent extinction may be useful for the extinction of drug addiction. Aim 3 was to examine some clinical implications for the extinction of drug addiction utilizing latent extinction following maze running for an oral cocaine reward. Reversible neural inactivation studies using the sodium channel blocker bupivacaine demonstrated a selective impairment of response extinction following dorsal striatum inactivation, but no effect on either latent or response extinction following medial prefrontal cortex or basolateral amygdala inactivation. These results, coupled with previous data from our lab demonstrate a double dissociation for extinction behavior. Further, peripheral NMDA receptor agonism with D-cyloserine enhances latent extinction and intra-hippocampal NMDA receptor antagonism with AP5 impairs latent extinction, identifying a role for the glutamatergic system in latent extinction. Finally, oral cocaine administration during acquisition selectively impairs latent extinction indicating that drug use affects the relive use of multiple memory systems during extinction. Overall, the multiple memory systems theory and latent extinction provide a framework with which to further understand the neural mechanisms of extinction behavior.

Microphyll morphology of 16 Taiwanese species of Selagienlla was observed under light microscopy and scanning electron microscopy. Features studied include microphyll arrangement, epidermal cell morphology, stomal distribution, shape arrangement and distribution silica body on microphyll surface. Microphyll are dimorphic and 4-ranked arrangement, with ventral microphylls larger than the dorsal microphylls. The epidermal cells at dorsal side of dorsal microphylls and at ventral side of ventral microphylls are similar, which are tetragonal or oblong in shape and sinuolate or sinuate in anticlinal cell walls. The epidermis at ventral side of dorsal microphylls and dorsal side of ventral microphylls are similar, which are sub-square or rectangular in shape and straight or sinuolate in anticlinal walls. Stomata are mainly distributed on dorsal side of dorsal microphylls and ventral side of ventral microphylls. Four distribution patterns of are found on microphyll silica body, which are microphyll margin, midrib, homogeneity and nil patterns. Four types of arrangement of silica body on epidermal cells were recognized, namely single row, multi-row, mixed and globulate types. In Taiwan, the characters appeared in epidermal cell morphology and stomal distribution of microphyll are useful for species identification in Selaginella, while those of distribution at patterns and arrangement types of silica bodies on epidermal cells are valuable for the species identification under subgenus.