The orbitofrontal cortex(ORB),a region crucial for stimulus-reward association,decision-making,and flexible behaviors,extensively connects with other brain areas.However,brain-wide inputs to projection-defined ORB neu...The orbitofrontal cortex(ORB),a region crucial for stimulus-reward association,decision-making,and flexible behaviors,extensively connects with other brain areas.However,brain-wide inputs to projection-defined ORB neurons and the distribution of inhibitory neurons postsynaptic to neurons in specific ORB subregions remain poorly characterized.Here we mapped the inputs of five types of projection-specific ORB neurons and ORB outputs to two types of inhibitory neurons.We found that different projection-defined ORB neurons received inputs from similar cortical and thalamic regions,albeit with quantitative variations,particularly in somatomotor areas and medial groups of the dorsal thalamus.By counting parvalbumin(PV)or somatostatin(SST)interneurons innervated by neurons in specific ORB subregions,we found a higher fraction of PV neurons in sensory cortices and a higher fraction of SST neurons in subcortical regions targeted by medial ORB neurons.These results provide insights into understanding and investigating the function of specific ORB neurons.展开更多
Neurons are highly interwoven to form intricate neural circuits that underlie the diverse functions of the brain.Dissecting the anatomical organization of neural circuits is key to deciphering how the brain processes ...Neurons are highly interwoven to form intricate neural circuits that underlie the diverse functions of the brain.Dissecting the anatomical organization of neural circuits is key to deciphering how the brain processes information,produces thoughts,and instructs behaviors.Over the past decades,recombinant viral vectors have become the most commonly used tracing tools to define circuit architecture.In this review,we introduce the current categories of viral tools and their proper application in circuit tracing.We further discuss some advances in viral tracing strategy and prospective innovations of viral tools for future study.展开更多
Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) plays a crucial role in human obesity. Yet, the neural circuitry supporting the BDNF-mediated control of energy homeostasis remains largely undefined. To map key regions that m...Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) plays a crucial role in human obesity. Yet, the neural circuitry supporting the BDNF-mediated control of energy homeostasis remains largely undefined. To map key regions that might provide inputs to or receive inputs from the paraventricular nucleus (PVN) BDNF neurons, a key type of cells in regulating feeding and thermogenesis, we used rabies virus-based transsynaptic labeling and adeno-associated virus based anterograde tracing techniques to reveal their whole-brain distributions. We found that dozens of brain regions provide dense inputs to or receive dense inputs from PVN BDNF neurons, including several known weight control regions and several novel regions that might be functionally important for the BDNF-mediated regulation of energy homeostasis.Interestingly, several regions show very dense reciprocal connections with PVN BDNF neurons, including the lateral septum, the preoptic area, the ventromedial hypothalamic nucleus, the paraventricular thalamic nucleus, the zona incerta, the lateral parabrachial nucleus, the subiculum, the raphe magnus nucleus, and the raphe pallidus nucleus. These strong anatomical connections might be indicative of important functional connections. Therefore, we provide an outline of potential neural circuitry mediated by PVN BDNF neurons, which might be helpful to resolve the complex obesity network.展开更多
In the past decade, the rapid develop-ment of viral tracing techniques, more precisely the neu-rotropic viral based mono-transsynaptic tracing strategy,provides a powerful tool to map synaptic connectivi...In the past decade, the rapid develop-ment of viral tracing techniques, more precisely the neu-rotropic viral based mono-transsynaptic tracing strategy,provides a powerful tool to map synaptic connectivityin the central and peripheral nervous systems. This minireview provides a brief description of the principles ofthis tracing method, describe different strategies to tracethe neural circuit from defned neuronal populations, andpresent an update of newly developed viral variants optimizing the method.展开更多
基金supported by the STI2030-Major Projects(2021ZD0203700/2021ZD0203703)the National Natural Science Foundation of China(31771151 and 32171030 to H.Y.,32100829 to D.L.)+2 种基金the Lingang Lab(Grant LG202104-01-03)Shanghai Municipal Science and Technology Major Project(grant No.2018SHZDZX05)the Strategic Priority Research Program of the Chinese Academy of Sciences(grant No.XDB32010200).
文摘The orbitofrontal cortex(ORB),a region crucial for stimulus-reward association,decision-making,and flexible behaviors,extensively connects with other brain areas.However,brain-wide inputs to projection-defined ORB neurons and the distribution of inhibitory neurons postsynaptic to neurons in specific ORB subregions remain poorly characterized.Here we mapped the inputs of five types of projection-specific ORB neurons and ORB outputs to two types of inhibitory neurons.We found that different projection-defined ORB neurons received inputs from similar cortical and thalamic regions,albeit with quantitative variations,particularly in somatomotor areas and medial groups of the dorsal thalamus.By counting parvalbumin(PV)or somatostatin(SST)interneurons innervated by neurons in specific ORB subregions,we found a higher fraction of PV neurons in sensory cortices and a higher fraction of SST neurons in subcortical regions targeted by medial ORB neurons.These results provide insights into understanding and investigating the function of specific ORB neurons.
基金the National Key Research and Development Program of China(2021ZD0202700 and 2021ZD0202703)the National Natural Science Foundation of China(32070974).
文摘Neurons are highly interwoven to form intricate neural circuits that underlie the diverse functions of the brain.Dissecting the anatomical organization of neural circuits is key to deciphering how the brain processes information,produces thoughts,and instructs behaviors.Over the past decades,recombinant viral vectors have become the most commonly used tracing tools to define circuit architecture.In this review,we introduce the current categories of viral tools and their proper application in circuit tracing.We further discuss some advances in viral tracing strategy and prospective innovations of viral tools for future study.
基金funded by the Pudong New Area Science and Technology Development Fund,China (J. Yang,#PKJ2014-Y08)Shanghai University of Medicine & Health Sciences Seed Foundation Project,China (J. Yang,#SPF-18-20-14-006)+2 种基金ational Natural Science Foundation of China (W. Shen,#31771169 and #91857104)Thousand Young Talents Program of China (W. Shen)ShanghaiTech University start-up fund (W. Shen)
文摘Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) plays a crucial role in human obesity. Yet, the neural circuitry supporting the BDNF-mediated control of energy homeostasis remains largely undefined. To map key regions that might provide inputs to or receive inputs from the paraventricular nucleus (PVN) BDNF neurons, a key type of cells in regulating feeding and thermogenesis, we used rabies virus-based transsynaptic labeling and adeno-associated virus based anterograde tracing techniques to reveal their whole-brain distributions. We found that dozens of brain regions provide dense inputs to or receive dense inputs from PVN BDNF neurons, including several known weight control regions and several novel regions that might be functionally important for the BDNF-mediated regulation of energy homeostasis.Interestingly, several regions show very dense reciprocal connections with PVN BDNF neurons, including the lateral septum, the preoptic area, the ventromedial hypothalamic nucleus, the paraventricular thalamic nucleus, the zona incerta, the lateral parabrachial nucleus, the subiculum, the raphe magnus nucleus, and the raphe pallidus nucleus. These strong anatomical connections might be indicative of important functional connections. Therefore, we provide an outline of potential neural circuitry mediated by PVN BDNF neurons, which might be helpful to resolve the complex obesity network.
文摘In the past decade, the rapid develop-ment of viral tracing techniques, more precisely the neu-rotropic viral based mono-transsynaptic tracing strategy,provides a powerful tool to map synaptic connectivityin the central and peripheral nervous systems. This minireview provides a brief description of the principles ofthis tracing method, describe different strategies to tracethe neural circuit from defned neuronal populations, andpresent an update of newly developed viral variants optimizing the method.
