12 documents found, page 1 of 2
Voluntary running rescues the defective hippocampal neurogenesis and behaviour ...
Ferreira, Ana Catarina; Novais, Ashley Cruz; Sousa, Nuno; Sousa, João Carlos; Marques, FernandaThe continuous generation of new neurons in the adult mammalian hippocampus is a form of neural plasticity that modulates learning and memory functions, and also emotion (anxiety and depression). Among the factors known to modulate adult hippocampal neurogenesis and brain function, lipocalin-2 (LCN2) was recently described as a key regulator of neural stem cells (NSCs) proliferation and commitment, with impact ...
The dynamics of stress: a longitudinal MRI study of rat brain structure and con...
Magalhães, Ricardo José Silva; Barrière, D. A.; Novais, Ashley Cruz; Marques, Fernanda; Marques, Paulo César Gonçalves; Cerqueira, João JoséStress is a well-established trigger for a number of neuropsychiatric disorders, as it alters both structure and function of several brain regions and its networks. Herein, we conduct a longitudinal neuroimaging study to assess how a chronic unpredictable stress protocol impacts the structure of the rat brain and its functional connectome in both high and low responders to stress. Our results reveal the changes...
Lipocalin-2 regulates adult neurogenesis and contextual discriminative behaviours
Ferreira, A. C.; Santos, T.; Sampaio-Marques, B.; Novais, Ashley Cruz; Mesquita, S. D.; Ludovico, Paula; Bernardino, L.; Correia-Neves, M; Sousa, NunoIn the adult mammalian brain, newborn granule cells are continuously integrated into hippocampal circuits, and the fine-tuning of this process is important for hippocampal function. Thus, the identification of factors that control adult neural stem cells (NSCs) maintenance, differentiation and integration is essential. Here we show that the deletion of the iron trafficking protein lipocalin-2 (LCN2) induces def...
Adult Hippocampal Neurogenesis Modulation by the Membrane-Associated Progestero...
Novais, Ashley Cruz; Silva, Alberto; Ferreira, Ana Catarina; Falcão, Ana Mendanha; Sousa, Nuno; Palha, Joana Almeida; Marques, FernandaNeudesin (Neuron-derived neurotrophic factor, NENF), a membrane-associated progesterone receptor family (MAPR) member, is a neuron secreted protein with neurotrophic properties during embryonic stages. However, its role in the adult brain is still poorly addressed. In this study we have used neudesin-null (Nenf-/-) mice and performed a characterization of the proliferation state of the adult neurogenic niches, ...
The habenula as a critical node in chronic stress-related anxiety
Jacinto, Luís Ricardo Monteiro; Mata, Rui; Novais, Ashley Cruz; Marques, Fernanda; Sousa, NunoThe habenula is activated in response to stressful and aversive events, resulting in exploratory inhibition. Although possible mechanisms for habenula activation have been proposed, the effects of chronic stress on the habenular structure have never been studied. Herein, we assessed changes in volume, cell density and dendritic structure of habenular cells after chronic stress exposure using stereological and 3...
How age, sex and genotype shape the stress response
Novais, Ashley Cruz; Monteiro, Susana; Roque, Susana; Neves, Margarida Correia; Sousa, NunoExposure to chronic stress is a leading pre-disposing factor for several neuropsychiatric disorders as it often leads to maladaptive responses. The response to stressful events is heterogeneous, underpinning a wide spectrum of distinct changes amongst stress-exposed individuals'. Several factors can underlie a different perception to stressors and the setting of distinct coping strategies that will lead to indi...
The role of sex and sex-related hormones in cognition, mood and well-being in o...
Castanho, Teresa C.; Moreira, Pedro Miguel Silva; Nunes, Carlos Portugal; Novais, Ashley Cruz; Costa, Patrício Soares; Palha, Joana Almeida; Sousa, NunoAlterations in hormone levels during aging impact on cognition and mood. Serum concentration levels of testosterone (TT), estradiol (E2), follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH), luteinizing hormone (LH), dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate (DHEAS) and prolactin (PRL) were assessed in 120 community-dwellers (51+ years of age, males and females), in a cross-sectional approach. Performance clusters based on executive funct...
Unraveling the biological role of neudesin, a novel neurotrophic factor
Novais, Ashley CruzTese de doutoramento Ciências da Saúde; Neudesin, also known as neuron derived neurotrophic factor (NENF), is a non-canonical neurotrophic factor. Since it presents a heme/steroid binding domain in its structure, NENF is also a member of the membrane associated progesterone receptor (MAPR) family. In vitro studies have shown that recombinant NENF per se is able to induce proliferation and differentiation of emb...
Lipocalin-2 is involved in emotional behaviors and cognitive function
Ferreira, Ana Catarina; Pinto, Vítor; Mesquita, Sandro; Novais, Ashley Cruz; Sousa, João Carlos; Neves, Margarida Correia; Sousa, NunoLipocalin-2 is involved in emotional behaviors and cognitive function; Lipocalin-2 (LCN2), an iron-related protein well described to participate in the innate immune response, has been shown to modulate spine morphology and to regulate neuronal excitability. In accordance, LCN2-null mice are reported to have stress-induced anxiety. Here we show that, under standard housing conditions, LCN2-null mice display anx...
Neudesin is involved in anxiety behavior: structural and neurochemical correlates
Novais, Ashley Cruz; Ferreira, Ana C.; Marques, Fernanda; Pêgo, José M.; Cerqueira, João; Pereira, Ana Carla David; Campos, Filipa L.; Dalla, ChristinaNeudesin (also known as neuron derived neurotrophic factor, Nenf) is a scarcely studied putative non-canonical neurotrophic factor. In order to understand its function in the brain, we performed an extensive behavioral characterization (motor, emotional, and cognitive dimensions) of neudesin-null mice. The absence of neudesin leads to an anxious-like behavior as assessed in the elevated plus maze (EPM), light/d...