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Key role for enkephalinergic tone in cortico-striatal-thalamic function.
Marylou V Solbrig1, George F Koob, W Ian Lipkin
1Department of Neurology, Gillespie Neuroscience Bldg, Rm 3107, University of California-Irvine, Irvine, CA 92697-4292, USA. msolbrig@uci.edu
The European Journal of Neuroscience
|November 15, 2002
Summary
Borna disease virus infection increases enkephalin levels in rats, potentially causing motor and cognitive disorders. This suggests endogenous opioids play a key role in brain circuit regulation.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Virology
- Neuropharmacology
Background:
- The role of dopamine in cortico-striatal-thalamic circuits is known, but endogenous opioid involvement is less clear.
- Borna disease virus (BDV) infection in rats causes motor and cognitive deficits.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the role of endogenous opioids in BDV-induced neurological dysfunction.
- To explore the impact of BDV on enkephalin expression within key brain regions.
Main Methods:
- Quantitative analysis of preproenkephalin mRNA transcripts in the striatum of infected rats.
- Assessment of immediate early gene c-fos activation in the motor thalamus.
- In vitro studies using cultured neuroblastoma and rat foetal glial cells.
Main Results:
- BDV infection significantly increased preproenkephalin transcripts in the striatum.
- Disrupted c-fos activation patterns were observed in the motor thalamus of infected rats.
- Elevated preproenkephalin levels were also detected in infected cell cultures.
Conclusions:
- Increased enkephalin function is implicated in BDV-induced motor and potential cognitive/affective diseases.
- Enkephalins are crucial for maintaining balanced activity in cortico-basal ganglia-thalamo-cortical loops.
- BDV infection disrupts normal neurochemical signaling within these critical brain circuits.