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P50 Sensory Gating in Infants
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Neurogenesis and sensorimotor gating: bridging a microphenotype and an endophenotype
1Center for Neuroscience, Department of Developmental Neuroscience, Tohoku University School of Medicine, 2-1, Seiryo-Machhi, Aoba-Ku, Sendai 980-8575, Japan. osumi@med.tohoku.ac.jp.
Current Molecular Medicine
|March 4, 2015
Summary
Impaired neurogenesis during development may cause sensorimotor gating deficits, a marker for psychiatric disorders. Environmental enrichment can restore neurogenesis and improve these deficits, suggesting a link between early brain development and mental health.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Developmental Biology
- Psychiatry
Background:
- Neurogenesis, the creation of new neurons, is vital for brain development and function.
- Defects in neurogenesis are implicated in psychiatric disorders, manifesting as molecular and cellular
- microphenotypes
- Sensorimotor gating deficits, measured by prepulse inhibition (PPI), are endophenotypes for disorders like schizophrenia and autism.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the critical period of neurogenesis affecting sensorimotor gating.
- To test the hypothesis that impaired preadolescent neurogenesis leads to sensorimotor gating deficits.
- To explore if environmental enrichment can restore neurogenesis and PPI.
Main Methods:
- Mice were exposed to an enriched environment to stimulate neurogenesis.
- Prepulse inhibition (PPI) test was used to assess sensorimotor gating.
- Neurogenesis and neuronal maturation in the hippocampus were analyzed.
Main Results:
- Environmental enrichment restored PPI deficits in mice.
- Impairments in newborn hippocampal neuron maturation and GABAergic neuron development were observed.
- These neuronal deficits are considered potential microphenotypes linked to PPI defects.
Conclusions:
- Preadolescent neurogenesis impairment is critical for sensorimotor gating deficits.
- Environmental enrichment offers a potential therapeutic strategy by restoring neurogenesis.
- Further research with precise genetic models is needed to confirm the role of specific neurogenesis periods.
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