Motor cortical neuronal hyperexcitability associated with α-synuclein aggregation

Αbstract In Parkinson’s disease (PD), Lewy pathology deposits in the cerebral cortex, but how the pathology disrupts cortical circuit integrity and function remains poorly understood. To begin to address this question, we injected α-synuclein (αSyn) preformed fibrils (PFFs) into the dorsolateral str...

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Main Authors: Liqiang Chen, Hiba Douja Chehade, Hong-Yuan Chu
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Nature Portfolio 2025-01-01
Series:npj Parkinson's Disease
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1038/s41531-024-00867-z
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author Liqiang Chen
Hiba Douja Chehade
Hong-Yuan Chu
author_facet Liqiang Chen
Hiba Douja Chehade
Hong-Yuan Chu
author_sort Liqiang Chen
collection DOAJ
description Αbstract In Parkinson’s disease (PD), Lewy pathology deposits in the cerebral cortex, but how the pathology disrupts cortical circuit integrity and function remains poorly understood. To begin to address this question, we injected α-synuclein (αSyn) preformed fibrils (PFFs) into the dorsolateral striatum of mice to seed αSyn pathology in the cortical cortex and induce degeneration of midbrain dopaminergic neurons. We reported that αSyn aggregates accumulate in the motor cortex in a layer- and cell-subtype-specific pattern. Specifically, αSyn aggregates-bearing intratelencephalic neurons (ITNs) showed hyperexcitability, increased input resistance, and decreased cell capacitance, which were associated with impaired HCN channel function. Morphologically, the αSyn aggregates-bearing ITNs showed shrinkage of cell bodies and loss of dendritic spines. Last, we showed that partial dopamine depletion is not sufficient to alter thalamocortical transmission to cortical pyramidal neurons. Our results provide a novel mechanistic understanding of cortical circuit dysfunction in PD.
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institution Kabale University
issn 2373-8057
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publisher Nature Portfolio
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series npj Parkinson's Disease
spelling doaj-art-022db6b946c04ece94002bd06a48ab5a2025-01-19T12:14:38ZengNature Portfolionpj Parkinson's Disease2373-80572025-01-0111111310.1038/s41531-024-00867-zMotor cortical neuronal hyperexcitability associated with α-synuclein aggregationLiqiang Chen0Hiba Douja Chehade1Hong-Yuan Chu2Aligning Science Across Parkinson’s (ASAP) Collaborative Research NetworkAligning Science Across Parkinson’s (ASAP) Collaborative Research NetworkAligning Science Across Parkinson’s (ASAP) Collaborative Research NetworkΑbstract In Parkinson’s disease (PD), Lewy pathology deposits in the cerebral cortex, but how the pathology disrupts cortical circuit integrity and function remains poorly understood. To begin to address this question, we injected α-synuclein (αSyn) preformed fibrils (PFFs) into the dorsolateral striatum of mice to seed αSyn pathology in the cortical cortex and induce degeneration of midbrain dopaminergic neurons. We reported that αSyn aggregates accumulate in the motor cortex in a layer- and cell-subtype-specific pattern. Specifically, αSyn aggregates-bearing intratelencephalic neurons (ITNs) showed hyperexcitability, increased input resistance, and decreased cell capacitance, which were associated with impaired HCN channel function. Morphologically, the αSyn aggregates-bearing ITNs showed shrinkage of cell bodies and loss of dendritic spines. Last, we showed that partial dopamine depletion is not sufficient to alter thalamocortical transmission to cortical pyramidal neurons. Our results provide a novel mechanistic understanding of cortical circuit dysfunction in PD.https://doi.org/10.1038/s41531-024-00867-z
spellingShingle Liqiang Chen
Hiba Douja Chehade
Hong-Yuan Chu
Motor cortical neuronal hyperexcitability associated with α-synuclein aggregation
npj Parkinson's Disease
title Motor cortical neuronal hyperexcitability associated with α-synuclein aggregation
title_full Motor cortical neuronal hyperexcitability associated with α-synuclein aggregation
title_fullStr Motor cortical neuronal hyperexcitability associated with α-synuclein aggregation
title_full_unstemmed Motor cortical neuronal hyperexcitability associated with α-synuclein aggregation
title_short Motor cortical neuronal hyperexcitability associated with α-synuclein aggregation
title_sort motor cortical neuronal hyperexcitability associated with α synuclein aggregation
url https://doi.org/10.1038/s41531-024-00867-z
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AT hibadoujachehade motorcorticalneuronalhyperexcitabilityassociatedwithasynucleinaggregation
AT hongyuanchu motorcorticalneuronalhyperexcitabilityassociatedwithasynucleinaggregation