Abstract
Activity-induced gene expression underlies synaptic plasticity and brain function. Here, using molecular sequencing techniques, we define activity-dependent transcriptomic and epigenomic changes at the tissue and single-cell level in the human brain following direct electrical stimulation of the anterior temporal lobe in patients undergoing neurosurgery. Genes related to transcriptional regulation and microglia-specific cytokine activity displayed the greatest induction pattern, revealing a precise molecular signature of neuronal activation in the human brain.
Electrical stimulation of the human cortex allows the identification of an activity-dependent gene expression signature.
Neurons and microglia in the human brain exhibit distinct transcriptional signatures following electrical stimulation.
Single nuclear chromatin accessibility studies reveal cell-type-specific epigenomic changes and specific transcription factor motifs in microglia.
Competing Interest Statement
T.A. is a scientific advisor to Aditum Bio and Radius Health and he serves on the scientific advisory board of Embark Neuro. T.A serves on the Scientific Advisory Board of EmbarkNeuro and is a scientific advisor to Aditum Bio and Radius Health. The other authors declare no conflicting interests.
