RT Journal Article
SR Electronic
T1 Chemogenetic silencing of neurons in the mouse anterior cingulate area modulates neuronal activity and functional connectivity
JF bioRxiv
FD Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory
SP 686725
DO 10.1101/686725
A1 Lore M. Peeters
A1 Rukun Hinz
A1 Jan R. Detrez
A1 Stephan Missault
A1 Winnok H. De Vos
A1 Marleen Verhoye
A1 Annemie Van der Linden
A1 Georgios A. Keliris
YR 2019
UL http://biorxiv.org/content/early/2019/06/30/686725.abstract
AB The anterior cingulate area (ACA) is an integral part of the prefrontal cortex in mice and has been implicated in several cognitive functions. Previous anatomical and functional imaging studies demonstrated that the ACA is highly interconnected with numerous brain regions acting as a hub region in functional networks. However, the importance of the ACA in regulating functional network activity and connectivity remains to be elucidated. Recently developed neuromodulatory techniques, such as Designer Receptors Exclusively Activated by Designer Drugs (DREADDs) allow for precise control of neuronal activity. In this study, we used an inhibitory kappa-opioid receptor DREADDs (KORD) to temporally inhibit neuronal firing in the right ACA of mice and assessed functional network activity and connectivity using non-invasive functional MRI. We demonstrated that KORD-induced inhibition of the right ACA induced blood oxygenation-level dependent (BOLD) signal decreases and increases in connected brain regions throughout of hemispheres. Furthermore, these modulations in neuronal activity were associated with decreased intra- and interhemispheric functional connectivity. These results demonstrate that the combination of the DREADD technology and non-invasive functional imaging methods is a valuable tool for unraveling the underlying mechanisms of network function and dysfunction.