Effects of Electroacupuncture at Auricular Concha Region on the Depressive Status of Unpredictable Chronic Mild Stress Rat Models.

Effects of electroacupuncture at auricular concha region on the depressive status of unpredictable chronic mild stress rat models.

Evid Based Complement Alternat Med. 2013; 2013: 789674
Liu RP, Fang JL, Rong PJ, Zhao Y, Meng H, Ben H, Li L, Huang ZX, Li X, Ma YG, Zhu B

To explore new noninvasive treatment options for depression, this study investigated the effects of electroacupuncture (EA) at the auricular concha region (ACR) of depression rat models. Depression in rats was induced by unpredictable chronic mild stress (UCMS) combined with isolation for 21 days. Eighty male Wistar rats were randomly assigned into four groups: normal, UCMS alone, UCMS with EA-ACR treatment, and UCMS with EA-ear-tip treatment. Rats under inhaled anesthesia were treated once daily for 14 days. The results showed that blood pressure and heart rate were significantly reduced in the EA-ACR group than in the UCMS alone group or the EA-ear-tip group. The open-field test scores significantly decreased in the UCMS alone and EA-ear-tip groups but not in the EA-ACR group. Both EA treatments downregulated levels of plasma cortisol and ACTH in UCMS rats back to normal levels. The present study suggested that EA-ACR can elicit similar cardioinhibitory effects as vagus nerve stimulation (VNS), and EA-ACR significantly antagonized UCMS-induced depressive status in UCMS rats. The antidepressant effect of EA-ACR is possibly mediated via the normalization of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis hyperactivity. HubMed – depression

Metabotropic NMDA receptor function is required for ?-amyloid-induced synaptic depression.

Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2013 Feb 19;
Kessels HW, Nabavi S, Malinow R

The mechanisms by which ?-amyloid (A?), a peptide fragment believed to contribute to Alzheimer’s disease, leads to synaptic deficits are not known. Here we find that elevated oligomeric A? requires ion flux-independent function of NMDA receptors (NMDARs) to produce synaptic depression. A? activates this metabotropic NMDAR function on GluN2B-containing NMDARs but not on those containing GluN2A. Furthermore, oligomeric A? leads to a selective loss of synaptic GluN2B responses, effecting a switch in subunit composition from GluN2B to GluN2A, a process normally observed during development. Our results suggest that conformational changes of the NMDAR, and not ion flow through its channel, are required for A? to produce synaptic depression and a switch in NMDAR composition. This A?-induced signaling mediated by alterations in GluN2B conformation may be a target for therapeutic intervention of Alzheimer’s disease. HubMed – depression

The ?2 glutamate receptor gates long-term depression by coordinating interactions between two AMPA receptor phosphorylation sites.

Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2013 Feb 19;
Kohda K, Kakegawa W, Matsuda S, Yamamoto T, Hirano H, Yuzaki M

Long-term depression (LTD) commonly affects learning and memory in various brain regions. Although cerebellar LTD absolutely requires the ?2 glutamate receptor (GluD2) that is expressed in Purkinje cells, LTD in other brain regions does not; why and how cerebellar LTD is regulated by GluD2 remains unelucidated. Here, we show that the activity-dependent phosphorylation of serine 880 (S880) in GluA2 AMPA receptor subunit, which is an essential step for AMPA receptor endocytosis during LTD induction, was impaired in GluD2-null cerebellum. In contrast, the basal phosphorylation levels of tyrosine 876 (Y876) in GluA2 were increased in GluD2-null cerebellum. An in vitro phosphorylation assay revealed that Y876 phosphorylation inhibited subsequent S880 phosphorylation. Conversely, Y876 dephosphorylation was sufficient to restore S880 phosphorylation and LTD induction in GluD2-null Purkinje cells. Furthermore, megakaryocyte protein tyrosine phosphatase (PTPMEG), which binds to the C terminus of GluD2, directly dephosphorylated Y876. These data indicate that GluD2 gates LTD by coordinating interactions between the two phosphorylation sites of the GluA2. HubMed – depression

Metabotropic NMDA receptor function is required for NMDA receptor-dependent long-term depression.

Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2013 Feb 19;
Nabavi S, Kessels HW, Alfonso S, Aow J, Fox R, Malinow R

NMDA receptor (NMDAR) activation controls long-term potentiation (LTP) as well as long-term depression (LTD) of synaptic transmission, cellular models of learning and memory. A long-standing view proposes that a high level of Ca(2+) entry through NMDARs triggers LTP; lower Ca(2+) entry triggers LTD. Here we show that ligand binding to NMDARs is sufficient to induce LTD; neither ion flow through NMDARs nor Ca(2+) rise is required. However, basal levels of Ca(2+) are permissively required. Lowering, but not maintaining, basal Ca(2+) levels with Ca(2+) chelators blocks LTD and drives strong synaptic potentiation, indicating that basal Ca(2+) levels control NMDAR-dependent LTD and basal synaptic transmission. Our findings indicate that metabotropic actions of NMDARs can weaken active synapses without raising postsynaptic calcium, thereby revising and expanding the mechanisms controlling synaptic plasticity. HubMed – depression

Depression Treatment subliminal binaural beats music best – For more info visit depressiontreatmentt.com Depression Treatment subliminal binaural beats music Tags: depression treatment, anxiety disorder, binaural beats, brainwave entrainment, depression music, bipolar disorder, depression anxiety, depression treatment m…

Encinitas shooting tragedy
From the more direct situations of family violence, sexual abuse, and PTSD to the subtler instances of substance use/abuse, anxiety, depression, self-esteem and other less-obvious mental health issues, there is all too often a connection to domestic … Read more on U-T San Diego