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Nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (nAChRs) play crucial roles in various human disorders, with the alpha 7, alpha 4, alpha 6, and alpha 3-containing nAChR subtypes extensively studied in relation to conditions such as Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, nicotine dependence, mood disorders, and stress disorders. In contrast, the alpha 2-nAChR subunit has received less attention due to its more restricted expression and the scarcity of specific agonists and antagonists for studying its function. Nevertheless, recent research has shed light on the unique expression pattern of the Chrna2 gene, which encodes the alpha 2-nAChR subunit, and its involvement in distinct populations of inhibitory interneurons. This review highlights the structure, pharmacology, localization, function, and disease associations of alpha 2-containing nAChRs and points to the unique expression pattern of the Chrna2 gene and its role in different inhibitory interneuron populations. These populations, including the oriens lacunosum moleculare (OLM) cells in the hippocampus, Martinotti cells in the neocortex, and Renshaw cells in the spinal cord, share common features and contribute to recurrent inhibitory microcircuits. Thus, the alpha 2-nAChR subunit's unique expression pattern in specific interneuron populations and its role in recurrent inhibitory microcircuits highlight its importance in various physiological processes. Further research is necessary to uncover the comprehensive functionality of alpha 2-containing nAChRs, delineate their specific contributions to neuronal circuits, and investigate their potential as therapeutic targets for related disorders.

Nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (nAChRs) play crucial roles in various human disorders, with the alpha 7, alpha 4, alpha 6, and alpha 3-containing nAChR subtypes extensively studied in relation to conditions such as Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, nicotine dependence, mood disorders, and stress disorders. In contrast, the alpha 2-nAChR subunit has received less attention due to its more restricted expression and the scarcity of specific agonists and antagonists for studying its function. Nevertheless, recent research has shed light on the unique expression pattern of the Chrna2 gene, which encodes the alpha 2-nAChR subunit, and its involvement in distinct populations of inhibitory interneurons. This review highlights the structure, pharmacology, localization, function, and disease associations of alpha 2-containing nAChRs and points to the unique expression pattern of the Chrna2 gene and its role in different inhibitory interneuron populations. These populations, including the oriens lacunosum moleculare (OLM) cells in the hippocampus, Martinotti cells in the neocortex, and Renshaw cells in the spinal cord, share common features and contribute to recurrent inhibitory microcircuits. Thus, the alpha 2-nAChR subunit's unique expression pattern in specific interneuron populations and its role in recurrent inhibitory microcircuits highlight its importance in various physiological processes. Further research is necessary to uncover the comprehensive functionality of alpha 2-containing nAChRs, delineate their specific contributions to neuronal circuits, and investigate their potential as therapeutic targets for related disorders.

Nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (nAChRs) play crucial roles in various human disorders, with the alpha 7, alpha 4, alpha 6, and alpha 3-containing nAChR subtypes extensively studied in relation to conditions such as Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, nicotine dependence, mood disorders, and stress disorders. In contrast, the alpha 2-nAChR subunit has received less attention due to its more restricted expression and the scarcity of specific agonists and antagonists for studying its function. Nevertheless, recent research has shed light on the unique expression pattern of the Chrna2 gene, which encodes the alpha 2-nAChR subunit, and its involvement in distinct populations of inhibitory interneurons. This review highlights the structure, pharmacology, localization, function, and disease associations of alpha 2-containing nAChRs and points to the unique expression pattern of the Chrna2 gene and its role in different inhibitory interneuron populations. These populations, including the oriens lacunosum moleculare (OLM) cells in the hippocampus, Martinotti cells in the neocortex, and Renshaw cells in the spinal cord, share common features and contribute to recurrent inhibitory microcircuits. Thus, the alpha 2-nAChR subunit's unique expression pattern in specific interneuron populations and its role in recurrent inhibitory microcircuits highlight its importance in various physiological processes. Further research is necessary to uncover the comprehensive functionality of alpha 2-containing nAChRs, delineate their specific contributions to neuronal circuits, and investigate their potential as therapeutic targets for related disorders.

Nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (nAChRs) play crucial roles in various human disorders, with the alpha 7, alpha 4, alpha 6, and alpha 3-containing nAChR subtypes extensively studied in relation to conditions such as Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, nicotine dependence, mood disorders, and stress disorders. In contrast, the alpha 2-nAChR subunit has received less attention due to its more restricted expression and the scarcity of specific agonists and antagonists for studying its function. Nevertheless, recent research has shed light on the unique expression pattern of the Chrna2 gene, which encodes the alpha 2-nAChR subunit, and its involvement in distinct populations of inhibitory interneurons. This review highlights the structure, pharmacology, localization, function, and disease associations of alpha 2-containing nAChRs and points to the unique expression pattern of the Chrna2 gene and its role in different inhibitory interneuron populations. These populations, including the oriens lacunosum moleculare (OLM) cells in the hippocampus, Martinotti cells in the neocortex, and Renshaw cells in the spinal cord, share common features and contribute to recurrent inhibitory microcircuits. Thus, the alpha 2-nAChR subunit's unique expression pattern in specific interneuron populations and its role in recurrent inhibitory microcircuits highlight its importance in various physiological processes. Further research is necessary to uncover the comprehensive functionality of alpha 2-containing nAChRs, delineate their specific contributions to neuronal circuits, and investigate their potential as therapeutic targets for related disorders.

Nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (nAChRs) play crucial roles in various human disorders, with the alpha 7, alpha 4, alpha 6, and alpha 3-containing nAChR subtypes extensively studied in relation to conditions such as Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, nicotine dependence, mood disorders, and stress disorders. In contrast, the alpha 2-nAChR subunit has received less attention due to its more restricted expression and the scarcity of specific agonists and antagonists for studying its function. Nevertheless, recent research has shed light on the unique expression pattern of the Chrna2 gene, which encodes the alpha 2-nAChR subunit, and its involvement in distinct populations of inhibitory interneurons. This review highlights the structure, pharmacology, localization, function, and disease associations of alpha 2-containing nAChRs and points to the unique expression pattern of the Chrna2 gene and its role in different inhibitory interneuron populations. These populations, including the oriens lacunosum moleculare (OLM) cells in the hippocampus, Martinotti cells in the neocortex, and Renshaw cells in the spinal cord, share common features and contribute to recurrent inhibitory microcircuits. Thus, the alpha 2-nAChR subunit's unique expression pattern in specific interneuron populations and its role in recurrent inhibitory microcircuits highlight its importance in various physiological processes. Further research is necessary to uncover the comprehensive functionality of alpha 2-containing nAChRs, delineate their specific contributions to neuronal circuits, and investigate their potential as therapeutic targets for related disorders.

James Francis Perna IIIPerinatal penicillin exposure affects cortical development and adolescent sensoryprocessingBACKGROUND: Recent epidemiological and experimental work has raised concern thatthe use of antibiotics during early-life may have long-term detrimental consequences for children’s metabolic, immunological, and neuropsychological health. The effects of penicillin on the central nervous system (CNS) is not well understood. METHODS: We studied the effects of perinatal penicillin exposure (PPE) on brain structure and function in mice. Mice were maternally exposed to penicillin by administering a therapeutically relevant dose of penicillin to pregnant and nursing dams in their drinking water. We used a battery of behavioral tests to evaluate anxiety, working memory, and sensory processing at adolescence and immunohistochemistry to quantify changes in parvalbumin-expressing inhibitory interneurons (PV INs), perineuronal nets (PNNs), as well as microglia density, morphology, and dynamics. In addition, we used RT-qPCR and ELISA assays to examine systemic and cortical inflammatory states. Furthermore, we performed mesoscale Ca2+ in vivo imaging of awake adolescent mice to study neural activity and functional connectivity across cortical regions and two-photon in vivo imaging of sedated adolescent mice to monitor dendritic spine as well as microglial dynamics.RESULTS: We found that PPE mice had altered sensory processing, including impairedtexture discrimination and augmented prepulse inhibition. These behavioral abnormalities were associated with decreased functional connectivity and increased neuronal activities across the cortex as well as within the somatosensory cortex. Furthermore, PPE mice showed delayed maturation of PV INs in the somatosensory cortex, as well as significantly lower density of dendritic spines on the apical dendrites of layer 5 pyramidal neurons therein driven by an increased elimination rate. Interestingly, while the density and b

James Francis Perna IIIPerinatal penicillin exposure affects cortical development and adolescent sensoryprocessingBACKGROUND: Recent epidemiological and experimental work has raised concern thatthe use of antibiotics during early-life may have long-term detrimental consequences for children’s metabolic, immunological, and neuropsychological health. The effects of penicillin on the central nervous system (CNS) is not well understood. METHODS: We studied the effects of perinatal penicillin exposure (PPE) on brain structure and function in mice. Mice were maternally exposed to penicillin by administering a therapeutically relevant dose of penicillin to pregnant and nursing dams in their drinking water. We used a battery of behavioral tests to evaluate anxiety, working memory, and sensory processing at adolescence and immunohistochemistry to quantify changes in parvalbumin-expressing inhibitory interneurons (PV INs), perineuronal nets (PNNs), as well as microglia density, morphology, and dynamics. In addition, we used RT-qPCR and ELISA assays to examine systemic and cortical inflammatory states. Furthermore, we performed mesoscale Ca2+ in vivo imaging of awake adolescent mice to study neural activity and functional connectivity across cortical regions and two-photon in vivo imaging of sedated adolescent mice to monitor dendritic spine as well as microglial dynamics.RESULTS: We found that PPE mice had altered sensory processing, including impairedtexture discrimination and augmented prepulse inhibition. These behavioral abnormalities were associated with decreased functional connectivity and increased neuronal activities across the cortex as well as within the somatosensory cortex. Furthermore, PPE mice showed delayed maturation of PV INs in the somatosensory cortex, as well as significantly lower density of dendritic spines on the apical dendrites of layer 5 pyramidal neurons therein driven by an increased elimination rate. Interestingly, while the density and b

Comment on Exploring the physiology and function of high-frequency oscillations (HFOs) from the somatosensory cortex. [Clin Neurophysiol. 2011]