Bishop Mitchell, SheikhBahei Shahriar
Neuron-Glia Signaling and Circuits Unit, National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS), National Institutes of Health (NIH), Bethesda, 20892 MD, USA.
bioRxiv. 2023 Sep 29:2023.09.28.559604. doi: 10.1101/2023.09.28.559604.
Variations in arousal levels can impact respiratory patterns. However, whether changes in breathing behaviors can influence arousal state is not fully understood. In this study, we investigated the role of astrocytes in the preBötzinger complex (preBötC) in modulating arousal states via breathing in adult conscious rats. Using viral vector tools, we selectively interfered with astrocytic signaling in the preBötC. Rats with inhibited astrocytic signaling exhibited slower breathing rates and behaviors indicative of a calmer state, whereas enhanced purinergic signaling in preBötC astrocytes led to faster breathing and heightened arousal. Our findings reveal a key role for astrocyte-mediated mechanism in the preBötC that influences both respiratory behaviors and higher-order brain functions like arousal, suggesting a bidirectional link between breathing behaviors and mental states.
觉醒水平的变化会影响呼吸模式。然而，呼吸行为的改变是否会影响觉醒状态尚未完全明确。在本研究中，我们探究了成年清醒大鼠中，前包钦格复合体（preBötC）中的星形胶质细胞在通过呼吸调节觉醒状态方面的作用。我们使用病毒载体工具，选择性地干扰了preBötC中的星形胶质细胞信号传导。星形胶质细胞信号传导受到抑制的大鼠表现出呼吸频率减慢以及表明状态更平静的行为，而preBötC星形胶质细胞中嘌呤能信号增强则导致呼吸加快和觉醒增强。我们的研究结果揭示了preBötC中星形胶质细胞介导的机制在影响呼吸行为和诸如觉醒等高级脑功能方面的关键作用，提示了呼吸行为与精神状态之间的双向联系。
