Studies of Central Nervous System Functional Anatomy

Herkenham, M.

Abstract

A sensitive method for light microscopic localization of brain receptors by in vitro autoradiography was developed previously in this laboratory. By this method we have mapped the locations of drug and neurotransmitter receptors in the brains of rats and other vertebrates, including primates. Immunohistochemistry is used to compare the locations of transmitter-specific pathways with the locations of the relevant receptors. The non- correspondence, or """"""""mismatch"""""""" between the locations of receptors and transmitters in the opiate and tachykinin systems, as well as others, allows hypotheses about parasynaptic circuitry in the central nervous system. Physiological activation of vasopressin dynorphin pathways in the posterior pituitary altered kappa opiate receptor binding in the neurohypophysis, a site of parasynaptic communication. Current and planned work uses similar strategies to better understand the forms of functional intercellular communication.

Funding Agency

• Agency: National Institute of Health (NIH)
• Institute: National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH)
• Type: Intramural Research (Z01)
• Project #: 1Z01MH001090-12
• Application #: 3944678
• Support Year: 12
• Fiscal Year: 1987

Institution

• Name: U.S. National Institute of Mental Health
• Country: United States

Publications

Lehmann, Michael L; Mustafa, Tomris; Eiden, Adrian M et al. (2013) PACAP-deficient mice show attenuated corticosterone secretion and fail to develop depressive behavior during chronic social defeat stress. Psychoneuroendocrinology 38:702-15

Patchev, Alexandre V; Fischer, Dieter; Wolf, Siegmund S et al. (2007) Insidious adrenocortical insufficiency underlies neuroendocrine dysregulation in TIF-2 deficient mice. FASEB J 21:231-8

Steiner, Alexandre A; Chakravarty, Sumana; Rudaya, Alla Y et al. (2006) Bacterial lipopolysaccharide fever is initiated via Toll-like receptor 4 on hematopoietic cells. Blood 107:4000-2

Chakravarty, Sumana; Herkenham, Miles (2005) Toll-like receptor 4 on nonhematopoietic cells sustains CNS inflammation during endotoxemia, independent of systemic cytokines. J Neurosci 25:1788-96

Steiner, Alexandre A; Chakravarty, Sumana; Robbins, Jared R et al. (2005) Thermoregulatory responses of rats to conventional preparations of lipopolysaccharide are caused by lipopolysaccharide per se-- not by lipoprotein contaminants. Am J Physiol Regul Integr Comp Physiol 289:R348-R352

Herkenham, Miles (2005) Folliculo-stellate (FS) cells of the anterior pituitary mediate interactions between the endocrine and immune systems. Endocrinology 146:33-4

Bryceson, Y T; Foster, J A; Kuppusamy, S P et al. (2005) Expression of a killer cell receptor-like gene in plastic regions of the central nervous system. J Neuroimmunol 161:177-82

Kassed, Cheryl A; Herkenham, Miles (2004) NF-kappaB p50-deficient mice show reduced anxiety-like behaviors in tests of exploratory drive and anxiety. Behav Brain Res 154:577-84

Foster, Jane A; Puchowicz, Michael J; McIntyre, Dan C et al. (2004) Activin mRNA induced during amygdala kindling shows a spatiotemporal progression that tracks the spread of seizures. J Comp Neurol 476:91-102

Butterweck, Veronika; Winterhoff, Hilke; Herkenham, Miles (2003) Hyperforin-containing extracts of St John's wort fail to alter gene transcription in brain areas involved in HPA axis control in a long-term treatment regimen in rats. Neuropsychopharmacology 28:2160-8