• Molecules and Cells
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• v.44 no.2
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• pp.63-67
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• 2021

The bed nucleus of the stria terminalis (BNST)-a key part of the extended amygdala-has been implicated in the regulation of diverse behavioral states, ranging from anxiety and reward processing to feeding behavior. Among the host of distinct types of neurons within the BNST, recent investigations employing cell type- and projection-specific circuit dissection techniques (such as optogenetics, chemogenetics, deep-brain calcium imaging, and the genetic and viral methods for targeting specific types of cells) have highlighted the key roles of glutamatergic and GABAergic neurons and their axonal projections. As anticipated from their primary roles in excitatory and inhibitory neurotransmission, these studies established that the glutamatergic and GABAergic subpopulations of the BNST oppositely regulate diverse behavioral states. At the same time, these studies have also revealed unexpected functional specificity and heterogeneity within each subpopulation. In this Minireview, we introduce the body of studies that investigated the function of glutamatergic and GABAergic BNST neurons and their circuits. We also discuss unresolved questions and future directions for a more complete understanding of the cellular diversity and functional heterogeneity within the BNST.

• Molecules and Cells
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• v.45 no.2
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• pp.84-92
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• 2022

To understand the microcircuitry of the brain, the anatomical and functional connectivity among neurons must be resolved. One of the technical hurdles to achieving this goal is that the anatomical connections, or synapses, are often smaller than the diffraction limit of light and thus are difficult to resolve by conventional microscopy, while the microcircuitry of the brain is on the scale of 1 mm or larger. To date, the gold standard method for microcircuit reconstruction has been electron microscopy (EM). However, despite its rapid development, EM has clear shortcomings as a method for microcircuit reconstruction. The greatest weakness of this method is arguably its incompatibility with functional and molecular analysis. Fluorescence microscopy, on the other hand, is readily compatible with numerous physiological and molecular analyses. We believe that recent advances in various fluorescence microscopy techniques offer a new possibility for reliable synapse detection in large volumes of neural circuits. In this minireview, we summarize recent advances in fluorescence-based microcircuit reconstruction. In the same vein as these studies, we introduce our recent efforts to analyze the long-range connectivity among brain areas and the subcellular distribution of synapses of interest in relatively large volumes of cortical tissue with array tomography and superresolution microscopy.

• Journal of Genetic Medicine
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• v.21 no.1
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• pp.6-13
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• 2024

Rare diseases are characterized by a low prevalence, which often means that patients with such diseases are undiagnosed and do not have effective treatment options. Neurodevelopmental and neurological disorders make up around 40% of rare diseases and in the past decade, there has been a surge in the identification of genes linked to these conditions. This has created the need for model organisms to reveal mechanisms and to assess therapeutic methods. Different model animals have been employed, like Caenorhabditis elegans, Drosophila, zebrafish, and mice, to investigate the rare neurological diseases and to identify the causative genes. While the zebrafish has become a popular animal model in the last decade, mainly for studying brain development, understanding neural circuits, and conducting chemical screens, the mouse has been a very well-known model for decades. This review explores the strengths and limitations of using zebrafish as a vertebrate animal model for rare neurological disorders, emphasizing the features that make this animal model promising for the research on these disorders.

• 한국가시화정보학회:학술대회논문집
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• 2002.04a
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• pp.51-78
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• 2002

A number of research groups worldwide are studying electronic implants that can be mounted on retinal optic nerve/visual cortex to restore vision of patients suffering from retinal degeneration. The implants consist of a neural interface made of biocompatible materials, one or more integrated circuits for stimuli generation, a camera, an image processor, and a telemetric channel. The realization of these classes of neural prosthetic devices is largely due to the explosive development of micro- and nano-electronics technologies in the late $20^{th}$ century and biotechnologies more recently. Animal experiments showed promise and some human experiments are in progress to indicate that recognition of images can be obtained and improved over time. We, at NBS-ERC of SNU, have started our own retinal implant project in 2000. We have selected polyimide as the biomaterial for an epi-retinal stimulator. In-vitro and in-vivo biocompatibility studies have been performed on the electrode arrays. We have obtained good affinity to retinal pigment epithelial cells and no harmful effect. The implant also showed very good stability and safety in rabbit eye for 12 weeks. We have also demonstrated that through proper stimulation of inner retina, meaning vision can be obtained.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.25 no.8
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• pp.953-959
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• 2015

Optogenetics is the combination of optical and molecular strategies to control designated molecular and cellular activities in living tissues and cells using genetically encoded light-sensitive proteins. It involves the use of light to rapidly gate the membrane channels that allows for ion movement. Optogenetics began with the placing of light-sensitive proteins from green algae inside specific types of brain cells. The cells can then be turned on or off with pulses of blue and yellow light. Using the naturally occurring algal protein Channelrhodopsin-2 (ChR2), a rapidly gated light-sensitive cation channel, the number and frequency of action potentials can be controlled. The ChR2 provides a way to manipulate a single type of neuron while affecting no others, an unprecedented specificity. This technology allows the use of light to alter neural processing at the level of single spikes and synaptic events, yielding a widely applicable tool for neuroscientists and biomedical engineers. An improbable combination of green algae, lasers, gene therapy and fiber optics made it possible to map neural circuits deep inside the brain with a precision that has never been possible before. This will help identify the causes of disorders like depression, anxiety, schizophrenia, addiction, sleep disorder, and autism. Optogenetics could improve upon existing implanted devices that are used to treat Parkinson’s disease, obsessive-compulsive disorder and other ailments with pulses of electricity. An optogenetics device could hit more specific subsets of brain cells than those devices can. Applications of optogenetic tools in nonneuronal cells are on the rise.

• Journal of the Institute of Electronics and Information Engineers
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• v.52 no.8
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• pp.49-58
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• 2015

A floating type of memristor emulator which acts like the behavior of $TiO_2$ memristor has been developed. Most of existing memristor emulators are grounded type which is built disregarding the connectivity with other memristor or other devices. The developed memristor emulator is a floating type whose output does not need to be grounded. Therefore, the emulator is able to be connected with other devices and be utilized for the interoperability test with various other circuits. To prove the floating function of the proposed memristor emulator, a Wheatstone bridge is built by connecting 4 memristor emulators in series and parallel. Also this bridge circuit suggest that it is possible to weight calculation of the neural network synapse.

• The Journal of Information Technology
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• v.6 no.4
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• pp.11-23
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• 2003

We proposes that Design of the Digital Neuron Processor and Development of the Algorithm for the real time object recognition in the making Automatic system which uses the residue number system making the high speed operation possible without carry propagation, in this paper. Consisting of MAC(Multiplication and Accumulation) operator unit using Residue number system and sigmoid function operator unit using Mixed Residue Conversion is designed. The Designed circuits are descripted by C language and VHDL and synthesized by Compass tools. Finally, the designed processor is fabricated in 0.8${\mu}m$ CMOS process. Result of simulations shows that critical path delay time is about 19nsec and operation speed is 0.6nsec and the size can be reduced to 1/2 times co pared to the neural networks implemented by the real number operation unit. The proposed design the digital neuron processor can be implemented of the object recognition in the making Automatic system with desired real time processing.

• Journal of the Korea Society of Computer and Information
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• v.12 no.3
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• pp.37-50
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• 2007

In this paper, we designed and implementation of the high speed neuron processor for real time object recognition in the making automatic system. and we designed of the PE(Processing Element) used residue number system without carry propagation for the high speed operation. Consisting of MAC(Multiplication and Accumulation) operator using residue number system and sigmoid function operator unit using MAC(Mixed Radix conversion) is designed. The designed circuits are descript by C language and VHDL(Very High Speed Integrated Circuit Hardware Description Language) and synthesized by compass tools and finally, the designed processor is fabricated in $0.8{\mu}m$ CMOS process. we designed of MAC operation unit and sigmoid proceeding unit are proved that it could run time 0.6nsec on the simulation and improved to the speed of the three times and decreased to hardware size about 50%, each order. The designed neuron processor can be implemented of the object recognition in making automatic system with desired real time processing.

• Journal of the Korean Institute of Intelligent Systems
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• v.19 no.6
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• pp.749-754
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• 2009

Two gait generation methods using GP(genetic programming) and CPG(Central Pattern Generator) are compared to develop a fast locomotion for quadruped robot. GP based technique is an effective way to generate few joint trajectories instead of the locus of paw positions and lots of stance parameters. The CPGs are neural circuits that generate oscillatory output from a input coming from the brain. Optimization for two proposed methods are executed and analysed using Webots simulation for the quadruped robot which is built by Bioloid. Furthermore, simulation results for two proposed methods are experimented in real quadruped robot and performances and motion features of GP and CPG based methods are investigated.

• Molecules and Cells
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• v.40 no.2
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• pp.151-161
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• 2017

Proper synaptic function in neural circuits requires precise pairings between correct pre- and post-synaptic partners. Errors in this process may underlie development of neuropsychiatric disorders, such as autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Development of ASD can be influenced by genetic factors, including copy number variations (CNVs). In this study, we focused on a CNV occurring at the 16p11.2 locus in the human genome and investigated potential defects in synaptic connectivity caused by reduced activities of genes located in this region at Drosophila larval neuromuscular junctions, a well-established model synapse with stereotypic synaptic structures. A mutation of rolled, a Drosophila homolog of human mitogen-activated protein kinase 3 (MAPK3) at the 16p11.2 locus, caused ectopic innervation of axonal branches and their abnormal defasciculation. The specificity of these phenotypes was confirmed by expression of wild-type rolled in the mutant background. Albeit to a lesser extent, we also observed ectopic innervation patterns in mutants defective in Cdk2, Gq, and Gp93, all of which were expected to interact with Rolled MAPK3. A further genetic analysis in double heterozygous combinations revealed a synergistic interaction between rolled and Gp93. In addition, results from RT-qPCR analyses indicated consistently reduced rolled mRNA levels in Cdk2, Gq, and Gp93 mutants. Taken together, these data suggest a central role of MAPK3 in regulating the precise targeting of presynaptic axons to proper postsynaptic targets, a critical step that may be altered significantly in ASD.