Excitation-inhibition imbalance in medial preoptic area circuits underlies chronic stress-induced depression-like states.

ABSTRACT: Dysregulation of brain homeostasis is associated with neuropsychiatric conditions such as major depressive disorder. However, underlying neural-circuit mechanisms remain not well-understood. We show in mice that chronic restraint stress (CRS) and social defeat stress (SDS) are both associated with disruption of excitation (E)-inhibition (I) balance, with increased E/I ratios, in medial preoptic area (MPOA) circuits, but through affecting different neuronal types. CRS results in elevated activity in glutamatergic neurons, and their suppression mitigates CRS-induced depressive-like behaviors. Paraventricular hypothalamic input to these neurons contributes to induction but not expression of depressive-like behaviors. Their projections to ventral tegmental area and periaqueductal gray/dorsal r

SUBMITTER: Tao C 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC11452203 | biostudies-literature | 2024 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature