Activation of the Lateral Habenula-Ventral Tegmental Area Neural Circuit Contributes to Postoperative Cognitive Dysfunction in Mice.

ABSTRACT: Postoperative cognitive dysfunction (POCD) is common and is associated with poor outcome. Neural circuit involvement in POCD is unknown. Lateral habenula (LHb) that regulates coping and depression-like behaviors after aversive stimuli is activated by surgery in the previous study. Here, surgery activated LHb and ventral tegmental area (VTA) are presented. VTA is known to receive projections from LHb and project to the prefrontal cortex and hippocampus. Direct chemogenetic inhibition of LHb or damaging LHb attenuates surgery-induced learning and memory impairment, N-methyl-d-aspartate (NMDA) receptor activation, endoplasmic reticulum stress, inflammatory responses and cell injury in the VTA, and activation of rostromedial tegmental nucleus, an intermediate station to connect LHb with VTA. L

SUBMITTER: Xin J 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC9353455 | biostudies-literature | 2022 Aug

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature