BACKGROUND The midbrain contains the perikarya of all the dopamine neurons in the human brain. Although other neurochemicals may well be involved, dopamine dysregulation is central in the pathophysiology of psychosis. Despite this, few imaging studies have evaluated the morphology of the midbrain. METHODS Using high-resolution magnetic resonance imaging, morphology of three posterior fossa an...

The structure and projection patterns of adult mesodiencephalic dopaminergic (DA) neurons are one of the best characterized systems in the vertebrate brain. However, the early organization and development of these nuclei remain poorly understood. The induction of midbrain DA neurons requires sonic hedgehog (Shh) from the floor plate and fibroblast growth factor 8 (FGF8) from the isthmic organiz...

Leptin receptors (LepRs) expressed in the midbrain contribute to the action of leptin on feeding regulation. The midbrain neurons release a variety of neurotransmitters including dopamine (DA), glutamate and GABA. However, which neurotransmitter mediates midbrain leptin action on feeding remains unclear. Here, we showed that midbrain LepR neurons overlap with a subset of dopaminergic, GABAergic...

The cortex is thought to be the primary site of sensory plasticity, particularly during development. Here, we report that large-scale reorganization of the mouse auditory midbrain tonotopic map is induced by a specific sound-rearing environment consisting of paired low- (16 kHz) and high-frequency (40 kHz) tones. To determine the potential for plasticity in the mouse auditory midbrain, we used ...

Midbrain neurons synthesizing the neurotransmitter dopamine play a central role in the modulation of different brain functions and are associated with major neurological and psychiatric disorders. Despite the importance of these cells, the molecular mechanisms controlling their development are still poorly understood. The secreted glycoprotein Wnt1 is expressed in close vicinity to developing m...

Here we show that XsalF, a frog homolog of the Drosophila homeotic selector spalt, plays an essential role for the forebrain/midbrain determination in Xenopus. XsalF overexpression expands the domain of forebrain/midbrain genes and suppresses midbrain/hindbrain boundary (MHB) markers and anterior hindbrain genes. Loss-of-function studies show that XsalF is essential for the expression of the fo...

functions. However, the mechanisms of GABAergic neurogenesis in the midbrain are not well understood. Previously, it has been shown that Ascl1 is required for development of GABAergic neurons in the midbrain. Here we have characterized in more detail the role of Ascl1 in the development of distinct subpopulations of midbrain GABAergic neurons. In Ascl1-null mutants GABAergic neurons are complet...

Prior work has shown that functional connectivity between the midbrain and putamen is altered in patients with impairments in the dopamine system. This study examines whether individual differences in midbrain-striatal connectivity are proportional to the integrity of the dopamine system in patients with nigrostriatal dopamine loss (Parkinson's disease and dementia with Lewy bodies). We assesse...

Pitx2, a paired-like homeodomain transcription factor, is expressed in post-mitotic neurons within highly restricted domains of the embryonic mouse brain. Previous reports identified critical roles for PITX2 in histogenesis of the hypothalamus and midbrain, but the cellular identities of PITX2-positive neurons in these regions were not fully explored. This study characterizes Pitx2 expression w...

Initial anterior-posterior patterning of the neural tube into forebrain, midbrain, and hindbrain primordia occurs already during gastrulation, in response to signals patterning the gastrula embryo. After the initial establishment, further development within each brain part is thought to proceed largely independently of the others. However, mechanisms should exist that ensure proper delineation ...