Updated September 22, 2020
Estimation Statistics
eNeuro encourages authors to add estimation statistics to their analyses when appropriate. Below, we feature papers that did so, along with an author's response to the query: What value was added to your analysis or perspective through the addition of estimation statistics? For more information read Estimation for Better Inference in Neuroscience.
"Since this study had a relatively small sample size, estimation statistics were invaluable for increasing our confidence that the effects we saw were robust and not likely to be spurious. The Data Analysis using Bootstrap-Coupled ESTimation (dabestr) package in R was easy to incorporate into our typical data analysis pipeline. After installing the package, we were able to run the analysis by modifying the code found in the following tutorial: https://cran.r-project.org/web/packages/dabestr/vignettes/using-dabestr.html." — Chelsea Haakenson
Research Spotlight
Alpha-synuclein mediated protein aggregation is a typical mechanism of dopamine neuronal loss for causing Parkinson’s disease. Verma et al. demonstrate that a form of post-translational modification, SUMOylation, protects dopaminergic cells from oxidative stress (MPP+) or a protein aggregation inducer, preformed fibrils (PFF) of alpha-synuclein. The protective effects are derived from the inhibition of Reactive Oxygen Species (ROS) generation and protein aggregation. Therefore, high levels of SUMOylation in dopaminergic neurons can prevent the pathological progression of Parkinson’s disease.
Focused ultrasound (US) has great potential to treat neurological disorders and has been shown to alter the brain activity of humans and other animals when used noninvasively on the outside of the skull. However, researchers have yet to agree on how exactly US works to influence nerve cells. One way that scientists have tried to determine how US affects neurons is by placing a sharp glass electrode into a neuron and examining US’s actions. Here, Collins & Mesce found that US can cause neurons to become excited indirectly because the electrode is caused to physically resonate, thus creating depolarizing leak currents. By manually displacing the glass electrode with micromovements in the absence of US, the authors could mimic the actions of US on neurons. Theirs is a cautionary tale highlighting that previously reported examples of US-induced neuronal excitation may be artifactual.
Extraocular opsin 3, a member of the opsin family of G-protein-coupled receptors, was initially found to be highly expressed in the brain. Despite its discovery more than two decades ago, opsin 3 remains one of the least characterized opsins, and investigation of its expression and function in the brain has been lacking. Olinski et al. generated and used a novel OPN3-mCherry knock-in mouse to analyze endogenous OPN3 protein expression across the brain. They have uncovered new aspects of OPN3 localization in a wide variety of brain regions and cell types.
At rest, the brain’s spontaneous activity is dominated by electrical activity at the alpha frequency (i.e., alpha oscillations) and activity of the default mode network (DMN). Patients with PTSD demonstrate deficits in both alpha oscillations and DMN activity, reflecting a disruption of these key intrinsic neural activities in PTSD. Linking these aberrations, Clancy et al. demonstrate patients with PTSD have reduced alpha oscillations not only in the visual cortex (a primary source of alpha oscillations) but also in the DMN, as well as reduced propagation of alpha oscillations from the visual cortex to the DMN. These deficits in alpha activity were further associated with symptoms of hypervigilance, thereby highlighting a network pathology of visual-cortex-DMN alpha dysrhythmia in PTSD that provides a novel target for therapeutic interventions.
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