1.Neuroplasticity Mechanisms of Exercise-induced Brain Protection
Li-Juan HOU ; Lan-Qun MAO ; Wei CHEN ; Ke LI ; Xu-Dong ZHAO ; Yin-Hao WANG ; Zi-Zheng YANG ; Tian-He WEI
Progress in Biochemistry and Biophysics 2025;52(6):1435-1452
Neuroscience is a significant frontier discipline within the natural sciences and has become an important interdisciplinary frontier scientific field. Brain is one of the most complex organs in the human body, and its structural and functional analysis is considered the “ultimate frontier” of human self-awareness and exploration of nature. Driven by the strategic layout of “China Brain Project”, Chinese scientists have conducted systematic research focusing on “understanding the brain, simulating the brain, and protecting the brain”. They have made breakthrough progress in areas such as the principles of brain cognition, mechanisms and interventions for brain diseases, brain-like computation, and applications of brain-machine intelligence technology, aiming to enhance brain health through biomedical technology and improve the quality of human life. Due to limited understanding and comprehension of neuroscience, there are still many important unresolved issues in the field of neuroscience, resulting in a lack of effective measures to prevent and protect brain health. Therefore, in addition to actively developing new generation drugs, exploring non pharmacological treatment strategies with better health benefits and higher safety is particularly important. Epidemiological data shows that, exercise is not only an indispensable part of daily life but also an important non-pharmacological approach for protecting brain health and preventing neurodegenerative diseases, forming an emerging research field known as motor neuroscience. Basic research in motor neuroscience primarily focuses on analyzing the dynamic coding mechanisms of neural circuits involved in motor control, breakthroughs in motor neuroscience research depend on the construction of dynamic monitoring systems across temporal and spatial scales. Therefore, high spatiotemporal resolution detection of movement processes and movement-induced changes in brain structure and neural activity signals is an important technical foundation for conducting motor neuroscience research and has developed a set of tools based on traditional neuroscience methods combined with novel motor behavior decoding technologies, providing an innovative technical platform for motor neuroscience research. The protective effect of exercise in neurodegenerative diseases provides broad application prospects for its clinical translation. Applied research in motor neuroscience centers on deciphering the regulatory networks of neuroprotective molecules mediated by exercise. From the perspectives of exercise promoting neurogenesis and regeneration, enhancing synaptic plasticity, modulating neuronal functional activity, and remodeling the molecular homeostasis of the neuronal microenvironment, it aims to improve cognitive function and reduce the incidence of Parkinson’s disease and Alzheimer’s disease. This has also advanced research into the molecular regulatory networks mediating exercise-induced neuroprotection and facilitated the clinical application and promotion of exercise rehabilitation strategies. Multidimensional analysis of exercise-regulated neural plasticity is the theoretical basis for elucidating the brain-protective mechanisms mediated by exercise and developing intervention strategies for neurological diseases. Thus,real-time analysis of different neural signals during active exercise is needed to study the health effects of exercise throughout the entire life cycle and enhance lifelong sports awareness. Therefore, this article will systematically summarize the innovative technological developments in motor neuroscience research, review the mechanisms of neural plasticity that exercise utilizes to protect the brain, and explore the role of exercise in the prevention and treatment of major neurodegenerative diseases. This aims to provide new ideas for future theoretical innovations and clinical applications in the field of exercise-induced brain protection.
2.Urban-rural disparities in mortality due to stroke subtypes in China and its provinces, 2015-2020.
Yi REN ; Jia YANG ; Peng YIN ; Wei LIU ; Zheng LONG ; Chen ZHANG ; Zixin WANG ; Haijie LIU ; Maigeng ZHOU ; Qingfeng MA ; Junwei HAO
Chinese Medical Journal 2025;138(11):1345-1354
BACKGROUND:
Death burden of stroke is severe with over one-third rural residents in China, but there is still a lack of specific national and high-quality reports on the urban-rural differences in stroke burden, especially for subtypes. We aimed to update the understanding of urban-rural differences in stroke deaths.
METHODS:
This is a descriptive observational study. Data from the national mortality surveillance system, which covers 323.8 million with 605 disease surveillance points (DSPs) across all 31 provinces, municipalities, and autonomous regions in China. All deaths from stroke as the underlying cause from 2015 to 2020 according to DSPs. Crude mortality rate and age-standardized mortality rate (ASMR) were estimated through DSPs. Average annual percentage change was used to explain the change in mortality rate.
RESULTS:
From 2015 to 2020, the majority of deaths from all stroke subtypes occurred in rural areas. There were significant differences between the changes of urban and rural ASMRs. On the whole, the changes in urban areas were evidently better, and the ASMR differences were basically expanding. Stroke ASMR in urban China decreased by 15.5%. The rural ASMR of ischemic stroke increased by 12.9%. The rural and urban ASMRs of intracerebral hemorrhage decreased by 24.9% and 27.4%, and those of subarachnoid hemorrhage decreased by 29.5% and 40.4%, respectively. The highest ASMRs of all stroke subtypes and the increasing trend of ischemic stroke ASMR make rural males the focus of stroke management.
CONCLUSIONS
The death burden of stroke varies greatly between urban and rural China. Rural residents face unique challenges.
Humans
;
China/epidemiology*
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Stroke/mortality*
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Rural Population/statistics & numerical data*
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Male
;
Female
;
Urban Population/statistics & numerical data*
;
Middle Aged
;
Aged
;
Aged, 80 and over
;
Adult
3.Sesquiterpenoids from resin of Commiphora myrrha.
Hao HUANG ; Ran WANG ; Ya-Zhu YANG ; Jiao-Jiao YIN ; Yue LIN ; Yun-Fang ZHAO ; Hui-Xia HUO ; Jun LI
China Journal of Chinese Materia Medica 2025;50(3):702-707
The chemical constituents of Commiphora myrrha was investigated by column chromatography on silica gel, ODS, Sephadex LH-20, and semi-preparative HPLC. Their structures were elucidated by comprehensive spectroscopic methods including UV, IR, MS, NMR, as well as ECD calculation. Seven compounds were isolated from the dichloromethane-soluble fraction of C. myrrha and their structures were identified as(1S,2R,4S,5R,8S)-guaiane-2-hydroxy-7(11),10(15)-dien-6-oxo-12,8-olide(1), commipholide E(2), myrrhterpenoid H(3), myrrhterpenoid I(4), myrrhterpenoid E(5), 2α-methoxy-8α-hydroxy-6-oxogermacra-1(10),7(11)-dien-8,12-olide(6), 8,12-epoxy-1α,9α-hydroxy-eudesma-7,11-diene-6-dione(7). Compound 1 was a new compound and named myrrhterpenoid P. Compound 7 was isolated from Commiphora genus for the first time. Compounds 2, 5, and 6 significantly inhibited nitric oxide(NO) production in LPS-stimulated RAW264.7 cells, with IC_(50) values of(49.67±4.16),(40.80±1.27),(47.22±0.87) μmol·L~(-1), respectively [indomethacin as the positive control, with IC_(50) value of(63.92±2.60) μmol·L~(-1)].
Commiphora/chemistry*
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Animals
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Mice
;
Resins, Plant/chemistry*
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Sesquiterpenes/isolation & purification*
;
Molecular Structure
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Nitric Oxide
;
Macrophages/metabolism*
;
RAW 264.7 Cells
;
Drugs, Chinese Herbal/pharmacology*
4.Expert consensus on evaluation index system construction for new traditional Chinese medicine(TCM) from TCM clinical practice in medical institutions.
Li LIU ; Lei ZHANG ; Wei-An YUAN ; Zhong-Qi YANG ; Jun-Hua ZHANG ; Bao-He WANG ; Si-Yuan HU ; Zu-Guang YE ; Ling HAN ; Yue-Hua ZHOU ; Zi-Feng YANG ; Rui GAO ; Ming YANG ; Ting WANG ; Jie-Lai XIA ; Shi-Shan YU ; Xiao-Hui FAN ; Hua HUA ; Jia HE ; Yin LU ; Zhong WANG ; Jin-Hui DOU ; Geng LI ; Yu DONG ; Hao YU ; Li-Ping QU ; Jian-Yuan TANG
China Journal of Chinese Materia Medica 2025;50(12):3474-3482
Medical institutions, with their clinical practice foundation and abundant human use experience data, have become important carriers for the inheritance and innovation of traditional Chinese medicine(TCM) and the "cradles" of the preparation of new TCM. To effectively promote the transformation of new TCM originating from the TCM clinical practice in medical institutions and establish an effective evaluation index system for the transformation of new TCM conforming to the characteristics of TCM, consensus experts adopted the literature research, questionnaire survey, Delphi method, etc. By focusing on the policy and technical evaluation of new TCM originating from the TCM clinical practice in medical institutions, a comprehensive evaluation from the dimensions of drug safety, efficacy, feasibility, and characteristic advantages was conducted, thus forming a comprehensive evaluation system with four primary indicators and 37 secondary indicators. The expert consensus reached aims to encourage medical institutions at all levels to continuously improve the high-quality research and development and transformation of new TCM originating from the TCM clinical practice in medical institutions and targeted at clinical needs, so as to provide a decision-making basis for the preparation, selection, cultivation, and transformation of new TCM for medical institutions, improve the development efficiency of new TCM, and precisely respond to the public medication needs.
Medicine, Chinese Traditional/standards*
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Humans
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Consensus
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Drugs, Chinese Herbal/therapeutic use*
;
Surveys and Questionnaires
5.Effects of Sishen Pills and its separated prescriptions on human intestinal flora based on in vitro fermentation model.
Jia-Yang XI ; Qi-Qi WANG ; Xue CHENG ; Hui XIA ; Lu CAO ; Yue-Hao XIE ; Tian-Xiang ZHU ; Ming-Zhu YIN
China Journal of Chinese Materia Medica 2025;50(11):3137-3146
Sishen Pills and its separated prescriptions are classic prescriptions of traditional Chinese medicine to treat intestinal diseases. In this study, a high-performance liquid chromatography-electrospray ionization tandem mass spectrometry(HPLC-ESI-MS/MS) technology was used to identify the components of Sishen Pills, Ershen Pills, and Wuweizi Powder. The positive and negative ion sources of electrospray ionization were simultaneously collected by mass spectrometry. A total of 11 effective components were detected in Sishen Pills, with four effective components detected in Ershen Pills and eight effective components detected in Wuweizi Powder, respectively. To explore the effects of Sishen Pills and its separated prescriptions on the human intestinal flora, an in vitro anaerobic fermentation model was established, and the human intestinal flora was incubated with Sishen Pills, Ershen Pills, and Wuweizi Powder in vitro. The 16S rDNA sequencing technology was used to analyze the changes in the intestinal flora. The results showed that compared with the control group, Sishen Pills, and its separated prescriptions could decrease the intestinal flora abundance and increase the Shannon index after fermentation. The abundance of Bifidobacterium was significantly increased in the Sishen Pills and Ershen Pills groups. However, the abundance of Lactobacillus, Weissella, and Pediococcus was significantly increased in the Wuweizi Powder group. After fermentation for 12 h, the pH of the fermentation solution of three kinds of liquids with feces gradually decreased and was lower than that of the control group. The decreasing amplitude in the Wuweizi Powder group was the most obvious. The single-bacteria fermentation experiments further confirmed that Sishen Pills and Wuweizi Powder had inhibitory effects on Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus, and Enterococcus faecalis, and the antibacterial activity of Wuweizi Powder was stronger than that of Sishen Pills. Both Sishen Pills and Ershen Pills could promote the growth of Lactobacillus brevis, and Ershen Pills could promote the growth of Bifidobacterium adolescentis. This study provided a more sufficient theoretical basis for the clinical application of Sishen Pills and its separated prescriptions.
Humans
;
Gastrointestinal Microbiome/drug effects*
;
Drugs, Chinese Herbal/chemistry*
;
Fermentation/drug effects*
;
Bacteria/drug effects*
;
Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid
;
Tandem Mass Spectrometry
;
Intestines/microbiology*
6.Comparison of clinical efficacy between robotic-assisted total hip arthroplasty and traditional total hip arthroplasty.
Hao YANG ; Wen-Han FU ; Ming LU ; Zong-Sheng YIN
China Journal of Orthopaedics and Traumatology 2025;38(10):1001-1008
OBJECTIVE:
To explore and analyze the clinical efficacy of robotic-assisted versus traditional total hip arthroplasty.
METHODS:
A total of 186 patients with end-stage hip joint diseases treated from January 2023 to April 2025 were selected as the research subjects. Among them, 85 patients were screened out using propensity score matching and divided into two groups according to different treatment methods:manual total hip arthroplasty (mTHA) group (mTHA group) and robotic-assisted total hip arthroplasty (rTHA) group (rTHA group). In mTHA group, there were 50 patients, including 18 males and 32 females, age ranged from 37 to 78 years old with a mean of (60.12±10.93) years old;body mass index (BMI) ranged from 16.6 to 32.0 kg·m-2 with an average of (23.98±3.78) kg·m-2;27 cases involved the left hip, and 23 cases involved the right hip. In the rTHA group, there were 35 patients, including 14 males and 21 females, age ranged from 31 to 76 years old with an average of (57.14±12.18) years old;the BMI ranged from 17.1 to 33.0 kg·m-2 with a mean of (22.76±2.54) kg·m-2;13 cases involved the left hip, and 22 cases involved the right hip. The following parameters were analyzed and compared between the two groups:acetabular anteversion angle, acetabular abduction angle, difference in combined offset, difference in lower limb length, proportion of acetabula located in the Lewinnek safe zone after surgery, operation time, visual analogue scale (VAS) score, Western Ontario and McMaster Universities osteoarthritis index (WOMAC) score, and Harris hip score (HHS).
RESULTS:
All patients were followed up for 3 to 9 months, with an average of (6.8±1.3) months. In rTHA group and mTHA group, the abduction angles were (40.73±4.62)° and (40.95±4.71)° respectively;the differences in combined offset were (0.42±0.28) mm and (0.60±0.23) mm respectively;the WOMAC scores were(20.9±5.4) and (20.2±4.6) respectively;and the VAS were (1.1±1.0) and (1.0±0.8) respectively. There were no statistically significant differences in the above indicators between the two groups (P>0.05). However, statistically significant differences were observed between the two groups in the following aspects(P<0.05):the differences in lower limb length were (3.17±0.15) mm and (5.28±0.47) mm respectively;the postoperative acetabular anteversion angles were(22.84±2.83)° and (25.72±3.29)° respectively;the HHS were (80.7±5.5) and (74.8±6.3) respectively;and the operation times were (148.20±46.82) minutes and (81.84±18.76) minutes respectively.
CONCLUSION
Robot-assisted total hip arthroplasty demonstrates superior implant accuracy and improved early functional recovery compared with traditional manual THA. Nevertheless, it is associated with significantly longer operation time. Long-term prosthesis survival rate requires further follow-up verification.
Humans
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Male
;
Female
;
Arthroplasty, Replacement, Hip/methods*
;
Middle Aged
;
Aged
;
Adult
;
Robotic Surgical Procedures/methods*
;
Treatment Outcome
7.A novel frameshift variant in AXDND1 may cause multiple morphological abnormalities of the sperm flagella in a consanguineous Pakistani family.
Imtiaz ALI ; Meng-Lei YANG ; Fazal RAHIM ; Haider ALI ; Aurang ZEB ; Nisar AHMAD ; Yousaf RAZA ; Wang YUE ; Muhammad SHOAIB ; Tanveer ABBAS ; Wasim SHAH ; Hui MA ; Huan ZHANG ; Hao YIN ; Qing-Hua SHI
Asian Journal of Andrology 2025;27(6):691-696
The syndrome of multiple morphological abnormalities of the sperm flagella (MMAF) is one of the most serious kinds of sperm defects, leading to asthenoteratozoospermia and male infertility. In this study, we use whole-exome sequencing to identify genetic factors that account for male infertility in a patient born from a consanguineous Pakistani couple. A homozygous frameshift mutation (c.1399_1402del; p.Gln468ArgfsTer2) in axonemal dynein light chain domain containing 1 ( AXDND1 ) was identified in the patient. Sanger sequencing data showed that the mutation was cosegregated recessively with male infertility in this family. Papanicolaou staining and scanning electron microscopy analysis of the sperm revealed severely abnormal flagellar morphology in the patient. Immunofluorescence and western blot showed undetectable AXDND1 expression in the sperm of the patient. Transmission electron microscopy analysis showed disorganized sperm axonemal structure in the patient, particularly missing the central pair of microtubules. Immunofluorescence staining showed the absence of sperm-associated antigen 6 (SPAG6) and dynein axonemal light intermediate chain 1 (DNALI1) signals in the sperm flagella of the patient. These findings indicate that AXDND1 is essential for the organization of flagellar axoneme and provide direct evidence that AXDND1 is a MMAF gene in humans, thus expanding the phenotypic spectrum of AXDND1 frameshift mutations.
Humans
;
Male
;
Sperm Tail/ultrastructure*
;
Frameshift Mutation
;
Infertility, Male/pathology*
;
Pakistan
;
Pedigree
;
Consanguinity
;
Axonemal Dyneins/genetics*
;
Adult
;
Spermatozoa
;
Exome Sequencing
8.Efficacy and Safety of Erzhu Jiedu Decoction Granules in Treating Mid-advanced Hepatitis B Virus-Associated Primary Liver Cancer Patients with Pi (Spleen)-Deficiency and Dampness-Heat Syndrome.
Yang CHENG ; Hao-Yi WANG ; Cheng-Yi WAN ; Jie-Wen SHI ; Yuan-Yuan JIN ; Sheng-Li HE ; Bao-Bing YIN ; Jian-Jie CHEN
Chinese journal of integrative medicine 2025;31(5):394-401
OBJECTIVE:
To assess the efficacy and safety of Erzhu Jiedu Decoction (EZJDD) Granules in treating mid-advanced hepatitis B virus-associated primary liver cancer (HBV-PLC) patients with Pi (Spleen)-deficiency and dampness-heat syndrome.
METHODS:
From January 2021 to June 2023, a cohort of 132 patients were enrolled and randomly assigned to a control group or a EZJDD group according to the random numbers, with 66 patients in each group. The patients in the control group received conventional treatment for 3 months, followed by a 3-month follow-up. In addition to the conventional treatment, patients in the EZJDD group were administered EZJDD Granules (10.9 g/pack, 2 packs twice per day) orally for same duration. Progression-free survival (PFS) as primary outcome was evaluated by Kaplan Meier method. Karnofsky performance status (KPS) scores were used to assess the quality of life in two groups before and after treatment, and survival rates were determined as well. The efficacy of Chinese medicine syndrome was calculated with Nimodipine method. Liver function, tumor indicators and T lymphocyte subsets were measured, respectively. Safety indicators were recorded and assessed.
RESULTS:
Of the 116 patients who completed the study, 57 were in the control group and 59 in the EZJDD group. The median PFS was 3.53 months (106 days) in the EZJDD group compared to 2.33 months (70 days) in the control group (P=0.005). Six-month survival rate was 52.63% (30/57) in the control group and 69.49% (41/59) in the EZJDD group (P=0.039). The median KPS score in the EZJDD group [70(63, 90)] was higher than that in the control group [70(60, 80)] (P=0.013). The total effective rate of CM syndrome was 52.63% (30/57) in the control group and 77.97% (46/59) in the EZJDD group (P=0.005). The levels of alpha fetoprotein, alpha fetoprotein-L3, alpha-L-fucosidase and protein induced by Vitamin K absence or antagonist- II in the EZJDD group increased less than the control group (P>0.05). CD8+ levels were decreased, while CD3+ and CD4+ levels, as well as CD4+/CD8+ ratio were significantly increased in the EZZJD group (P<0.05). No treatment-related adverse reactions were observed during the study.
CONCLUSION
EZJDD Granules significantly prolonged the median PFS and improved 6-month survival rate in patients with mid-advanced HBV-PLC (Registration No. ChiCTR2200056922).
Humans
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Drugs, Chinese Herbal/adverse effects*
;
Male
;
Female
;
Middle Aged
;
Liver Neoplasms/complications*
;
Hepatitis B virus/physiology*
;
Hepatitis B/complications*
;
Treatment Outcome
;
Adult
;
Spleen/drug effects*
;
Quality of Life
;
Medicine, Chinese Traditional
;
Aged
;
Syndrome
9.Discovery of a potential hematologic malignancies therapy: Selective and potent HDAC7 PROTAC degrader targeting non-enzymatic function.
Yuheng JIN ; Xuxin QI ; Xiaoli YU ; Xirui CHENG ; Boya CHEN ; Mingfei WU ; Jingyu ZHANG ; Hao YIN ; Yang LU ; Yihui ZHOU ; Ao PANG ; Yushen LIN ; Li JIANG ; Qiuqiu SHI ; Shuangshuang GENG ; Yubo ZHOU ; Xiaojun YAO ; Linjie LI ; Haiting DUAN ; Jinxin CHE ; Ji CAO ; Qiaojun HE ; Xiaowu DONG
Acta Pharmaceutica Sinica B 2025;15(3):1659-1679
HDAC7, a member of class IIa HDACs, plays a pivotal regulatory role in tumor, immune, fibrosis, and angiogenesis, rendering it a potential therapeutic target. Nevertheless, due to the high similarity in the enzyme active sites of class IIa HDACs, inhibitors encounter challenges in discerning differences among them. Furthermore, the substitution of key residue in the active pocket of class IIa HDACs renders them pseudo-enzymes, leading to a limited impact of enzymatic inhibitors on their function. In this study, proteolysis targeting chimera (PROTAC) technology was employed to develop HDAC7 drugs. We developed an exceedingly selective HDAC7 PROTAC degrader B14 which showcased superior inhibitory effects on cell proliferation compared to TMP269 in various diffuse large B cell lymphoma (DLBCL) and acute myeloid leukemia (AML) cells. Subsequent investigations unveiled that B14 disrupts BCL6 forming a transcriptional inhibition complex by degrading HDAC7, thereby exerting proliferative inhibition in DLBCL. Our study broadened the understanding of the non-enzymatic functions of HDAC7 and underscored the importance of HDAC7 in the treatment of hematologic malignancies, particularly in DLBCL and AML.
10.Astrocytic dopamine D1 receptor modulates glutamatergic transmission and synaptic plasticity in the prefrontal cortex through d-serine.
Yanan YIN ; Jian HU ; Haipeng WU ; Xinyu YANG ; Jingwen QI ; Lang HUANG ; Zhengyi LUO ; Shiyang JIN ; Nengyuan HU ; Zhoucai LUO ; Tong LUO ; Hao CHEN ; Xiaowen LI ; Chunhua YUAN ; Shuji LI ; Jianming YANG ; Yihua CHEN ; Tianming GAO
Acta Pharmaceutica Sinica B 2025;15(9):4692-4710
The prefrontal cortex (PFC) plays a pivotal role in orchestrating higher-order emotional and cognitive processes, a function that depends on the precise modulation of synaptic activity. Although pharmacological studies have demonstrated that dopamine signaling through dopamine D1 receptor (DRD1) in the PFC is essential for these functions, the cell-type-specific and molecular mechanisms underlying the neuromodulatory effects remain elusive. Using cell-type-specific knockout mice and patch-clamp recordings, we investigated the regulatory role of DRD1 on neurons and astrocytes in synaptic transmission and plasticity. Furthermore, we explored the mechanisms by which DRD1 on astrocytes regulate synaptic transmission and plasticity at the cellular level, as well as emotional and cognitive functions at the behavioral level, through two-photon imaging, microdialysis, high-performance liquid chromatography, transcriptome sequencing, and behavioral testing. We found that conditional knockout of the Drd1 in astrocytes (CKOAST) increased glutamatergic synaptic transmission and long-term potentiation (LTP) in the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC), whereas Drd1 deletion in pyramidal neurons did not affect synaptic transmission. The elevated level of d-serine in the mPFC of CKOAST mice increased glutamatergic transmission and LTP through NMDA receptors. In addition, CKOAST mice exhibited abnormal emotional and cognitive function. Notably, these behavioral changes in CKOAST mice could be reversed through the administration of d-serine degrease to the mPFC. These results highlight the critical role of the astrocytic DRD1 in modulating mPFC synaptic transmission and plasticity, as well as higher brain functions through d-serine, and may shed light on the treatment of mental disorders.

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